Category Archives: Berroco Estiva

FINISHED Cruz Bay Crochet Cardi

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Cruz Bay

I finished my Cruz Bay crochet cardi! It turned out really nicely, it’s a great summer top, I’m very happy with it and wearing it in the store.

The Pattern

It wasn’t a crazy hard piece, but I’d say it was an advanced beginner to intermediate level of crochet pattern. I used a larger hook because my tension was looking too tight in the pattern stitch (luckily you start the pattern from the bottom of the sleeve so it sort of serves as an opportunity to check your tension). I had a few pattern questions that needed clarification and the designer, Donna Yacino, was incredibly fast and helpful. I put my modifications& details in my Ravelry Notes. Keep reading for more details from my project experience.

The Yarn

Berroco Estiva is a soft, machine washable 100% cotton, made in Italy. It works up in a gradient, from light to dark (or vice versa). It was easy to crochet with and worked up reasonably fast (for a tape yarn). I used 2.5 cakes of yarn for the smallest size. Each sleeve/side used its own cake of yarn. I started from the dark end of the cake and worked to the light. I used the remnants from the sleeves/sides to start work on the medallions around the neck and then started my third cake at the light end.

FYI: Berroco Estiva is 20% OFF until July 31st!

Size

The fit for this cardi is oversized and unstructured.

  • Bust (closed): 36 (40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64)“
  • Length: 13 (13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16)” including lower edging
  • Shown in size 36 this blog post (my finished size ended up: 40″ body circumference, 12″ sleeve cuff circumference, 16″ upper sleeve circumference. My tension was 3 stitch pattern repeats & 14 rows = 4″/10cm)

Materials

Notes

I didn’t always find the pattern instructions incredibly, explicitly clear … I don’t know if it was my limited experience with crochet sweater patterns or because the pattern was written during COVID and the designer and editors were totally stressed – either way Berroco and Donna Yacino were both great.

The instructions for the rows on the body were a bit vague and I kind of fudged it (crochet is more flexible than knitting, you can do this … and after previously emailing Donna twice I decided she had earned a break) except I didn’t really keep track of what I did on the first side … and then COVID brain kicked in. As you can see in the picture above, it’s a good idea to write down what you did. I didn’t. Ooops. My general approach to this project was “Does it look like the picture? Good enough!” I am very appreciative to Apple for making it possible for me to embiggen images on my iPad.

FYI: If you decide to make this pattern with another yarn I strongly suggest you swatch first.

Ron’s Patterns Review

My beau, Ron, is sitting next to me while I write this blog post and he doesn’t understand why I have so much to discuss. His review: “I sat next to her and she didn’t swear at all during it, so I’m guessing it’d be good for an advanced beginner or low level intermediate.” Sage words.

PROJECT Cruz Bay Crochet Cardie

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Cruz Bay

I’ve been looking forward to this pattern since my sales rep visited last winter … I even bought extra yarn in my first order hoping I’d be able to get my greedy little hands on the pattern early. That didn’t end up happening, but that’s ok, better late than never! It’s a casual crochet cardie made with Berroco’s lurvly summer yarn Estiva. Estiva is a really versatile yarn; it’s a soft cotton tape, easy to work with, machine washable, and made in Italy. The colours range from muted to bright, so you’ve got lots of options.I don’t personally look great in yellow, but I can’t get my head around this sweater in it, it’s just so perfect! I was going to make it in the teal, but now I don’t know …

Size

  • Finished Bust (closed):  36 (40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64)”
  • Length:  13 (13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16)” including lower edgingShown in size 44″. 
  • Recommended ease:  2–4″ positive ease.

Materials

  • Berroco Estiva: 3 (3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5) cakes (2612 Curry)
  • 5.5mm/USI crochet hook
  • 1 removable stitch marker
  • Pattern

PROJECT Midsommar Shawl

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Midsommar Shawl

I’ve been looking for something quick-ish but also with some interest to make with Berroco Estiva and I was so happy to come across the FREE Midsommar Shawl! It’s knit on 6mm/US10 needles, so you’ll be able to finish it and wear it out by the time social distancing is a distant memory.

The Pattern

The pattern is pretty straightforward, and it is broken down line-by-line (I especially like this for newish knitters, it makes it easier to read and follow the pattern). For the more experienced, it can still be an asset, as it’s a lot less likely you’ll forget where you were if you’re ticking off each row on the pattern as you go.For those with dyslexia or ADHD, it’s a treasure!

The Yarn

Berroco Estiva is a soft, 100% cotton tape yarn that knits on a 6mm/US10 to 8mm/US11 needles. It’s already knitted, so it isn’t heavy or bulky and there’s no splitting when you work with it. It’s also machine washable, so no shrinkage. Last year we used it for several projects (including a forthcoming pattern I’ve yet to finish) and it’s a keeper. They came out with some brighter colours this year, which I think is really needed right now (although they still have the more muted colours too).

Materials

PROJECT Nera in Berroco Estiva

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Nera

So good news … spring is coming! More good news … I got a present! This little shrug was a gift from Berroco yarns, so we didn’t actually make it … but we totally could have! Very easily, in fact! Its a nice little cotton shrug for spring & summer, knit on big-ish needles (6mm/US10). The fit is easy and the construction isn’t too involved. Wear it over a dress, a shirt, a tank or a cami, with jeans, a skirt, a romper, knickers … you name it, it goes with it! Plus, it makes a great little ‘office sweater’ when the weather gets warmer and the office temperature gets colder.

I especially love the yarn, Berroco Estiva, a bulky weight cotton tape that’s really lovely to knit with and to wear. I’ve used it before for our Beach Wrap, a Deschain Pullover, and a new pattern I designed that’s coming out soon. It knits up in a slow monochrome gradient, giving the colour some interest without making you look like you’re wearing Joseph’s Technicolor Dream-coat. Plus, we have some gorgeous new colours this year (see pictures below), so you’ve got even more inspiration to choose from!

Size

  • Bust (closed): 36 (40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60)”
  • Length: 15½ (16, 16, 16½, 16½, 17, 17)” (including lower ribbing)
  • Shown in size 40″ with approximately 5″ of ease.

Materials

  • Berroco Estiva: 3 (3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) cakes in colour 2634 Tradewind
  • 5.5mm/US9 – 29″ circular needles
  • 6mm/US10 – 29″ circular needles
  • Spare knitting needle: 6mm/US10 (for 3 needle bind off)
  • waste yarn to hold stitches
  • Pattern

Notes

The sides, including sleeves and yoke of this garment are worked in one piece from sleeve cuff to center back. The sides are joined at center back using a 3-needle bind off. The lower ribbing is then picked up and worked down.

To ensure gradient pattern is similar to the sample shown, work from the cakes as follows for sizes 36–52″: Start at the beginning (dark-coloured) part of a new cake for each sleeve, using remaining yarn to knit the lower section and neckband. For sizes 56″ and 60″, 2 cakes of yarn are used through out. Alternate cakes

For a linen version with lots of drape try using Quince & Co Kestrel yarn.

P.S.

Many, many thanks to Michelle at Paris Calling for the stunning black Proenza Schouler dress!

PROJECT Beach Wrap in Cotton

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Beach Wrap in Cotton

We finished up a new store project, our Beach Wrap pattern, but this time we did a little experiment and made it with a bulky cotton yarn, Berroco Estiva. Estiva is a new yarn this year, so we’re still playing around, putting it through it’s paces, but I think it’s definitely reorder-worthy for next spring. It’s soft, 100% cotton, bulky, and not heavy or ropy like most bulky weight cottons. That ticks a lot of boxes for me. It’s also made in Italy (ie. not made by slaves) and is machine washable on cold, which is are features I didn’t expect but please me.

Notes

The wrap came out significantly smaller than our original version in linen, so if you want to make a larger wrap you can cuddle into you should get an extra cakes of Berroco Estiva. I thought it was a teachable moment (at least I got teached), so I’m going into it in more detail in a follow-up post (I actually drafted that post first, so I PROMISE it will come).

Materials

  • Berroco Estiva: 1 cake for smaller version (in the pictures), 2 cakes if you want your wrap larger.
  • 7mm/US10.75 – 32″ circular needles
  • Tapestry needle
  • FREE Pattern

NEW Berroco Estiva

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Berroco Estiva

Berroco Estiva is a bulky weight, 100% cotton ribbon yarn, so it’s super soft, easy to knit with, and works up FAST! Plus, it has scads of yardage, so you can make a smaller size of Deschain with two skeins, or a shawl/wrap with one. The ball-band calls for 6.5mm/US105 to 8mm/US11 needles, so there’s lots of flexibility to play around. The yarn is made in Italy (personally, I’m always pleased to see milling happening in Italy, they do it beautifully there), and it is MACHINE WASHABLE (a good thing for summer garments)!

  • 100% Cotton
  • 150g/306m (336yds)
  • Knitting Gauge: 3.5 to 4 sts = 1″ (2.5cm) on 6.5mm/US10.5 to 8mm/US11 needles. 14 to 16sts = 4″ (10cm)
  • Crochet Gauge: 3.75sc = 1″ (2.5cm) on 6.5mm/K hook. 15sc & 16 rows = 4″ (10cm) 
  • Made in Italy
  • Machine wash in cold on delicate, lay flat to dry.
  • See Berroco Estiva on Ravelry
  • Patterns Designed with Berroco Estiva
Photo: whiteon

Deschain (in Berroco Estiva)

When I ran across these projects on Ravelry I knew we had to make one! The pattern, Deschain, was designed a few years ago by Quince & Co for their organic linen yarn, Kestrel (which is also stunning and I love and we sell and makes me very happy). But the pattern looks equally awesome made with a new bulky weight cotton yarn, Berroco Estiva.

Note: you might need to work extra pattern repeats to get your sweater long enough. While you are working, hold it up to your body as you go (for a size small you might need to knit extra length to get good coverage).

Photo: Whiteon