My Foray into Fair Isle

Over my Winter break from graduate school, I took the time to get reacquainted with my knitting.  First, I overcame my anxiety over knitting socks and successfully knit two pair.  Then, as many knitters do, I began exploring patterns and looking for inspiration when I found the pattern and instructional videos for a Fair Isle hat.

At first glance, Fair Isle knitting looks incredibly complicated.  People gaze at these types of projects in amazement wondering how exactly they are created.  I, too, had similar trepidation at the thought of knitting something in a Fair Isle motif but as I began to learn more, I learned a few things that helped me complete the two projects pictured in this post.

In Fair Isle knitting, you never use more than two colors on any given row.

These patterns are deceiving because it appears as if the colors overlap or are intertwined in some form or fashion.  The reality is that the project is knit one row at a time, and you use a chart to know when to knit with Color A or Color B.  It may appear as if multiple colors are being used on the same row, but according to what I have read, only two colors should be used on any given row.

In Fair Isle knitting, most of the stitches are basic knits and purls.

In sweater construction, I am sure there are other types of stitches used, but in hats and scarfs as pictured above, I used nothing more than the knit stitch and the purl stitch.  No fancy footwork here!

In Fair Isle knitting, it is critical to watch tension and make sure you are not tightening the colors that are carried across the row.

When you switch from one color to another on a row, you carry the yarn across the previous stitches made from the other color you are using.  When doing this, it is important to keep the tension light and to not tighten the carried yarn.  This will create puckers in your fabric and your project will not lay flat.  This was a point illuminated in a video I watched and it was extremely helpful to note as I worked on these two projects.

In Fair Isle knitting, the inspiration is endless.

Although I’m not sure I will finish it before the Spring semester begins tomorrow, I have started a second Fair Isle hat using the same pattern as pictured.  I have, however, changed the colors, and I have found an alternate 13-row pattern to repeat around the crown of the hat.  That is what I love about this — you master a pattern and then you can morph it by altering the color selections, the designs on the item, and so much more.

Whatever your art may be, find new inspiration as the year begins by learning a new technique, something that not only builds your skills, but that takes your art in exciting new directions!

Tags: Inspiration, Knitting