Description ~ Beginning Fair Isle

Fair Isle knitting is a subset of stranded colorwork that uses two or more colors per row to create gorgeous colorwork items. We’ll cover the basics of stranded colorwork, and the “rules” of Fair Isle in particular, and get the hang of working this form of colorwork while knitting a hat with a simple motif.

Materials Needed ~ Beginning Fair Isle

• Homework on needles.

• Two contrasting colors of worsted weight yarn. Note: 100% wool (non-superwash) yarn is recommended.

• Circular needles or double pointed needles (dpns) in size appropriate to the yarn (size 6 will work for most knitters).

• Circular needles or dpns in one or two sizes smaller, and in one or two sizes larger than gauge needles.

• Stitch markers, tapestry needle, scissors.

Homework ~ Beginning Fair Isle

• Yarn: Worsted weight wool yarn in two highly contrasting colors. About 100g for background color, and about 50g for motif color.

• Using your chosen background color and one size smaller needles than gauge needles (about size US 5), cast on 100 (120) sts.

• Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist, and place a marker at the beginning of the round.
  Work k2, p2 ribbing for 1.5 inches.

• Switch to larger needles (US 6 or size to obtain gauge) and knit 4 rounds plain.

• Leave hat on the needles.

• Gauge: 22 sts = 4" in stockinette stitch.

• (100 sts will produce a hat of about 18” circumference. 120 sts will produce a hat of about 22” circumference. You might need more yarn to make the larger hat.)