Fair Isle Clinic (Knitting)

Have you always wanted to try colorwork? Does stranded knitting intimidate you? Have you started on your Fair Isle journey but you’re not sure how to grow your skills? Choose from either a beginner, intermediate, or advance pattern to take the next step with your colorwork skills. This class will discuss how to set yourself up for success in a fair isle pattern, read a chart, pick colors for a successful project, and adapt your knitting to accommodate gauge shifts. We recommend printing a hard copy of your pattern, if possible, for all classes and a roll of highlighter tape.

2 two-hour sessions that meet the same day each week.

Instructor: Allison, Jillian

Skill level: intermediate or advanced.

Pick your project based on your skill level:

Beginner: Fossil Frenzy Cowl

Skills needed:

• Knitting and purling

• Prior experience knitting in the round

Materials:

• Two high-contrasting colors in sport or DK weight yarn.
  Sport Weight - MC: 270 yards & CC: 252 yards
  DK Weight - MC: 242 yards & CC: 226 yards

• Needles:

  • Sport Weight
    24” circular needles in size US 2 (2.75 mm) for ribbing
    24” circular needles in size US 4 (3.5 mm) for main pattern

  • DK Weight
    26” circular needles in size US 3 (3.25 mm) for ribbing
    26” circular needles in size US 5 (3.75 mm) for main pattern

• Stitch Markers (at least 12)

• Highlighter Tape (optional, but useful)

• Tapestry Needle

• Copy of Fossil Frenzy Cowl pattern by Mary P. Hunt

Homework: Cast on hat to smaller needles, finish ribbing and be ready to start the chart design

Advanced Beginner: Winter’s Fern Hat

Skills needed:

• Knitting in the round

• Increasing & Decreasing

• Prior experience knitting at least one hat

Materials:

• Sizes: 20.25 (21.75, 23.5)“ circumference at the body of the hat

• Worsted weight wool yarn:

  • MC: 99 (105, 112) yd

  • CC1: 34 (36, 39) yd

  • CC2: 38 (41, 43) yd

• The pattern suggests De rerum Natura Gilliatt. We also recommend Knitting for Olive Heavy Merino and Blue Sky Woolstok.

• US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle in a 16” length for body

• US 7 (4.5 mm) needles in either a longer circular needle to knit the crown with the magic loop method, or the same size in DPNs.

• US 6 (4.0 mm) circular needle in a 16” length

• Stitch markers

• Tapestry Needle

• A copy of the Winter’s Fern Hat by Trin-Annelie

Preparation:

Cast on your hat and knit the ribbing - be ready to start the chart design in class.

Intermediate: Davoch Fingerless Mitts

Skills needed:

• Knitting

• Purling

• Knitting in the round

• Chart reading/ Pattern reading

Materials:

• Sizes: Small / Medium / Large / XL - 6 3/4[7 1/4, 7 3/4, 8 1/4]”

• Yarn: Heavy fingering / sport weight wool yarn.

  • Main colour approx: 125 yds / 115m.

  • Contrast colours: The yarn amounts needed will vary depending on how many contrast colours you use and how you arrange them.

• We recommend Jamieson’s Spindrift, WoolDreamers Cautiva, or De Rerum Natura Ulysse.

• Needles:
  
  
  • For small and large mitts:

    • Needle A: Size 2 1/2 US (3mm) dpns or circulars for your preferred method of knitting small circumferences in the rnd.

    • Needle B: Size 1 1/2 US (2.5mm) dpns or circulars for your preferred method of knitting small circumferences in the rnd.

  • For medium and x-large mitts

    • Needle A: Size 3 US (3.25mm) dpns or circulars for your preferred method of knitting small circumferences in the rnd.

    • Needle B: Size 2 US (2.75mm) dpns or circulars for your preferred method of knitting small circumferences in the rnd.

• Removable stitch markers, scrap yarn

• Pattern available on Ravelry

Preparation:

Please measure your hand to determine what size you’d like to make, then case on and knit the ribbing - ready to start the chart in class!

Advanced: Blomstra Hat

Skills needed:

• Knitting in the round

• Increasing & Decreasing

• Prior experience knitting a hat

• Basic Fair Isle Skills

Materials:

• Sizes: 18.5 (19.25) 20“ circumference

• Sport weight yarn or a fingering and lace weight mohair held together:

  • 133 (153) 191 yds of MC

  • 115 (133) 153 yds of CC

• US 5 (6) 7 circular needle in a 16” length for the body, or size needed to get gauge

• US 3 (4) 6 circular needle in a 16” length for the brim, or any needle 0.5 mm smaller than gauge size needle.

• For the crown shaping, you’ll need either a set of DPNs in the same size you used for the body, or a circular needle in a 32-40” length to work the Magic Loop method.

• Stitch markers

• Highlighter Tape

• Waste yarn or stitch holders

• A copy of the Blomstra pattern by Kajsa Vuorela Fredriksson

Preparation:

Cast on for your size and work the stockinette portion of the brim.

Craft: Knitting