Features the making of the wartime farm sleeveless pullover as featured on bbc tvs wartime farm. Author lynne watterson starts beginners off with the basics of twocolor knitting. Sep 18, 2019 the distinctive patterning of traditional fair isle knitting is a clever way to combine the many odd bits of differentcolored yarn that came originally from the native shetland sheep, which have evolved a variety of natural fleece colors. An introduction to basic fair isle knitting techniques presented by designer and author, susan crawford. In this video, kerin goes over the basics of preparing and cutting a steek.
With only the basic knit stitch, crafters can create 17 projects that incorporate up to five colors. The basics are explained well and it has proved easy to understand. You have to keep your yarn balls from getting hopelessly tangled. Discover the colorful world of fair isle knitting, intarsia, and colorwork with instructional books to guide you as well as pattern collections for sweaters, accessories, socks and more. For knitters looking to advance their skills and stitch awesome iconic colour work, look no further than this beautiful collection of fair isle knitting patterns. A perfect gift for beginning knitters to sew up some amazing crafting skills. Fair isle knitting for beginners easy method to knit. A designer from the region, alice starmore explore. With either easytonavigate colorwork patterns or just a single pair of colors to work with, these easy fair isle patterns are the perfect starting point for you in your stranded knitting journey. She starts with an overview that covers everything from the best types of yarn suitable for fair isle patter. Fair isle knitting patterns lovecrafts, loveknittings new home. But sometimes patterns that were available for free become paywalled later. A small fair isle motif can be used as a simple knit border or as an allover pattern. I love how there are two matching items for each pattern.
Apr 10, 2020 the best knitting books can provide guidance on a project you are tackling. The book includes a fascinating history of fair isle knitting, and takes a close look at the yarns, needles and other tools you need to get started in colourwork there are stepbystep instructions on the key techniques for creating fair isle patterns, including choosing colours and using charts, all illustrated with stepbystep photographs. Tina egleton, our technical knitting editor, has some advice on how to knit a fair isle jumper. The main chapters feature a selection of beautiful stitch patterns. Fair isle knitting by monica russel search press books. This technique is also referred to as true fair isle, from the island located between scotland and norway where the intricate fair isle style of knitting. All of my favorite fair isle techniques in one place. Our hurt book sale is happening now, so give one of these lovelies a good home. Fair isle knitting is the very particular use of two colors per round, in small stranded colorwork motifs that are usually symmetrical and repeating. Begin with color knitting on small knitted accessories, learn how to incorporate fair isle motifs in larger projects and garments, and challenge your color knitting skills with several allover fair isle knitting patterns. This book is great for beginning color knitters as well as knitters experienced with fair isle knitting and features a wide. Fair isle knitting patterns lovecrafts, loveknittings.
The very easy guide to fair isle knitting is a comprehensive tutorial that lays out everything you need to know to go from a knitting beginner to a fair isle expert. To practice onehanded fair isle knitting, choose two colors of yarn. Fair isle knitting is a traditional knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. Starting with the very basics of fair isle knitting, history, supplies and techniques, this is a great book to ease a knitter new to fair isle knitting into the fold. That being said, i love this book and the patterns within. And the islanders knitted with two yarns to create two layers that trap air and create warmth. Designed by katie green for blacker yarns, this gorgeous cowl may not be what comes to mind when you think of fair isle knitting. I found it to have very clear instructions of several different techniques to learn fair isle knitting. You may see a gorgeous fair isle pattern, like the ivy league vest, and due to discontinued yarns, availability, or cost, you need to choose. Daisy is pretty sure i need the mittens or fair isle infinity cowl from this book.
If you encounter a problem accessing any of the patterns, we urge you to report. In fair isle basics and beyond, youll discover 17 projects that incorporate a variation of fair isle and contemporary stranded colorwork applications. As a complete beginner to fair isle knitting i have found this book to be very good indeed. Projects include scarves, hats, leg warmers, and mittens. Projects with a variety of stitches, such as basic cables and lace, simple intarsia, doublepointed needles and knitting in the round needle techniques, midlevel shaping and finishing.
Aug 15, 2007 alice starmores book of fair isle knitting this book is the best teaching guide for fair isle knitting. Fair isle fral is a traditional knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. Fair isle or stranded knitting is a fun and relatively easy way to add color to your projects by working with two different colors of yarn repeatedly in the same row. Fair isle knitting gained considerable popularity when the prince of wales later edward viii wore fair isle jumpers in public in 1921. Jun 06, 2017 fair isle is a very specific type of stranded knitting from fair isle, a tiny island in the north of scotland and part of the shetland islands. Having the best knitting books on your book shelf or in your ereader library, is essential. In first things first, try your hand at some simple twocolor approaches using chunky and worsted weight yarns. Love the lay out of the book with short, 1 page, lessons to follow in. This small fair isle motif pattern works well as an accent in all kinds of knitting projects.
The secret behind knitting the beautiful designs in stranded colorwork is in the stranding. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In fair isle knitting, only 2 colors are used per round and yarn is carried for a limited number of stitches across the back of the work. I also like the ziplock bag method where you seal each ball in a bag and thread the yarn through a. Fair isle is typified by its use of symmetrical geometric motifs, twoply shetland yarn, and muted, sophisticated colors. Knitting ebooks in fair isle basics and beyond, youll discover 17 projects that incorporate a variation of fair isle and contemporary stranded colorwork applications.
The layout of the book means that, whether are looking for a combination of motifs or just one to use as a focal point of a garment, you will find numerous possibilities. The very easy guide to fair isle knitting, stepbystep techniques. Fair isle knitting, also known as stranded colorwork knitting, is a technique for working two or more colors of yarn in the same row. Nov, 2012 mastering fair isle knitting has never been easier. When i bought my copy it was out of print and very expensive. I increasingly find that measuring the passage of time becomes an exercise in disbelief. Fair isle knitting may look complicated, but it really is easy to do once you understand the basics. Mar 24, 2017 for that is where, in a chain of islands called shetland, our beloved fair isle knitting was born. This is the book that took an esoteric knitting technique out of scotland and introduced it to the world. The best knitting books can provide guidance on a project you are tackling. In particular, you will need to learn how to cast on your knitting, how to form knit stitches and how to cast off. The variety of projects in fair isle basics and beyond will continually hone your colorworking skills and keep your family and friends toasty warm in the winter months ahead. The best yarns for fair isle knitting knitting interweave.
She starts with an overview that covers everything from the best types of yarn suitable for fair isle patterns to beginner knitting techniques. Knittingscottish and fair islepatterns, knitting, books. May 26, 2015 one of the rookie mistakes when knitting fair isle for the first few times is to pull the yarn floats the strands between the stitches knit in a given colour tightly across the back of the work, which can compress the gauge of the fair isle section relative to your stockinette stitch gauge. You can create your own fabric of wildflowers with this nifty technique. To help you learn, i have put together some basic tutorials that you can view online with links to pdfs if you prefer to print them off and keep them. Opening the covers of fair isle crochet projects by melissa leapman you will find a short tutorial section teaching the basics of fair isle crochet. It also creates fabrics that are warmer and more durable than singlecolor knitting. The definitive book to learning fair isle knitting by expert knitter, teacher. Two approaches for colorwork knitting, using either chunky or worstedweight yarns, are featured in this collection of stitching patterns.
I throw my contrasting color and pick my main color. Traditional fair isle patterns generally use a limited number of colors five or less and use only two colors in each row. For this pattern, you will need to know how to read a chart, but despite all the colors in the design, you only need to work with two colors at a. The drawbacks is if your stranding is too tight you create fabric that will pucker up. Knitting books from wellloved reference guides to exciting new pattern collections, we curate an inspiring roster of titles to choose from. For a list of great knitting patterns in our favorite stitch, check out stockinette stitch knitting.
Our directory links to free knitting patterns only. These knitting patterns are great for dipping your toes into fair isle. Oct 01, 2011 while this is not an instruction book on how to do fair isle knitting, it is a book with easy to do patterns. It is thirty years since my fair isle knitting book was first published.
There is a pattern for a miniature fair isle teddy bear size sweater aka tea cozy in nicky epsteins book, knitting on top of the world, and here is a blog post with many photos from someone who has made this for reference she made this as her first time steeking project. A designer from the region, alice starmore explores the history and techniques of the art and provides instructions for over 15 of her own knitwear designs. Although brandnew fair isle knitters probably will not be able to knit the designs in the book by relying solely on the fair isle basics chapter, they can get the additional information they need from online videos, or from either of the classic fair isle reference books, alice starmores book of fair isle knitting or ann feitelsons the art. Fair isle is one of my favorite things to knit, and after lotsa years of knitting and tweaking, these are my faves. This video is a slow walkthrough of a simplified version of knitting fair isle, which is perfect for beginners who really want to make fair isle patterns as soon as possible. There are patterns for the beginning fair isle knitter as well as intermediates. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read fair isle knitting. The basis for fair isle knitting is stockinette stitch, so youll want to come prepared. In these last thirty years over twohundred thousand copies of alice starmores book of fair isle knitting have made their way into the hands of knitters worldwide and the technique of strandedcolour knitting in the round with knitted steeks known and practised only by certain scottish islanders until i taught my first classes in dallas. Knitting daily knitting books crochet books knitting charts double knitting free knitting punto fair isle motif fair isle fair isle pattern 200 fair isle motifs is a knitters directory. For the knitter whose primary style of knitting is left handed or european both colors can be carried on the left hand. Sep 11, 2017 why fair isle sweaters have a threeyear waiting list. The great news is that it is now back in print see more information here. Alice starmores book of fair isle knitting by alice starmore.
Scotlands fair isle has long been known for its distinctive, strandedcolor knitting. Search press the very easy guide to fair isle knitting by. Alice starmores book of fair isle knitting dover knitting. Starmore doesnt just provide 14 terrific fair isle patterns, she overs the history of fair isle, the development of stitch patterns, provides an extensive compilation of patterns, and a lengthy chapter on designing your own cap, tam, and gansey. Fair isle knitting patterns for knitters looking to advance their skills and stitch awesome iconic colour work, look no further than this beautiful collection of fair isle knitting patterns. Traditional fair isle patterns have a limited palette of five or so colours, use only two. Plenty of instructions make knitting fair isle a pleasure to do. A couple of pages with howtos on fair isle would have been nice. Buy a discounted paperback of the very easy guide to fair isle knitting online. Fair isle knitting may look complicated, but knitting expert lynne watterson lays out the basics in a way that is easy to follow and understand with the very easy guide to fair isle knitting.
There is also a norwegian sweater pattern for an 18 doll sold by. Fair isle knitting has been replicated worldwide but the genuine article can only be found on the threesquaremile north atlantic island. Fair isle knitting and stranded colorwork knitting. When you work fair isle with one hand, you knit and purl as you normally do, dropping and picking up the different yarns as you need them. In her book how to select color palettes for knitting and other fiber arts, nancy explains how to use a basic color wheel to plan out color combinations and proportions for more successful fair isle. Fair isle or stranded colorwork knitting the spruce. It is fun to knit and easy once you get the hang of it. There are so many techniques to master when youre knitting fair isle. Once you are comfortable with plain or straight knitting you can start working on mastering more advanced techniques and will need.
Free knitting patterns and stepbystep basic knitting lessons and tutorials. It allows you to have a finished set in the pattern that you like the best. Our book price match guarantee means youre able to shop til your hearts content, always knowing that you can get the very best price. This collection of stylish accessory designs will help you get your bearings.
Alice starmores book of fair isle knitting patterns. A very useful book to have if you are a learner on avid knitter. Daisy and i want to share one of our favorite books, wanderlust by tanis gray. Knitting help my favorite fair isle techniques youtube. While this is not an instruction book on how to do fair isle knitting, it is a book with easy to do patterns.
Alice starmores book of fair isle knitting, 1988, taunton press, usa new edition 2009, dover publications, usa also published as the fair isle knitting handbook, 1990, blandford books, uk. Using two strands of yarn at a time enables the knitter to create designs, or motifs, in the knitted fabric. Fair isle or stranded knitting can look quite modern as it does here. With rich and detailoriented knitting projects including hats, socks, mittens, jumpers and cardigans which all use this classic colorswitching knitting. With rich and detailoriented knitting projects including hats, socks, mittens, jumpers and cardigans which all use this classic colorswitching knitting technique originated on the. Alice starmores book of fair isle knitting dover knitting, crochet, tatting, lace. See more ideas about knitting patterns, knitting and knit crochet. Experienced projects using advanced techniques and stitches, such as short rows, fair isle, more intricate intarsia, cables, lace patterns, and numerous color. Knitting stocking stuffer patterns fair isle basics. Stranded colorwork originating in scandinavia norway, sweden, denmark, and finland is very different from fair isle, though the knitting techniques are similar. Fair isle knitting may look complicated, but knitting expert lynne watterson lays out the basics in a way that is easy to follow and understand. Sep 29, 2014 knitting assistant freddie patmore demonstrates how to get your fair isle looking wonderful in our video. Oct 01, 2009 buy alice starmores book of fair isle knitting dover knitting, crochet, tatting, lace green ed. The author lays out the basics of this popular technique and makes it easy to understand, even for the most novice of knitters.
1091 959 835 304 49 751 505 1415 249 334 1023 664 367 1453 1163 645 148 1449 90 789 909 530 290 1053 777 1295 47 1088 24 1266 595 1316 611 658 1404 1417 1148 682 77 338 1102 1347 13 1420 398 710