Fair Isle Knitting List

Fair Isle Knitting List
Wee Fair Isle Sweater Project

Welcome to the first FairIsleKnitting group project, the Wee Fair Isle Sweater. Thanks to Claudia Krisniski, we have a baby sweater group project. If you have questions about any aspect of this project, please ask them to the group. There is a wealth of knowledge and expertise available from FairIsleKnitting group members. There is always someone who will have the answer to your question.

Materials: Updated 2-9-03
The recommended yarn for the Wee Fair Isle Brown Sheep Naturespun sport weight, although any yarn that has the same gauge (6 st/in on 3.75mm or US#5) will work, if you prefer. This is NOT a superwash wool. Due to some of the techniques involved, a non-superwash wool is preferred. Color card (opens in new browser window).

Please note that Natural will not be used.
The recommended colors are:
  Peruvian Pink
  Purple Splendor
  Sapphire
  Royal Purple
  Butterfly Blue
You may select a different colorway if you prefer different colors.

Needles, Gagdets and other Accessories: Added 2-24-03
OK....here is a run down of the needles and gadgets that Claudia suggests you gather:

Note: Needles that will result in looser knitting for this project. The one thing that often dooms stranded projects from the start is tight knitting. So, if you are working stranded knitting for the first time, let's purposely work away from that. If you are a tight knitter; get needles one or two sizes larger than recommended for your yarn. If you knit to gauge; get needles one size larger. If you are a loose knitter: use the needles suggested. If you know yourself, and have done some satisfactory stranded knitting in the past, you will know what size needles to aim for. I have used Naturespun sport in the past, and I know that size 5 needles are what I will use for the main parts.

16-20" circular US #5 (3.75mm) ...and US #3 (3.25mm) (bottom ribbing and neck bands)
double pointed needles US #3 (cuffs)
8.75" circular US #6 (4 or 4.25mm) (there is no #5 available in that length that I know of)
OR
double pointed needles #5
Gauge ruler
Darning needle
Magnetic board (VERY helpful for following the chart we will be doing)
Couple of ring markers
Stitch holders or waste yarn for underarms.

Chart: Updated 2-24-03
The Wee Fair Isle uses two patterns: Spring Star and Sticks and Slants. View chart (50 Kb).
Sleeve pattern: View chart (137 Kb).

Sample Swatch: Added 2-9-03
Wee Fair Isle sample swatch (41 Kb).

Instructions: Added 2-24-03
This Wee Fair Isle Sweater will measure 21.5" around on the outside. This puts it in the size 6 -9 months category, so we'll make body and sleeve lengths and yoke depth to match. Interestingly enough, this also makes a perfect size for an adult hat! So, if you find yourself with no baby to knit for, this can easily become headgear...Directions for this will be added at the right spot.

Colors:
  MC = main color = Butterfly Blue
  DCC = darkest contrasting color = Royal Purple
  MCC = medium contrasting color = Sapphire
  LCC = lightest contrasting color = Purple Splendor
  BC = bright color = Peruvian Pink

KEY:
  K = knit
  P = purl
  PM = place marker
** = repeat directions between ** over and over again until you reach the end of the row/round.

My working gauge is 6.75 sts=1". From past experience with this yarn, I know it will block out nicely at 6 sts=1", so I am planning the project based on the 6 sts=1" gauge.

As Claudia said, "As I whined about before, the corrugated ribbing tended to curl for me. I ended up using a few suggestions sent to this list, and worked from the PURL side of the long-tail cast on edge, using the smaller needle for the cast on ONLY, then switching to the larger needle starting with ribbing round 1. This has resulted in an edge that looks great and stays put."

So, here we go!

Ribbing:
With #3 circular 16" needle and MC, cast on 130 sts with long tail cast on. ( Here is a great web site illustrating that cast on: http://www.dnt-inc.com/barhtmls/knit/dblco.html)

DO NOT JOIN, but using #5 circular 16" needle, work the first row flat as follows:
Using DCC and MC, work first row of Corrugated Rib: *P 1 MC, K 1 DCC* repeat across. At the end of the first row, join the knitting into a circle, remembering to keep the cast on edge facing the floor all the way around so there is no twist in the edge, and:
  PM, P 1 (which is the first stitch of Round 2)
  Round 2: *P 1 MC, K 1 DCC*
  Round 3: *P 1 MC, K 1 MCC*
  Round 4: *P 1 MC, K 1 MCC*
  Round 5: *P 1 MC, K 1 LCC*
  Round 6: *P 1 MC, K 1 LCC*
  Round 7: *P 1 MC, K 1 MCC*
  Round 8: *P 1 MC, K 1 MCC*
  Round 9: *P 1 MC, K 1 DCC*
  Round 10: *P 1 MC, K 1 DCC*

Corrugated ribbing is done. With MC, work one round in P. Prepare to start the Spring Star Chart.

Body:
After the corrugated ribbing is done, and one round is purled in the Main Color, count the stitches, to be sure there are 130. This number is equally divisible by 26, which is the repeat of the Spring Star Chart. If you find yourself with a couple too few or too many, lose or add to them as you work the first round of the chart.

The body of this teeny sweater will be 7" from cast on edge to underarm. After working one repeat of the chart, I have found that a filler stitch will fit nicely into the sweater. This will be a timely break for the eye between the chart at the hem and the new charts to be decided upon later for the yoke area.

So, after the Spring Star Chart, work 2 rounds of Main Color, and then begin the Sticks and Slants Chart.

Hat:
If you want to turn this into a hat, work Sticks and Slants until the knitting measures 8" and follow instructions below:
The filler pattern is a traditional Faroe Island color pattern that I found in a few books:
Nordic Knitting--S Pagoldh
Knitting In The Nordic Tradition--V Lind

I opted to keep the filler pattern in a dark colorway, allowing the fair isle borders a chance to pop out in the final sweater.

So work around and finish off the body. If you leave it on a circular needle after it is done, it will be a simpler matter when the joining round of sleeves and body begins.
HAT FINISH:
Work chart (s) until hat measures 8. End after a Round 5 or 10 of the Sticks and Slants. chart has been completed. Work one round in Main Color. Divide sts evenly on 2 circular needles in preparation for grafting the top together. With Main Color graft sts together across top. Darn in ends.
Grafting instructions:
Thread darning needle with a piece of new yarn at least twice as long as the row you need to work. Work from right to left.

On front needle:
1. Pass tapestry needle through as if to knit, drop st off needle
2. Pass tapestry needle through as if to purl, leave st on needle

On back needle:
1. Pass tapestry needle through as if to purl, drop st off needle
2. Pass tapestry needle through as if to knit, leave st on needle

Okay. Now back to our regularly scheduled program... the sweater.

Ends......OK..what do all of you like to do with your ends? Do you cut your colors after each round? Do you carry them for 1 round or 2 or 3 or more? I'll summarize your tips in the section.

E-mail: thepiper@stny.rr.com