Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Fair Isle March

March is here and you're longing for some fair Spring weather, but March can roar with unpredictability, substitute your fair weather wish with some Fair Isle knitting!

Garments knit in traditional Fair Isle are some of the most classic a knitter can create. Use your color palette to express yourself, bright colors can modernize this traditional look while neutrals will keep your garment timeless. This newsletter features new Fair Isle projects and some favorites in all shapes, sizes and skill levels, enjoy exploring this colorful technique!

In This Issue: Norway / Andokides / Fair Isle Favorites /

Norway

Norway
If you're an advanced beginner or an experienced knitter, but have not yet tried Fair Isle Ilga Leja's new
Norway is the perfect project! Small and portable while knitting, its a combination scarf and cowl that borrows its geometric motifs and natural colors from the Fana cardigan from Fana, Norway. Its worked as a long tube in a light worsted weight yarn in the Fair Isle technique with two colors, Madelinetosh Tosh DK would be ideal.


Once joined into a Moebius ring, it can be styled in many ways. Choose two colors which please you—or go with an array of many colors. Make this an accessory that will become your signature piece, one that speaks to your spirit, while also acknowledging its inspiration from the North.

Andokides

Andokides
If you've had more experience with Fair Isle, or are looking for a challenge to expand your knitting skills, knit Through The Loops new Andokides jacket. Andokides is an unfitted, colorwork jacket worked from the bottom up, in the round in one piece. The sleeves are worked separately and joined to the body at the yoke. The front edges are steeked and garter stitch front bands are added.

Designer Kirsten Kapur gives detailed instructions on steeking, plus there are many excellent on-line tutorials.

This beautiful jacket is written in 6 sizes and knit in Cascade Yarns' new bulky weight yarn 128 Superwash.

Fair Isle Favorites
Rev up your needles & hooks with one of these Fair Isle accessory projects. Knit a popular earflap hat, Nelkin Designs' Choice Chullo or Lisa Ellis Designs' Andean & Happy Hallotwining.

Choice Chullo

Happy Hallowtwining

Andean

Cairn

Keep yourself and your family warm with Ysolda's Cairn, Annie's Woolens Nordic Design Hat & Mitts , Dawn Brocco's Houndstooth Mittens & Tree of Life Accessories, Gardiner Yarn Works' Interlachen & child's Hearts & Snowflakes sets or Through The Loops' Joni, Sikkim or the Reykajvik Hat & Mitts.

Nordic Design Hat & Mittens

Houndstooth Mittens

Tree Of Life Accessories

Hearts & Snowflakes

Interlachen

Reykajvik Hat

Reykajvik Mittens

Joni

Gentlemen's Scarf

Create something different with Ilga Leja's Midnight Sun leg warmers or felted Distant Hills tote bag. And crocheters can play with multiple colors with Knotsewcute's Plaid Dog Sweater and felted Gentlemen's Scarf.

Plaid Dog Sweater

If you're a Sock knitter you already know, socks are ideal for exploring new techniques and Gardiner Yarn Works' Hurricane or Whitecap, Lisa Ellis Designs' Winter Trio and Through The Loops' Jagged & Sigrid offer a variety of Fair Isle designs in a wide range of skill levels.

Hurricane

Winter Trio

Jagged

Want to tackle a slightly larger garment cast on Schaefer's Fair Isle Vest in Fours or one of these new wrap designs in Jane Thornley's Knit Me a River Evocative Guide.

Fair Isle Vest in Fours

Northern Woods

Rio Grande

And for more pullover and cardi projects try Nelkin Designs' Cascabel or Dawn Brocco's Caterina, Bird & The Bush, Scottish Fleet or Norwegian Tunic.

Cascabel

Caterina

Bird & The Bush

Scottish Fleet Tunic

Norwegian Tunic

Cast on today and be wearing one of these new accessories by tomorrow, or begin one these larger projects and get hours of knitting enjoyment. Thank you for taking a moment to share my March news. I look forward to hearing about which project you work on and, as usual, I'm always happy to help you with any of your fiber arts needs.

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