Indeed everywhere you turn these days, there seems to be a huge buzz about Fair Isle Knitting. The most recent Vogue Stitchionary is all about knitting with color, Interweave Knits has been featuring many intriguing Fair Isle patterns in every recent issue to date, and the newest issue of Knitty is laden with color patterns a-plenty. Never one to shy away from a trend (yes, I was rocking stirrup pants and asymmetrical hairdos with the best of them in the late 80s), I am fully absorbed in the mania. Just call me the perfect lemming/target consumer! Sadly Fair Isle can't be churned out at the rapid rate that other objects can as they do require attention, counting and a general level of concentration that say, socks on size 5 dns do not. However, I am enjoying myself immensely...the biggest challenge so far has been keeping the tension even so as to avoid the puckered look. The recent issue of Knitty has a good little article about that that I found to be helpful.
For those of you looking for a quick Fair Isle knit and a killer stashbuster project, might I suggest the Center Square hat featured on the splash page of said knitting publication? I cast it on last night at 9 and finished it several moments ago. I am not entirely convinced that I love the decreases at the top, but the pattern is very easy and seems uniquely modern. Unfortunately the Rowan Harris DK that I used from my stash doesn't show the contrast as well as I would have liked, but I'm hoping my next one will show the pattern off more. Yes, I have found my perfect Christmas gift--move over, Fetching, there's a new quick knit gift in town!
The Children's neck down pullover from Knitting Pure and Simple is almost done. All that remains are the sleeves. I am realizing that sleeves are the second sock of the sweater world--so very tedious.But I am trying my best to get them done asap because Mademoiselle has spoken loud and clear: she wants that sweater immediately!
I have also been working on two other projects. One is a random free-form hat that ie allowing me to use a bunch of Dale of Norway Neon Falk from my stash. As you can see, that is one loud yarn, but I love it as I still worship at the altar of all things Scandinavian. In the same vein, I am also slowly working on a pair of Gotland Island mittens from the Folk Mittens book. This is definitely not knitting to be undertaken while trying to do anything else, this is sitting at your kitchen table with the chart knitting. But I am enjoying it as it's allowing me to channel my innner Swede!
8 comments:
Wow, look at all that stranding going on over there!!! Good for you - I still haven't worked up the guts to give it a whirl. Everything is coming out so beautifully. Great job!!
I love colorwork. That means I love all your projects! I'll have to take a look at the article on Knitty. I have barely had a chance to fall in love with patterns, let alone check out the articles.
I agree that stranding/fair isle seems to be everywhere these days. I've been meaning to try it but have been a little intimidated. Your lovely hat (it looks great!) has given me the confidence to give it a whirl...once I get around to it!
Amongst my Christmas decorations I found a pair of truly scary 80's country Christmas stockings that I knitted for dh and me back in 1990. (A goose on mine and a gander on his, and BOWS!) Yeesh! That was my last attempt at colorwork. Maybe it's time to try something new? I'm loving your hats...nice work, as usual.
Fairisle has never held any interest for me… then I saw your hat. Now I'm thinking wow… that knitty hat would look great in say graphite and cream or cream and cadet blue… here come the lemmings ;-D! Seriously, nice work!
Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words. I think I will make Aunt G's grandson something.
You've been knitting away! I love all the colors. I haven't tried fair isle, but I do have some dk yarn in my stash and might take a stab at that hat you did in dk yarn.
Wow, you have alot of projects! And they look great. Can't wait to see the finished products.
I am so bad at colorwork that it's the only knitting thing I fear. Let me clarify - I can do intarsia and mosaic knitting, but have severe tension issues with Fair Isle. I'm promising myself that after the Christmas knitting is done, I'll dive into something with Fair Isle. Don't yet know what.
What an awesome group of projects! I'm impressed by all the fair isle. I still have yet to try it.
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