Fair Isle knitting, named after one of the Shetland Islands in Scotland, is a captivating and centuries-old technique that weaves intricate patterns and vibrant colors into cozy garments. Known for its distinct colorwork, this knitting style has transcended generations, leaving an indelible mark on the world of handcrafts.
Central to Fair Isle knitting is the stranded knitting technique, where colors not in use are carried across the back of the work. This technique produces a distinctive "float" on the wrong side of the fabric, creating both the pattern and the warmth characteristic of Fair Isle garments. Traditional color palettes are often inspired by the natural surroundings of the Shetland Islands, featuring earthy tones, sea-inspired blues and greens, and contrasting neutrals. While contemporary designs may embrace a broader color spectrum, the charm of the technique lies in its ability to evoke the spirit of the islands.
Knitting carries a cultural significance deeply rooted in the Shetland Islands. Many crafters are drawn to the technique as a way to connect with the rich history and traditions of this remote and picturesque community. Requires a level of skill and precision that is appreciated by crafters seeking to hone their techniques. The challenge of coordinating colors, managing floats, and creating intricate patterns adds to the appeal of mastering this art form.
If the pattern calls for more than three stitches of a single color, then you will need to twist the yarn on the wrong side of the work to prevent long floats and carry the non-used color along ready for knitting when instructed in the pattern. The yarn that you are not using is twisted around the color that you're working with. Alternate between twisting clockwise and anticlockwise to prevent the yarn from getting too tangled up.
Jogless stripe
A jog is created when knitting from one round to the next when the ends of each round don't stay lined up. As you knit up any item in the round using circular needles, you will notice that if you change colors at the beginning of a new round the color and or pattern tends to fall out of alignment at that point. This is because when you knit in the round you are knitting a spiral, so the beginning and end of a round never perfectly meet.
To avoid this problem on stripe/solid sections, work the jogless stripe technique as follows: Join in the new color in the first stitch at the beginning of a round and place a stitch marker. Finish knitting in the round to the end as instructed.
Commence the next round by picking up the stitch below the first stitch of the previous round (old color), slip the picked up stitch onto the left-hand needle and knit together the slipped stitch and the first stitch of the next round.
When the color changes are close together you can simply carry the yarn you are not using across the back of the work, picking it up when you need it, leaving a strand or float of yarn on the wrong side of the work.
Knit three to five stitches, no more than 1 in. (2.5 cm), of one color (depending on the pattern), then drop the first color and bring in the second. The floats at the back should be carried along loosely. If you spread the stitches out evenly while you make the float this will help avoid puckering, a common problem when knitting Fair Isle. Puckering is caused by the floats being too tight so the work bunches up at the front. It's much easier to sort out longer floats than shorter ones.
Psychedelic socks. These great socks are colorful and the pattern is easy to follow. They use up only small amounts of each color yarn, so you will have plenty left over to make gifts for your friends and family. The specific yarn required for each project is given in the instructions. You can substitute other yarns for those specified, but always make sure that the yarn you use is the same thickness, is made of a similar mix of fibers, and knits up to the recommended gauge.
Balls of two different brands of the same type of yarn won't necessarily contain the same quantity of yarn even if the balls weigh the same, it's the yardage (meterage) that's important. If the substitute yarn has a different yardage (meterage) per ball to the pattern yarn, then you need to do a sum to work out how many balls to buy.