Saturday, December 15, 2007

Basics of Fair-Isle Knitting

I'm teaching a class on fair-isle knitting today and I thought I would share with everyone some of my favorite fair-isle patterns and sites.

First, if you're just getting started and you can't take my class, you might want to the video that the Philosopher's Wool Company has put together. While you're there, you should totally buy some of their kits. I'm in serious love with this. In case you needed more reason to buy from them, they are seriously nice people and always go to Maryland Sheep and Wool.

If you're still a bit confused, knitting help also has a video here.

Now that you have the basics down, there's a few things about color dominance you need to know. Eunny Jang totally knows a ton of information about everything (I would love to be in her brain for a while). While you're there, you should check out her Endpaper Mitts and other great patterns (I love the mittens).
Now we're at the fun part of looking at patterns. Some of my favorites are Fake-Isle, and the We Call Them Pirates Hat from Hello Yarn (They also have some squirrel mittens, I've been thinking about making). Interweave always has a ton of cute Fair-Isle patterns in their magazine. If you can get your hands on an Alice Starmore book, you're golden. I'll have to hunt up more patterns later, I've got to get going for the class. Happy knitting all!

2 comments:

Cindy/Snid said...

Hope your class goes well...

You have reminded me that I have a Philosopher's Wool kit up in my closet that I keep planning to get started on. This just might be a good year for that. I couldn't agree more that they are some of the sweetest people around! I had the most wonderful philosophical conversation with Eugene at Stitches a couple of years ago!! Good fun.

Arctic Knitter said...

Have fun! Thanks for the pattern suggestions - I've just added them to "I've got to knit that" list. Ahh...