YARNS

Silk & Shetland Lambswool

Designs by:
Anne Featonby

She Ewe Knits

Guest Designs:

Lorraine Condotta
Twisted Traditions

FI 101 - the absolute basics

of the two-handed fair isle technique

My intent here is to give the beginner fair isle knitter the basic knowledge that he/she needs to knit their first fair isle (stranded) project.  It is not intended to cover every aspect of fair isle knitting.  What I present here is based on my knitting experience, education and knowledge.

This is the way I knit fair isle --

• I prefer to strand the yarn not in use (rather than weaving it in) only catching the stranded yarn on long floats of more than one inch of stitches.
• I prefer to knit in the round, incorporating steeks where neckline, armhole or cardigan openings are to be.
• I prefer to use traditional Shetland jumper-weight yarns at 8 stitches to the inch!
• I hold my background shade in my right hand, my pattern shade in my left hand - ALWAYS.  The yarn in the left hand is stranded below the yarn in the right hand.

Don't be afraid, even if you are not using the traditional yarn at the traditional gauge, these techniques will be appropriate for any stranded knitting.  Steeks are a different thing, see the Steeks page.

I hope you enjoy this -- and it enables the beginner fair isle knitter to knit without fear.

Happy Knitting,

Anne

What you need:

A circular needle, 3.25 mm (or US 3) (or size to suit the yarn you are using)

Two yarns of the same weight in contrasting shades -- one light, one dark.  For the sake of our practice piece, the dark shade will represent our background colour, the light shade our pattern colour. 

Using your dark shade, cast on sufficient stitches for your needle.  Join in the round, placing a market at the beginning of the round, knitting a few rounds to establish your tubular knitting.

Dropping your dark shade, pick up your light shade and knit one complete round. 

Once you have completed the initial setup above, you should have a circular piece of knitting, with two shades of yarn attached. 

Follow the links at the bottom of each page -- or go directly to the subject of your choice by clicking on the titles to the right.

"Picking" vs "Throwing"

Catching long floats of either shade

Weaving in/out a yarn

Steeks - the basics

Proceed to "How to hold the yarns"