Fair Isle Knitting for the First Time (B)

About Fair Isle Knitting for the First Time (B)

Join in the fun of stranded color knitting the Fair Isle way. You will be introduced to the yarn of Shetland as well as a bit of the history and the unique story of this colorful technique. We will use traditional jumper-weight woolen-spun yarn (equivalent to fingering weight). After a bit of practice in knitting with two colors, you will begin knitting your own Fair Isle headband using a pattern that Joan developed to teach this time-honored technique. Topics to be covered include: three ways to knit with two strands of yarn at the same time, yarn dominance, yarn management, tension and tails, and using color charts.

Supplies, Equipment & Materials Needed for Class

All will need: US1/2.25 mm and US 3/3.25 mm needles for knitting in the round (most commonly 16”/40 cm circulars are used), scissors, note taking materials. Spare set of US3/3.25 mm needles for practicing.
If you do not purchase the kit you will also need two contrasting colors of Jamieson & Smith or Spindrift Shetland jumper weight (fingering weight) yarn, ruler, two T-pins, and locking stitch markers.

Materials Kit

$25 plus shipping and applicable taxes
Kit is optional - kit may be ordered at https://heritagespinning.com (see the knitting classes section of the webstore). It includes two balls of jumper weight yarn, stitch markers, pattern, two T-pins and a ruler.
Materials kits must be ordered by January 10 in order to receive them by January 24.

Pre-class Homework

Print out the pattern PDF (or put it into Knit Companion) - https://www.lessonface.com/sites/default/files/sheridan_fair_isle_first_time.pdf

Using smaller circular needles, CO 144 sts with background and join in the round. Place marker to indicate beginning of round, moving it along each round. Work six rounds of 2x2 (knit two, purl two) ribbing. Switch to larger needles and increase as follows in round 7: k9, m1, (k14, m1) 9 times, k9 (154 sts). Leave on needles.