Book Review – Alice Starmore’s Book of Fair Isle Knitting

Scotland’s Fair Isle is celebrated the world over for its distinctive, stranded-color knitting, and Alice Starmore is famous for her expertise in designing and instructing knitters in this appealing regional tradition. Starmore’s richly illustrated guide offers both beginning and advanced knitters a complete workshop in the Fair Isle style. It not only explores the art’s history, patterns, and traditional techniques but also encourages knitters to develop their own creativity.

Book Of Fair Isle Knitting By Alice Starmore
Starmore explains the traditional Fair Isle techniques of circular knitting and presents detailed tutorials on incorporating classic motifs, exploring color schemes, and creating unique patterns and designs. She shares fourteen of her own original designs, including patterns for cardigans, vests, fishermen’s sweaters, hats, gloves, and mittens.

More than 250 photographs, drawings, and easy-to-follow charts illustrate sources of inspiration, simple instructions, and spectacular results. Knitting devotees agree: If you have only one book of Fair Isle patterns, this is the one to have!

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Some knitters have trouble coming up with projects they can both knit and wear when it’s warm outside. Especially if you’re not ready for garments (thought tank tops and summer tops are great first garment projects!) it might seem like there’s nothing to do when it’s hot outside.

One way to remedy this situation is by knitting headbands. Headbands are great any time of year to keep hair out of your face and make you look a little more pulled together without any effort. Wider headbands double as ear warmers when it gets colder, but skinnier ones are great throughout the year.

A couple of great examples are from designer Elly Donner, who has a set of headband knitting patterns on Ravelry you can buy individually or as an ebook. Homebody, shown here, is worked in garter stitch (the ties are crocheted but you could also use I-cord), while Slipstream uses slipped stitches and garter ridges, and Sounds of Spring has little cables. The patterns use DK weight yarn and are a great way to use a little leftover yarn from another project.

I also recently came across the lovely Plush Braided Headband by Yevgeniya Li. A free pattern on Ravelry, this wider design is covered in lush cables for a sleek and fancy look. It uses worsted weight yarn and you can customize the length for a perfect fit.

Celeste Knitwear’s Spikelet is a simple twisted headband with columns of eyelet lace to keep it from being too heavy. It’s worked flat and sewn together to make the twist, and uses DK weight yarn. It has three sizes available.

This skinny lace headband from Lusi Knits is another cute choice. It calls for fine weight cotton yarn, but you could use heavier yarn if you have it on hand to make a wider headband (or use any fine yarn you have available). It uses ties to customize the fit.

And if you want to go super basic but still really cute, try the easy ring headband from Lulu Pattern. The sample is knit pretty wide, but you could make a narrower version if you want, and the little ring turns it from a plain loop into a bow with very little extra work. It calls for worsted weight yarn but you could also use whatever weight you like for this one to change up the look and size.

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