Easy Fair Isle Sweaters for Kids and Adults

I was perusing the patterns on Lion Brand the other day, as one does, and I saw these two patterns that are not identical, but they’re related enough that you could make a mom and me pairing out of them. They also alerted me to the news that Lion Brand has a DK weight yarn now, which I definitely need to check out!

To start with the kid-sized version, the Mercer Street Pullover is worked from the top down in five colors and is rated easy. It comes in sizes for kids ranging from 6 to 12 years (four sizes in all), with chest measurements ranging from 28 to 33 inches, or 71 to 84 cm. The colorwork is Fair Isle style, meaning you’re only working with two colors at a time. This pattern does require you to be able to read charts.

The adult-sized Fair Isle Pullover also uses five colors, but the patterns used on this pullover are a little different. (You’ll still need to be able to read charts to complete this one, but it’s really not hard!). The pattern is rated easy and is available in eight sizes, ranging in chest measurement from 36 to 64 inches, or 91.5 to 162.5 cm.

Either of these patterns would be a fun way to learn the basics of Fair Isle (and chart reading if you’re not already comfortable with that) and get yourself and/or a little someone you like to knit for a colorful way to stay warm through the rest of the winter.

Both patterns are free on the Lion Brand website as linked above.

Looking for more fun projects to try out Fair Isle knitting? This sweater from Wool & Pine only has colorwork on the sleeves and pocket, so it’s another great way to work a bit of stranded knitting without committing to a full multicolored project.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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Generally I like knitting patterns where I feel like you can use whatever yarn you have (because my stash is big enough and I want to use it, thanks) and make a successful project. This is one of those times when a special yarn makes the process that much easier.

The Floral Bouquet Shawl from Xandy Peters uses a specific extended color pooling yarn from Feisty Fibers, which allows you to place the bobble flowers with increasing frequency as you knit the project.

It starts with a solid color yarn, then the two color yarn is added in, and you make a bobble whenever you encounter the color pops. This would be hard to replicate with other yarn that doesn’t have the extended color pooling built in.

The background of the shawl is ribbed, making the project reversible.

The shawl uses fingering/sock yarn and comes out to be an asymmetrical triangle that’s 54 inches/137 cm long and 36 inches/ 90 cm deep and 60 inches/150 cm across the top edge.

Xandy says the pattern is for intermediate to advanced knitters. Knowing how to work traditional bobbles would probably help, but there’s a great video tutorial for how to work the floral bobbles so you can practice on other yarn or even incorporate the bobbles into other projects.

The bobbles are five-petaled flowers but they also kind of look like starfish to me, which could be fun on a child’s cardigan or other pattern. They’d also be fun on the leg of a sock or around the brim of a hat for extra whimsy.

The pattern includes photo and video tutorials, and written and charted instructions. It also includes tips on what to look for if you choose to use different yarn for the project, and instructions on how to dye your own yarn to use in the project.

If you want to give it a try, you can find the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Xandy Peters]

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