Easy Fair Isle Sweaters for Kids and Adults

January 24, 2025 by Sarah White

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]

Free Knitting Pattern – Northen Lights Fair Isle Sweater

Fair Isle Eggs to Knit for Easter

Book Review – 200 Fair Isle Motifs: A Knitter’s Directory

Have you read?

Beyond Basic Pumpkin Knitting Patterns

Over the years I have shared a lot of pumpkin knitting patterns, and I’ve knit and crocheted a lot of pumpkins myself. But it feels like there are always more fun things to try with knit pumpkins, so this year I wanted to look a little more beyond basic stockinette or ribbed pumpkins and share some pumpkin patterns with cables, bobbles and colorwork.

In the cable collection we’ve got these cute little basic cable and ribbed pumpkins from Elly Bear Knits. There are two sizes that make a wide, flat pumpkin and a taller round pumpkin. Both are worked in the round as a tube that’s cinched top and bottom when you’re done, and they use bulky weight yarn.

Another cute cable pumpkin knitting pattern comes from Gray Bear Akswokrat. This one is knit flat and it looks like a chunky yarn but you could use other weights to make pumpkins of different sizes. This one also has an I-cord stem and uses yarn to cinch up the sections of the pumpkin, giving it a more natural look.

Add some bobbles to your pumpkins with this design from Autumn Shelter Makes. Also worked in the round in a tube, it features a repeating pattern of bobbles and uses yarn wrapped around the outside to make segments. This one looks like worsted weight yarn to me.

Of course there’s nothing that says your pumpkin has to be a single color, so let’s throw in some colorwork. I love the look of the Cozy Fall Pumpkin knitting pattern from South Stitch Girls. The little leather loop adds a rustic touch but you could also just add a stick. These pumpkins have five colorwork options and are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round.

There’s also the Autumn Fair Isle Trio pumpkins pattern from Equestriann Style, which has three different sizes of pumpkins with four colorwork designs. They are worked in super bulky yarn in the round and look good with high contrast or more muted color combinations.