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Book Review – Fearless Fair Isle Knitting

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Fearless Fair Isle giveaway

Congratulations to Nancy!

I saw a few people on last week’s giveaway, when I asked for knitting resolutions or skills they wanted to learn in the new year, who said Fair Isle or colorwork knitting, so this seemed like an appropriate followup.

Fearless Fair Isle Knitting by Kathleen Taylor aims to take the scary bits out of colorwork by explaining the basics and providing little collections of patterns that use the same designs in different ways.

The stripes, checks and curlicues section, for instance, includes a hoodie vest (it’s on the cover), a pair of socks and a felted bag, all of which use the same designs.

There are garments for men, women and children as well as plenty of hat, mitts, bags, socks and gloves. I love the Nordic Snowflake dress and the Prairie Earth and Sky women’s cardigan to name just a couple (in all there are 30 patterns, which you can check out most of on Ravelry).

Some of these patterns are sure to be intimidating to new stranded colorwork users, but there are enough small projects, or those that use colorwork on only a portion of the project, that I think a newer colorwork knitter could find some fun stuff to try, and of course those with more experience would find some things they’d like to tackle, too (if you’re a Fair Isle expert, check out the stunning Dragon Ride Shawl at the back of the book).

If you’d like a chance to win this one, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, Jan. 1. Can you believe that? Since I asked for craft-related resolutions last week, I’d love to know if you have any other resolutions or goals for the new year. Or if you do One Little Word, I’d love to hear your word. (I think mine is energetic.)

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

Looking for more knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

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Comments

  3. I would LOVE to try stranded knitting again and could use all the help I can get! My one and only attempt at a really simple hat pattern was an epic fail and this book looks like a great resource to help me get started the right way.

    Happy New Year!!

  8. I am a Fair Isle addict but have only made one project so this book would be a great help to get me started on my next project. My craft resolution is to CREATE EVERYDAY. I am going to take time for myself to knit, sew, needlepoint, etc. every single day in 2017.

  9. I have done some stranded knitting and enjoyed it and have always wanted to do more. This book looks very interestting.

  10. Thanks for the giveaway, Sarah! One of my goals for the new year is to practice piano before work every day. Haven’t come up with my word for 2017 yet.

  11. I dearly want to learn how to do faire isle knitting, and the vest looks so sweet. I want to move out of my comfort zone more often in 2017.

  14. I have some projects that I have been putting off finishing. I need to finish them. These include needlepoint, knitting and other crafts.

  18. I love fair isle knitting. This book will be a great source for inspiration. Thanks for the opportunity to win it!

  19. Word for 2017– Finish.
    Friend made her first Fair Isle knit cap for daughter for Christmas and it turned out beautifully. Love to give her this book to explore more of this style.

  20. There are several fair isle items I would like to knit so that would be my challenge for the new year.

  22. I am TERRIFIED of fair isle but I love the look of it. I did knit a Baable hat last year and that turned out OK, but I was really, really slow and my tension wasn’t great. Since then, I have been doing lots of mosaic knitting but my goal for this year is to get some real fair isle knitting under my belt and also to finally make something in 2-colour brioche! 🙂

  23. One of my goals or 2017 is to a fair isle piece probably a sweater. The cover project would be perfect.

  24. My personal word for 2017 is LEARNING. Ive enrolled in a couple of classes to be more proficient at spinning (wool), and will be adding new sewing classes. 2017 is my year to try new things.
    Thanks for the giveaway.

  29. I absolutely love the vest on the front cover. If all the patterns are this beautiful, who wouldn’t want to own this book?!

  34. First I’d love to win this book. Last year I resolved not to purchase any new yarn and knit only from my stash. Admittedly, I did purchase 4 skeins of yarn, two of for a special gift and two for myself for some felted slippers. I feel quite virtuous in completing 28 items ranging from socks to sweaters and am considering repeating my resolution. I’ve still got lots of yarn.

  37. My resolution is shaping up to be learning to knit continental. I should have learned years ago but didn’t think there was much of a speed difference until I saw a video the other day. So perhaps actual resolution is to be not so set in my ways

  46. I don’t really do resolutions because they are destined to fail, but my goal is to start my Christmas knitting earlier so I’m not trying to do so much last minute!

  48. My goal is to better organize my time, and therefore I will have longer time for my crafting projects!

  49. My resolution is to win this book. My one little word is “WINTHISBOOK”. I may also resolve to be a little less obsessive about winning this book, but only if I win this book.

Have you read?

A Brilliant Wrap for Minis or Yarn Leftovers

I love a good stash busting project, and that’s the first thing I thought of when I saw the Brilliant Brickwork Wrap by Amy Crumpton.

It’s actually designed to use mini skeins of fingering weight yarn, but I feel like you could use scrap yarns in harmonious colors to get the same kind of effect.

The pattern was written to use 24 colors of 10 gram skeins, as well as a 100 gram/400 yard skein of yarn. But there’s a design modifications section in the pattern that talks you through using 12 colors in 20 gram increments, 10 gram scrap balls or even three full skeins of yarn if you’ve got bigger amounts of pretties you want to use.

The wrap is worked in garter stitch and it’s sort of a log cabin style, where stitches are picked up from the edges of previous sections to build the next piece. It is worked in two sections that are joined in the middle with no seaming required. The pattern includes row by row written instructions and end of row stitch counts so you can keep your place easily.

The designer rates the skill level as for adventurous beginners and beyond. You’ll need to know how to knit, slip stitches and pick up stitches from a slipped stitch edge.

I do love the look that minis give you in this project because they are designed to work well together. (Check out more patterns great for mini skeins and advent calendar yarn.) But being me I’m always thinking about ways to use your yarn stash, and I think with proper planning this would be a great project for getting rid of some of those odd balls. You could also work the wrap in a different weight of yarn for a different look depending on what yarn you have that you need to use.

As written is measures about 14 by 60 inches, or 35.5 by 152.5 cm, but you can adjust the length without too much trouble.

Check it out and grab your copy from Ravelry.

[Photo: Amy Crumpton]

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