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Giveaway: The Very Easy Guide to Fair Isle Knitting

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fair isle giveaway

Melody is our winner!

I have been cleaning up my office recently and I moved my pile of giveaway books from one shelf to another and this book ended up on top, which is reason enough to give it away this week.

The Very Easy Guide to Fair Isle Knitting by Lynne Watterson is an easy-entry, step-by-step guide to getting stranded knitting, covering everything from yarn choices to working with two colors in a row, ribbing in two colors and classic fair isle patterns.

It also includes 11 patterns for things such as fingerless mitts, a beret, a bag and pillows, which you can work through to learn the concepts and design principles behind stranded knitting. If you used this book as a workbook, you would definitely get comfortable with fair isle quickly. And isn’t summer (or winter for that matter) the perfect time to learn something new?

If you want a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, June 28. I’d love to know if you have any big plans for the coming season, wherever on earth you happen to live. We’re holding out until the end of next month, then spending what’s sure to be a fabulous week in Florida.

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

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Comments

  1. Going camping next month, live in Minnesota. Otherwise spending the summer with my currently one month old till I go back to work.

  2. At the beginning of every summer, we take out a three-month membership to our local country club and swim there in the early mornings before the crowds arrive.

  4. Fair Isle an an adventure I’d love to enjoy…. The family has a couple of hurdles to jump Myself and Hubby have had gallbladder surgery 3 weeks apart… Gall bladder less …. Planning an August Camping trip, just found out our daughter has a baby due date the same weekend… May be greeting a new lil one that weekend. But for sure taking a road trip to Texas for a nephew’s wedding in November….Life is always an adventure, may take a day trip to a few wineries in the local area…. Thank you for sharing your Fair Isle adventure!!

  5. My kids are bring the grandsons for a visit! I would love to learn how to do fair isle knitting!

  6. That book souns wonderful! I am planning to finish some wips this summer and to prepare for a fall knitting retreat!

  7. No plans as of yet, it is very hot here, so we are trying to stay cool… might plan something towards the end of the season.

  8. Planning on spending the 100+ degree days inside, possibly in the basement where it’s cooler! Also hoping to go on several camping trips.

  9. I’d love to get a better understanding of fair isle. My past attempts have been less than stellar, I’m afraid. We aren’t going anywhere special this summer, but the kids and I are enjoying the weather!

    I’m vernalequinox on Ravelry!

  10. I think the hardest part is getting the tension even. That and finding the right colors.

  11. I’m going to northern Maine for a couple of days and going to Florida for a few days.

  12. I have yet to find a guide to how to change colors when knitting in the round except to carry my yarn!!

  13. Pretty low key summer here – Our biggest short term plan is to hit the pick your own strawberry fields this week.

  14. Just discovered your website and I am enjoying it very much. I love the Fair Isle Knitting book. Hope I win. My daughter and I love to try new things.

  15. No big exciting plans. I’m enjoying the local berry season and hoping not to melt in this weekend’s heatwave.

  16. I have just started doing Fair Isle and I am hooked on it. Thank you for this opportunity

  18. I plan on organizing my yarn once and for all, and getting it catalogued, since it’s a bit out of control right now. That book would come in so handy, since I’ve wanted to be able to try that style of knitting for years, and know that I have plenty of colorways to be able to make items in those patterns. It couldn’t have come along at a better time!! Thank you for a chance to win a copy!! It would really come in handy, and be a welcomed addition to my library.

Have you read?

Summer Headband Knitting Patterns

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.