I know from talking to knitters and hearing what you all say when I ask that a lot of knitters are a little afraid of Fair Isle knitting and other colorwork projects. They seem really intimating because it’s hard to imagine working with two yarns at once, but once you’ve done a little bit of this kind of knitting you will see that it isn’t really that difficult at all, and the results are lovely.
British knitwear designer Martin Storey wants to take the scary out of stranded knitting with his book Easy Fair Isle Knitting: 26 Projects with a Modern Twist
. The book is heavy on pillow covers, which are a fun way to liven up your living room and are relatively small projects that are good for learning.
There are also vests, cowls, socks, table covers and more (check out the patterns on Ravelry).
Some of my favorites include the Kitten and Stripe Scarf, which is exactly what it sounds like; the Waves Vest, with a combo of zig-zags and lice stitch; Little Hearts Cowl, with stripes of different colored hearts; the Soft Stripe Gloves, with a band of diamonds on the wrist and stripes up the hands; and the Simple Spots Pillow, covered with circles of different colors.
The only problem with this book is that there aren’t really any instructions for how to knit Fair Isle, just a few tips for making it easier.
This would be a great book for beginners if not for that, but you might need to check out a YouTube video or another book for the basics if you’re a complete beginner.
If you have a project or two under your belt and are comfortable with the basics, there’s a lot of cute stuff in this book. And for knitters with more experience who still like an easeir project every now and then, these are great, too.
About the book: 128 pages, paperback with interior flaps, 26 patterns. Published August 2016, Trafalgar Square Books. Retail price $24.95
