Suggest a beginner's fair isle pattern?

#1

I’m working on making a bag and would like to add some fair isle print. I haven’t tried it before, but when I look online all of the patterns I see look so complicated.

Does anyone have an easy fair isle pattern that would be ideal for a beginner?

#2

Here’s a simple pattern to get started. Once you get the idea of working with 2 colors of yarn (however you hold them) and maintaining even tension, you’ve got it.

#3

Thank you! :slight_smile: And just a quick question… do you know if you purl with the fair isle?

#4

Here’s a great video to learn two handed fair isle. It also teaches you how to catch the floats so they aren’t so long. There is a sample project so you can practice.

After this I moved on to putting some fair isle in hats…just simple stuff to get the hang of it. It’s fun!

ETA: You can purl with fair isle, but most people prefer to knit in the round with it.

ETA: Forgot the video… http://www.philosopherswool.com/Pages/Twohandedvideo.htm

#5

Elizabeth, Yes, you continue the pattern on the purl side. In some ways it’s easier on the purl side because the strands are on that side (even though the pattern is easier to see on the knit side). And yes, fair isle in the round seems simpler to me.
Jan, wait, did you not attach the video?

#6

:lol: Yep, forgot it, but have now put it in my post.

#7

What a wonderful video. I’m inspired to try fair isle with both hands.

#8

My beginner fair isle pattern was something I made up. It’s done with two colors and is kind of a fair isle stripe pattern. You can use any two colors. I had one solid color for the main and my second color was white. I knit in stockinette four rows of the main solid color. For the next four rows, I knit one in the main color and one in the white. On the other three rows, I alternated the colors. Then I did another four rows in the solid color. 0 is the main color and x is the white. It’s something like this:

000000
000000
000000
000000
0x0x0x
x0x0x0
0x0x0x
x0x0x0

Keep alternating these two repeats for pattern. This looks great if you use a variegated yarn for the main color. It looks like you really did a lot of color work but it’s very little effort.

#9

I find it much easier and faster that way.