Sunday, February 15, 2015

Fair Isle Hat

I've been trying my hand at fair isle or stranded knitting, but really had no instruction or visual aids to go by.  I was going by something I heard years ago about always having the yarn go under the color change so there won't be a hole.

By putting the yarn under each other, it required physically changing the position of the yarn after each stitch, which not only slows down the knitting process, but gets old very fast.

So I did some research on line and came across this wonderful video showing how to knit stranded work without tangling or changing position!  I feel like a silly goat that the items I've knit with color change so far have been knit completely wrong, not to mention the hard way.

If you are new to stranded work, take a moment to view this video from the Philosopher's Wool Company.  She calmingly walks you through the two handed technique.

This brings us to right or left handed knitting.  I have always held the yarn in my left hand.  This technique requires holding yarn in both, one color in the left, one color in the right.

I have found that I am completely uncoordinated using the right, but I'm sure with some practice I can master this. 





I started out with a simple hat, using scraps that I had laying around. 

Knitting this was SO MUCH FUN!  I love working with colors and using the technique from the video, it goes super fast. 

I'll send this hat out to my grandson, Warren who loves skiing and sledding.  With the stranded work, it is like a double knit and sure to be an extra warm hat!

3 comments:

Tall Cottage Thoughts said...

I really like your hat; looks so warm. I'm sure your grandson will appreciate it. If not, at least his head should be warm.

I've wanted to try stranded colored work. I have two short sleeve coral sweaters to finish for my little grandgirls in the south, a variegated Mobius cowl for my daughter, and a mint green crocheted baby blanket and then, then I plan to try stranded.

I did knit my husband a pair of mittens (fist ever) by switching yarns, one stitch grey, one stitch blue. Maybe that qualifies; I did hold one strand in one hand and one in the other. which I must say worked well. I did it from memory from having watched my mother knit double knit mittens when I was a child. She always carried under.

I am now going to review the video. Thanks so much for your tip and I think you should pursue another stranded piece. Even though you say you used pieces from your stash, I think you did a fine job.

Tall Cottage Thoughts said...

Sorry for the typos; I have a terrible sinus headache today and am not seeing clearly.

Valerie said...

Hi there! Sounds like you have quite a few projects going on. I have another stranded sweater for Sara on the needles now and I've written out one for grandson Gavin. I think 2015 will be the year of fair isle for me!