Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

Easy Fair Isle Sweaters for Kids and Adults

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I was perusing the patterns on Lion Brand the other day, as one does, and I saw these two patterns that are not identical, but they’re related enough that you could make a mom and me pairing out of them. They also alerted me to the news that Lion Brand has a DK weight yarn now, which I definitely need to check out!

To start with the kid-sized version, the Mercer Street Pullover is worked from the top down in five colors and is rated easy. It comes in sizes for kids ranging from 6 to 12 years (four sizes in all), with chest measurements ranging from 28 to 33 inches, or 71 to 84 cm. The colorwork is Fair Isle style, meaning you’re only working with two colors at a time. This pattern does require you to be able to read charts.

The adult-sized Fair Isle Pullover also uses five colors, but the patterns used on this pullover are a little different. (You’ll still need to be able to read charts to complete this one, but it’s really not hard!). The pattern is rated easy and is available in eight sizes, ranging in chest measurement from 36 to 64 inches, or 91.5 to 162.5 cm.

Either of these patterns would be a fun way to learn the basics of Fair Isle (and chart reading if you’re not already comfortable with that) and get yourself and/or a little someone you like to knit for a colorful way to stay warm through the rest of the winter.

Both patterns are free on the Lion Brand website as linked above.

Looking for more fun projects to try out Fair Isle knitting? This sweater from Wool & Pine only has colorwork on the sleeves and pocket, so it’s another great way to work a bit of stranded knitting without committing to a full multicolored project.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

Free Knitting Pattern – Northen Lights Fair Isle Sweater

Fair Isle Eggs to Knit for Easter

Book Review – 200 Fair Isle Motifs: A Knitter’s Directory

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Textured Hat Knitting Patterns

There are all sorts of knitting techniques you can use on hats, but some of my favorites are textured stitch patterns or cabled hats worked in a single color. Check out these great textured hat knitting patterns and find your next fall favorite. 

The K?pekapeka hat from The Practice of Fibre was the one that got me started thinking about textured hat knitting patterns. This one has a simple zig-zag pattern worked with purls. This hat uses centered double decreases for shaping to help keep the pattern going as you finish the top of the hat. It uses worked weight yarn. 

Little Totz Designs has this simple knit hat that uses worsted weight yarn and an allover knit-purl stitch pattern that’s easy to memorize. This one would be a great first hat in the round pattern if that’s something you haven’t tried before. 

The Fia Beanie from Honey and Grace Fiber Co is another simple stitch pattern that’s full of texture. It calls for bulky yarn so it should stitch up in no time in this great textured diamond design. 

Kalurah Hudson’s Cindersmoke hat is an interesting stitch design that uses double moss stitch and bands of slipped stitches throughout the pattern, which is where the decreases are worked, keeping the rest of the pattern as established. It uses bulky yarn and is sized for adults, and you can find it on Ravelry.

Benjamin Matthews has such pretty designs that often turn out to be simpler to knit than they look. The Snow Carved Beanie (find it on Ravelry) for example only uses knits, purls and slipped stitches, but it has a design that looks almost like cables. The pattern uses worsted weight yarn and has a foldover brim for extra warmth. 

While I wanted to keep the focus in this roundup on simple stitch patterns, basic cables are not that much more difficult than regular knitting, and the lattice pattern on this CrissCross Hat form the Purling Princess is so charming I couldn’t resist sharing. This hat comes in three sizes (baby, child and adult) and uses worsted weight yarn. It would be a great gift to knit if you’re thinking about that.