What Is Fair-Isle Knitting?

Fair-Isle or stranded knitting is the art of knitting with more than one color in a row to make knitted color designs in your projects.

Fair-Isle knitting is a useful intermediate color-knitting technique that is not only steeped in history but also looks beautiful in today’s designs.

What Kinds of Projects Can You Knit With the Fair-Isle Technique?

Anything that you can knit can be worked in a Fair-Isle motif. Most popular Fair-Isle projects are knitted in the round, which not only works well with the technique but also hides the wrong-side floats. Round projects include infinity scarves, hats, mittens and gloves, socks, bags, and sweaters.

You can also knit flat Fair-Isle projects like throw pillows, where you do not see the back side of the work. If you want to knit flat projects that look good from both sides, you’ll want to use double knitting.

How You Are Going to Learn Fair-Isle Knitting in This Class

Our hands-on guide teaches you everything you need to know about how to do Fair-Isle knitting, step-by-step.

In addition, everything about Fair-Isle knitting that confuses a new knitter or frustrates an experienced one is covered in this class.

First I’ll teach you how to easily read charts (a key skill for color-knitting projects and one that often scares away newer knitters).

Then I’ll show you ways to hold the yarn comfortably whether you’re an American-style knitter, a Continental-style knitter, or want to try a combination of the two.

We’ll start by learning Fair-Isle knitting in the round, and I’ll cover all the tips and tricks that go with that style. We’ll cover Magic Loop, DPNs, reading charts in the round, and tensioning tricks.

I’ll then teach you how to knit Fair-Isle on a flat project, which you’ll be able to use to knit patterned throw pillow covers, for example.

Along with these main skills, I’ll teach you tons of supplementary knitting techniques to help make your Fair-Isle projects a success, like I-cords, picking up stitches, and tricks for garter stitch in the round without purling.

I’ll cover in-depth every aspect of the biggest bugaboo of Fair-Isle knitting: getting your tension right. From floats to twists to consistency to tangling yarn, I’ll give you examples of how it can go wrong, and I’ll teach you how to do it right.

You’ll also learn how to recognize and fix mistakes in Fair-Isle knitting, so you can feel confident trying projects even if they look hard.

The Project You’ll Be Knitting

The project that we’re going to make together as we learn all of these skills is a felted bag.

Not only does it require you to learn and practice all the major skills involved in Fair-Isle knitting, it is ideal because it’s quick and forgiving.

Because it’s made with bulky yarn, you’ll knit it fast, and the felting obscures any problems you may have as you work on perfecting your tension.

To help you keep practicing and improving on your own, I’ve put together a list of patterns for you try as well as recommendations for books and stitch-motif collections that you may want to add to your library.

What Will I Learn In Addition to the Fair-Isle Basics Mentioned Above?

We have included three advanced videos and four new bonus videos to cover every possible aspect of Fair-Isle knitting you may encounter.

Our advanced videos teach Fair-Isle ribbing, flat Fair-Isle, and knitting with three colors in one row.

Because of the popularity of Fair-Isle infinity scarves and cowls (seamless tubes the hide all the wrong-side floats), we’ve included bonus videos teaching you the crucial techniques for infinity cowls: the provisional cast-on and Kitchener Stitch in the round.

For wider motifs or garments that must be perfectly stretchy, like Fair-Isle socks, we’ve included an in-depth tutorial on the Ladder-Back Jacquard technique. This is a way of creating a loosely knitted fabric with the unused yarn behind the main knitted piece, ensuring that you have no long floats and the fabric stretches perfectly.

Finally, if you want to learn all the ins and outs of Fair-Isle knitting without practicing on a full-size project, we’ve included a 30-minute summary video on how to knit Fair-Isle charts. It includes demonstrations in Continental, American-style, and both, plus lessons on tension.

What Materials Will I Need to Knit the Fair-Isle Bag?

Needles: We’ll be knitting this bag in the round, so you’ll need a set of circular needles.

Needle length: You have a few choices here, depending on your budget, your knitting style, and what needles you already have. I will be demonstrating the project on a 24-inch-long circular needle, and teaching regular circular knitting on this project.

If you don’t know how to knit in the round, follow along with me and use a 24-inch circular needle.

You can buy one at your local yarn store (LYS) or online. If you feel comfortable knitting in the round on Magic Loop, you can knit the entire project using a 40- or 47-inch-long circular needle.

Although I teach most of the bag on 24-inch needles, I will show you tips for doing Magic Loop on this bag as well. If you don’t know what the heck Magic Loop is and you’re curious, you can learn more here.

Needle size: Use either US size 11 (8mm) or US size 13 (9mm) needles. It doesn’t really matter which size you choose – it’s a bag: your gauge (the size of your stitches) is not critical.

If you knit tight, I’d recommend the larger size, and vice versa.

Optional needles: If you have them or want to buy them, you could use straight needles for the bottom of the bag, which is knit flat, and double-pointed needles (DPNs) for the i-cord handles.

Or you can use the same circular needle you are using for the body of the bag. I’ll demonstrate both techniques.

Yarn: Choose a bulky, 100%-wool yarn in two contrasting colors – you’ll need 150 yards of each color.

Some suggestions are: 2 skeins of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Chunky, 4 skeins of Malabrigo Chunky (which is what I use in the videos), or 4 skeins of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky.

Other materials: You’ll need a stitch marker, a pair of scissors, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and sewing on the handles.

You’ll also need purse hardware: rectangle rings and purse feet.

If you don’t like the look of felted i-cord handles, you can buy leather, metal, or vintage resin handles online (here’s one option) or at your LYS, thrift store, or yard sale.

What Are the Bag Dimensions?

After felting, the bag will be approximately 9 inches (23 cm) long by 7 inches (18 cm) wide by 10 inches (25 cm) tall.

After felting, the bag can be stretched to fit over a box to give it your preferred shape.

What Techniques Will I Learn in This Class?

On our main felted bag project, you’ll learn how to:

• Knit stripes
• Pick up and knit
• Knit in the round on a short circular needle
• Read a Fair-Isle chart
• Hold your yarn for Fair-Isle knitting (four options for holding your yarn)
• Fix mistakes when…
  • You didn’t follow the chart correctly
  • You are pulling floats too tight
  • You discover a mistake far down in your knitting
  • You get “corners” on Magic Loop and DPNs
• Achieve all-important correct stitch tension for Fair-Isle Knitting
• Consistently switch colors for even tension
• Twist strands to prevent long floats
• Knit Garter stitch in the round without purling (wrap and turn)
• Weave in ends on Fair-Isle knitting
• Knit an I-cord handle
• Felt a knitted project in a top-loading or front-loading washer or by hand
• Assemble the felted bag

With our advanced videos, you’ll learn how to…

• Knit Fair-Isle back-and-forth (it’s a little harder)
• Knit with three colors in one row
• Create beautiful Fair-Isle ribbing

With our bonus videos, you’ll learn how to…

• Cast on for an infinity scarf with the Provisional Cast-On
• Seam up an infinitey scarf with Kitchener Stitch in the round
• Work large or stretchy motifs with the Ladder-Back Jacquard technique
• Knit from a Fair-Isle chart with perfect tension in under 30 minutes

What If I’m New to Knitting in the Round?

This is the perfect project on which to learn! Knitting in the round on a 24-inch circular needle is very easy, even for the new knitter. There are very few pitfalls and our videos show you exactly how it should be done.

Knitters new to knitting in the round will love our up-close, step-by-step videos that show you every single detail. After this class, you’ll be very comfortable knitting in the round on a short circular needle.

What If I’m New to Felting?

To create the felted bag, you’ll knit your project with 100% wool yarn that has not been treated in any way to allow for machine-washing. You’ll knit this bag on larger needles than you normally would – in this case, using bulky yarn with US Size 11-13 needles, to make the stitches extra-roomy.

Then, you’ll wash the bag in hot water with regular detergent in either a top-loading or front-loading washing machine or by hand if you don’t have access to a washing machine.

Detailed instructions in the class walk you through each step so that even if you are new to felting, you can learn how to do it on this project successfully and easily. You won’t be new to felting after this!

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We have stood behind this guarantee since we started KnitFreedom more than 10 years ago, and we receive almost no refund requests. Our students love learning with KnitFreedom, and we invite you to try it too, 100% risk-free.

All Techniques Demonstrated American (English) and Continental Style

If you’re the kind of knitter that needs to see exactly what all stitches and techniques are supposed to look like, you’re in luck! We demonstrate every technique with the yarn held in both the left and right hands so that no matter which way you knit, you’ll see clearly what you need to see.

Personal Answers to Your Knitting Questions

We know self-taught knitters have questions, and we never want you to feel alone. As a KnitFreedom student you have access to personal knitting coaching via email at any time. Just email [email protected] Knitting expert and video teacher Liat Gat will answer your questions about this project. You can even send in a photo of your knitting if you aren’t sure how to explain what’s happened.

Downloadable Videos for Offline Viewing

If you go on vacation and want to take your knitting videos with you, or you live in an area with unreliable/slow Internet, you can download all our class videos to your computer at any time, and transfer them to your mobile devices as well.