Very Easy Guide to Fair Isle Knitting

Lynne Watterson has been knitting and designing for as long as she can remember. At the age of five she designed her first outfit – a sweater, hat and scarf ensemble for her Sindy doll. With knitting in her blood, her grandfather was a machine knitter and her grandmother a patter checker for a knitting publication, it came as no surprise to her family when on leaving school she worked as a Knitting sub-editor at IPC Magazines, serving a five year apprenticeship. Her apprenticeship was cut short when she was offered the position of Knitting Editor on a publication for Marshall Cavendish Partworks. Lynne has edited many craft magazines in her career including Fashioncraft, Hand Knitting News, Machine Knitting News, Cross Stitch, Needlecraft Magic, Cross Stitch Magic, as well as contributing to many others including Prima and Ideal Home. Lynne lives and works in the Cotswolds.

• Foreword 8About this book 9Lesson 1: Yarns 10Lesson 2: Choosing colors 12Lesson 3: Knitting kit 14Knitting basics 16Lesson 4: Casting on 18Lesson 5: Knit and purl 20Lesson 6: Reversible fabrics 22Lesson 7: Binding off 23Lesson 8: Increasing 24Lesson 9: Decreasing 25Lesson 10: Gauge 26Lesson 11: Circular knitting 28Lesson 12: Holding the yarns 30Lesson 13: Stranding 31Lesson 14: Weaving 32Lesson 15: Charts 34Fair Isle patterns 36Stitch guide 38Lesson 16: Corrugated ribbing 40Lesson 17: Seeding 44- Project 1: Child’s cardigan 52, Project 2: Child’s hoodie 54Lesson 18: Fair Isle bands 56- Project 3: Fingerless mitts 80, Project 4: Hot water bottle cover 82, Project 5: Beret 84, Project 6: Legwarmers 86, Project 7: Hat and scarf 88Lesson 19: Fair Isle patterns 90- Project 8: Mug cozies and pot holders 116, Project 9: Bag 118, Project 10: Throw 120, Project 11: Cushions 124Finishing Techniques 126Lesson 20: Blocking and pressing 128Lesson 21: Perfect seams 130Lesson 22: Adding beads 132Lesson 23: Tassels 134Lesson 24: Pompoms 135Lesson 25: Twisted cord 136Lesson 26: Fringing 137Lesson 27: Adding buttons 138Lesson 28: Aftercare essentials 140Abbreviations 141Index 142Credits 144

Jan 13This is the second in the Very Easy Guides. The introduction includes all about yarn, colour and materials to get you started. The knitting basics section is illustrated with excellent line drawings showing basic techniques and stitches. The stitch guide takes up the majority of the pages. There is a two page colour overview of all the stitch patterns included. Each stitch is described and illustrated in colour, there is also a small chart showing the pattern for those who prefer to work from charts. The book is set out as lessons, 28 of them in all. The final lessons are on beading, finishing and more. There are projects to use your new found skills every step of the way. I particularly liked the fingerless gloves and the beret. I really liked this book, but didn't feel it stretched the subject and that a lot of the patterns were too basic. However, it is aimed at the beginner, so I think it hits the target well. It has a good, constructive approach.