Fair Isle Jumper – Knit Along part 1

Part one of the knit along, there is a downloadable PDF at the bottom of this page. Please consider joining the Facebook group! I also have a Ravelry project page.

This is a loose fitting, striking design with dropped shoulders and a round neck. Made better with a fair isle highlight that uses no more than three colours per section to keep it simple and beginner friendly. This jumper is worked from the bottom up, and then sleeves are worked from wrist to shoulder and sewn to the body. Instructions are given for working in the round, as well as working flat and sewing up. Notes include a few extra tips and tricks, as well as ways to personalise your jumper to your own tastes and with multiple options for sleeves.

Please read the pattern in full before starting, and check out the notes section at the end. If you find something a bit weird, please contact me, I am always grateful for feedback on patterns.

Sizes

 SmallMediumLargeExtra Large
Bust measurement86cm (34 in)91cm (36 in)97cm (38 in)115cm (45in)
Finished size94cm (37)101cm (40)110cm (44in)135cm (53in)

Materials

3.25mm and 4mm needles, either circular or flat depending on preference. Darning needle.

Main background colour. Two to three 100g (600-900m) balls of DK. Main colour, MC.

Contrast colour A, two 100g (600m) balls of DK.

Contrast colours 100g (300m) of DK in four different colours. Colours B, C, D, & E.

All lists are approximate, and you may use more or less yarn depending on your tension.

For my test I am using Deramores Studio. As colour MC I have a darker denim blue. Contrast colour A I have a lovely forest green. I haven’t fully settled on the colours of B, C, D, & E. I have used stash yarn, but the entire jumper is being worked with DK acrylic-based materials.

Tension

22 stitches and 28 rows for a 10cm x 10cm square on 4mm needles. If you want to change the size slightly you can swap needles up or down, to create a tighter knit, smaller jumper, or a looser knit, larger one. For example, using 4ply yarn and 3mm needles will give you a jumper closer in size to a child’s. Using 5mm needles and DK with give you a looser, but larger jumper.

Working in the round

With 3.25mm circular needles and contrast colour A cast on 256 (262, 278, 304) stitches, place side marker, join in the round being careful not to twist. K1, P1, place second side marker at 123 (131, 139), K1, P1. These markers separate the front from the back.

Continue to work in k1, p1 rib as stitches present for a total of 24 rows.

Change to 4mm needles. Work two rows in stocking stitch in MC.

Working Flat

Back & front alike until **

With contrast colour A, and 3.25mm flat needles cast on 123 (131, 139, 152) stitches, work in k1, p1 rib as stitches present for 24 rows.

Change to 4mm needles. Work two rows in stocking stitch in MC.

Notes

Needles

If you don’t like your rib tight then you can skip the 3.25mm and use only 4mm. I do this all the time as I hate having tight rib, and this is why my demo jumper might look slightly different over all

Ribbing

You could do corrugated rib, for an extra bit of color. Because of the number of stitches 2×2 and 3×3 rib isn’t possible, but 4×4 should be.

Slip stitches

At the start of each row, when working flat either after dividing for the neck, or working the entire jumper flat, slipping a stitch makes it easier to sew up, as well as facilitating picking up stitches later on for the neckline or sleeves.






















































Comments

4 responses to “Fair Isle Jumper – Knit Along part 1”

  1. Elizabeth R Winstel avatar
    Elizabeth R Winstel

    Can the pattern be enlarged by adding multiples of 8?

    1. Yes it can, and then once you’re on the main body there are side sitches that aren’t worked as the pattern. If you’re adding 8 to the front, your add four to your side stitches.

      I’m working on an XL with 304 stitches in the round, or 152 flat. This should fit a bust of 115cm (45in) , with a finished measurement of 135cm (53in).

  2. Did you have a video for the 2nd instalment?
    I thought I saw it but can’t find it.

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