Comments on: Fair Isle or 2 Color Knitting?

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 30 Jun 2004 19:18:59 +0000

Hi, I’ve been looking around for this information about stranded color knitting; it was in my blog entry of 23 September 2003.
Here you go!
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What makes a Fair Isle different from a Norwegian knit? I looked it up, but couldn’t find a definitive answer. So, I wrote to Meg Swansen, whom I consider Knitting America’s Greatest Treasure, and she kindly replied:
“Ah – as it happens I have strong feelings about the mis-use of Fair Isle to describe any two (or more) -color knitting.
Fair Isle is a very specific type of color pattern knitting: never more than two colors at one time; never any huge carries AND the use of color particularly separates Fair isle from Scandinavian knitting… only Fair Isle shades the motif while At The Same Time shading the background colors. Dale sweaters are Scandinavian, or two-color patterns — but are not Fair Isle.”
Isn’t she the best? There you have it. My curiousity is satisfied, and this is the definition to which I will adhere just like Shetland yarn does to itself.
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I’m enjoying your blog and your knitting!

By: LoriK

LoriK — Wed, 30 Jun 2004 07:18:47 +0000

Here is a link that I have found very helpful:
http://knittingbeyondthehebrides.com/files/stranding.html

By: Nanette

Nanette — Tue, 29 Jun 2004 15:32:02 +0000

Hi Jody! Thanks for buying the book! Please let me know if you have any questions after it arrives. It generally takes Cafepress 12 days to 2 weeks to get the books to people.
Amy & Eklectika are right – Fair Isle knitting is just one type of stranded color knitting. Norwegian knitting (like the beautiful Gerbera) is another type of stranded knitting but they occasionally use more than 2 colors per row. In Fair Isle both the foreground and background color can change while you are knitting. It makes choosing colors for a project a lot more difficult and an art form in itself.
I think the most talented blogger I’ve seen in Fair Isle color selection is Sheila at
http://www.nwkniterati.com/movabletype/blog/
Pink Tea is a group knitting blog with some great Fair Isles at http://www.nwkniterati.com/movabletype/pinktea/
A great Norwegian sweater knitter is Geane at http://knitpix.blogspot.com/ She’s probably knit about 30 Dale of Norway sweaters.

By: Eklectika

Eklectika — Tue, 29 Jun 2004 14:48:54 +0000

Well, of course, there’s WendyKnits.net! But you probably already know that *wink*…
Ironically enough, the latest Interweave has an article describing three different ways to do two color knitting.
I think that the main difference between 2-color and fair isle is not really a difference. Fair isle *is* 2-color – per row, at least. In fact, I believe that true fair isle is not allowed to use more than two colors per row and you it’s designs are not supposed to have long “carries”, i.e. you don’t have more than 3-5 stitches of either color in a row. Also, fair isle is usually made of traditional patterns mixed in different ways. So, it’s a particular style/use of 2-color.
2-color is simply any sweater you use 2 colors in one row at the same time, but it is not necessarily fair isle (i.e. if you did 2 st of color #1 and 2 of color #2 on every row, it’s 2-color, but it’s not fair isle.)
I could be wrong, but this is the impression I’ve always gotten from what I’ve read in the various books (St*rmore, Feitleson, etc.).

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 29 Jun 2004 12:04:59 +0000

Thanks for the book recommendation. I’ll have to take a look at it to prepare for the Gerbera sweater. My guess about the distinction between fair isle and two color knitting is this:
Traditional fair isle involves stranding no more than two colors across a row. There are some colorwork projects that involve more colors per row than this. Take a look at a Kaffe Fasset (sp?) sweater, for instance.
Also, there are other techniques that involve using different colored yarns: color blocking, intarsia, slip stitch knitting, stripes, etc.

By: Ali

Ali — Tue, 29 Jun 2004 09:41:35 +0000

I have that stranded colour knitting booklet, it’s a good read and I’m planning to try some of the ideas in it. I’ve never done colourwork before.