Baby

‘s Fi

rst F

air I

sle

BY SUSAN GUTPERL

This cute baby sweater makes

for an excellent beginner‘s

project in stranded knitting.

NotesInstead of using a confusing amount of different colours as is the custom in

real Fair Isle knitting this cute sweater relies on only two yarns with one of them sporting a subtle self-striping effect. This lends depth to the pattern and makes the little project a good start into the realms of stranded knitting.

Commerical sock yarn is readily available in many different colourways, self-striping effects and variegations so everyone can choose their personal favourites and at a reasonable price at that. Or you can go for a bit more expensive and choose one of the en vogue hand-dyed almost solid sock yarns that most indie dyers offer. For a baby sweater durability usually isn‘t an issue so it might just be THE project to use some of the pure wool sock yarn most of us have in our stash somewhere and don‘t dare to use for actual socks.

Most sock yarn has the added bonus of being machine washable and is easy to care for which is essential in baby garments.

This sweater is worked entirely in the round with steeks for armholes and neck to be cut open later. You can either use a very short circular knitting needle (40 cm/16“) to cover the small circumfernce or a longer one applying the magic loop method. Personally I prefer the magic loop. Another possibilty would be to use a set of longer double-pointed needles or two circulars.

StitchesStockinette Stitch: While working in the round only knit stitch is used. Working back and forth: row 1 knit, row 2 purl.

Stranding: While working with one colour carry yarn not in use losely behind your work. You can either carry the two yarns with one hand or if you are proficient in both Continental and English knitting carry one colour in each hand.

Finished Size 48 (70) cm chest cirumference equals baby size 62/68 (80/86). Should fit baby between 4 and 6 (12-18) months.

Yarn Sock yarn: Zwerger Garn Opal Uni Solid 4 ply (75% wool, 25% nylon; 420 m/100 g) colour 1999 magenta. Zitron Trekking (XXL) color (75% wool, 25% nylon; 420 m/100 g) colour 76 maroon-mauve. For the larger size a bit more yarn might be needed depending on your gauge.

Needles size 2.5 mm and 2 mm: circular and/or double-pointed. Adjust needle size to obtain gauge if necessary.

Notions Marker, stitch holders, tapestry needle.

Gauge 34 sts and 41 rows = 10 cm/4“

1 © Susan Gutperl

>

BodyLower body: Cast on 180 (240) stitches with background colour, place

marker, close to round and work corrugated ribbing for 12 (18) rounds. Increase 1 stitch at beginning of next round and start working chart at indicated place (larger size: start at the beginning). Work chart 4.5 (6) times, knit center stitch and work chart 4.5 (6) times once more (91 [121] stitches). Place marker and increase 1 stitch. Repeat chart as set for front of sweater (4.5 [6] times chart, 1 center stitch, 4.5 [6] times chart = 91 [121] stitches). You‘ve now got 182 (242) stitches in total. Work 10 rows of chart 6 (9) times to underarm.

Upper body: In last round of lower body knit to last 6 stitches of round. Place 10 stitches on holder removing marker. At the same time place new marker, cast-on 12 new stitches working a looped cast-on alternating main and background colour (1st armhole steek) and place 2nd marker. Work across front to last 6 stitches before marker. Place 10 stitches on holder, removing marker as you do so. Place new marker, cast-on 12 new stitches alternating main and background colour as before (2nd armhole steek) and place another marker. Work across back. Work upper part of body by knitting chart 3.5 (5.5) times (35 rows [55 rows]). Steeks can be knitted either checkered (see pictures to the left) or with colours lined up.Shape neck opening on front of sweater as follows: After working armhole steek knit 20 (30) sts. Place next 41(51) sts on holder. At the same time cast-on 12 steek stitches alternating 2 colours for neckline steek. Knit 20 (30) sts. Work armhole steek and all the way across back. Decrease 1 stitch at each side of neck. Knit one round without decreases. Repeat last 2 rounds 2 times more. There is no neckline shaping on the back of the sweater.Last round: Knit across front and right armhole steek. Knit 17 (27) and place 47 (57) sts on holder. Now start binding-off. Bind-off all remaining stitches including steeks except for held neck stitches.

SteekingYou can secure your steeks using a sewing machine. Do so before closing

the shoulders to have enough room to manoeuver. Choose a small straight stitch on your machine. Start with the neck steek. Sew alongside right and left neck edge between last two steek stitches. Make sure to secure thread. Repeat process for armholes, too.

To secure steeks by hand just run a line of cross stitches alongside the steek edges. In the picture to the left your can see how neat and decorative this looks. After sewing the steeks cut them open carefully with a pair of pointy,

SteeksIn stranded knitting steeks are a short cut to allow a piece to be knitted entirely in the round without tedious purl rows. In the fair isle tradition steeks consist of additional stitches where openings are placed and are cut afterwards to pick up stitches for sleeves, button bands etc.

Steeks for armholes and neck-opening

Normally steeks are first cut and than optionally secured. This takes into account that shetland yarn has a rough, hairy texture which does prevent unraveling somewhat and

encourages slight felting. With smooth slippery sock yarn securing steeks first cutting might be the safer way.

m b m m b b b m m b 10m m b b b m b b b m m 9m m b b m m m b b m m 8m b b m b m b m b b 7b b m m m b m m m b b 6m b b m b m b m b b 5m m b b m m m b b m m 4m m b b b m b b b m m 3m b m m b b b m m b 2b m m m m b m m m m b 1

10 pattern sts.10 pattern sts.10 pattern sts.10 pattern sts.10 pattern sts.10 pattern sts.10 pattern sts.10 pattern sts.10 pattern sts.10 pattern sts.

Chart

b = background colour (magenta)m = main/pattern color (maroon-mauve)

center stitch beginning and end2 © Susan Gutperl

24 (35) cm

17 (

22)

cm

17 (22) cm

11(1

4)

cm

15 (20) cm

Ressources

„Excuse Me, But What is a "Steek"?“ by Lucy Neatbyhttp://www.tradewindknits.com/tbsteek.html

„Kidsknits - How To: Steeks“ – Seven page discussion of Fair Isle and Nordic methods for cutting your circular knittinghttp://www.kidsknits.com/steeks_introduction.html

„STEEKING CHRONICLES Parts 1 to 7“ by Eunny Yanghttp://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/01/steeking_chronicles_the_should.html

„The Art of Fair Isle Knitting: History, Technique, Color & Patterns: History, Technique, Colour and Pattern“ by Ann Feitelson, Interweave Press (1997)

Design by Susan GutperlFor personal use only.Contact: mail@soozasknitting.deWeb: http://blog.soozasknitting.de

sharp scissors. Now close shoulder seams. Continue with picking up sleeve stitches.

SleevesTransfer 10 underarm stitches to knitting needle. Pick up 81 (101) sts

alongside armhole evenly and knit 5 underarm stitches. Place marker. Start working colour chart at indicated place. Work one round across sleeve. Decrease 1 st before and after marker in next round. Knit across. Now work decreases in the following sequence: (knit 5 rounds plain, work 1 decrease round) 4 times; (knit 4 rounds plain, work one decrease round) 4 times; (knit 3 rouns plain, workk 1 decrease round) 1 time. 61 (81) sts remain. Work straight until colour chart has been repeated 5 (6) times or as long as needed for correct sleeve lenght. For cuff work 12 rows of corrugated ribbing. Bind-off using background colour only. Repeat for second sleeve.

Note: In the picture below you can see, that the sleeves are upturned. They came out a little too long which is taken into account here.

NeckTransfer 47 (57) sts from backside neck from holder to 2 mm knitting

needle. With background colour pick up 6 sts from left side of front neckline. Join second colour and start working corrugated ribbing over 41 (51) held sts of front neck. Pick up 6 sts from right side for front neckline in rythm of corrugated ribbing. 100 (120) sts on needle. Work 10 rows of corrugated ribbing or more if a deeper ribbing is desired.Bind-off loosely using background colour. Note: In the pictures your can see that I used the main colour for binding-off the neck and two colours for the sleeve cuffs. It was an excercise. You might choose whichever you like best.

Finishing

Weave in ends. Wash and block slightly to smooth out places where the stranded knitting might pucker and pull a bit. After washing and blocking check whether steeks are secure. The remaining fringes from cutting the steeks will start to fray a bit and with real shetland yarn they will even felt. This prevents more unravelling. If you find the remaining fringes in your garment too long carefully trim them making sure you still leave enough room in case the secured edges become a bit loose. For more refined finishing methods consult the ressources given in lefthand box.

3 © Susan Gutperl