If you can not go to the island of Fair Isle (somewhere around the Shetland Islands north of Scotland) to learn their traditional hand knitting techniques, learning at a knitting retreat has to be the next best thing.
Figuring out how to hold a yarn in each hand and go back and forth between them as you carry the yarn is challenging, but do-able. I learned that what starts out very awkwardly can become much more comfortable. I will want to try this again now that I have figured it out, but small projects will be fine. I don't see any Fair Isle sweater knitting in my future.
Probably my favorite part of the weekend is getting to see what all these talented knitters have created. Only another knitter can truly appreciate the work that goes into some of these projects. This year we were also treated to a fashion show featuring the work of a local knitwear designer. I picked out one of her patterns to try out myself in the coming year.
Thank you once again to The Studio for this weekend in the middle of winter that I look forward to all year long.
Tonight while the rest of America watches the Super Bowl, I will be very content to organize patterns and yarns and update my chart of needles - refreshed and rejuvinated from a weekend spent doing all things knitting.
The colors you chose are really good, even though they weren't the ones I suggested. Some of that work you showed has me in awe. Actually what you did has me in awe. You are my inspiration, knitting version.
Posted by: Caroline | 02/03/2013 at 07:35 PM
GORGEOUS! Fair Isle knitting is a spectacle of spectacular colors and technique. BTW watched the Super Bowl for the first time in 15 years and LOVED IT. Only because it was a family drama. Both teams are winners in my book.
Posted by: Violet Cadburry | 02/03/2013 at 10:01 PM
Gasp! The hat in the middle right hand side of the 6 pix is BEAUTIFUL!
Sounds like you spent a weekend filling up on inspiration; don't you love that?
Posted by: Carol Gossett | 02/03/2013 at 11:13 PM
I think Carol G and I are in love with the same hat. Is that Fair Isle with two ombre yarns or something even more complicated. It is stunning.
Posted by: Caroline Berk | 02/04/2013 at 12:10 AM
Carol and Caroline: that hat is designed by Sandi Rosner, the woman who taught our fair isle class. She brought lots of her samples for inspiration. Those are her swatches in the middle on the left. I learned from her that doing a swatch is critical to get the best result. That hat is a free pattern at the crystal palace yarns website. The name is the mini mochi fair isle hat. If you make it be sure to send me a picture!
Carol
Posted by: Carol | 02/04/2013 at 08:06 AM
Make it? Yeah, r-I-g-h-t!!!!!! ;-)
(I'd wear the HECK out of it, though!)
Posted by: Carol Gossett | 02/04/2013 at 11:31 PM
when I read, "if you make it" I started laughing. I might get the pattern, though and think it through. I like to think about things.
Posted by: Caroline Berk | 02/05/2013 at 10:53 PM
That hat is reminiscent of Alice Starmore, the queen of Fair Isle knitting. I have one of her books on Aran knits...so beautiful. The colors in the hat are just beautiful...I have yet to attempt Fair Isle...I'd love to visit the Shetland Islands and sit and knit with the ladies...sipping tea, of course.
Posted by: Joan Clarke | 02/06/2013 at 08:30 PM