The Fair Isle Cardigan is a classic 1940s cardigan pattern, with a deep ribbed waistband, a shaped body with V-neck front opening and square shoulders emphasised with box-head sleeves and decorative colourwork panels on the upper front sections.

The cardigan is knitted in flat pieces which are then sewn together and has a choice of either a simple gathered sleeve head or box-head sleeves. This stylish knit is designed to be worn with the matching Fair Isle Jumper but would of course, be perfect worn by itself over a flowery tea dress or a simple blouse with wide leg pants.

We have used a soft colour palette of mint green with spring-time shades of pink, lemon and blue, but this jumper would look fabulous in practically any colour combination you could think of and is a great pattern for using up left-over yarns!

Fair Isle Cardigan is knitted using Excelana North fingering weight a soft, fingering weight 100% British wool, spun for us in nearby Yorkshire and dyed in-house by Susan and her team. Shown here in shades Nile Green, Persian Grey, Powdered Egg, Alabaster, Cornflower Blue and French Rose.

Our model Theodora is shown wearing the second size 81-86cm (32-34in).

The pattern includes instructions for nine sizes to fit chest measurements between 71cm (28in) and 157cm (62in) and contains both clear written pattern directions, together with charted instructions for colour work areas plus a comprehensive schematic diagram and sizing chart.

Yarn kits are available at Susan Crawford Vintage.

Yarn
Susan Crawford Excelana North fingering weight, 100% British wool, 75% Cheviot, 25% Bluefaced Leicester (159m / 174yds per 50g skein approx)
6 (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11, 12, 13) skeins, shade Nile Green
1 skein each shades; Persian Grey, Powdered Egg, Alabaster, Cornflower Blue and French Rose.

Gauge
28 sts and 36 rows = 10cm (4in) over stranded colourwork and stocking stitch, worked flat, after blocking. We obtained this gauge using 3.25mm needles

Suggested needles
Small Needles: 1 pair 2.75mm (US 2) needles
Large Needles: 1 pair 3.25mm (US 3) needles

Notions
8 buttons

Techniques
Fair Isle / stranded colour work