A rich mix of traditional stranded Fair isle motifs make a pretty and striking patchwork cardigan for children.

This pattern is adapted for machine knitters from my hand knitting pattern of the same name. This is a hybrid machine and hand knitting pattern.

Construction
The body and sleeves are worked on the machine in two contrasting colours. In Sizes 2-6Y the body is worked in a single piece with no side seams and in Size 8Y it is worked in 3 pieces with 2 side seams due to number of needles.
These pieces are then taken off the machine and put on hand knitting needles and the yoke is worked by hand using a mix of bright, contrasting colours. The yoke is knit in the round for the ease of knitting Fair Isle, and then a steek is cut and button bands and ribs are added by hand. Bobble stitch is used to decorate the neckline and cuffs. Knitting the garment in this hybrid way uses the speed and precision of the machine with the seamlessness of hand knitting, giving a smooth fit over the shoulders. It also helps gives an overall handcrafted look.

Finished measurements
(with trimmings)
Body circumference: 61 (69.5, 72.5, 78) cm /
24 (27, 29, 33.5) inches
Body length (from underarm-hem):
21.5 (26, 30, 34.5) cm /
8.5 (10.25, 11.75, 13.5) inches
Sleeve length (from armpit-cuff): 23 (27, 30, 33) cm / 9 (10.5, 11.5, 13) inches
Sleeve circumference: 23.5 (27, 30, 31.5) cm / 9.25 (10.5, 11.75, 12.5) inches
Neck circumference: 26.5 (29, 32, 33.5) cm /
10.5 (11.5, 12.5, 13) inches

Meterage needed
336 (425, 586, 750) metres of MC
300 (362, 500, 676) metres of CC.
You will also need 6-8 contrasting colours for the yoke. Use oddments of any similar-weight yarn (about 20m of each).

Machine and Gauge
Knitted on a standard gauge Silver Reed / Knitmaster / Empisal
Main Tension (in Fair Isle): 10
Gauge: 28 stitches and 28 rows to 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 inches) your hand knitting gauge should be the same-it’s always best to do a swatch using both techniques and change needles and/or tension as necessary.

Yarn
Z. Hinchcliffe & sons 2/17nm Lambswool, 2 strands held together from Uppingham Yarns (wools.co.uk). Front page photo uses ‘Linen’ (MC) and ‘Cherryade’ (CC) (discontinued: try ‘Coral’ or ‘Inferno’) + a mix of oddments from my stash for the yoke colours.

Good alternatives:
Bio Shetland by BG Garn (sample in photo on page 2 uses ‘Forest green’ (MC) and ‘Bright pink’ (CC).
Tvinni by Isager.
Spindrift by Jamiesons.

Or any super-fine (1) or fingering-weight yarn that knits to gauge. I prefer a non-superwash wool that will bloom beautifully with the other colours once washed and that will also facilitate steek-cutting.

Materials
Length of nylon thread or cast-on comb depending on the method for Open Cast-on recommended for your machine

Hole punch and spare cards

For the ribbing: 1 x pair of size 2.25 mm (US 1, UK 13) straight needles

For the yoke: 1 x size 2.75 mm (US 2, UK 12) circular needle (60-80 cm long, for ease of working yoke stitches) OR needles to get gauge.

6 stitch holders

Stitch marker

7 (8, 9, 10) 15 mm buttons