Lady Franklin by Catherine Wallace

Lady Franklin

Knitting
February 2013
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
29 stitches and 36 rows = 4 inches
in stranded stockinette stitch with larger needles
US 2½ - 3.0 mm
US 2 - 2.75 mm
2187 - 2297 yards (2000 - 2100 m)
34-36, 38
English French
This pattern is available for $10.00 USD
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This pattern is based on a 1920s design which I saw photographed in Anne Feitelson’s book The Art of Fair Isle Knitting. The original design used much larger motifs and must have been knitted using very fine wool. I have reduced the size and number of motifs but kept to the traditional Fair Isle colours of madder red, indigo, yellow, natural white and a green from weld and indigo. These naturally dyed colours look perfect together in a Fair Isle garment.

The size shown has some shaping worked by changing needle sizes but is not meant to be closely fitted. It suggests the style of the 1920s. A larger size can be made by using a size larger needles than those given.
The size of the motifs and their regular repetition give the knitting a complex appearance but in fact the knitting follows a logical pattern which is quite easy to master.

The openings at the bottom, neck and cuffs are hemmed with a darker shade of madder red to ensure they keep their shape.

The pattern is obtainable as a kit from Renaissance Dyeing, as well as a Ravelry download. It calls for two 100gm skeins of Midi (indigo blue), one skein each of Narbonne (yellow), Ecru (natural white), Maury (green), Toulouse (dark madder red), Aventure (gold) and Troubadour (madder red).