Woodsy Fair Isle Vest by Arenda Holladay

Woodsy Fair Isle Vest

Knitting
January 2009
DK (11 wpi) ?
24 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches
in stockinette stitch
US 5 - 3.75 mm
1528 - 2101 yards (1397 - 1921 m)
Chest: 34¼ (37, 39¾)"
English

Pattern Description from Cast On: “This is not a traditional Fair Isle vest. The yarn is a heavier weight than the yarn typically used for stranded work. Also, it is worked flat in one piece until the armhole shaping. At that time each side and the back are worked separately. Working Fair Isle flat requires reading the yards from left to right and stranding while purling. Rather than purling, some knitters do not turn the work, but knit ‘backwards.’ If you have not tried this technique there are many sources and videos on the Internet. Type ‘knitting backwards’ into your search engine for helpful sites. The motifs used in the design are the same ones used in the Fair Isle pillow lesson. This demonstrated the changes different yarn and colors can make.”

Yarn Symbol: Light (3)

Level of Experience: Experienced

Sizes: S (M, L)

Finished Measurements:

  • Chest: 34¼ (37, 39¾)“
  • Length: 23 (23, 23)“

Materials:

  • Rowan WOOL COTTON (1.76oz/50g, 191yds/175m, 50% Merino Wool, 50% Cotton):
  • 5 (5, 6) skeins #900 Antique (A), 1 (2, 2) skeins #962 Pumpkin (B), 1 (1, 2) skeins #956 Mocha (C), 1 (1, 1) skein #966 Chestnut (D)
  • Size 5 (3.75mm) 30” (76cm) or longer & 16” (41cm) circ needles or size needed to obtain correct gauge. (If you are familiar with the ‘magic loop’ technique, you do not need a shorter needle.)
  • Tapestry needle
  • Six 5/8” buttons