crafts & knitting

Lurgies and Fair Isle

Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)

Just as we were starting to settle gradually back into term time routines Toby has come down with a mystery virus. He's not in a bad way (just his usual high temperature and lethargy) but having him at home for a couple of extra days has scuppered my plans to get organised and start working on the next animal pattern. So instead of pattern knitting (which requires stitch by stitch concentration and lots of note scribbling) I have been indulging my current Fair-Isle obsession (born from working on those bunny jumpers a few weeks back).

 

Fair isle4
 

A sampler-style pair of simple tube wrist-warmers seemed like a good idea and I've cast on 66 stitches with 2.5mm needles and just gone with the flow. Over the years I've collected loads of traditional Fair Isle border patterns and have just randomly combined some of these in layers. I'm quite pleased with how the colours are working together (though I have frogged back a couple of times when colours didn't work out).

 

Fair isle2
 

The ten yarns I'm using are a mix of Spindrift from Jamieson's and 2ply jumper weight from Jamieson & Smith – both 2ply Shetland wool yarns in a wonderful selection of colours (later on I'll try and find the ball bands and post the colours I used on Ravelry for anyone who is interested)

 

Fair isle3

 

It seems like a good time to be working on wrist-warmers (which I wear constantly throughout winter) as the days are now feeling Autumny. There's a cooler, later start to the mornings and with dusk creeping in a little earlier each day there's the feeling that daylight is being nibbled away at each end. The trees don't yet have their full autumn colour but their greens now look tired and ready to turn and I'm looking forward to lots of lovely walks in the woods as Autumn is the season when they look their most splendid.

The beginning of September holds a little anniversary for me as it's when I first started blogging (on Sept 3rd 2006) and I'm now entering my 9th year of blogging. I usually have a little giveaway to celebrate this anniversary but I'm a little off-schedule so it will be coming up later in the month.

Right, I'm off to see if Toby has his appetite back yet, he's currently sprawled on the sofa behind me watching Cbeebies. I think I'll try the Custard Cream test to see if he's feeling better – if he grabs a handful of them then I know he'll be OK to go to school tomorrow!

 

56 thoughts on “Lurgies and Fair Isle”

  1. Awe poor Toby, lets hope he passes the custard cream test and is ready for school again, it’s always the way when school starts, so do the bugs !
    Your knitting is as always stunning, the colours are so pretty, Jamieson and Smith yarn is lovely!
    V x

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  2. Good morning Julie.. I do hope Toby will be well soon hugs from me…… wow what a stunning choice of colours for the wrist warmers, so pleasing to the eye I truly love all your work, and look forward to the new animal patterns too … I also enjoy the Autumn and walking in the woods such a beautiful tranquil time…
    Love and hugs to all Meg xx

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  4. Beautiful colours for autumn. I hope Toby passes the custard cream biscuit test. I am looking forward to trying my hand at knitting again after a long break. Your bunny or fox pattern is likely to be the first on the needles for new first granddaughter.

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  6. I really hope poor Toby is feeling better soon. Your Fair Isle knitting is beautiful! The colours are just gorgeous together. I am looking forward to your next pattern.

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  11. Poorly children are never a good thing ( I have one too ) , fingers crossed the custard cream test works and he’s feeling better real soon … Those wrist warmers are lovely , beautiful colours

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  12. Hope Toby gets well soon. I love the new wrist warmers. Julie, I can’t thank you enough for sharing your beautiful talent. Have a wonderful peaceful day. Linda

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  13. So hope Toby is feeling better soon and that the custard test is the start of recovery. Love your fair isle’s knitting, the colors are perfect and wrist warmers are the perfect knit for now. Thanks for sharing your talents and life.
    xoRobin

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  14. This is funny to me. If I were knitting fair isle, I would be having to study a pattern and focusing just as much if not more! You do such beautiful work!
    I hope Toby is feeling better. My Henny Penny has been out of school all last week and it seems as she’ll be missing school today as well. She has some tummy bug too. I have no idea how she is going to get herself caught up with all of the school work she is missing!
    The weather has been cooling off here as well. I am starting to see some of the leaves here in the valley start to turn. They’ve been turning up in the mountains for some time now. Last night we had another crack a lackin’ thunder and lightning storm with a good pouring of rain. At one point, after a good crack and light up, my youngest came running down the stairs and snuggled up next to me. A bit scary. Today, it is over cast and looks like we’re in for more rain.
    Here’s to hoping Toby is feeling better, off to school tomorrow, and you are able to get back to your projects you wanted to do!!

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  16. Hope the Custard Cream test worked and that Toby is now on the mend.
    Oh, oh oh Julie – your work is so stunning beautiful _ I truly don’t know how you do it, let alone without a pattern. Your photos show it all off to perfection.
    Have a great week
    Kate x

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  21. I hope Toby is better soon. The same happened with my two after school started in August. Your fair isle is just stunning, what beautiful, intricate work. I love the colors too. The photo of the basket of wool from above, with the autumn leaf and blue-tipped needle just took my breath away, so pretty.

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  23. Your fair isle knitting is really beautiful, Julie. I love those colours, they work perfectly together. I hope Toby passed the custard cream test and is feeling better and ready for school again! Wishing you a happy September.
    Helen xox

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  24. I love your Custard Cream test Julie, but not half as much as your amazing fairisle knitting; I’ve just been gazing at all those tiny perfect stitches in fascination!
    I do hope Toby gets better very soon for his sake and yours too, a little 😉
    The weather here is not at all suitable for wristwarmers; we’re back to 32°C after a greyish August. Of course! It’s always sunny and hot when the children return to school!

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  25. I do hope Toby is feeling better today with a tummy full of custard creams. I am sitting here in beautiful Kona, Hawaii – a present from my daughter for my 75th birthday. Of course I brought my knitting with me and am knitting your Christmas theme bunnies in between sightseeing. I even managed to knit a few rows of intarsia on the plane yesterday – in a middle seat! Your fair isle is gorgeous with such beautiful colors. Any chance that there will be a fairisle pattern for sweaters for the bunnies forthcoming? Not that I am lacking inspiration from your current patterns, but having seen your recent bunnies in the fair isle designs …. well I am hoping …. Thank you for sharing your amazing creativity. Kathleen

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  26. One of my biggest challenges being Mum to my Jack is that he is unable to tell me what’s wrong…or even if he is sick! I feel terrible when I send him off to school & they phone & say he is unwell & fell asleep & they can’t wake him up. I feel guilty and wonder why I didn’t see coming 😦 . Hope Toby starts to show some signs of improvement. Thanks for continuing to inspire me with your beautiful knitting amid your challenging day!

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  29. Hopefully Toby is feeling much better now! What are custard creams? They sound delicious. Your knitting of the Fair Isle pattern is absolutely exquisite with such wonderful colors! One of these days I hope to get to that level in knitting! 😉

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  34. Inspiring colours and patterns. Will have to add a fairisle scarf to my queue. Currently not knitting due to arm operation but doing lots of planning. Hope Toby passes the custard cream test

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  37. You went to the fair isle as the relief from the concentrating type of knitting?!?! Oh dear heavens above woman!
    My boy has had a sickie bug this weekend too. My sympathies are with you.(man flu)

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  38. Such beautiful colours Julie, I envy your eye for matching, I lack confidence with putting colours together & greatly admire those that can. I know how you feel when days don’t go as you planned, a day with Tom off school throws me completely. Hope Toby is feeling better & enjoying custard creams again soon xx

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  40. Hi Julie I like the look of the wrist band Fair Isle knitting, when you have a little spare time you may like to look at the Kate Davies web site she is about to have a new book published soon showing how to knit Fair Isle yokes and she is also a fan of Jamieson and Smith yarns.

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  44. I’m in love! Those wrist warmers are gorgeous. Your eye for color combinations is wonderful! I can’t wait to see them finished.
    All of my kids are home sick today. My oldest son has been out all week. I’m playing nurse and have not knit a stitch, so I understand what you are experiencing. I hope Toby’s virus was short lived and that he is all better now.

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  45. I have to try it. Fair isle. It is so chic, so unique..
    Definitely, I am looking for a pattern to do something for me.
    Thank you for giving the idea.
    Miss

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  50. I do the biscuit test too! Hope Toby gets well soon x Your fair isle looks lovely, it was on my summer list to use your tutorials to start to do some but it never happened. Here’s hoping as the nights draw in I may get a pair of arm warmers done before next spring!
    Quick question – would I be able to use the Jamiesons yarn for the bunny clothes? Which would be best, Spindrift or 2ply jumper weight?

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  52. Many thanks for the pattern, I’m looking forward to giving it a go. Might even buy some of those beautiful yarns you have suggested. I’ve recently finished a fair isle neck warmer by Nikki Trench and she states ‘jogging’ every so many rows. I’ve tried this and it puts the pattern out of synch! I’ve noticed in your pattern that you don’t do this – I’ve started another neck warmer and I’m really tempted to omit the ‘jogging’. Not many people I know knit and even fewer attempt fair isle so your thoughts on this would be really appreciated!

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  53. Happy (belated) 9th Birthday! And so glad Toby is feeling better (have read the posts in reverse). I think the custard cream test is quite ingenious 🙂 xx

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  54. Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! You, your blog and your wonderful patterns…oh yes and lush 4 ply 🙂 too…are on my list of all I am grateful for. Blessings to you and your family. Hope you are all well and enjoying the Autumn transition! Hope we hear from you soon.
    Lori from Port Perry 🙂

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  55. I think these are the most beautiful knitted rabbits! I just missed the random draw last week….I would love to buy one for my granddaughter.
    I would even love one for my bed….and I’m over 50 🙂

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  56. I love this fair isle you are working up. The colors are amazing as are the designs. I do hope you will publish a pattern for these! Thank you for showing them to us!

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