-
The classic Fair Isle sweater is an immediately recognizable winter staple. The term "Fair Isle" describes the knitting technique that produces the multicolored patterns found in these traditional sweaters as well as a windswept island named "Fair Isle," which lies off the coast of Scotland. Here, Celtic and Scandinavian folk art blended into the motifs we recognize as Fair Isle.
Because these patterns are geometric in nature, you'll need to plot out your design on graph paper. Use markers or colored pencils to indicate stitches, and let your creativity loose. It's a good idea to start at the center of your design and work outward---this way, if you want your design to incorporate snowflakes, stars or flowers, they'll be centered on the sweater.
Most Fair Isle designs have two colors per row (this makes it much easier on the knitter). Keep in mind that Fair Isle designs do not usually have long stretches of stitches in a single color---make sure the color in each row changes every few stitches. Think of your design as a mosaic: lots of tiny blocks of color that, when you step back from them, create a visually appealing pattern. Plot out your entire design on graph paper before you (or your designated knitter) begin to stitch. -
Holiday sweaters often include traditional characters such as reindeer, cardinals, mice, polar bears, Santa Claus or elves. You can also incorporate familiar motifs such as holly leaves, candy canes, bells, poinsettias, candles, wreaths, stockings, stars and snowflakes. Combine several of these elements to provide your design with variety of shapes and colors. For example, your sweater design might include snowflakes falling over a background of stars, or a poinsettia plant sitting next to a candle. The great thing about these inanimate motifs is the chance to adorn them with glitter, bells, metallic yarn or bows---this adds dimension and texture to your sweater design.
Start by sketching your design and playing with symmetry. In a symmetrical design, all of your characters and motifs appear as though they're equally distributed on either side of an imaginary vertical axis. If your design is asymmetrical, this distribution will not be equal. Both methods can produce attractive results; it's simply a matter of what appeals to you. In general, symmetrical approaches work well for smaller characters or motifs, while asymmetrical designs accommodate larger characters or motifs.
