I’ve been practicing my knitting all winter, this was a big goal met for me… to tackle Fair Isle! I’d seen so many color combinations I like and wanted to get good enough to make my own design and figure out how to best work the color changes. From holding the yarn to figuring out the repeats I like, here is the result. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!
2-Color Fair Isle Hat Pattern
Ribs, Body, and decreases = 32 total rows
Yarn: Super Bulky Size 6 – personally, I love Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick, I used Black and Fisherman
Needles: 9mm, 16″ circular – personally, I love my bamboo Clover Takumi knitting needles
Long tail cast-on: 48 stitches
Rows 1-8: rows ribbing in black: K1, P1 around
Rows 9-13 continued in black: K1 around
Pick up white and black yarn together (I’m a continental knitter and found it easiest to tension both colors in my left hand at the same time, with each color wound through my fingers, then pick the color you need as you work through the color changes) to complete 7 rows of Fair Isle pattern.
Row 14: K1 with white, K2 with black, repeat around 16x
Row 15: K1 around with black
Row 16: K1 with black, K1 with white, K1 with black, repeat around 16x
Row 17: K1 around with white
Row 18: K1 with black, K2 with white, repeat around 16x
Row 19: K1 around with white
Row 20: K1 with white, K1 with black, K1 with white, repeat around 16x
Cut the black yarn leaving a tail to weave in. Finish the hat with white.
Rows 21-30: K1 around
Row 31: K2tog around (24 sts)
Row 32: K1 around (24 sts)
Cut yarn leaving an 8″ tail then thread through the remaining loops and remove from needles, cinch closed and weave end to the inside to secure.
Now that I’ve perfected my yarn holds/tensioning in one hand, I’ve tried some other colors and patterns.
Some of the other color combinations I’ve made:
So, how do you finish the hat after Row 32?
Sorry, thanks for catching this, I’ve updated!
“Cut yarn leaving an 8″ tail then thread through the remaining loops and remove from needles, cinch closed and weave end to the inside to secure.”
HOw do you make the pom pom?
I have a Clover pom maker for yarn poms where you wind the yarn around and it’s simple to make them. There’s generic pom makers out there for yarn poms, too. For the faux fur poms, I buy them from JoAnn Stores or independent makers. Hope that helps!
I would like to make a larger size. How many stitches do I need? Made several hats as a beginner at78 years young. Am teaching myself. Live your patterns. Thanks
Arlene
Hi Arlene, please look at my hat chart post, there’s a nice size chart that covers more and/or less sts to cast on. Let me know if you have difficulty after reading that. Glad you’re learning! Knitting is fun 🤩