A Fair Isle Jumper

As I have mentioned in a previous post I have a Pinterest account and one of the boards is titled “Things I’d Like My Mum To Make.” Each of my daughters with children, adds pics to it when they see something they would like me to make.

I am slowly making my way through the requests and this is a jumper Jennifer wanted me to make for her daughter. The picture she chose is for a jumper that read...

“A cute little lopi-sweater for toddlers and kids. A traditional Icelandic yoke and high neck to keep warm during cold winter months.” 



It had a pattern named ‘frost’ that had to be purchased from America but I knew I would be able to adapt a pattern I already had.

Hunting through my huge selection of knitting books, pattern collections from magazines and old patterns from family and market sales, I was able to find a really old one that had actually come from my grandmother The smallest size was going to mean it would be a little big but it would be able to allow for plenty of growth and possibly two winters wear.


I then studied the design of the fair isle and graphed it out on some old maths books papers. These graph pages are nice and big and just great for this very purpose.

Then it occurred to me that being a yoke style there would be decreases every few rows evenly around the yoke. So I had to work this concept into the design hoping the decreased stitches wouldn't alter the design too much. Taking a bit of “knitting” licence I managed to work the design and decreases to suit me rather than follow the pattern precisely and still come out with a great copy of the pattern.

I found some wool in almost the same colours although the brand only had the dark pink and I prefer when knitting garments to stick to the same brand and type of wool so that if there is any shrinkage it will be the same.

I used 100% Pure New Wool actually grown and spun in Australia (much to my disappointment - no disrespect to my AUstralian friends, but we do actually have sheep in New Zealand!) Panda Machine-wash 8 ply crepe exclusive for Spotlight

Once finished Natalie was very happy to model it and I think she found it "quite warm thanks Nana."

(and 'no' the top right pic is not Natalie!)