Fair Isle Hoodie

**Note: This entire garment, except for the ribbing, is worked in a fair isle pattern. Be careful not to let increases and decreases throw off the design. Simply do the increasing or decreasing as necessary and then look at the next stitch below to see what color you need next so that things line up again – you have to do a little fudging but it will work out. Also the designs are worked in strips and once you've worked all design charts just start repeating them in the same order. At the bottom of each section (back, left front, right front, and sleeves) after the ribbing begin working designs in the same order so that things will line up properly when you sew the pieces together.

-I don't know when I will get around to charting the patterns that I used so I recommend using my pictures as inspiration and looking around on line for different patterns you can put together yourself. I have included detailed enough pictures that I think you could use them as a chart to recreate my designs.

-Also note that while I am modeling this pregnant, it IS NOT a maternity sweater.

Materials:

Size 5 and 7 knitting needles

Patons Classic Merino Wool (listed in the order they appear on the sweater)

• Winter White (3-4 skeins)

• Deep Olive

• Leaf Green

• Gold

• Russet

• Bright Red

• Royal Purple

• Chestnut Brown

• Petal Pink

Gauge: 20 S / 26 Rows = 4 inches on size 7 needle

Back:

With size 5 needles cast on (106, 114, 122) sts

Bottom Ribbing: work approx 4 inches in a k2, p2 rib (p2, k2 on wrong side)

Change to size 7 needles.

Work in stockinette stitch (k RS, p WS) for length of back up to armhole, stopping after a WS row. (I wanted a longer sweater and worked in stockinette until it measured 18 inches total from bottom of ribbing)

Armhole:

BO (6, 7, 8) sts at beginning of next 2 rows

BO 2 sts at beginning of next 2 rows leaving (90, 96, 102) sts remaining

RS - k2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2

WS – p

Repeat right side row once more. (86, 92, 98) sts remaining

Work in stockinette stitch until armhole measures (8, 8.5, 9) inches from bind off, stop after a WS row

Shoulders:

BO (8, 8, 10) sts at beginning of next 4 rows

BO (6, 6, 7) sts at beginning of next 2 rows

Place remaining (46, 46 , 46) sts on holder

Left Front:

With size 5 needles cast on (50, 54, 60)

Bottom Ribbing: work approx 4 inches in a k2, p2 rib (p2, k2 on wrong side)

Change to size 7 needles.

Work in stockinette stitch (k RS, p WS) for length of back up to armhole, stopping after a WS row. (work same length as for back)

Armhole:

BO (6, 7, 8) sts at beginning of RS row, k to end

p WS row

BO 2 sts at beginning of next row

p WS row

Decrease rows: *k2, ssk, k to end of row. Purl WS row* repeat one time

Work in stockinette stitch until armhole measures (8, 8.5, 9) inches from bind offs

WS – p 15 stitches and place on holder (front of hood), p to end

BO (1, 2, 2) sts at neck on next 3 RS rows (purling WS rows in between) leaving (22, 22, 27) sts

Work in stockinette stitch until armhole measures (8, 8.5, 9) inches (same as back), stop after a WS row

Shoulder:

BO (8, 8, 10) sts at beginning of next 2 RS rows

p wrong side

BO (6, 6, 7) sts at beginning of next RS row

Break yarn.

Right Front:

With size 5 needles cast on (50, 54, 60)

Bottom Ribbing: work approx 4 inches in a k2, p2 rib (p2, k2 on wrong side)

Change to size 7 needles.

Work in stockinette stitch (k RS, p WS) for length of back up to armhole, stopping after a RS row. (work same length as for back and left front)

Armhole:

BO (6, 7, 8) sts at beginning of WS row, p to end

k RS row

BO 2 sts at beginning of next WS row, p to end

Decrease rows: *k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. Purl WS row* repeat one time

Work in stockinette stitch until armhole measures (8, 8.5, 9) inches from bind offs

RS – k 15 stitches and place on holder (front of hood), k to end

BO (1, 2, 2) sts at neck on next 3 WS rows (k RS rows in between) leaving (22, 22, 27) sts

Work in stockinette stitch until armhole measures (8, 8.5, 9) inches (same as back), stop after a WS row

Shoulder:

BO (8, 8, 10) sts at beginning of next 2 WS rows

p wrong side

BO (6, 6, 7) sts at beginning of next WS row

Break yarn.

Sleeves (Make 2):

With size 5 needles cast on (47, 56, 56) sts

Bottom Ribbing: work approx 4 inches in a k2, p2 rib (p2, k2 on wrong side)

Change to size 7 needles.

Work in stockinette stitch increasing 1 stitch at each end of every 8^th row 9 times (65, 74, 74) stitches remaining

Work in stockinette stitch until arm is desired length from wrist to armpit.

BO (6, 7, 7) stitches at beginning of next 2 rows

BO 2 sts at beginning of next 2 rows (49, 56, 56 ) stitches remaining

RS – *k2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. P WS row* repeat 3 times

RS – k2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. Repeat every 4^th RS row 5 times

BO 2 sts at beginning of next 4 rows, bind off remaining stitches.

Finishing

Sew shoulder seams

Attach arms to armholes

Sew long arm seams

Hood

With size 7 needles and RS facing pick up and knit 15 stitches on holder, pick up and knit stitches across neck, pick up and knit stitches across back holder, pick up and knit across opposite neck, pick up and knit 15 stitches across remaining front holder.

Work in stockinette stitch until hood measures 11.5 inches

WS – purl to center of hood and pm, p to end

RS – *k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k1, sl m, k1, ssk, k to end. P WS row* repeat 4 times

BO stitches

Sew top of hood

Front Bands

With size 5 needles and RS facing pick up and knit every stitch starting at bottom left front, continuing around hood, and ending at bottom right front.

Work in k2, p2 ribbing for 3 rows, ending in a WS row.

On right front band place evenly spaced markers for desired number of buttons. On RS row *k2, p2 to marker yo, k2tog*, repeat to end.

Work k2, p2 rib 3 more rows, ending in a WS row. Cast off loosely.

Weave ends.

Sew on buttons.

Fair Isle Hoodie by Stephanie Wilson-Leedy