Fair Isle fun!

Hello! I am, officially, a busy little bee, and I'm almost buzzed out. Knitting my fair isle dress has been done in moments of relaxation this week, which seem to have been few and far between. Good thing I enjoy being busy isn't it?

 In the last couple of days I've been having a sale of my books, and it seems to be going well. Actually, I'm absolutely pleased as punch that you want to buy my books. 43 books sold so far, and I'm reeling from the astonishment of it all! To sell that amount in such a short time is the ultimate compliment. (If you're interested in buying some bargain books, illustrated by me, which I can sign and personalise for you should you so wish, have a look at the post which tells you all about it, by clicking here. Looking for a present that is a little bit different? You never know, a signed copy of one of my books might be just the job!)

Anyway, back to the fair isle shall we?

I just love my subtle choice of colour combinations. (Oh, it's not subtle did you say?!)

It's not at all subtle is it! But I'm enjoying it, ever so, ever so much, letting go with the colour, going a bit wild. It reminds me of the hot colours you might find in a sari, colours that wake you up, spicy colours.

What I always find when I'm doing fair isle, is that I have to knit an expanse of it before the colours start to pull together, and the pattern starts to gel. I think it's still at that "knit a bit more and it will start to work" stage. That's the way fair isle draws you in and gets you addicted, the "one more row and it will be even better" thing is gripping.

That orange is a bit of a wild card isn't it? I'm having to keep a tight grip on the reins with that orange, it's a bit of a run-away, and I waver between allowing it to rampage all over the pattern, and being strictly an accent colour, it sometimes gets the upper hand, as you can see above.

It's changed quite a bit since you last saw it in this post, hasn't it? I decided to unravel  some of the orange, I felt it was too solid.

I think the nice thing about fair isle patterns is the smattering and sprinkling of colour you get all over the pattern, and the process of dispersing bits of colour all over the place not only helps the colours to work together, but you also get an illusion that there are more colours being used, as you contrast different colours with each other.

Well, I'm off to have a quick cup of tea so that I stay fully alert whilst driving to meet Hugo, who is due back from having done a weeks course for the RNLI, (the Lifeboat), who he volunteers for. Apparently there was two days of first aid, a day of jumping fully clothed, whilst wearing full lifeboat safety gear, into the water and having to swim (I'm sure it wasn't as simple as that), and a day learning how to fire fight, followed by assessments this morning. He had to fly there (Poole), and I have to pick him up in the car after about a half hour drive according to Hugo, forty-five minute drive by my estimation, I try not to get speeding tickets).

I'd better get my skates on. Have a wonderful weekend, hope you have blissful weather, and see you on Monday, when I hope to be bright eyed and bushy tailed, and have yet more progress on my fair isle dress to report. Ta-ra! Love Vanessa xxx

Comments

[Siobhan]

I haven't even finished reading your post properly but I am so excited about how wonderful your dress is that I have to tell you right NOW! Wow those colours are working well together - you have pulled them all together so skilfully that they all just look made for each other - love how you have put in some of the bodice blue, it makes it all seamless as if the colour is somehow running through the whole thing, while only being seen at times. I think you are doing fabulous things with the orange, it looks right at home and I think you were definitely right to keep it. Love the bit that replaces the orange bit you ripped out and the complementary row after it. I've said it before but I will say it again - Vanessa you are very CLEVER! I know just what you mean about sari colours. A piece of art! Am off to finish reading the rest now. xx
p.s. Am glad I read the rest - Well done to Hugo for volunteering for such a heroic and worthwhile job. It's a fantastically brave and self-less thing to do and very much appreciated by many. Thank you Hugo!

[greenrabbitdesigns]

Oh it's just lovely Vanessa! Colours are great and I just love those cables.
Well done to your hubby volunteering for the RNLI!!!
Have a great weekend :)
Vivienne x

[Jessie]

That's the pure joy of knitting for me, the colour combinations, what fun you must be having with this pattern it looks gorgeous!xx

[Emma]

Vanessa, your Fair Isle is making me swoon. Almost as much as Mr Darcy. Emma x

[Gorgeous Things]

Nice 'n spicy colours - that dress is smokin'. I'm so pleased for you that it is looking so fab.
And a big thank you to Hugo from everyone in the Things household for his volunteering - we are so lucky to have the RNLI!

[Alice @ Crochet with Raymond]

yay I'm so glad to get my fair isle fix! It's looking quite wonderful and very magical to my no-so-talented-knitter's eyes! The cable at the top is amazing... flawless! Do you think you could do a cable tutorial one day??? :)

[rach]

this is just stunning i love love those colours, and that cabling is the neatest i have ever seen lol x

[Kate Bruning]

EEEEEKkkk - I still have to put an order in for your books - we had Archie's medieval feast day as a big celebration to end the term and play and everything else slipped my mind. I love the dress - the orange makes it sing. I am going to have to give it a try at some stage - maybe something like that will get me out of my non-productive blagh. School holidays might help a little with that too. I have promised to teach Archie to sew and that often sends me into an orbit of new ideas. Take care, love Kate xxooxxooxx.

[Planet Penny]

That's just scrummy, Vanessa, love it P x

[glor]

Ohhh, the dress is beautiful! You are so talented!

[Carole]

Hi Vanessa,
Oh the fair isle dress is coming along GREAT, i love it! Can`t wait to see it finished. The colours are f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s!!
Have a great weekend
Love Carole from Rossendale xxxxx

[Cami]

Looks beautiful! Love the unexpected color combo.

[Elena]

The colours and pattern look amazing! Sparkling indeed! Great job!

[Jenni at Baa-me Kniits]

Vanessa your dress is stunning!! Love the little dots of colour that you have added and what can I say about the orange....it is after all one of my favourite colours :-)

Hugo is very brave for jumping into the English sea....I bet it is freezing!

Have a great weekend Jen xx

[Jane]

It's coming along so beautifully, can't wait to see it finished. Haven't knitted fairisle for years, but it's very tempting when I see your wonderful creations.

[Teresa Kasner]

Vanessa - I love the Fair Isle - my question - is the dress for you, the baby-to-be, or a friend? I knitted a fair isle bag in primary colors many years ago and for the life of me I can't find it! I might just have to make a new one. I'm currently working on a granny square pillow cover ala Lucy - it's one big granny square. I'm using "Mission Falls 1824 Cotton" are you familiar with it? The colors are all amazing. I'm making it for our new 28 foot trailer - so it will look like some of those caravans in Lucy's blog. I love you both - you're my inspiration!!

Teresa in Corbett, Oregon - the Columbia River Gorge

[frances]

Vanessa, Hoping that you do not get any speeding ticket and that you all will have a great weekend.

The fair isle skirt extension to your cabled dress top is coming along so beautifully. Yes, it's always fun when doing fair isle to discover just how much contrast is needed to keep the harmony from getting a bit too quiet...not boring, never boring.

I remember being quite pleased once when in the company of Kaffe you know who, when he complimented my including a pretty brisk yellow in the combination of an intarsia-harlequin-patterned sweater I was wearing. Yes...he was right. It did seem a jarring color at first, but as the rows accumulated, it became a needed accent.

Your dress is going to be super! Already wondering how you will finish the botton "hem" line. So many choices. xo

[Jo]

You should be so proud of yourself - you are such a talented knitter with a wonderful eye for colour - and so proud of Hugo for doing such a brave and selfless thing...
Jo xx

[The Cuckoo]

Beyond clever! How do you do it? Looking forward to your post tomorrow, go on show us a pic of Fanny in her new home! x

[Janice Perkin]

just back from a week at Seahouses - thanks so much for keeping the weather good - had a fantatic trip to the Farne Islands - love the dress - it is just so zingy! - please can I have A Father Christmas book and a mole book signed for Phoebe( I had my first grandaughter this March and always used you Father Christmas books when I was teaching because the children loved them and so did I!!!!!)

[Porcupine Design]

Very interested in your quest for a knitted dress. Its so inspirational tracking your creative thought processes to how you have arrived at the lovely fair isle dress you are now knitting. I am about to embark on a stripy babies jumper and have been inspired to alternate my stripes with fair isle. Do you suggest working on circular needles? Very lovely blog...keep posting.jx

[rosiehearts]

Oh it's beautiful...i adore the colours. I wish it was mine!!

[Barbara]

Dear Vanessa
Fair Isle forever I say! It looks so adorable, enjoy every stitch and drive carefully ... Barbara