Come and have a look at my finished Fair Isle dress!

Hello! It's done! It's finished! My dress is finished, and I've worn it!

I got it into my mind that I wanted the photographs to be taken with me standing on a haystack (don't try this at home).

Ellie and Douglas had to get in on the photo as usual.

So how do I feel, now it's done and dusted? I feel a bit....... "did I really knit a fair isle dress?"

I also feel that thing, like many people, of "SO! What shall I do next, now that's finished?!"

Wellllll........ I love my dress, and I love, love, love, doing fair isle, so that's a contender for my next project.

Part of me wants to make something straightforward, and another little bit of my brain is needling me to take on another challenge. I would like to do a dress which consists entirely of fair isle pattern, rather than a section being plain colour, as with this one I've just finished.

I don't have a pattern for this dress for you, because it's been cobbled together a bit. I started by using a pattern for a smock top. I knitted the top part of the pattern, the bit with the cabling, first, leaving the bottom, where I'd done a provisional cast on, as live stitches. Once I'd finished the top half, I picked up the stitches from the provisional cast on, that were live, and started knitting downwards in stocking stitch. I reduced the number of stitches just before starting the fair isle pattern. I just knitted straight down till the dress was the right length for me.

The sleeves I made up myself, knitting the top half, with the cabling first, and then knitting downwards as with the main body of the dress, having reduced the number of stitches before starting on the fair isle section.

There was a bit of altering of certain areas as I went along, for instance, the sleeves:

Which were originally cast off leaving an abrupt straight line.

I decided a more tapered look would look better at the bottom of the sleeve, so took back some of the knitting, and did it again, this time finishing by gradually reducing the number of stitches in each row, on the last few rows. I didn't cast off the stitches, because that gives a rigid line, which isn't very stretchy, I just folded the cuff under a little, and sewed the live stitches down, which seems to give the cuff that bit more stretch.

I did a similar thing for the hem of the dress.

And the cord? Well, I did that to draw in the waist a little, it was looking ever so slightly baggy and unflattering. To do the cord, I just did a long length of a couple of rows of double crochet. I then threaded it through the stitches in the waist of the dress. Taking seperate yarn, I took the bottom of the cord, and double crocheted twice into each chain, up the cord, till I felt it was the right length of twiddle on bottom of the cord, then I did two more rows of double crochet into each chain, down and up.

And that, my dear darling readers is that, one fair isle dress knitted, photos taken for your entertainment, another chapter in my knitting history completed. Hurrah! Love Vanessa xxx

Comments

[Alice]

Fantastic. I love the dress... now what are you gonna do?

[Marie]

Stunning! I am so glad that I found your blog!

[bakeandsewblog]

Totally beautiful. Love love it.

[Emma Angel]

It's FABULOUS! I have been engrossed from start to finish and the finished article is divine.
I love the colours. You are so talented being able to make up the pattern.
Well done!
x

[Penelope]

Just beautiful craftWOmanship! Well done to Hugo for stunning photographs of you too xox I have just embarked on a cardigan for myself, 1 colour only but one day when I grow up I want to knit fair isle like yooo hooo !

[MiA]

It is amazing beyond words!! I would never have the patience to make such a huge work :)

[Martha]

WOW!!!
It is absolutely beautiful and it fits perfectly!
☺

[Mary Grace McNamara]

That is one stunning piece of knitting! The colors are fabulous and your workmanship is amazing! The pictures look like something out of a magazine...spectacular! The sky is so blue, it almost looks fake :)

Looking forward to seeing your next project!

MGM

[barbara]

Wow!Oh to have even half of your talent.The dress is stunning and the colours go together so well.

[Mojca]

The most beautiful piece of clothing I've ever seen. Congratulations!

[Madeleine]

Congrats, your patience really paid off and just in time for winter - lovely doggy accessories too!

[Hen]

It's wonderful, well done Vanessa, fab photos and a totally stunning Fair Isle design! Oh the colours... (and the doggies...)
Hen x

[Bonnie]

"Good work" is such an understatement. Fabulous! Amazing! SUPER DUPER IMPRESSIVE! I hope you love it forever. It's beautiful work.

[Clare]

Gorgeous truly stunning one day I will try Fair isle one day!!

[Helen]

What a gorgeous dress, it's worked out so well! The photos are amazing too, the blue sky and golden corn are a perfect background for the delicious shades you've used in the knitting.Stunning!
Helen x

[florrie]

That's the most fabulous knitted dress I've ever seen.....you actually look like you're in a photo shoot for a knitting magazine.....brilliant.
florrie x

[anne@andamento]

Love the fairisle sections, they're beautiful and the colours you have chosen are just perfect together. Great job!

[Jacqueline]

Vanessa, it's fabulous, and it fits so well. The colours go so well together. I plan, at some time, to make a traditional Fair Isle scarf using traditional colours and patterns.

[Vintage Squirrel Katie]

Is there no end to your talents - this is utterly fabulous - WOW!

[Lou Martin]

Congratulations, looks fab
X

[Kathrin]

A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!

[Kate Bruning]

Unbelievable - it really is a part of knitted history now. I could look at those photos all day - and the dogs are just hilarious - are you going to start painting in fair isle too. I would so love to learn how to do it but just can't begin to get my head around it. Maybe I should ask my mother-in-law for lessons and just be brave. Love Kate xxooxxooxx.

[susand]

So Beautiful! It fits you PERFECTLY!

[paintdropskeepfalling.wordpress.com]

The dress is gorgeous, the post charming! I want to know how you got on a haystack? :)

[Katy]

Hurrah! Well done, i've been eagerly awaiting the pictures of your finished dress. It looks wonderful! Great choice of haystack too!

[Siobhan]

Oh wow! you did it - you made the most fantastically beautiful dress and it fits perfectly. I'm so pleased that it has turned out so well. You are mega talented to have done this and I just love it! Everyone is going to stop you and ask about your dress, it's a bit of a talking point I would think. Your photo shoot is spectacular - who would have thought of posing on a hay stack? Harder to balance on one of those than the old square one's I would have thought. How to follow that? Well I don't know but I'm sure you will think of something else brilliant. I'm just looking at some colourful knitting by Kristin Nicholas, she has a blog and writes books - I'm liking what I'm seeing. I wish I could do all this multicoloured knitting. It's on my list to try but I reckon I will get in a terrible mess. It's been fantastic following the journey of your dress and the destination is just amazing! Showed it to my daughter and she loved it too. Forgot to say, but I love the little twiddly cord - a really cute little detail.

[Anne]

WOW, you are so so tallented, the dress looks lovely. Your knitting is so wonderful well done! Wish I had a little of your talent.

[Cecily]

Absolutely beautiful and the photo shoot was inspired! Love it!

[Isabelle]

Well done! Bravo!! It must feel so special!! Lovely photos again!
Isabelle xx

[Aubrey]

WOW!!
WONDERFUL!!!!!
OMAZING [i CAN'T THINK OF AN A, IAM RUSHING!!]
WIZARDRY!!!!!!
Love Aubrey

[poppy]

Vanessa, it's a-mazing! I wasn't sure all the time you had been posting w.i.p. pictures -- the separate parts all looked stunning but I couldn't quite see how it would work together as a dress. But it's totally great -- so worth all the effort! And what a fabulous place for a photo shoot!

[Trekky]

Fantastic dress - you look fab in it! Love the photoshoot on location to a haystack!

[Heather]

It's just gorgeous and how clever of you to arrange that matching turquoise sky for your photo session!

Hx

[Pippa frost]

Wow! It turned out so beautifully and looks stunning on you, what an achievement!love the photo shoot aswell! xo pippa

[Jen]

It's stunning! The colors are so fun and cheerful. Beautiful work!

[Sea]

Tiz always good to finish a project! It looks really good.
Are your dogs Dandie Dimonts?

[driftwood]

it's fantastic !

[Jeanne]

Well, I have never commented before, but I've been here all along, following your progress with awe. Now that your dress is finished I am speechless. It is divine! Can't wait to see what comes next.

[ilsa-fay]

WOW! It is magnificent! Well done! Such a tricky project -it looks gorgeous!:-)

[greenrabbitdesigns]

AMAZING!!!
The photos are stunning too!
Vivienne x

[glor]

WOW, WOW, WOW! You are an incredible artist! Great pictures too.

[Mar]

wow, what a beuty!!!!

[Julia]

Vanessa - it's genius. Though perhaps a little warm to wear now?
The latest Rowan Magazine (No 48) has a great all-fairisle dress that I am coveting - however you may now be more keen to design your own.
You are so clever...you must be pleased
-Julia

[frances]

Bravo, Vanessa. That dress is a total triumph, and you do look really fabulous in it. Doing the photo shoot on and around that hay stack was inspired.

I could go on and on about the beauty of the design and the knitting, but ... hey, you have the real dress in front of you, and must know that it is a total winner!

xo

[Alison]

I think the dress is just brilliant, what a fantastic achievement. It looks so good, and could look as all fair isle or all main colour with cable. Love the adaptations. How does the lining feel.

[Bev]

WOW, it's absolutely stunning, you are so clever. It's been a joy to watch your journey the knitting the unpickikg and then the knitting again. It has all been worth it. think it is the best dress I have ever seen. How can you top it?

Bev

[Alice @ Crochet with Raymond]

Vanessa! I have thoroughly enjoyed watching this dress from start to finish! It looks just perfect on you and I loved the haystack shots, although I'm surprised the dress didnt end up full of hay!
Ellie and Douglas are the cutest ever, I wish we could do a swapsie for a day!
Love from Alice and Raymond XXX

[Jenni at Baame Kniits]

OMG Your dress is totally AWESOME!!!

Love the photo shoot....how did you climb onto that hay bale??

Love the waist and the cuffs, just everything...Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!!!

Thanks for sharing :-)

Are you going to do that other dress now?? ;-)

[Planet Penny]

Your dress is fabulous Vanessa, and the colours are absolutely you! An amaing feat of work, you must be so pleased. I LOVE the photos, where did you order that perfect blue sky? Have you seen Kaffe Fassett's Pattern Library? There's loads of inspiration in there for colourful knitting. Love Penny xxx P S Higgins would have loved to have been there with Ellie and Douglas! x

[Petit Filoux]

Wow it's amazing!! Can't believe you finished it! It's not my style, but the photos look fabulous! So much hard work, I hope you're pleased with it!

[Magic Cochin]

Hurrah! and Wow! double Wow!!!!

It's gorgeous - and the photo shoot is wonderful with the straw and that blue sky. Oh, and the little doggies - they are fab too ;-)

Celia
x

Dash-it I now want to spend the day knitting or walking over the fields. But must get on... have prints to print...

[lucy locket]

It truly is fabulous! Lucy x

[vicky]

Totally fabulous! The colours are amazing.

[Caroline]

Your dress has inspired me to leave my first ever comment on a blog...it's so lovely!! And it looks great on, too. I'm afraid I'm still trying to crochet my first ever blanket, but maybe one day.....Caroline X

[Jak]

Wow, it looks fab and really suits you. Lovely photos too!
Jak x

[Marta]

Congratulations!!! You can be proud for your new creation. So cute!!!
Marta

[Tricia Garrett]

Well done, a major task! The colours are great and I like the sleeves. I tried fair isle myself years ago I know how difficult it can be to achieve a smooth finish.

[martha in mobile]

It's like happiness turned into clothing!

[Diane]

Just beautiful! Pat yourself on the back!

[Chris, milatos]

WELL DONE LOOKS LOVELY

[PosyLinda]

Everything about that dress is wonderful. It fits you to a T and the colors are magnificent. I love the haystack fashion shoot and it never hurts to have some cute pups around either. Congratulations Miss V!

[Philippa Collis]

Hi
love the dress, if you are looking for a dress in total fairisle have you seen Lidiya in the latest Rowan book

[Pafrika]

Hello you!
Beautiful knitting! No, I don't mind at all! ;)
Found your blog just roaming around in here, and I think your work is really stunning! All the tiny details! Well, I can knit oven gloves...
But I do have a dog, and she's kind of... not so thin anymore, so now it's out walking. Again.

I'll visit you again!

[Laura]

It's gorgeous, and I'm so excited for you! It fits you perfectly, is flattering to your figure, and the colors and patterns are so happy! And to think that you winged it! Amazing.

[Carole]

WOW Vanessa, you dress is gorgeous You are sooo clever. I love it , love it, love it. And the photos are just brilliant, the colours. Your blog always cheers me up with colour.
Love Carole from Rossendale xxxxxxxx

[Jessie]

Yea!!! It's Beautiful!!! You must be so very happy to have such a lovely dress. And it looks just perfect on you.

[Jessie]

Sorry, that last comment was by me, I just linked it wrong. Been one of those mornings.

[Bibi]

Formidable!!!

[Kathleen]

Vanessa, it's too amazingly beautiful for words. I've never seen anything like it. I'm sure your little neice will have her eye on it in the future! An heirloom if ever I saw one. Congratulations.

[Lucy@Attic24]

wow Vanessa, what a truly stunning and very beautiful creation, it's soooooo fantastic to look at! I LOVE the fairisle, the way you combined pattern and colour is pure art.
And you look fabulous in it too, stunning pics ♥
Lots of love to you
Lucexxxxxxxxxx

[Jennyff]

It really is a work of art and you wear it to well. The photos are fantastic.

[Sweetroseblooms.blogspot.com]

Wonderful, you a one talented lady x

[Lisa L.]

Wow just incredible!!!!!!!

[Caren]

Very cool, and the colours are beautiful. Your dedication is amazing, I could never knit anything so big and complicated!

[Lilly]

Awsome and amazing :)

Will this pattern be available?
I would love to use your charts.. :)

[Teje Karjalainen]

Dear Vanessa, your dress is the most beautiful and delicious with all lovely colours! I wish I could say it in Finnish, because in English I often miss words to say just as I want... but Your 'Fair Isle' dress is gorgeous! Wishes Teje

[Edith]

What a challenge, what a result. Congratulations on this project!

[torirot]

Gorgous dress and wonderful photos! And what an amzing number of comments :-)

[Claudia]

It´s a wonderful job!!! Fabulous!! I love the photos as well! :)

[Karen Case]

So many beautiful colors that look fabulous together. I love your choice of photo shoot location. Makes me glad fall is just around the corner. Its been fun following your progress and reporting of this project:)

[Elena]

It's absolutely wonderful! Congratulations!!!

[Tracie]

Absolutely awesome! I am still a beginning knitter and can't even imagine doing something like this. You did a great job!

[Devon]

Wow..that is beautiful,,,I love the colors..and the pictures are awesome..thank you for sharing..

[Jessie]

It's beautiful! I love the pink leggings with it - perfect! Kaffe Fassett eat your heart out! xx

[Emily]

Oh my! It's charming! You did a beautiful job on it!

[Knitnana]

Astonishing! Amazing! FABULOUS!
Bravo!
(and it's been a delight to watch you make it, thank you for sharing it with us...)

[Pooch]

You darling girl! Not only is your work quite fabulous, but the dress looks smashing on you! Not everyone can carry off that look. Congrats on your amazing project!

:)

[Crafty Mermaid]

the colours are amazing - thanks for sharing!

[Denise]

It looks fantastic and so do you wearing it. It really suits you. Well done. Love Denise x

[Pattygloria]

Hola Dear Vanessa,
WOW! What a Master Piece! Congratulations! You're so talented!
Your dress is gorgeous and you look great on it. All that work and time was so worthy. ; )
Felicidades y que lo disfrutes!
Gloria xxx

[Karoline]

It's absolutely gorgeous, congratulations

[craftydabbler]

Absolutely lovely!

[teeweewonders]

WOW - what a project and beautifully done too. Well done you!

[Loani]

Woo Hoo Gelati Girl!

[Magdalena]

Lovely dress!!! And the colours... so inspiring! Really love your work.
Maggie from Argentina.

[Kimbles]

Well done Vanessa, a triumph!

[Kathleen]

Hi Vanessa. I've already commented above on the fantastic-ness of your dress. But, now that I've started my first fair isle project (a tea cozy! not quite on your scale...) I'm wondering if you have any tips on how to manage all those threads when doing fair isle. You must have it well and truly mastered, and I've love to get a few tips from you. As I'm sure many of your numerous fans would :-) We will have to set up a fan club for your dress I think.

[Katie]

Wow - it's AM-A-ZING!!! You must be so pleased with it. Wear it with pride!

[Laura]

That is one impressive dress. I am sure those hay stacks were incredibly jealous. Your photo's look like so much fun. I bet you laughed a lot. L x

[Barbara]

Completely adorable, I am so glad for you, Vanessa, that your dream of the perfect fairisle dress has come true ... plus those pink tights look stunning for your photo shoot!

When you fall asleep after all this work just remember no-one else in all the world has a dress like yours ...