mason-dixon knittingfield guide n0. 2

Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne

FAIR ISLE

Introduction

Hadley PulloverVéronik Avery

Thoroughly Modern Knitting: Bohus Style

Après-Anything SocksAnn Budd

Asterisk/Dot Hat & CowlMichèle Rose Orne

The Fun of Faux

About the Designers

About Mason-Dixon Knitting

Yarn Colors

Abbreviations

3.

6.

16.

18.

26.

34.

36.

37.

38.

39.

Fair Isle

mdk field guide no. 2

Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne

CONTENTS

2 | | 3

“Tradition is fluid. It has a point of origin, but often this point is unknown and we can only trace it back to one of the bends in the stream where it can be so different from where it first began.”

from Knit British

Long ago, a knitter somewhere had the thought, Maybe there’s a way to use two colors of this scratchy hemplike fiber that I have twisted into

lumpy yarn. Maybe that could be a thing.

And colorwork was born.

Since then, the idea of working with multiple colors of yarn in one row has crept across the globe, passed along and transformed as each new group of knitting- obsessed experimenters dug in to play around. The Peruvians, the Swedish, the Hebrideans, the Latvians—nobody did it the same way, but everybody had a swell time mixing up colors and patterns.

Vamping. Winging it. Making it up as they went along.We love that so much.

INTRODUCTION

4 |

It’s often called Fair Isle knitting, but the thing is, Fair Isle is only one of many different colorwork tra-ditions. Each has its own groove—and one tradition totally breaks the rules of somebody else’s tradition. Sometimes it appears that all the brainiac knitters of the world congregate in the land of stranded knitting. It can look so daunting.

Truly, it doesn’t have to be that way.

While complexity is possible with stranded knitting, we celebrate simplicity in this Field Guide. These four projects each bring something unique to the colorwork conversation—a technique, color mixing, texture. What do they share? They are all fun to make, addicting, and attainable by every knitter.

Colorwork doesn’t need to take over your life. Some-times a small dose is perfect. In our experience, this first taste can be the beginning of a lovely obsession— a habit that may eventually keep you up at four in the morning, slicing a steek with abandon, bragging about your laminated stitch chart on Instagram, buying up piles of ancient Alice Starmore yarn on eBay. Please don’t ask how we know about this.

6 |

So m e t i m e s a c l a s s i c colorwork sweater, with 24 colors and all the bells and whistles, is exactly the thing

you want to wear. On a regular Tuesday, in an urban or suburban setting far from the Tyrolean Alps, you might want to dial it back a little, but still enjoy a dash of color and pattern. With the Hadley, Véronik Avery has hit the sweet spot. Hadley (the name inspired by the first Mrs. Hemingway, who had sporty chic for days) has a roomy but shaped silhou-ette, for flattering ease, and a modern, simple colorwork pattern that recalls European colorwork and Native American trade blan-kets at the same time. Your only decision: turquoise or pearls?

HADLEYPULLOVER

Design by

Véronik Avery

8 | | 9

work, slip wrapped stitch

to left needle. Turn work.

On a purl row, move yarn

to the back of work, slip

next stitch, bring yarn

to the front of work, slip

wrapped stitch back to

left needle, turn work.

stitch pattern2x2 Rib (multiple of 4 sts)

— All Rnds: *K2, p2; rep

from * to end.

special techniqueShort-Row Shaping: Short-

row shaping allows you to

work extra rows on a particular

section of your knitting, such

as the back neck, without

adding rows to the entire

piece. Work short rows using

w&t as instructed (see Special

Abbreviations), then when indicated,

work wraps together with wrapped

sts as follows: If working on a knit st,

insert right needle into the wrap from

below, then into wrapped st and knit

them together. If working on a purl st,

lift wrap onto left needle, then work it

together with wrapped st.

See the purls in the color-work? It’s a nod to the Bohus tradition of mixing knit and purl stitches in the yoke. This subtle touch of texture highlights the patternwork.

knitted measurements — Bust: 37 (391/2, 42, 443/4, 471/4,

493/4, 521/4)" [94 (100.5, 106.5,

113.5, 120, 126.5, 132.5) cm]

— Length: 241/4 (251/2, 251/2, 261/2, 27,

273/4, 281/2)" [61.5 (65, 65, 67.5,

68.5, 70.5, 72.5) cm]

sizesTo fit bust sizes 33-35 (351/2–371/2,

38–40, 40 3/4–423/4, 431/4–451/4,

453/4–473/4, 481/4–501/4)" [84–89

(90–95.5, 96.5–101.5, 103.5–108.5,

110–115, 116–121.5, 122.5–127.5) cm]

materials — Shelter by Brooklyn Tweed [50 g

skeins, each approx 140 yds (128 m),

100% American Targhee-Columbia

wool]

MC: Fossil, 7 (8, 9, 9, 10, 11, 11) skeins

A: Hayloft, 1 skein

B: Birdbook, 1 skein

C: Faded Quilt, 1 skein

D: Embers, 1 skein

— Size US 6 (4 mm) 24" (60 cm)

circular needle and double-pointed

needles

— Size US 8 (5 mm) 24" (60 cm) circular

needle and double-pointed needles,

or size needed to achieve gauge

— Stitch markers in 3 colors

— Stitch holder or waste yarn

gauge19 sts and 28 rows = 4" (10 cm) over St st

using larger needle.

special abbreviations — M1L: (make 1 left) Insert left needle

from front to back under horizontal

strand between stitch just worked

and the next stitch on the left

needle. Knit this strand through

the back loop. One stitch has been

increased.

— M1R: (make 1 right) Insert left needle

from back to front under horizontal

strand between stitch just worked

and the next stitch on the left

needle. Knit this strand through

the front loop. One stitch has been

increased.

— Sssk: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip 2

stitches 1 at a time purlwise, insert

left needle into the front of these

3 stitches and knit them together

from this position. Two stitches have

been decreased.

— W&t: Wrap and turn. On a knit row,

move yarn to the front of work, slip

next stitch, take yarn to the back of

10 | | 11

16¾ (17¾, 18½, 19¼, 20¼, 21, 21)"42.5 (45, 47, 49, 51.5, 53.5, 53.5) cm

8½

(8¾

, 9¼

, 9¾

, 10

, 10

½, 1

1)"

21.5

(22,

23

.5, 2

5, 2

5.5,

26.

5, 2

8) c

m

24¼

(25½

, 25½

, 26

½, 2

7, 2

7¾, 2

8½

)"6

1.5 (6

5, 6

5, 6

7.5,

68.

5, 7

0.5

, 72.

5) c

m

15¾

(16

¾, 1

6¼

, 16

¾, 1

7, 17

¼, 1

7½)"

40

(42.

5, 4

1.5, 4

2.5,

43

, 44

, 44

.5) c

m

37 (39½, 42, 44¾, 47¼, 49¾, 52¼)" bust94 (100.5, 106.5, 113.5, 120, 126.5, 132.5) cm

28¾ (31¼, 33¾, 36¼, 38¾, 41¼, 43¾)" waist73 (79.5, 85.5, 92, 98.5, 105, 111) cm

38¾ (41¼, 43¾, 46¼, 48¾, 51¼, 54)" hips98.5 (105, 111, 117.5, 124, 130, 137) cm

10 (10, 11¼, 11¼, 12, 12, 12¾)"25.5 (25.5, 28.5, 28.5, 30.5, 30.5, 32.5) cm

17¼ (17½, 18, 18½, 18¾, 19¼, 19¾)"44 (44.5, 45.5, 47, 47.5, 49, 50) cm

13¼ (14, 15, 15¾, 16¾, 17½, 18¼)"33.5 (35.5, 38, 40, 42.5, 44.5, 46.5) cm

— Dividing Rnd: BO 8 (8, 8, 10, 10, 10, 12) sts, work to 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) sts before next marker, BO 8 (8, 8, 10, 10, 10, 12) sts, knit to end—80 (86, 92, 96, 102, 108, 112) sts rem each for Front and Back. Set aside, leaving sts on needle; do not break yarn.

SLEEVES — Using smaller dpns and MC, CO 48

(48, 52, 52, 56, 56, 60) sts. Join for working in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts; pm for beg of rnd.

— Work in 2x2 Rib for 24 rnds. — Change to larger dpns and St st.

BODYUsing smaller circular needle and MC, CO 192 (208, 216, 232, 240, 256, 264) sts. Join, being careful not to twist sts; pm for beg of rnd, and work in the rnd as follows:

— Work in 2x2 Rib for 18 rnds. — Change to larger circular needle and

St st (knit every rnd). Knit 1 rnd, pm after 96 (104, 108, 116, 120, 128, 132) sts for side.

— Dec Rnd: *[K12, k2tog] 2 (3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2) times, k40 (20, 52, 32, 64, 44, 76), [k2tog, k12] 2 (3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2) times; rep from * once—184 (196, 208, 220, 232, 244, 256) sts rem; 92 (98, 104, 110, 116, 122, 128) sts each for Front and Back.

— Knit 2 (2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 4) rnds.

shape waist — Set-Up Rnd: *K31 (33, 35, 37, 39, 41,

43), pm for shaping, k30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42), pm for shaping, knit to next marker; rep from * once.

— Dec Rnd: Dec 12 sts this rnd, then every 8 rnds 3 times, as follows: *K1, k2tog, knit to 2 sts before shaping marker, ssk, sm, k2tog, knit to 2 sts before next shaping marker, ssk, sm, k2tog, knit to 3 sts before side

marker, ssk, k1; rep from * once—136 (148, 160, 172, 184, 196, 208) sts rem.

— Knit 5 rnds.

shape bust and sidesnote: Bust and sides are shaped at the same time; please read through entire sec-tion before beg.

— Bust Inc Rnd: Inc 8 sts this rnd, then every 10 rnds 3 times, as follows: *Knit to 1 st before shaping marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L, knit to 1 st before next shaping marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L, knit to side marker; rep from * once. AT THE SAME TIME, work side shaping as follows:

— Side Inc Rnd: Inc 4 sts this rnd, then every 20 (20, 22, 22, 22, 22, 24) rnds once, as follows: *K1, M1R, knit to 1 st before next side marker, M1L, k1; rep from * once—176 (188, 200, 212, 224, 236, 248) sts after all shaping is complete.

— Work even until piece measures 153/4 (163/4, 161/4, 163/4, 17, 171/4, 171/2)" [40 (42.5, 41.5, 42.5, 43, 44, 44.5) cm], ending 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) sts before end of final rnd and removing all markers except for beg-of-rnd and side markers.

12 |

MC

Color Key Stitch Key

Purl

Knit

No stitch

K2tog

Ssk

Sssk

A

B

C

D

Yoke Chart

11

9

7

5

3

1

21

19

17

15

13

27

25

23

31

29

37

39

35

33

12-st rep

Sleeve Chart

11

9

7

5

3

1

21

19

17

15

13

25

23

12-st rep

beg

size

s 3

7, 3

9½

” (9

4, 1

00

.5 c

m)

beg

size

s 4

2, 4

4¾

” (1

06.

5, 11

3.5

cm

)

beg

size

s 4

7¼, 4

9¾

” (1

20, 1

26.5

cm

)

beg

size

52¼

” (1

32.

5 cm

)

end

size

s 3

7, 3

9½

” (9

4, 1

00

.5 c

m)

end

size

s 4

2, 4

4¾

” (1

06.

5, 11

3.5

cm

)

end

size

s 4

7¼, 4

9¾

” (1

20, 1

26.5

cm

)

end

size

52¼

” (1

32.

5 cm

)

Knit 2 rnds, inc 0 (0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1) st(s) on last rnd—48 (48, 53, 53, 57, 57, 61) sts.

note: For some sizes, Sleeve shaping beg before Sleeve Chart is completed; please read through entire section before beg. Once Chart is complete, break D and continue in MC for remainder of Sleeve; inc 1 (1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0) st(s) on first rnd after Chart.

— Change to Fair Isle Pattern from Sleeve Chart, beg and ending as indicated for your size; work Rnds 1–25. AT THE SAME TIME, when piece measures 73/4 (71/2, 81/2, 71/4, 73/4, 63/4, 71/4)" [19.5 (19, 21.5, 18.5, 19.5, 17, 18.5) cm], beg Sleeve shaping as follows:

— Sleeve Inc Rnd: Inc 2 sts this rnd, every 8 rnds 6 (2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0) times, then every 6 rnds 0 (6, 8, 10, 10, 12, 12) times, as follows: K1, M1R, work to last st, M1L, k1—63 (67, 71, 75, 79, 83, 87) sts. Work even until piece measures 171/4 (171/2, 18, 181/2, 183/4, 19 1/4, 19 3/4)" [44 (44.5, 45.5, 47, 47.5, 49, 50) cm], ending 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) sts before end of final rnd.

— Dividing Rnd: BO 8 (8, 8, 10, 10, 10, 12) sts, knit to end. Break yarn. Transfer sts to holder or waste yarn

for Right Sleeve and set aside. Leave sts on needles for Left Sleeve.

YOKE — Using yarn attached to Body, knit

across 55 (59, 63, 65, 69, 73, 75) Left Sleeve sts, pm for left Front raglan, knit across 80 (86, 92, 96, 102, 108, 112) Front sts, pm for right Front raglan, knit across 55 (59, 63, 65, 69, 73, 75) Right Sleeve sts from holder or waste yarn, pm for right Back raglan, knit across 80 (86, 92, 96, 102, 108, 112) Back sts, pm for left Back raglan and beg of rnd—270 (290, 310, 322, 342, 362, 374) sts.

— Knit 1 rnd.

shape yoke — Raglan Dec Rnd: Dec 8 sts this rnd,

then every other rnd 2 (3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 8) times, as follows: [K1, k2tog, knit to 3 sts before next marker, ssk, k1] 4 times—246 (258, 270, 282, 294, 306, 302) sts rem; 49 (51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 57) sts each Sleeve, 74 (78, 82, 86, 90, 94, 94) sts each for Front and Back.

— Knit 1 rnd, removing all markers except for beg-of-rnd marker.

— Dec Rnd: [K39 (41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 148), k2tog] 6 (6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 2) times,

14 |

k0 (0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 2)—240 (252, 264, 276, 288, 300, 300) sts rem.

— Knit 0 (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 6) rnd(s).

note: Change to larger dpns when neces-sary for number of sts on needle.

— Work Rnds 1–39 of Yoke Chart, working decs as indicated in Chart—80 (84, 88, 92, 96, 100, 100) sts rem. Break D; continue in MC.

— Knit 2 rnds.

shape back necknote: Back neck is shaped using short rows (see Special Technique). You will be working back and forth across beg-of-rnd marker; sm as you come to it.

— Short Row 1 (RS): K22 (22, 25, 24, 25, 26, 25), w&t;

— Short Row 2 (WS): P68 (72, 74, 78, 80, 84, 83), w&t;

— Short Row 3: Knit to 3 sts before wrapped st, w&t;

— Short Row 4: Purl to 3 sts before wrapped st, w&t;

— Short Rows 5–8: Rep Short Rows 3 and 4 twice.

— Short Row 9: Knit to beg of rnd, working wraps together with

wrapped sts as you come to them. — Resume knitting in the rnd; knit 1

rnd, working rem wraps together with wrapped sts.

— Change to smaller dpns and 2x2 Rib; work even until collar measures approx 4" (10 cm) from beg of rib. BO all sts in pattern.

finishingUsing Kitchener st, graft underarm sts.Block as desired.

16 | | 17

While we tend to think of stranded colorwork as deeply traditional, originat-ing in the mists of time, a fresh take on

color knitting sprang up as recently as the last century. Göteborg, Sweden is the birthplace of Bohus Stickning, the company established in 1939 by Emma Jacobsson to provide employment to Swedish knitters in rugged economic times.

Bohus sweaters were luxury items worn by fashionable women of means, including Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly, in an age of sophisticated style. Executed in fine wool and angora yarns that were dyed in glowing colors, Bohus yoked sweaters are instantly recognizable. The haze of angora, and the use of purl stitches to blur color changes, make the geometric designs shimmer. The word timeless may be overused in fashion, but in the case of Bohus, it is apt. These knits have not lapsed into the realm of kitsch or folklore.

In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in these iconic designs. Authentic kits for handknitters are once again being produced in Sweden, and design-ers around the world are being inspired to add Bohus touches to their sweaters. Like every other tradition, Bohus is evolving with the times.

Bohus Stylethoroughly modern knitting

18 | | 19

We’re not going to get into a deep philosophical discussion about the knitting of socks. We know well

the soulful connectedness that comes with handknitting a pair of lowly socks, the profound meaning of creating something by hand that you can buy by the dozen for ten bucks. That’s all great, but we knit socks for the same reason that we knit anything: it’s not really a thing we need. It’s a thing we want.

In particular, we want socks of a certain imprac-tical chunkiness. We crave socks that will never see the inside of a shoe. Socks for the cocktail hour, the end of a day, a pair of seriously pleas-ant footcovers. And, in the case of these Après-Anything Socks, we crave a clever construction that looks for all the world like Fair Isle but is actually a slip-stitch pattern that requires only one color in a row. No stranding. The diagonal motif is mirrored in small two-stitch cables (worked without a cable needle!) in the cuff and heel flap. The toe is gathered at the tip, eliminat-ing the need for Kitchener stitch.

Fakey Isle. You can get from skein to sock in a couple of nights. If you’re looking to win the holiday gift Olympics, this is your project.

APRÈS-ANYTHINGSOCKS

Design by

Ann Budd

20 | | 21

cuffUsing larger needles, cable CO, and MC, CO 30 (40, 50) sts. Distribute sts among 3 dpns, join, being careful not to twist sts, pm for beg of rnd (rnd begins at back of leg), and work in the rnd as follows:

— Set-up rnd: Knit. — Rnd 1: *K1, p1, k3; rep from * to end. — Rnd 2: *K1, p1, k1, RT; rep from * to end. — Rep Rnds 1 and 2 three (four, four) more times—piece

measures approx 11/2 (2, 2)" [4 (5, 5) cm] from CO.

legChange to smaller needles. Knit 2 (3, 3) rnds. Begin Two-Color Diagonal Slip-Stitch pat as follows:

note: Sl sts purlwise wyib. — Rnd 1: With A, *k3, sl 2; rep from * to end. — Rnd 2: With MC, *sl 2, k3; rep from * to end. — Rnd 3: With A, *k2, sl 2, k1; rep from * to end. — Rnd 4: With MC, *sl 1, k3, sl 1; rep from * to end. — Rnd 5: With A, *k1, sl 2, k2; rep from * to end. — Rnd 6: With MC, *k3, sl 2; rep from * to end. — Rnd 7: With A, *sl 2, k3; rep from * to end. — Rnd 8: With MC, *k2, sl 2, k1; rep from * to end. — Rnd 9: With A, *sl 1 st, k3, sl 1; rep from * to end. — Rnd 10: With MC, *k1, sl 2 sts, k2; rep from * to end. — Rnd 11: With A, *k3, sl 2 sts; rep from * to end. — Cut A. Continue in MC and St st (knit every rnd) until

piece measures approx 41/2 (63/4, 71/2)" [11.5 (17, 19) cm], or to desired length to top of heel.

Slip Stitching:

Do Not Look Away

When working a slip-

stitch pattern like

the one in the Après-

Anything Socks, you

quickly find yourself

with a mix of slipped

stitches and knitted

stitches occupying

your needles. Knitting

slip stitch is a little like

going across a rickety

jungle suspension

bridge: Do not look

down. Do not look at

the left needle. Seeing

that mix of slipped

stitches and knitted

stitches can throw you

off, especially if you

think you’re so smart

and you’ve got this.

Just follow the pattern,

round by round, eyes to

the right.

knitted measurements — Foot Circumference: 63/4 (9, 11)"

[17 (23, 28) cm]

— Foot Length: 7 (10, 13)" [18 (25.5,

33) cm]

sizesSmall (Medium, Large). Directions are

for smallest size, with larger sizes in

parentheses. If there is only one figure,

it applies to all sizes.

materials — Worsted Hand Dyes by Blue Sky

Fibers [100 g skeins, each approx

100 yds (91 m), 50% alpaca / 50%

merino wool]: 2 (2, 3) skeins Main

Color (MC); 1 skein A

Colorway 1

MC: Light Pink #2008

A: Chocolate #2016

Colorway 2

MC: Lagoon

A: Olive #2014

— Sizes US 8 and 9 (5 and 5.5 mm)

double-pointed needles (dpns) or size

needed to achieve gauge

— Stitch marker

gauge18 sts and 24 rnds = 4" (10 cm) over St st,

using smaller needles.

notesThe colorwork pattern is a slip-stitch

technique in which only one color is used

on each round; stitches of the previous

color are slipped to form the two-color

design.

special abbreviationsRT: Knit 2 stitches together but leave

these two stitches on left needle, knit the

first stitch again, then slip both stitches

off left needle.

22 |

One you’ve finished the first sock, Sock 2 is basically your chance to take your sock skills out for a speed test on the Bonneville Salt Flats. We have clocked a second sock crossing the finish line in one delicious Lazy Sunday.

heel flap — Set-up row 1 (RS): K8 (10, 12), turn. — Set-up row 2 (WS): Sl 1 purlwise wyif,

p15 (18, 24) onto one dpn—16 (19, 25) heel sts. Set aside rem 14 (21, 25) sts for instep, dividing them between 2 dpns.

— Row 1 (RS): Sl 1 purlwise wyib, *RT, k1; rep from * to end.

— Row 2: Sl 1 purlwise wyif, purl to end. — Rep Rows 1 and 2, 6 (7, 10) more

times—8 (9, 12) slipped sts along each selvedge edge.

heel turn — Short row 1 (RS): K10 (11, 14) ssk, k1,

turn. — Short row 2 (WS): Sl 1 purlwise wyif,

p5 (4, 4), p2tog, p1, turn. — Short row 3: Sl 1 purlwise wyib,

knit to 1 st before gap formed on previous RS row, ssk (1 st each side of gap), k1, turn.

— Short row 4: Sl 1 purlwise wyif, purl to 1 st before gap formed on previous WS row, p2tog (1 st each side of gap), p1, turn.

— Rep Short rows 3 and 4 until all heel sts have been worked, omitting the final k1 and p1 on the last RS and WS rows if there are not enough sts to work them—10 (11, 15) heel sts rem.

gusset — Set-up row (RS): Needle 1: Knit 10

(11, 15) heel sts, pick up and knit 8 (9, 12) sts (1 st in each slipped selvedge st); Needle 2: Knit 14 (21, 25) held instep sts; Needle 3: Pick up and knit 8 (9, 12) sts (1 st in each slipped selvedge st), then k5 (5, 7) from Needle 1—40 (50, 64) sts; 13 (15, 20) sts on Needle 1, 14 (21, 25) sts on Needle 2, and 13 (14, 19) sts on Needle 3.

— Rejoin for working in rnds (beg of rnd is at bottom of foot).

— Rnd 1: Needle 1: Knit to last 2 sts, k2tog; Needle 2: Knit; Needle 3: Ssk, knit to end—2 sts dec.

— Rnd 2: Knit. — Rep Rnds 1 and 2, 4 (4, 6) times—30

(40, 50) sts rem; 8-14-8 (10-21-9, 13-25-12) sts.

footSize Small Only Needle 1: Knit to last st, transfer last st to Needle 2; Needles 2 and 3: Knit—7-15-8 sts.

Size Medium OnlyNeedle 1: Knit; Needle 2: Knit to last st, transfer last st to Needle 3; Needle 3: Knit—10-20-10 sts.

24 | | 25

Size Large OnlyKnit 1 rnd.

All SizesWork even in St st until piece measures 51/2 (73/4, 101/4)" [14 (19.5, 26) cm] from back of heel, or to approx 11/2 (21/4, 23/4)" [4 (5.5, 7) cm] less than desired total length.

toe — Rnd 1: Needle 1: Knit to last 2 sts, k2tog;

Needle 2: Ssk, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog; Needle 3: Ssk, knit to end—4 sts dec.

— Rnd 2: Knit. — Rep Rnds 1 and 2, 2 (4, 5) times—18 (20, 26)

sts rem; 4-9-5 (5-10-5, 7-13-6) sts. — Rep Rnd 1, 3 (4, 5) times—6 (4, 6) sts rem.

finishing — Draw yarn through rem sts twice to fasten

off. — Weave in ends. Block lightly.

The Art of the Tweak

Colorwork sometimes creates

sad, pinched stitches that

look like they aren’t enjoying

the color party. There is a

time-honored tradition of

giving those underloved

stitches extra attention—

give a yank to one side of

the stitch, then the other,

borrowing a bit of slack from a

neighboring stitch. It all evens

out—and remember, blocking

colorwork is a transformative

thing. Even if your work looks a

bit warbly, it will improve once

it’s had a soak and a blocking.

Mason-Dixon Knitting Rule

No. 394: It all comes out in the

blocking.

A new use for precious oddments of yarn: Why not create color stories on fallen sticks and branches? This makes total sense to us.

26 | | 27

M ichèle rose orne has created a pair of projects that make it easy to dive into Fair Isle knitting. There are fewer than 70 short

rounds of Fair Isle knitting in this hat. By the time you reach the top, you will find that the stitch pattern makes sense, the feel of two yarns in your hands is no longer a mystery, and you have just completed a very cheerful winter cap.

You’re looking at a mix-and-match field day. Three shades of yarn, two stitch patterns, hat or cowl—this pair of patterns will work any way you want them to. These Swans Island yarns bring a beautiful, rustic texture and hand-dyed depth of color to the game.

Design by

Michèle Rose Orne

ASTERISK/DOT HAT & COWL

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Colorway 2

A: Evergreen, #AAS 227

B: Beach, #AAS 219

C: Dew, #AAS 235

Hat and Cowl

— Size 2 (2.75 mm) circular needle, 16"

(40 cm) long

— Size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needle,

16" (40 cm) long, or size needed to

achieve gauge

Hat

— Size 5 (3.75 mm) double-pointed

needles, or size needed to achieve

gauge

— Removable stitch marker

— Cardboard 21/2 x 5" (6.5 x 12.5 cm),

for Pom-Pom [or 21/2" (6.5 cm)

pom-pom maker]

— Small amount of worsted weight

wool or other sturdy yarn to match

B, for Pom-Pom

Cowl

— Stitch marker

gauge28 sts and 30 rnds = 4" (10 cm) over Fair

Isle Pattern from Asterisk or Dot Chart,

using larger needle(s)

special abbreviationS2kp2: Slip next 2 stitches to right

needle together as if to knit 2 together,

knit 1 stitch, pass 2 slipped stitches over.

Two stitches have been decreased.

stitch pattern1x1 Rib (even number of sts)

— All Rnds: *K1, p1; rep from * to end.

notesYou may use either the Asterisk or Dot

Chart for the Fair Isle Pattern (sample

Hats use Asterisk Chart; sample Cowl

uses Dot Chart). If you prefer not to work

with 3 colors at a time, on the rounds

where B is used, you may work the

stitches shown in B with A instead, then

go back before finishing and work those

stitches in B using duplicate stitch.

When working solid-color rows within the

Charts, cut colors not in use, leaving tail

long enough to weave in; do not carry

yarn up the inside.

knitted measurementsHat

— Circumference: 18 (20)" [45.5 (51) cm]

— Height: 111/2 (113/4)" [29 (30) cm]

Cowl

— Circumference: 22" (56 cm)

— Length: 111/4" (28.5 cm)

size

Hat

— To fit S/M (L/XL). Hat is intended to fit with 1-2"

(2.5-5 cm) negative ease. Directions are for

smaller size, with larger size in parentheses. If

there is only one figure, it applies to both sizes.

Cowl

— One size

materials — All American Collection Sport Weight Wool by

Swans Island [40 g skeins, each approx 185 yds

(169 m), 100% USA rambouillet wool]: 2 skeins A

and C; 1 skein B

Note: These yarn amounts will make both the Hat

and the Cowl. If you would like to make a larger

pom-pom for the Hat, you may need to purchase

an additional skein of B.

Colorway 1

A: Dew, #AAS 235

B: Honey, #AAS 222

C: Blackberry, #AAS 210

Dominance: How to Make

Your Pattern Pop

A funny thing happens

when you’re working Fair

Isle: the stitches made

with the yarn in your left

hand will be ever so slightly

larger than the stitches

made with the yarn in

your right hand. Because

they’re bigger, the left-hand

stitches show up better

than ones made with your

right hand. It has to do with

where the yarn on the back

falls as you alternate the

colors.

This quirk of yarn means

that your stitch pattern can

get a little boost if you are

strategic about how you

hold your yarns. Work the

pattern yarn with your left

hand, and the background

yarn with your right hand,

and this will make the

pattern stand out much

better than if you do it the

other way.

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A

B*

C

*If you prefer, you may work these sts in A, then go back over them later in B using duplicate st.

Asterisk Chart

11

9

7

5

3

1

21

19

17

15

13

27

25

23

14-st rep

Dot Chart

11

9

7

5

3

1

21

19

17

15

13

27

25

23

14-st rep

28-r

nd re

p

28-r

nd re

p

Fair Isle Charts: Tips for Success

Part of the fun in Fair Isle knitting is getting the hang of your chart. Look for symmetry. Most Fair Isle charts are symmetrical, which means that the second half of a pattern is the same as the first, only backward.

Look for landmarks in the pattern. Some elements are likely to continue for a number of rounds, which helps you orient yourself in the pattern. A vertical stack of stitches. A stretch of one color. The steek. Watch for these landmarks.

Make up little songs. Fair Isle is all about rhythm: 2 2 3 1 2 can be sung to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

Use your knitting as your chart. Once you’ve completed a full repeat of the pattern, you are carrying the chart with you right there in your knitting. You can ditch your chart and refer to the rounds below. Also: you may memorize the pattern without realizing it until you find yourself knitting along, correctly, without looking up. This is an exhilarating moment.

HATUsing smaller needle and B, CO 126 (140) sts. Join, being careful not to twist sts; place a removable marker on the first st of the first rnd, and work in the rnd as follows:

— Work in 1x1 Rib for 3 rnds. — Change to A; work even until piece

measures 21/4" (5.5 cm). — Change to larger circular needle;

knit 3 rnds. — Work Rnds 1–28 of Asterisk or Dot

Chart once, then Rnds 1–23 once, ending 1 st before marked st on last rnd.

shape crownnote: Change to dpns when necessary for number of sts on needle. Continue working from Chart through Rnd 28, then cut C and continue in A for remain-der of Hat.

— Dec Rnd 1: Continuing to work from Chart, *s2kp2 (work last st of previous rnd together with 2 sts of next rnd on first rep), work 11 sts; rep from * to end—108 (120) sts rem.

— Work even for 2 (3) rnds, ending 1 st before marked st on last rnd.

— Dec Rnd 2: *S2kp2, work 9 sts; rep from * to end—90 (100) sts.

— Work even for 2 (3) rnds, ending 1 st before marked st on last rnd.

— Dec Rnd 3: *S2kp2, work 7 sts; rep from * to end—72 (80) sts.

— Work even for 1 (2) rnd(s), ending 1 st before marked st on last rnd.

— Dec Rnd 4: *S2kp2, work 5 sts; rep from * to end—54 (60) sts.

— Work even for 1 rnd, ending 1 st before marked st on last rnd.

— Dec Rnd 5: *S2kp2, work 3 sts; rep from * to end—36 (40) sts.

— Work even for 1 rnd, ending 1 st before marked st on last rnd.

— Dec Rnd 6: *S2kp2, work 1 st; rep from * to end—18 (20) sts.

— Work even for 1 rnd, ending 1 st before marked st on last rnd.

— Dec Rnd 7: *K2tog; rep from * to end—9 (10) sts.

— Draw yarn through rem sts to fasten off.

finishingWeave in ends. Wet block to measure-ments.

32 | | 33

COWLUsing smaller circular needle and B, CO 154 sts. Join, being careful not to twist sts; place a marker on the first st of the first rnd, and work in the rnd as follows:

— Work in 1x1 Rib for 2 rnds. Knit 1 rnd.

— Change to larger circular needle. Work Asterisk or Dot Chart until piece measures approx 10" (25 cm), ending with Rnd 26 of Chart. Cut A.

— Continuing in C, knit 5 rnds. — Change to smaller circular needle

and B; knit 1 rnd. — Work in 1x1 Rib for 3 rnds. — BO all sts in pattern.

FINISHINGWeave in ends. Wet block to measurements.

pom-pomIf using pom-pom maker, follow package instructions to make a 21/2" (6.5 cm) pom-pom. If making one by hand, cut a 10" (25.5 cm) length of sturdy worsted-weight wool yarn in color similar to B and set aside. Wind B around cardboard about 100 times, creating a dense reeling. Gently slide reeling off cardboard and, holding tightly at center, wrap the pre-cut strand around the center of the yarn reeling several times. Tie tightly. Wrap again, and pull even tighter, then tie again. Hold the tails of this wrapping yarn aside. Cut through the loops of yarn at either end of the reeling, making a loose, untrimmed pom-pom. Use sharp scissors to trim the ball into a neat round shape approximately 21/2" (6.5 cm) in diameter. Use tails of wrapping yarn to attach pom-pom to top of hat.

The Perfect Pom-Pom

The pom-pom is optional,

but not really. A dense

carpetball of luv atop a

starry hat seems like a

good idea to us.

It’s easy to end up with

a limp, underperforming

pom-pom. Nobody

wants that. Our #1 tip for

success: go for the mother

of all single-use tools, the

Clover Pom-Pom Maker. It

is awesome.

Ignore any suggested

yarn requirements. Load

up your Clover Pom-Pom

Maker until you cannot

cram any more yarn onto

it. Tip #2: When editing

your pom-pom, sacrifice

a quarter inch all the way

around. The goal is to

create a fresh wall-to-wall

carpet in spherical form.

34 |

F inally, there’s the moment when the fun is in straight-out faking it. Technology has given us a wild and wacky universe of self-striping and

self-Fair Isle sock yarns. In this age of the hand-dyer, some may turn up their noses at the sprayed-on colors of some of these yarns, but they are undeniably clever.

We gave in to the fun factor in knitting up these swatches of self-patterning yarns. There are a few rules to follow to get the patterns to fall into place nicely, but it helps to knit to the prescribed gauge, work in stockinette as much as you can (it’s OK to work ribbing on the cuff of a sock, of course), and cast on a typical number of stitches for a sock, even if you’re not knitting a sock. We like the number 64, and that’s what we cast on for our swatches. There is a delight in seeing the pattern start making sense all by itself. We live in an age of miracles.

We heartily endorse the idea of letting go of all ambi-tion and cranking out a sock using these yarns. The ultimate, of course, is to collect all your scrap sock yarns and abandon all plans. You’d be surprised at how much joy you can find in trying to make a batch of random yarns behave together.

The Fun of Faux

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ABOUT MASON-DIXON KNITTING

Back in 2003, we (that is, Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne) started a blog, MasonDixonKnitting.com. As passionate knitters, we “met” on the Internet and thought it would be fun to share our profound and awesome knitting thoughts with the entire world. That was the beginning of a warm, friendly, and smart community of knitters.

Now, MasonDixonKnitting.com has grown into a multilayered place where you can find all sorts of things: stories, inspiration, a

laugh, a great conversation in The Lounge, our forum. And you can shop. Our shop features the most delicious things we can find. We’ll bring you only the yarns we want to knit with, the patterns we want to explore. While supplies last, you’ll definitely find the yarn for all the projects in this MDK Field Guide.

Our mission: Mason-Dixon Knitting serves knitters by creating an ever-evolving world online and in real life where knitting is celebrated, explored, and taught. It is a place of rich community, creativity, curiosity, and humor—the ultimate rabbit hole for knitters.

Kay lives in New York City. Ann lives in Nashville. We talk on the phone daily and send each other hundreds of emails a week across the Mason-Dixon Line.

ABOUT THE DESIGNERS

véronik avery brings her background in sewing to her work as a handknit designer. As in fashion, she always begins with a sketch, a shape, an idea—and it can take anywhere from a day to a pile of swatches to get what she wants. Her point of view is consistently modern and unexpected, and her work as a staff designer with Brooklyn Tweed is celebrated for its inventive, meticulous style. She lives in Montreal but does her best yarn shopping at Rhinebeck.

Unlike Betty Crocker, ann budd is a real person. But her name is equally legendary to knitters, thanks to her classic Knitter’s Handy Book series, which make it easy for knitters to design garments to their own specifications. Author of more than a dozen books, Ann is particularly known for her mastery of sock knitting and design, and teaches sold-out workshops across the country and abroad. Ann lives in Colorado. You can find her at annbuddknits.com.

michèle rose orne has designed hundreds of patterns during her wide-ranging career—even, in one exotic moment, crazy Christmas sweaters. Her role as partner and creative director at Swans Island means she oversees both an all-natural, hand-dyed yarn company and an exquisite handwoven blanket business. She combines passion and experience in her design work, which includes the book Inspired to Knit (2008). We covet Swans Island blankets, which can be found at swansislandcompany.com.

38 | | 39

ABBREVIATIONS

Beg: Begin(ning)(s)BO: Bind offCO: Cast onDec: Decreas(e)(ed)(es)(ing)Dpn(s): Double-pointed needle(s)Inc: Increas(e)(ed)(es)(ing)K: KnitK2tog: Knit 2 stitches togetherP: PurlPm: Place markerRem: Remain(ing)(s)Rep: Repeat(ed)(ing)(s)Rnd(s): Round(s)RS: Right sideSl: SlipSm: Slip markerSsk: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip 1 stitch purlwise, insert left needle into the front of these 2 stitches and knit them together from this positionSt(s): Stitch(es)Tbl: Through the back loop(s)Wyib: With yarn in backWyif: With yarn in front

YARN COLORS

hadley pullover (page 6)Brooklyn Tweed Shelter

MC: FossilA: HayloftB: BirdbookC: Faded QuiltD: Embers

aprÈs-anything socks (page 18)Blue Sky Fibers Worsted Hand Dyes

Colorway 1 (page 18):MC: Light Pink #2008A: Chocolate #2016

Colorway 2 (page 23):MC: Lagoon A: Olive #2014

asterisk/dot hat & cowl (page 28)Swans Island All American Wool

Colorway 1 (hat and cowl on left on page 26; cowl also shown on page 33):A: DewB: HoneyC: Blackberry

Colorway 2 (hat on right on page 26):A: EvergreenB: BeachC: Dew

40 | | 41

Mason-Dixon Knitting Field Guide No. 2

Copyright © 2017 by Modern Knitting Media, llc Second printing 2018

Photographs copyright © 2017 Sara Remington

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, write to us at hello@masondixonknitting.com.

The purchase of this book allows you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes. Items produced using the directions in this book are not licensed to be sold for profit.

editor/creative director: Melanie Falickgraphic designer: Will Bradyphotographer: Sara Remingtonphotostylist: Alessandra Mortolatechnical editor: Sue McCainsample knitter: Corinne Niessner

Props on page 15 (except for spool) provided by Fringe Supply Co., fringesupplyco.com

Bohus sweater shown on page 16 knitted by Wendy Johnson, wendyknits.net.

Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN: 978-0-9977865-1-4

42 |

Mason-Dixon Knitting Field Guides are little books that explore the big world of knitting, with patterns and stories to inspire the curious knitter.

FIELD GUIDE NO. 2

hadley pullover by Véronik Avery

aprÈs-anything socksby Ann Budd

asterisk/dot hat & cowl by Michèle Rose Orne

Visit MasonDixonKnitting.com to be part of a vibrant online community— to laugh, to learn, to shop.