Book Review: Inspired Fair Isle Knits

Some of my knitting time over the weekend was occupied by poring over a new book:

Since I love Fiona Ellis's Inspired Cable Knits I pre-ordered the new Fair Isle book from Amazon and it arrived sometime near the end of last week. Since that time I have spent some time looking at the book and thought I would attempt a more thorough review.

Fiona Ellis seems to have successfully worked out a style combining traditional elements in sweaters that have strong traditional roots, but are not limited by traditional constraints or styles and which are also quite modern and fit into modern lifestyles   This book appealed because I love Fair Isle knitting and have several books on the subject, but find that it does not, for the most part fit into my lifestyle.    About one traditional stranded fair isle sweater is all I need and it would not see heavy wear.  I think the author has been successful in using fair isle techniques and patterning in sweaters that are not, for the most part fair isle sweaters.

If you are looking for a book on traditional fair isle knitting, this would not be the book for you.  Hopefully one would glean this from the title.  This does not mean the book is devoid of useful information.  There is a good information section in the front of the book which covers techniques, terms, and assembly of the sweaters.  There is certainly enough information here to get most knitters through the construction of any sweater in this book even if they have no experience with fair isle or stranded knitting.  There is a good glossary of terms and even a needle size conversion chart.  In the back of the book is a list of all the yarns used along with a photo of each project which makes it easier to find the desired information.  Almost everything you would need for finding the materials for a project and substituting yarns if desired can be found in the book.  I would prefer it if WPI information had been included with the yarns as well, as I find that this is quite helpful for successful substitution, but actually this information is included in few knitting books.   There is also a good list of yarn sources.

The patterns seem to be well written.  The sizes are given, the diagrams also include measurements, there is a thorough list of yarns and equipment needed for each project.  Ms. Ellis also highlights any specific techniques that might be needed in constructing each garment and refers the reader back to specific information in the introductory section that might be helpful.  The instructions seem to be clear and thorough although I have not yet followed the directions to knit any sweater in this book.

Truthfully, I don't usually look at how well the patterns are written when I buy a book.  I am all for style or good detailed information on technique.  I tend to figure that I can figure out how to do anything else, and I have always knitted with this attitude, even when I was a fledgling knitter.  That does not mean that I haven't thrown sweaters at the wall and walked away for long periods of time.  But although I have not looked the actual writing of the patterns in the past, I recognize that this is something to which I should pay more attention, especially if I am going to make some attempt at recommending books.

While I am still on general opinions of the book, I do have a few quibbles.  First of all the editing is not always great.  Occasionally words are missing from sentences, although not that I have discerned, in any sections explaining a specific technique.  Some of the pictures are styled more like fashion shots, were taken in motion, and either do not show enough detail of the sweater itself or are somewhat blurry.  Fashion photography has its place, and some of the photos are beautiful, but I want to see a good photo that shows the shape and fit of a garment that I am about to knit.  When photographing knitting that has fine detailed pattern work like Fair Isle, I want to see the detail of the pattern and blurred photos do not aid in this process.

Another complaint I have is about sizing, although to be completely fair this is not unique to this book, and this book is better than many.  It lists the finished chest sizes of each garment at the beginning of each pattern, and the diagrams all have measurements as well.  This seems like it would be obvious, but I am surprised at how many knitting patterns do not give this information.    However the sizes seem inconsistent, especially when paired with other visual clues concerning the sweaters.

For example, lets look at the first two sweaters.  This sweater is knit in DK weight cotton.  The XS is given as 35" finished chest and the S as 39".  Obviously from the photo it is not a close fitting sweater, although it is hard to see the exact details of the fit from the model's pose. Still, the sweater looks loose but not tremendously over-sized.

The second sweater is in a worsted weight wool.  It is not written for an extra-small, but the small measures 34 1/2 inches at the chest, about the same size as the XS in the first sweater.   So I would assume that this sweater is meant to be more closely fitted than the first.  But the photo of the sweater seems to indicate otherwise.  In fact it looks too big for the model:

There is no indication of what size sweaters the models are wearing, or indeed of how the sweaters relate to the body size they are written for.   It seems to me that it would be easy enough to publish a fitting chart listing the actual body sizes that a designer is writing for, something like you find any mail order catalog and in sewing patterns.  If a designer gave us actual body measurements, for example a size XS is designed to fit a person with a 32" chest, S is a 34" chest and so forth, and then gave the finished dimensions of each sweater,  it would be much easier to decide which sweater to knit.  I might not knit the sweater that corresponds to my chest measurement if I want more or less ease than the designer, but at least I would have a better indication of what the designer intended.  This book is so thorough in so many ways, it seems a shame to me that such a little detail as this was omitted.

Of course knowing what the designer intended still doesn't tell us what size sweater is shown on what size model.  And I can understand that the models might not want a caption saying "X has a 32 inch chest and is modeling a size L", but I do think that knitwear designers need to think about how they present and label the photographs of their designs to provide as much information as possible to their audience.   I of course tend to assume that most models exist within the range of standard model proportions, namely tall and small, but this is not always the case because all models are not runway fashion models.

But on to the fun stuff.  You know that I buy a book like this for the patterns.  I am a sucker for new patterns, for colors, for designs that make me think differently or inspire me to try new things even if I don't knit the actual patterns in the book.  There are several sweaters here I would knit.

First of all, I love the first sweater, the cotton raglan with the fair isle sleeves shown above.  I would definitely wear that in spring, fall and on cool summer days (it is not appropriate for mid August humidity in the Hudson Valley).

I also love this cardigan, although the main photo does not do it justice:

Granted I am biased because I also love the colorway shown, but I also love the shaping and the detail, I love the way the patterning is used for a simple front band.  I love the pleated sleeves.

I also love this little top:

This top is shaped and apparently meant to be a bit more fitted given the measurements (XS = 32") which is appropriate for a little summer top.  This is the kind of thing I live in during the summer months, again except for those days of 90% humidity when nothing is appropriate.  I love the feminine details which enhance with overwhelming the style. I like the combination of colorwork and lace as well as the touch of Berroco's Mirror FX in the pattern detail. 

I like the touch of pattern work in this sweater:

This is really just a lovely soft sweater without the fair isle detail and I love the nice wide neckline.  I might be tempted to leave the pattern work off, but I think that in the end I would like the sweater better with than without.  First of all the color detail adds a little interest.  Secondly notice how the color work is placed at the shoulder line.  The stranded nature of the fair isle patterning will provide a firmer fabric at the shoulder which will help add structure and support to the garment.  This hides having to have an ugly firm seam and it provides shape to what would otherwise be a rather floppy sweater.  The same thing is true at the sleeves.  The fair isle band will help hold the sleeves in place, allowing the lace to flare out from a fairly firm wrist.  Without the fair isle I would think that this sleeve would just stretch and get in the way of everything.

Then I love this much more traditionally shaped sweater:

Doesn't it just look like a wonderfully comfy weekend sweater? It makes me want to take a walk on an Autumn day, kicking the fallen leaves in my path. I can see it as shown, straight through the body and mid-hip length (on me) or altered to have a little flare toward the hips and cut a little longer as well.

There are a few other things that inspire me as well.  I like the scarf shown on the cover, although at 9 inches in width it would never be my everyday tuck into a coat scarf.  Still there are times when a big warm dramatic scarf is just the perfect thing, and I love the i-cord fringe at the bottom as well.

There are also several men's sweaters that intrigue me and which I might adapt partially to sweaters for myself.  I wouldn't make them as they are written, and the men in my life don't wear sweaters so I am really no judge of men's sweaters, but they do inspire me, and I am a big fan of books that make me thing of sweater design in new ways. 

I am also interested in the IDEA of this sweater:

As you can tell, you can't really tell much about the sweater from the photo.  A better idea is available from the diagrams, it is a pretty traditionally shaped, straight raglan with a hood.  I realize that I am mostly attracted by the artful photography and the colors, and that often, falling in love with a pattern based on such sketchy details is  recipe for disappointment, but it haunts me nonetheless.  It certainly gives me a foundation from which to work so something is bound to come of it eventually.

As a last note, I love this sweater, although I have absolutely no one to knit it for:

How could I not?  My favorite colors.  The perfect amount of detail.  Unfortunately there are no little girls.  Maybe someday.
 

Comments

[Susan]

Mardel, thank you for the review and pictures. I'm still on the fence on whether I want this book or not but the pictures of the projects really help! I have her Inspired Cables book and was dissapointed. I really hated the layout and the photos because they did not show the items very well. Looks like the art department did a slightly better job this time (except for the cutesy pose on the cardigan).

I think I'll get the book. For inspiration if nothing else! Which is what it's all about really.

[Marji]

Thanks for all the pictures Mardel.
I love love love the interesting cables on the second blue sweater you put up - it appears that half the cable twist is made of purl stitches.
However, I have difficulty seeing how some of the designs she's included can legitimately be called Fair Isle patterns, ya know?
And I sure hear you on the sizing and fit issues. Maybe if the designers could just state that a pattern is meant to have +4" of ease, or 2-4" ease, or negative ease, that would help.
I do love the baby sweater though, and that cover scarf. But really, do I want to put That much into a Scarf? Really? do you?