Fair Isle Rapids

Fair Isle Rapids
Originally uploaded by knitlab

This is my latest project (the photo, the scarf and the design all belong to Kieran Foley, whose work I've admired for a long time). I downloaded the pattern and bought the yarn over a year ago, but didn't feel that confident about starting the work as it required the use of a few skills that I didn't yet have - stranding, M1R / M1L and working from a chart being just three.

One year down the line and I knew the time had come to just dive in (if you'll pardon the pun). Fortunately, I made a test swatch - something I'm normally loathe to do - and I messed it up completely as the yarns became twisted and very messy at the back. So I ripped it all out, kept the blue yarn on my right, the biscuit on my left, used English style knitting on my right, Continental style on my left, and it's all coming along a treat! The undulation is developing beautifully, and the back is now mercifully tidy; three pattern repeats now done, only 17 to go.

I'm so glad that I decided to start this, as stranding and Fair Isle are two techniques that I really want to employ in my work. It's no secret that I've long been a fan of Kaffe Fassett, and if I'm ever going to be able to produce work as colourful as his, then both techniques are going to be essential.

I'll take some photos of my progress this afternoon, and put them up on Ravelry. And I think I'm going to start dreaming of the other colourways that I can use to make this scarf; a graduated one in purples and blues would be lovely, with a dark grey background/border: mmmmm!