Fair Isle hat & gloves

The cotton yarn in this Fair Isle combo means you can wear this set all the way into spring! By Sophie Jordan.

Fair Isle doesn’t always have to be wintry or Scandi-inspired. Sometimes thinking outside the box with your colours can deliver the prettiest of results. This hat and mitt set has been created with a Fair Isle repeat that is completed before any decreases are required, giving you the uninterrupted bliss of working with a rainbow of stonewashed shades.

HAT

Cast on 128 sts using 3mm needles and Yarn A. Row 1 ( WS) *K1tbl; rep from * to end. Row 2 (RS) *K2, P2; rep from * to end. Row 2 forms 2x2 rib. Work in 2x2 rib for 7 more rows, ending with a WS row. Inc row (RS) *K7, kfb; rep from * to end. [144 sts]

Change to 3 mm needles. Next row Purl.

Work Rows 1- 42 of Hat Chart. When Hat Chart is complete, continue in Yarn A only.

Next row (RS) *K6, k2tog; rep from * to end. [126 sts] Next row Purl. Next row *K4, k2tog; rep from * to end. [105 sts] Next row Purl Next row *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end. [70 sts] Next row Purl. Next row *K2tog; rep from * to end. [35 sts] Thread yarn tail through remaining stitches pull up and fasten off.

TO MAKE UP

Sew back seam using backstitch. Make a pompom using all 6 yarn colours and sew securely to the top of the hat.

FINGERLESS MITTENS

(MAKE 2) Cast on 48 stitches using 3mm needles and Yarn A. Work in 2x2 rib as for hat for 8 rows ending after a WS row.

Change to 3 mm needles. Work Rows 1-14 of Mitten Chart. When Mitten Chart is complete, continue in Yarn A only.

SHAPE THUMB

Next row (RS) K22, PM, M1, K4, M1, PM, K22. [50 sts] Next row and every WS row ( WS) Purl, slipping markers. Next row and every RS row K22, sl sm, M1, K to sm, M1, sl sm, K22.

Repeat the last 2 rows until there are 16 sts between the two markers, ending with a RS row. [60 sts]

Next row P to sm, cast off the 16 sts between the markers, P to end. [44 sts] Next row K21, (1 st remains on the RH needle before the thumb gap), K into the back of the first stitch on the LH needle, then the stitch that remains on the RH needle, take both sts off the needle, K22. [44 sts]

Next row Purl. Work 8 rows in 2x2 rib. Cast off. Sew side seam using backstitch.

“These colours are ace!” “I’m new to knitting but can’t wait until I’m good enough to try Fair Isle like this. This set looks so funky!” Emily Waite, Designer

Sophie Jordan “A large range of brilliant colours always gets me excited about Fair Isle. There’s nothing like playing with wonderful shades to make a pattern really pop – I hope you like the set!”

These mittens are super-quick to knit. Each one takes no more than a day to finish completely.