Brian Sawyer

First Colorwork

Because I tend to have little free time to crank out knitted garments, I choose each new project carefully, largely as a means to learn a completely new technique, as well as the obvious interest in a nice piece that someone close to me will enjoy and actually wear. Last summer, after finishing my first lace project, I quietly began my next knitting challenge: my first attempt at using more than one color.

Rather than choose between intarsia and Fair Isle techniques, I made the ambitious decision to take on a sweater that incorporates both. Here’s the pattern photo (Louisa Harding’s Fish Pullover from A Treasury of Rowan Knits) and the gauge I worked up last July:

Because this is my first attempt at colorwork (beyond a three-hour class I took ages ago), it’s even more slow-going than usual (at least it feels like it, though I know my lace sweater took forever too). Anyway, over the break, I managed to finish the Fair Isle border for the back. Here’s a detail, because I couldn’t get a good photo of the whole thing:

I must say I’m rather pleased with my progress (aside from the time it’s taken me). Since this photo, I’ve actually moved up to the bottoms of the first few fish, beginning the intarsia bit, though not enough to photograph or say much more about it.

I do hope to dip into this project a little more regularly now, so wish me luck. If all goes well, I may just post an update before another couple seasons have passed.