Girls Fair Isle Knit Sweater Pattern

The Girls Fair Isle Knit Sweater Pattern is a traditional pattern that will make your girl look sweet and adorable. Fair Isle knitting is a very distinctive design method that makes for beautifully intricate patterns. This design incorporates lovely flowers and dainty stripes. This Fair Isle pattern is also dense, so it is very warm for whoever wears it. Knit this one up for someone really special in your life. You will get to practice this special method, and she will love the thoughtful gift!

NotesDirections are for size 4 years. Changes for sizes 6 years, 8-9 years and 12 years are in parentheses.

Intermediate

Knitting Needle Size7 or 4.5 mm

Yarn Weight(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Gauge16 sts = 4” [10 cm]; 23 rows = 4" [10 cm] in Stockinette stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side).

Finished SizeTo Fit Chest: 23 (25, 28, 30)" [58.5 (63.5, 71, 76) cm], Finished Chest: 25 (27, 31, 33)" [63.5 (68.5, 78.5, 84) cm], Finished Length: 19½ (20, 20½, 21)" [49.5 (51, 52, 53.5) cm]

Materials List

RED HEART® Super Saver®: 2 skeins each: 400 Grey Heather A, 319 Cherry Red B, 313 Aran C, 373 Petal Pink D, 631 Light Sage E, 322 Pale Yellow F
Susan Bates® Knitting Needles: 4.5 mm [US 7]
stitch holder
yarn needle

For more sweater knitting tips, check out this free eBook onHow to Knit a Sweater: 7 Free Sweater Patterns

Instructions

Special Patterns

Colorwork Pattern 1
Row 1 (right side): With B, knit.
Row 2: With C, purl.
Row 3: With C, k1 (selvedge st), *with C, k1; with D, k1; repeat from * to last st, k1 (selvedge st).
Row 4: With C, p1, *with C, p1; with D, p1; repeat from * to last st, p1.
Row 5: With C, knit.
Row 6: With B, purl.
Colorwork Pattern 2
Row 1 (right side): With E, knit.
Row 2: With C, purl.
Row 3: With C, k1 (selvedge st), *with C, k1; with E, k1; with C, k1; with D, k1; with C, k1, with E, k1; repeat from * to last st, k1 (selvedge st).
Row 4: With C, p1, *with C, p1; with D, p3; with C, p2; repeat from * to last st, p1.
Row 5: With C, k1, *with C, k1; with E, k1, with D, k1; with C, k1; with D, k1; with E, k1; repeat from * to last st, k1.
Row 6: Repeat Row 4. Row 7: Repeat Row 3. Row 8: With C, purl.
Colorwork Pattern 3
Row 1 (right side): With E, knit.
Row 2: With C, purl
Row 3: With C, k1 (selvedge st), *with C, k1; with F, k2; repeat from * to last st, k1 (selvedge st).
Row 4: With C, p1, *with C, p1; with F, p1; with C, p1; repeat from * to last st, p1.
Row 5: With C, knit.
Row 6: With E, purl.
Colorwork Pattern 4
Row 1 (right side): With C, knit.
Row 2: With C, p1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, p1; with F, p1; with C, p5; with B, p1; with C, p3; with B, p1; with C, p4; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, p1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 3: With C, k1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, k3; with B, k3; with C, k1; with B, k3; with C, k3; with F, k3; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, k1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 4: With C, p1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, p1; with F, p1; with C, p4; with B, p3; with C, p1; with B, p3; with C, p3; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, p1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 5: With C, k1 (4, 7, 2), *[with C, k1; with B, k2] 4 times; with C, k4; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, k1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 6: With C, p1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, p3; with B, p4; [with C, p1; with B, p1] twice; with C, p1; with B, p4; repeat * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, p1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 7: With C, k1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, k1; with B, k4; with C, k1; with E, k1; with C, k1; with B, k4; with C, k2; with F, k1; with C, k1; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, k1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 8: With C, p1 (4, 7, 2), *with F, p3; with C, p5; with E, p3; with C, p5; repeat * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, p1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 9: With C, k1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, k1; with D, k4; with C, k1; with E, k1; with C, k1; with D, k4; with C, k2; with F, k1; with C, k1; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, k1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 10: With C, p1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, p3; with D, p4; [with C, p1; with D, p1] twice; with C, p1; with D, p4; repeat * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, p1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 11: With C, k1 (4, 7, 2), *[with C, k1; with D, k2] 4 times; with C, k4; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, k1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 12: With C, p1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, p1; with F, p1; with C, p4; with D, p3; with C, p1; with D, p3; with C, p3; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, p1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 13: With C, k1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, k3; with D, k3; with C, k1; with D, k3; with C, k3; with F, k3; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, k1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 14: With C, p1 (4, 7, 2), *with C, p1; with F, p1; with C, p5; with D, p1; with C, p3; with D, p1; with C, p4; repeat from * to last 1 (4, 7, 2) sts; with C, p1 (4, 7, 2).
Row 15: With C, knit.
Row 16: With E, purl.
2x2 Rib (multiple of 4 sts + 2)
Row 1 (wrong side): P2, *k2, p2; repeat from * to end of row.
Row 2: Knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts to end of row.
Repeat Row 2 for 2x2 Rib.

Back:

With A, cast on 50 (54, 62, 66) sts.

Ribbing:

Beginning with Row 1 (wrong side) of pattern, work 2x2 Rib for 4 rows.
Increase Row (wrong side): Work Row 1 of 2x2 Rib, increasing 0 (2, 0, 2) sts evenly spaced—50 (56, 62, 68) sts.

Body:

Beginning with a right side (knit) row work in Stockinette st (knit on right side, purl on wrong side) for 4 rows.
Work Rows 1-6 of Colorwork Pattern 1.
With A, work in Stockinette st until piece measures about 11 (11½, 12, 12½)" [28 (29, 30.5, 32) cm] from beginning, end with a wrong side row.
Repeat Rows 1-6 of Colorwork Pattern 1.
With C, work in Stockinette st for 2 rows.
Work Rows 1-8 of Colorwork Pattern 2.
Work Rows 1-6 of Colorwork Pattern 3.
Work Rows 1-16 of Colorwork Pattern 4.
With A, work in Stockinette st for 1¾" [4.5 cm], end with a wrong side row.
With right side facing, bind off all sts as if to knit.

Front

Work same as back until last row of Colorwork Pattern 4 is complete.

Shape Neck
Work with A only.
Row 1 (right side): K16 (19, 20, 23), place center 18 (18, 22, 22) sts on holder for front neck, join a 2nd ball of A and knit to end of row – 16 (19, 20, 23) sts on each side of neck sts on holder. Work both sides at the same time using separate balls of yarn.
Row 2: Purl across first side; on 2nd side, bind off 1 st, purl to end.
Row 3: Knit across first side; on 2nd side, bind off 1 st, knit to end – 15 (18, 19, 22) sts on each side.
Rows 4-11: Repeat last 2 rows 4 more times – 11 (14, 15, 18) sts on each side.
Row 12: Purl across sts of both sides.
With right side facing, bind off all sts on both sides as if to knit.

Sleeves (make 2)

With A, cast on 26 (26, 30, 30) sts.

Ribbing:

Beginning with Row 1 (wrong side) of pattern, work 2x2 Rib for 4 rows.
Increase Row (wrong side): Work Row 1 of 2x2 Rib, increasing 2 sts evenly spaced—28 (28, 32, 32) sts.

Body:

Beginning with a right side (knit) row work in Stockinette st (knit on right side, purl on wrong side) for 4 rows.
Work Rows 1-6 of Colorwork Pattern 1.
With A, work in Stockinette st for 2 rows.
Increase Row (right side): K1, M1, k to last 2 sts, M1, k1—30 (30, 34, 34) sts.
Work even in Stockinette st for 5 (3, 5, 3) rows.
Repeat Increase Row—32 (32, 36, 36) sts.
Repeat last 6 (4, 6, 4) rows 6 (3, 8, 4) more times—44 (38, 52, 44) sts.
Sizes 6 years and 12 years Only: With A, work even in Stockinette st for 5 rows. Repeat Increase Row—40 (46) sts. Repeat last 6 rows 4 (5) more times—48 (56) sts.
All Sizes: Work even in Stockinette st until piece measures about 11 (12, 13, 14)" [28 (30.5, 33, 35.5) cm] from beginning.
Repeat Rows 1-6 of Colorwork Pattern 1.
Next Row (right side): With B, knit.
With B, bind off.

Finishing

Sew left shoulder seam.

Neck Band
With right side facing, pick up 10 sts along left neck edge, pick up 18 (18, 22, 22) front neck sts from holder, pick up 10 sts along right neck edge, pick up 24 (28, 28, 32) sts along back neck—62 (66, 70, 74) sts.
Work in 2x2 Rib for 3 rows.
With right side facing, bind off in pattern.
Sew right shoulder seam.
Sew in sleeves.
Sew side and sleeve seams.
Weave in ends.

Abbreviations

M1 (make 1 - increase): lift strand between needles to left-hand needle and knit strand through the back loop, twisting it to prevent a hole

A,B,C, etc.: Color A, Color B, etc.

k: knit

p: purl

st(s): stitch(es)

*: repeat whatever follows the * as indicated

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3cats2love

Sep 07, 2017

Even when done well, some Fair Isle patterns can look dated. Not this one, though! The pretty colors and design thoroughly update the classic look. And it's also made in worsted weight yarn, no fancy or expensive brands to buy, and you can swap in whatever colors you have on hand.