14 Fair Isle Knitting Patterns

Ready to cast on a new knitting project? Grab a few colors and try one of these Fair Isle designs! From hats that work up quickly to sweaters, you'll treasure for decades, you can find free and reasonably priced patterns for all skill levels.

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How to Do Stranded Knitting

The Spruce / Mollie Johanson

If you're new to fair isle or stranded knitting, start by learning the process. It's easier than you might think! Along with this introductory tutorial, you can also grab a free chart to work into your next project. It would look great at the ends of a scarf or repeated as a band across a pillow.

Fair Isle How-To and Sample Pattern from The Spruce Crafts
02 of 14

Druid Circle Sweater

Shanel Wu / Ravelry

This circular yoke sweater has a beautiful Fair Isle design that's inspired by a garland of leaves. The thumb holes are a fun feature and make it extra cozy. Love the design but don't want to tackle a sweater? There's a matching hat pattern too!

Druid Circle Sweater Pattern, $7, Shanel Wu via Ravelry
03 of 14

Pointillist Cowl

Katie Green / Ravelry

Designed by Katie Green for Blacker Yarns, this gorgeous cowl may not be what comes to mind when you think of Fair Isle knitting. Fair Isle or stranded knitting can look quite modern as it does here. For this pattern, you will need to know how to read a chart, but despite all the colors in the design, you only need to work with two colors at a time.

Pointillist Cowl Pattern from Katie Green via Ravelry
04 of 14

Coffee and Cocoa Word Beanies

Lady Jay Crochet / Etsy

Knit this playful Fair Isle hat, and tell the world how much you love coffee (or cocoa)! Justyna Srock of Lady Jay Crochet has a variety of designs with different words, including some for crochet. And because they use super bulky yarn, you can knit them up in a hurry.

Coffee Beanie Pattern, $5, Lady Jay Crochet

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05 of 14

Wishmaker Mitts

Erica Heusser / Ravelry

Make a wish when you knit and wear these amazing fingerless mitts with fluffy dandelions. Designer Erica Heusser offers so many gorgeous stranded knitting patterns, you'll probably wish for more yarn and time to knit!

Wishmaker Mitts Pattern, $6, Erica Heusser via Ravelry
06 of 14

Fox Isle Socks

Life is Cozy

What's better than Fair Isle socks? How about "Fox Isle" socks? This free pattern has a classic look and then adds adorable foxes! Of course, you could adapt the chart to remove the foxes, but that just wouldn't be as cute.

Fox Isle Socks Pattern from Life is Cozy
07 of 14

Branches and Buds Pullover

Carrie Bostick Hoge / Love Knitting

This traditional, yet modern pullover by Carrie Bostick Hoge has a simple design with a tiny pop of color. It's the sort of handknit sweater that you'll want to wear all the time!

Branches and Buds Pullover Pattern, $7, Carrie Bostick Hoge via Love Knitting
08 of 14

Pātiki Hat and Cowl

Francoise Danoy / Ravelry

Designer Francoise "Frenchie" Danoy drew from her Māori heritage when creating this geometric hat and cowl for stranded knitting. The Pātiki diamond pattern represents abundance, and whether you knit one or both pieces, you're sure to have the good fortune of a beautiful piece of knitwear.

Pātiki Hat and Cowl Pattern, $6, Francoise Danoy via Ravelry

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09 of 14

Novemberist Mitts

Vanessa Smith

Keep your hands warm and your fingers free for texting with these fingerless mitts from Vanessa Smith. Want to wear this design from the top of your head to (almost) your fingertips? Look for the matching hat pattern in her shop!

Novemberist Mitts Pattern, $6, Vanessa Smith Designs
10 of 14

Fantastic Fair Isle Knit Pillow

Yarnspirations

Fair Isle knitting isn't only for wearables. You can use this technique to make a marvelously modern pillow! This free pattern from Yarnspirations uses two colors of self-striping yarn to create the checkered design.

Fantastic Fair Isle Pillow Pattern from Yarnspirations
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Fair Isle Coco Alpine Hat

Caroline Emad / Ravelry

This simple Fair Isle hat, topped with a handmade pom-pom, uses stranded knitting to blend two colors together. Choose your favorite shades of bulky yarn and cast on this beginner-friendly project!

Fair Isle Coco Alpine Hat Pattern, $5, Caroline Emad via Ravelry
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Cardigan Dagi

Astrid Tueting / Ravelry

Designed for intermediate knitters who are new to stranded colorwork, this hooded cardigan makes a big statement. Even though the sleeves have a lot of detail, you only need to work with two colors at a time. And while the samples show this in bright colors, you could make this a little more subtle for a very different style.

Cardigan Dagi Pattern, $8, Astrid Tueting via Ravelry

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Fair Isle Cuffs

Little Cotton Rabbits

This free pattern for Fair Isle cuffs might look like another pair of mitts, but they are more like arm or leg warmers. You don't need to do any shaping, which makes this a great project to practice your stranded knitting technique.

Fair Isle Cuff Pattern from Little Cotton Rabbits
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Fair Isle Scarf

Yarn Plaza

Knit yourself a Fair Isle scarf with this free pattern from Yarn Plaza. Because stranded knitting is easier when working in the round, this pattern uses a technique called a steek, which allows you to cut the round apart. The instructions don't go into detail for the steek, so you may want to do a little extra research before trying it for the first time.

Fair Isle Scarf Pattern from Yarn Plaza

14 Fair Isle Knitting Patterns

Fair Isle Scarf

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