My first Fair Isles

I've always wanted to learn Fair Isles/Stranded knitting so I finally took the plunge.  I chickened out on the steeking, I figured it would be easier not to focus on too many skills at once.  So this sweater is a top-down, circular yoke sweater.  I'm using Knit Picks Chroma worsted yarn.  It's a very soft yarn that has that typical thin/thick characteristic of wools.

I found a hat with a simple enough flower pattern for my first design.  It's a 20-sts, 17-row pattern that was very easy to follow.  Because of the worsted weight it works up really fast.  I'm not sure if I'm going to repeat the same pattern or try another one in the body of the sweater.

I'm using Anne Budd's seamless yoke pattern from her book The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters as a guideline for my sweater.  I'm not following it to the letter, it's simply a guide.  I'm liking the process of it, very simple instructions that are easily modified to fit my color work.

It's just a coincidence that I'm wearing orange so I know it's a great color to wear with the sweater.  The solid color looks brown but it's actually a smoky gray.  I didn't think the colors worked well together when it first came in the mail.  Now working with it, it's the perfect marriage. 

Keep stitchin'