While we each plod along, trying to make progress on some other projects we thought we’d share a sweater we designed together a few months back. We wanted to create a design that incorporated some fair isle knitting into it. The challenge was that we wanted the fair isle portion to be in jumperweight yarn, but we didn’t want to have to knit the entire sweater out of such small gauge yarn.
Did we have to? No, we didn’t. Jamieson has several weights of yarn in the same colors. Susan came up with an ingenious way to transition invisibly between Jamieson’s Dk weight yarn (3 ply) and Spindrift (2 ply). Sally did the playing around with colors and design for the fair isle band and did virtually all of the actual knitting (that’s only fair — it was knit to her size). Susan did the math. Who got the better deal?
Sally adapted the fair isle design from a typical Shetland-style pattern. Here’s a photo of one of the original swatches.
The sweater features a hood, raglan sleeves, and a “kangaroo” pocket. Here are several views of the finished sweater:
 
Susan came up with the idea for a cute little pocket on the sleeve. Here is a close up view — isn’t the button cute?
Finally, this picture shows how nice the transition looks from 3-ply to 2-ply. Â
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The knitted weight of each section is identical: the fair isle band and the body of the sweater have the exact weight and feel.Â
The sweater fits Sally perfectly and is great for fall. Susan keeps threatening to knit one up and by doing so enlarge the pattern — a lot. Right now it exists as a “one size fits few.” We debated sending it off to try to be published, but that would require a lot of brain activity from a very dormant brain.Â
Mom would be so proud: we have finally learned to play well together!
What a gorgeous sweater, and what an ingenious design! You two are incredible!
Comment by kmkat — October 23, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
Very nice. I was wondering, though, if for the larger size, wouldn’t one lower the fair isle band “off the shelf”?
Comment by Nancy — October 23, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
Y’all are such overachievers. 😉 I especially like the edging on the hood – very clean. Really nice!
Comment by Tamara — October 23, 2007 @ 3:22 pm
You simply must get this published! It’s too pretty not to. It incorporates the best of both worlds… Come on girls… Take on the challenge.. Don’t you know we “raineygirl groupies” wanna be you when we grow up?!
Comment by Michelle — October 23, 2007 @ 3:35 pm
Wow! Is that ever nice.
Comment by Gale — October 23, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
It’s a beautiful design and looks amazing!
Comment by Wanda — October 23, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
When you publish it, could we have other colour schemes ;-)Love the pocket!
By the way, J&S is having a Fair Isle competition … golfer’s vest, due early January (?), £250 prize.
Comment by Marina — October 23, 2007 @ 4:16 pm
Fantastic!! The color is just right for me — too bad it wouldn’t fit!
Comment by Chery — October 23, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
What a beautiful sweater! I love it.
Comment by Donna — October 23, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
Well, you both continue to freak me out. Collaborating while you’re 1400 (or so) miles apart. I have 4 sisters back in Connecticut and New York who I dearly love, but we have a hard time sharing recipes which requires hardly any math!! Thanks for sharing your talents with us.
Comment by Peggy — October 23, 2007 @ 4:27 pm
It’s beautiful! Love the little pocket, love the hem (or lack of ribbing) — love the v-neck simple and very nice.
Amazing.
Comment by Wendy O — October 23, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
So awesome! Please consider publishing the pattern. It would go to the top of my “as soon as ______ comes off the needles” list.
Comment by Denise — October 23, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
I’d like to knit this for my daughter — now to plot showing her the sweater without her knowing I’m interested in making it. In fact, her interest will increase if she thinks I’d never want to make it. Ah, 14 . . .
Comment by Pam — October 23, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
Lovely work,ladies. You two pay such wonderful attention to details; the result is a polished design, publication worthy. Perfect.
What’s the secret for successful transition from one weight yarn to another? The transition line is undetectable.
Comment by Linda D. — October 23, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
It’s gorgeous! I love it!
Comment by Jody — October 23, 2007 @ 7:31 pm
Love it!
Comment by Gail R — October 23, 2007 @ 7:41 pm
Stunning! This is gorgeous. I love the color, the style, the cool little pockets. I want it. You can ship the sweater to….
Comment by Karen — October 23, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
No wonder you are the only knitting blog I read — you are both knitting geniuses. Please, please do size up (and share) the pattern, I am more Susan’s size than Sally’s. I LOVE the color.
Comment by Astrid — October 23, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
love it! I’d also like to see a pattern. (I’m not sure who’s size I’m closer to, though I’d probably guess Susan’s). I love the sleeve pocket – great idea.
Comment by Christy — October 23, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
Lovely sweater. I like the neck line, and there are lots of applications for that transition between the 2-ply fair Isle and the jumperweight. I’m not so keen on the position of the fair-isle band. It could look awkward on a well-endowed woman.
Comment by LaurieM — October 23, 2007 @ 9:13 pm
But Laurie — I was trying to emphasize my bust (or at least try to find it).
Thanks for all the nice comments everyone.
Comment by surly — October 23, 2007 @ 10:53 pm
A purple beauty of a hoodie!
Comment by Laura — October 23, 2007 @ 11:00 pm
Susan- It’s a beautiful pattern- I really think you guys should give everyone
the benefit of your talents and self-publish them or do it through Ravelry which
has a shopping cart feature-
I adore the arm-pocket detail- it’s great for those lipstick-packing chicks like me!
Comment by Lorraine — October 23, 2007 @ 11:29 pm
Wow! What a beautiful sweater! I hope you’ll give us all a hint of how you transitioned between the fair isle in the fine yarn and the purple in the larger yarn.
Comment by Nancy Nelson — October 23, 2007 @ 11:29 pm
It’s fabulous! I love it. You two are so talented! 🙂
Comment by Romi — October 24, 2007 @ 12:12 am
Great sweater ! I wanna the same !
Comment by niqui — October 24, 2007 @ 2:56 am
Wonderful sweater. What is jumper weight? DK or fingering?
Comment by Michele with one "L" — October 24, 2007 @ 8:15 am
Awesome. I never would have guessed how nice the fair isle band would look in the field of purple.
Comment by Kendyl — October 24, 2007 @ 9:55 am
Just beautiful girls!!!! I would like to know how you blocked it, ( a lovely job on that), did you use steam, or just wet block it? Also please tell us about the transition between the two weights of yarn. Thankyou.
Comment by Bonnie — October 24, 2007 @ 10:07 am
What a great sweater! Love the sleeve pocket.
Comment by liz — October 24, 2007 @ 10:11 am
Surly, I just don’t understand that problem. 😉
Comment by LaurieM — October 24, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
Oooh, my favorite colors, and such a beautiful use of them! I do hope you will make this pattern available, and share with us a bit about transitioning so invisibly between yarn weights.
Comment by auntieannknits — October 24, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
The wet stuff…that’s me drooling over your gorgeous hoodie! Love that purple; surely you will publish the pattern?
Comment by Beverly — October 24, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
Bravo les filles ! Ce pull est adorable.
Comment by Dorothée — October 24, 2007 @ 3:53 pm
I’d buy the pattern in a heartbeat! I love it!
Comment by Marcy — October 24, 2007 @ 5:58 pm
Great job, I love it! Sally, I will send that photo soon. I am a bit backwards when it comes to getting things off the digital cam, and then to the correct size to email!
Comment by Lee — October 24, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
I am not a huge fair isle fan, but wow….I LOVE this sweater!
Comment by Kim — October 24, 2007 @ 8:25 pm
Everything you both do is just so beautifully finished. Always an inspiration. This definitely should be published, but easy enough for me to say as it does take a lot of work.
Comment by WendyM — October 25, 2007 @ 12:16 am
Just so amazing what you two do!OMG this beautiful sweater is added proof of your talents.
Comment by katomliz — October 25, 2007 @ 9:12 am
So impressive. You both do such wonderful work — your knitting and math skills are perfect!
Comment by Trudy — October 25, 2007 @ 9:37 am
It is fabulous! Gorgeous design! You two are so clever!
Comment by Minty — October 25, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Love the design, and in my favourite colour. The collar and hood are so clever. I’ll buy if you publish!
Comment by Mindie — October 25, 2007 @ 1:25 pm
Now that’s team work! It’s beautifully done and it certainly is a wonderful garment. Brava!
Comment by Melanie — October 25, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
This is totally fantastic! I want it. Now! Please! No, I don’t want to knit it – I want IT! It’s a beautiful sweater and it’s also beautiful that sisters can work and play together!
Comment by Tressa in NC — October 26, 2007 @ 12:03 am
That is wonderful, I like it very much.
You have always very interesting things.
Comment by Ivana — October 26, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
*waving her arms in the air* I’ll buy a pattern for the smaller size! Gorgeous! I love it when you girls put your minds together 🙂
Comment by Carol — October 26, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
Hey where are you ladies?! The only good excuse for exiting the blog-o-sphere is having your hoodie published :)…..
you girls are missed
x0
Comment by Michelle — October 27, 2007 @ 8:42 am
Fantastic! Please publish the pattern!
Comment by Denise~ — October 27, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
Susan and Sally – your hoodie is the best I have ever seen!!!!!! Color-wow!
attention to detail!!! The beautiful fairisle! takes my breathe away!!!!Count me in on being a wanna be purchaser of the pattern if you decide to publish!!!
Comment by Susan — October 27, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
[…] For additional photos, including closeups, click here. […]
Pingback by theraineysisters.com » From Susan and Sally — Roslin Fair Isle Hoodie Pattern — October 30, 2007 @ 8:19 am
You two do each other proud, not just your mom, and all knitter too. How beautiful in all realms. maile
Comment by Maile — October 30, 2007 @ 10:56 am