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by Sheila Joynes

In this slim Leisure Arts book Sheila has arranged six Fair Isle patterns in increasing difficulty. The first project, a cowl, is a perfect first project, introducing corrugated ribbing and a simple stranded pattern in worsted weight with lots of plain rounds to keep up momentum. Lots of good photographs of techniques! Then it’s on to hats: the Columbia River Ear Flap hat avoids colorwork in the crown shaping; the Autumn Beanie* ups the colorwork quotient but is still fairly simple; the next project, Little Sophia’s Hat,* ups the skill level by introducing colorwork while decreasing. Ginger’s Slouch Hat pulls it all together with more complex colorwork and finer gauge (yay, jumperweight!). Finally, the lovely Cranberry Rose Hat, seen on the cover.*

Excellent skill-building lineup of projects for those who hunger to do colorwork but fear that they can’t! And at an excellent price.

* These patterns are knit at 28 stitches per 4 inches; although Sheila calls for a heavier yarn, I regularly and happily knit Spindrift at this gauge.

Paperback; 40 pages.