Fair Isle Knitting
With Elizabeth Seward
April 11, 18, 25 & May 9, 2026
8:30-9:30 am Pacific Time
Registration $60 USD
This is an adult workshop, taught by Elizabeth Seward, author of Teaching Through Stories: Jane and Jeremy Learn to Knit. In this class, we will make a traditional Fair Isle beret, following a pattern by one of Shetland’s native and acclaimed younger designers, Alison Rendall.
You will learn and practice traditional fair isle techniques such as corrugated ribbing; following a pattern; stranded 2-color knitting using the right, left, or both hands; traditional design elements such as borders and peerie patterns; you will follow Fair Isle charts and learn the principles of magnificent wheel designs atop the crown of a beret. You will also learn what makes Fair Isle unique - and fun - to knit!
This will be a delightful challenge and I REALLY look forward to working with you as a group on this beautiful project!
Prerequisite skills
To feel comfortable in the class, you must be able to work independently in the round on fine (size 2.5 US or 3mm) double-pointed needles, and circular needles, and you will have had some basic introduction into Fair Isle knitting. We will learn and practice multiple techniques at a fairly rapid pace.
You must be willing to work on your beret between classes. (I will always introduce and guide you through the next steps before asking you to practice independently!).
Click here to view the supply list and pattern for this class.
Elizabeth Seward has over 40 years of experience teaching Handwork and other subjects in public, private, and homeschool Waldorf settings. Elizabeth is a trained Waldorf class teacher in the grades, and is author of Teaching Through Stories: Jane and Jeremy Learn to Knit. She has been knitting since she was five, and loves the Fair Isle tradition, especially since a recent visit to Shetland, 100 miles off the North Coast of Scotland. See her recent blog: https://www.waldorfhandwork.org/post/learning-fair-isle-knitting-a-living-family-tradition
