I really cannot remember a time when I was not a knitter. I try to think back to what brought me to cast on my first stitches. I do remember falling in love with a sweater and thinking "I can make that!" Whenever I walk into a shop or open a magazine or catalogue I have sweater radar and zoom right into designs that inspire. I am famous for standing outside a shop with a pad and pen and scribbling and sketching something I just saw(not polite to do it in the shop!)
Drops
Somehow,however, I always turn back to go forward. I love classic. The new knitting has been a lot about architecture-form, fit, angles...and its all fabulous and interesting and fun to knit as it pushes us as knitters to knit out of the box. For my knitting style,however, I find particularly at this time of year that I am reaching for design that fits any mood and any decade. Sweaters my Mother wore and sweaters that are a joy to knit.
Vogue Knitting
Vintage Vogue is a great resource that inspires me , but I often turn to Ralph Lauren who has never strayed very far from bringing looks that echo history yet move easily in a new age.
Ralph Lauren has captured classic and made traditional style his own with his design signature that echos classic American Prep, Western Prairie, Ski Chic,English Country House and Grace Kelly Elegance. Time and again the Lauren runway returns to the classic Sweater Girl look and it often starts with one of my favorite techniques to knit come fall -Fair Isle. Lauren was doing this in the 80s
and he is still doing it today...it works forever.
Fair Isle knitting is as old as knitting itself, so many traditions and many different names for the same technique from all over the world-Great Britain of course, Icelandic/Scandinavian ski design, South America with gorgeous rich colors from Peruvian textiles...It is really a simple thing,it just looks complicated, and it is always beautiful. Fair Isle knitting involves a repetitive pattern done in multiple colors-usually two colors at a time. I love the process of planning a Fair Isle-skeins of color to mix and match...deciding whether to do an all over look or just at the cuff or collar
Nichole Reese for Vogue
...be it a Traditional Icelandic look 
Lopi
a Peruvian palette
Michele Rose Orne
or Veddy British Style
Kim Hargreaves
my fall knitting bags are never without at least one project incorporating fair isle. Open any catalogue and you will always find inspiration 
Gorsuch
and that is when I run for the needles! Here are some of my favorite patterns incorporating Fair Isle knitting techniques---where to start!!! Have fun!
Icelandic Inspiration :
Verena,Veronik Avery for Interweave,Patons,Pam Allen for Classic Elite,Veronik Avery,Drops, Drops,Champagne Maker-Stitch Poet
Sweater Girl
Drops,Katie Davies,Ysolda Teague,Tammy Eigeman Thompson,Pam Allen for CEY,Robin Melanson for Twist Collective
From Around the Globe
Jenn Jarvis for Vogue,Mary Jane Mucklestone for CEY,Michel Rose Orne for CEY
