In Color by Kristin, designer and colorexpert Kristin Nicholas takes the mysteryout of Fair Isle knitting and makes itaccessible to all knitters. She shares herunique approach to combining colors andher secrets to creating stunning designs.Lavishly illustrated with full-colorphotographs, Color by Kristin is chock-fullof original patterns for gorgeously colorfulsweaters, accessories, home décor itemsand more. Glossaries of edgings andinterchangeable colorwork charts offerendless possibilities for creatingone-of-a-kind knits.

How toDesignYour OwnBeautiful Knits

Embrace your inner artist! That’s the message woven allthrough this beautifully illustrated guide to knitting anddesigning with multiple colors. Renowned designer KristinNicholas explains the theory behind using colors tomaximum effect, provides an easy-to-follow tutorial on FairIsle knitting and even shows you how to design your owncolorwork charts. Edgings and chart glossaries allow you tocustomize the 25+ patterns,which include:� an adorable patchwork

baby afghan� charming mother-daughter

mittens� comfy slipper socks for

the whole family� a zip-up cardigan any little

one will love� an eco-friendly tote to

carry your knitting projects

K R I S T I N N I C H O L A S

K R I S T I N N I C H O L A S

Knitting has neverKristin Nicholasis a knitwear designer and decorativeartist who was named one ofVogue® Knitting’s Master Knitters of the1990s. She has designed for Vogue Knitting,Family Circle and other publications andhas written several books, includingKristin Knits, Knitting Beautiful Classics andKnitting the New Classics. Kristin is aknitting expert on PBS’s Knit and CrochetToday and has appeared on many othertelevision shows, including The MarthaStewart Show. She has her own line ofyarn called Julia from Nashua Handknits.Kristin lives with her family in ruralwestern Massachusetts in a verycolorful farmhouse.

Cover design by Diane Lamphron

Cover photograph by Jack DeutschBack cover and project photographs by John GruenAuthor photograph by DeCicco Photography

� Read Kristin’s blog atgetting-stitched-on-the-farm.blogspot.com

� Find out more about Nashua HandknitsJulia yarn at nashuaknits.com

233 Spring StreetNewYork,NewYork 10013� sixthandspringbooks.com

been so colorful

$24.95 US $31.95 CANADAC R A F T S � K N I T T I N G

The projects inthis book are allknit with Kristin’sown line ofcolorful yarns—NashuaHandknits Julia

COLO

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How toDesignYour Own Beautiful Knits

COLORbyKristin

byKristinCOLOR

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INTRODUCTION 8

CHAPTER 1

The Joyof Color 12Using a ColorWheel 13

The Importance of Swatching 14

Color Is All AroundYou 15

CHAPTER 2

Fair IsleMade Easy 16The How-to of Fair Isle Knitting 17

Working in the Round 18

How to Follow a Fair Isle Chart 20

Fair Isle Magic:The Steek 21

The Miracle of Duplicate Stitch 22

Practice Project: Chill Stopper 23

Keep Practicing:Child’s Sampler Scarf 26

CHAPTER 3

DesigningFair Isle Knits 28Take It Easy: First Designs 28

Taking It Up a Notch:Adding Complexity 29

Perfect Symmetry 30

Going Organic: Flower Designs 32

6

Projects &Patterns 34Bloomsbury Gauntlets 36

Over-the-Top Shawl 40

Many Hearts BabyBlanket 44

Family of Slipper Socks 48

Child’s Zip-Up Cardigan 53

Little Shepherd’sScrapYarn Scarf 58

Mad for Plaid Mittens 61

On-the-Go Knitter’sTote 64

Java Jacket 68

Best Friends Pullovers 71

Felted Laptop Cozy 79

Southwest-Style SleevedWrap 82

Pompom Bolster 90

Extra-Long Scarf forExtra-Cold Days 94

Mother-DaughterMittens 98

Hen Party Pullover 102

Marrakesh MarketPillows 106

Last-Minute Mittsand Hat 118

Op Art Ottoman 122

Lazy DaisyTeapotCozy 127

Cuffed Mittensand Socks 130

Norwegian DreamsPullover 134

Contents

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DesignerSourcebook 140Custom Edgings 142

Colorwork Chart Glossary 148

Abbreviations &Techniques 168Abbreviations 169 Resources 169 Joining Seams 170How to Make a Pompom 170 Embroidery Stitches 171

Acknowledgments 172

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As you begin to open your eyes andexplore more of what color has to offer,you’ll find that the world around youcan be your best teacher. Color is easilylearned by just opening your eyes andletting it all sink in.

Nature is my favorite teacher.Thebeautiful color combinations foundevery day in nature are enough to keepme knitting swatches for years.Vividpurple iris against green foliage wouldmake a fabulous swatch. Autumn leavesjuxtaposed with a bright blue sky wouldvibrate in intensity when swatched.

A trip to a museum can fuel moreswatches. Artists such as Matisse,Bonnard, Cézanne, Picasso and O’Keeffebecame darlings of the art worldbecause of the way they combinedcolors. Study their works, and you willbegin to understand how they workedwith color. And don’t forget to look atpaintings close up if you have theopportunity.You’ll see that an artist’srendition of green may not be straightgreen but a combination of yellow, blue,and purple painted skillfully on a canvas.Translate that idea to a swatch and seewhat happens.

Closer to home, there is plenty ofinspiration, too. Open a sheltermagazine, and you’ll see pages of colorcombinations to copy and glean ideasfrom. Develop a color file full of tearsheets from magazines.When yourcolor well is dry, reach into it and seewhat swatches these images inspire. Doyou have a favorite print on a chair orscarf? Why not choose yarn colors toemulate that favorite combination andturn it into a piece of knitwear?

The more you work with color, themore skilled you will become. Everycolorful swatch you knit will be betterand better.You’ll be on your own pathto becoming a great colorist.Your colorconfidence will increase, and you willfeel more at ease with your ownpersonal color choices. Keep at it! �

Color Is AllAround You

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The Joy of Color

I see fabulous combinations of color in the everyday scenes on our farm,color in packaging at the grocery store, color in my garden, color in the magazines that

come in my mailbox, and color in the lovely yarns, paints and fabrics I use in my work. Nomatter what kind of project I undertake, whether knitting, crochet, embroidery, painting,

sewing, or decorating, color is the driving force behind its creation.Working with color is creative and fun. In fact, you can spend your entire life learning

about color.When you are just beginning to experiment with color in your knitting, it can allbe a little overwhelming. Just walking into a yarn store stocked to the ceiling with deliciousyarns in fabulous colors can cause sensory overload and a feeling of bewilderment.This is a

very normal reaction. Sorting out all the color options takes skill and practice.As you work with color, you will begin to develop your own color comfort level.Each combination of colors will get easier to put together and more successful.

You’ll even begin to develop your own color style. Soon you’ll be like me, obsessing aboutthe perfect shade of periwinkle or fuchsia to combine with chartreuse or

pumpkin to make the sweater of your dreams.When first beginning to work with color, an artist’s color wheel,

available at your local craft store, is a very helpful tool.You can use a printedcolor wheel to help you build your own yarn color wheel from

your stash of yarn as I have done here.

John Ruskin once wrote,“I know well that happiness isin little things.” For me, happiness is a little thing called color.

Color is all around me and all around you.

BLUE-GREENBlueThyme

BLUEBright Blue

BLUE-VIOLETDried Lavender

VIOLETPurple Basil

RED-VIOLETMagenta

REDGeranium RED-ORANGE

Harvest Spice

YELLOW-GREENLady’s Mantle

12

CHAPTER 1

GREENSpring Green

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Southwest-Style Sleeved Wrap

Magic Multiple for Edging:The center front opening could betrimmed in any edge treatments,such as bobbles or picot edging.Colorwork Chart Multiple:4, 5, 10 or 20 sts

SIZEOne size fits most.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTSBust: 60"/152.5cmLength: 32"/81cm (excluding fringe)Upper arm: 17"/43cm

YARNNashua Handknits Julia(wool/mohair/alpaca), 13⁄4oz/50g,93yd/85mA Magenta NHJ2083—2 skeinsB BlueThyme NHJ4936—5 skeinsC Rock Henna NHJ2230—5 skeinsD DriedWheat NHJ1028—2 skeinsE Anemone NHJ9235—5 skeinsF Lady’s Mantle NHJ3961—2 skeinsG Espresso NHJ0118—5 skeinsH Geranium NHJ6085—4 skeins

NEEDLESFor jacket bodySize 5 and 7 (3.75 and 4.5mm) circularneedles, 32"/81cm long or size neededto obtain correct gauge

For sleevesOne set (4) each sizes 5 and 7(3.75 and 4.5mm) double-pointedneedles (dpns) or size needed toobtain correct gauge

NOTIONS� Scrap yarn� Stitch markers� Tapestry needle�Matching sewing thread� Sewing machine

GAUGE20 sts and 22 rnds = 4"/10cmin St st over chart pats using largercircular needle.Be sure to obtain the correct gauge.

My friend and publisherTrisha Malcolm suggested I design a garment that would be a combinationof jacket and shawl. I thought back to the 1970s and 80s and the handweaving craze. Handweavers

everywhere were making “ruanas”—large pieces of fabric with a split halfway up the pieceworn as shawls or wraps. I thought I could update the idea to fit my crazy colorwork patterning.

BODYWith smaller circular needle and A, cast on 341 sts. Jointaking care not to twist sts on needle, pm for beg of rnds.

Garter st ridgesRnd 1 K10 (steek sts), pm, k to last 10 sts, pm,k10 (steek sts).Rnd 2 K10, sl marker, p to next marker, sl marker, k10.Break A. Change to B.Rnd 3 Knit.Rnd 4 K10, sl marker, p to next marker, sl marker, k10.Break B. Change to larger needle and C.

First Panel—Beg chart ICont in St st as foll:Rnd 1Work first 10 steek sts, sl marker, work 20-st pat rep16 times, then work st 1 once more, sl marker, work last 10steek sts. Cont to foll charts in this manner through rnd 27.Break yarns. Change to smaller needle and E.

Garter st ridgesRnd 1 Knit.Rnd 2 K10, sl marker, p to next marker, sl marker, k10.Break E. Change to F.Rnds 3 and 4 Rep rnds 1 and 2. Break F. Change to largerneedle and C.

Second Panel—Beg chart IICont in St st as foll:Rnd 1Work first 10 steek sts, sl marker, work 20-st pat rep16 times, then work st 1 once more, sl marker, work last 10steek sts. Cont to foll charts in this manner through rnd 27.Break yarns. Change to smaller needle and A.

Garter st ridgesRnd 1 Knit.Rnd 2 K10, sl marker, p to next marker, sl marker, k10. BreakA. Change to F.Rnds 3 and 4 Rep rnds 1 and 2. Break F. Change to largerneedle and H.

Third Panel—Beg chart IIICont in St st as foll:Rnd 1Work first 10 steek sts, sl marker, work 20-st pat rep

1.The jacket is worked in theround forming a tube, withsteek sts at beginning and endof rounds.2.Cast-on and bind-off edgeswill become side seams andarmhole openings.3.After knitting is completed,the jacket is cut open and thesteek sts are unraveled toform a fringe at bottom edge.4.The front opening is madeby using scrap yarn andknitting rows which will beremoved later.When thescrap yarn stitches areremoved, you will pick up thelive sts and work a garter-stitch band to finish the frontopening.5. All one-color rnds areworked on smaller needleand all two-color rnds areworked on larger needle.

AbbreviationsM1 Make 1

Notes

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Marrakesh Market Pillows

Magic Multiple for Edging:Varies by pillow; see page 142 tolearn how to use any edging.Colorwork Chart Multiple:The 4 different pillows usedifferent multiples� Peggy’s Pillow: 4, 6, 8, 12 or 24 sts� Kristin’s Pillow: 5, 6, 10, 15,or 30 sts� Clara’s Pillow: 5, 6, 10, 15 or 30 sts� Therese’s Pillow: 4, 6, 8, 12 or 24 sts

FINISHED MEASUREMENTSPeggy’s Pillow (middle right)18" x 18"/45.5cm x 45.5cmKristin’s Pillow (top left)14" x 14"/35.5cm x 35.5cmClara’s Pillow (middle left)22" x 22"/56cm x 56cmTherese’s Pillow (bottom)18" x 18"/45.5cm x 45.5cm

YARNNashua Handknits Julia(wool/mohair/alpaca), 13⁄4oz/50g,93yd/85mPeggy’s pillow (middle right)A Golden Honey NHJ2163—1 skeinB Anemone NHJ9235—1 skeinC Spring Green NHJ5185—1 skeinD Harvest Spice NHJ0178—1 skeinE Velvet Moss NHJ6086 —1 skeinKristin’s pillow (top left)A Blue Thyme NHJ4936—2 skeinsB Rock Henna NHJ2230—2 skeinsC Golden Honey NHJ2163—1 skeinD Pretty Pink NHJ8141—1 skeinE Lady’s Mantle NHJ3961—1 skeinF Squash NHJ0120—1 skein

Clara’s pillow (middle left)A Lupine NHJ5178—1 skeinB Espresso NHJ0118—2 skeinsC Magenta NHJ2083—1 skeinD Spring Green NHJ5185—1 skeinE Squash NHJ0120—1 skeinF Blue Thyme NHJ4936—1 skeinTherese’s pillow (bottom)A Magenta NHJ2083—1 skeinB Espresso NHJ0118—1 skeinC Spring Green NHJ5185—1 skeinD Geranium NHJ6085—2 skeinsE Golden Honey NHJ2163—2 skeins

NEEDLESSize 5 and 7 (3.75 and 4.5mm)circular needles or size to obtaincorrect gauge(See individual instructions forlengths needed)

NOTIONS� Stitch markers� Tapestry needle� Matching sewing thread� Sewing machine(See individual instructions foradditional notions)

GAUGE20 sts and 22 rnds = 4"/10cmin St st over chart pats using largercircular needle.20 sts and 40 rnds = 4"/10cmin rev St st ridge using smallercircular needle.Be sure to obtain correct gauge.

I often imagine what it would have been like to live in the early part of the 20th century andtravel to the markets of Istanbul and Morocco to purchase rugs and bedspreads made by traveling

nomads.The hand-dyed, handwoven fabrics with their handstitched details and imperfectionsare so appealing to me.The colors and patterns of this quartet of pillows, each named for a knitting

friend (and one for me!), are inspired by these fabulous textiles.

106

PEGGY'S PILLOWNeedles and additional notions� Size 7 (4.5mm) circular needle, 16"/40cm long� Size 5 (3.75mm) circular needles, 16"/40cmand 24"/60cm long� 5⁄8yd/.5m of 45"/114.5cm-wide medium-weightbacking fabric� 18"/45.5cm knife-edge down pillow form

Pillow topWith shorter, smaller circular needle and A, cast on 82 sts.Join taking care not to twist sts on needle, pm for beg ofrnds. Cont in St st on all sts as foll:Beg chart INOTE All one-color rnds are worked on shorter, smallerneedle and all two-color rnds are worked on larger needle.Cont in St st on all sts as foll:Rnd 1 Work first 3 steek sts, pm, work 5-st pat rep 15 times,then work st 1 once more, pm, work last 3 steek sts. Cont tofoll chart in this manner (slipping markers) through rnd 11.Break yarns. Change to shorter, smaller needle and C.Reverse stockinette stitch ridgeRnds 1–3 Keeping 3 steek sts at beg and end of rnds in St st,work rnds 1–3 of rev St st ridge over rem sts, dec 3 stsevenly spaced around last rnd—79 sts. Break C. Change tolarger needle and E.

Beg chart IIRnd 1Work first 3 steek sts, sl marker, work 24-st pat rep 3times, then work st 1 once more, sl marker, work last 3 steeksts. Cont to foll chart in this manner through rnd 21, thenrep rnds 1–21 once more, then rnds 1 and 2. Break yarns.Change to shorter, smaller needle and C.

REVERSE STOCKINETTE STITCH RIDGERnds 1–3 Keeping 3 steek sts at beg and end of rnds inSt st, work rnds 1–3 of rev St st ridge over rem sts, inc 3 stsevenly spaced around first rnd—82 sts. Break C.Change to A.

Beg chart IIINOTE All one-color rnds are worked on shorter, smaller

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�

So Comfy!Pillows are perfectprojects for summertimeknitting.They aren’t toobig or heavy, and bywinter you’ll have a pileof colorful cushions foryour couch or armchair.

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