Some people use the term “Fair Isle” to refer to any colourwork knitting where stitches are knitted alternately in various colours, with the unused colours stranded across the back of the work.

You can wear a great Fair Isle sweater as soon as temperatures float downward, and all the way through January and February.

1920s
The Fair Isle sweater, recognizable by its familiar geometric patterns in limited palettes, has long been a favorite of the royal family. The style first gained notoriety in the 1920s, when Edward VIII (who later became the Duke of Windsor) wore his in public.

As of late, however, the knit has become a common street style go-to and a hero on the runways. In their pre-fall and fall 2021 presentations, Loewe and Balenciaga put a modernized spin on the garment that feels more street than Swiss chalet, thanks to pairings with baggy cargo pants, sweats, and graphic hoodies.

wool
Fair Isle Knitwear It is made using wool from local farms which is delivered to the factory, processed and spun on site into yarn ready for knitting. Many of the patterns used for our knitwear date back to the 1920s, 30s, 40s or even earlier.

Like most wools, though, raw Shetland can be fairly itchy, which is why as the sweaters made their way stateside, a brushed version was favored.

Fair Isle knits are a simple and easy way to inject some colour and warmth into any winter wardrobe. Once the unwanted Christmas present the Fairisle jumper is now officially the on-trend statement knit of winter 2011/12.

Fair Isle knitting originated on the remote island of Fair Isle – a tiny jewel in the ocean lying midway between the Orkney and Shetland Islands to the north of Scotland in the UK, at the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the North Sea.

How to style an outfit with Fair Isle

1. Wear with country clothes like my Barbour jacket.
2. A white shirt is ideal to keep cool.
3. My Brora wool Fair Isle cardi (greys, blues etc) styled with grey jumper and dark (blue) wash jeans keeping the palette classic.

Aran Woollen Mills.

Fair Isle (/fɛəraɪ̯l/) is a traditional knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. It is named after Fair Isle, one of the Shetland islands . Fair Isle knitting gained considerable popularity when the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) wore Fair Isle jumpers in public in 1921.

The fair isle hat is a classic design that never goes out of style. The technique known as tapestry crochet is used to quickly change yarn colors to create the mini hearts design.

n. A sweater set consisting of a cardigan and a shell or pullover that match and are worn together. A matching short-sleeved sweater and cardigan, worn together by women.