My Tenderheart

This will come as no surprise to those who have been following Tin Can Knits for a while, but Emily and I love geometric fair isle. The tiny repeats in the Tenderheart pattern were really fun to swatch and choose and I doubt we are done with the idea yet!

While one of us usually takes the lead on a design, our patterns with Fair Isle are among our most collaborative. We go back and forth on chart variations, make a few swatch hats, and the final product is usually a mix of us both.

Tenderheart has a simple construction, like all of the patterns in Heart on my Sleeve, it is worked from the bottom up (sleeves and body first, then all joined together for the yoke). The Fair Isle is a small repeat, with short floats, perfect for those with limited colourwork experience.

Tenderheart Details

Pattern: Tenderheart from Heart on my Sleeve (proceeds from this book are all going to the Against Malaria Foundation, so get your copy now!)

Yarn: DK weight yarn
MC: 350 (400, 500, 650, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1600, 1800, 2000, 2200) yds
CC: 140 (140, 150, 170, 230, 240, 250, 270, 270, 300, 330, 400, 430, 520, 580) yds

We used Madelinetosh DK for the grown up version in a few of my favourite colourways: Antler (the perfect neutral cool white), with Tart and Scarlet for the contrast.

For Jonesie’s sweater I used John Arbon Textiles Knit by Numbers DK. Emily knit up a Prism hat from Mad Colour in this yarn and I couldn’t wait to cast on a sweater in it! The yarn is soft and heathered and the colourwork really popped in the black and white!

I love the contrast cast-on detail (I might have been adding it to everything lately!), and of course, the heart on my sleeve. This heart motif was created by Mary Jane Mucklestone, a genius at Fair Isle, who has literally written the book on it!

If you haven’t joined the Heart on my Sleeve KAL yet, check it out! There are fabulous prizes and lots of knitters clicking away already.

More fabulous Fair Isle from TCK:

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