By George

I think I’ve got it!  Thanks to Anne my fair isle is looking much more defined.  I posted this question over at the Autumn Rose Kal:  “When I look at other pictures, the section at the beginning of the sleeve with the diamond shapes in sunrise and madder seem much more defined than mine. Any idea what I might be doing wrong?!  I’m getting gauge now but it still looks funky to me.”  Anne’s response:  “Hi Cheryl.  I think your problem might be the position of your yarns — In Autumn Rose — the reds are the background and the golds are the pattern — If you are knitting two handed fair isle — hold the red (the background shade) in your right hand, and the pattern shade, the gold, in your left hand…..that way the pattern shade is always coming from underneath the background shade — it makes the pattern stitch ever so slightly larger and it stands out more.  If you’re working with both strands in one hand — just make sure that you’re always carrying the background shade above with the pattern shade carrying along below — never twisting if a piece of knitting is done with the yarns changing position — it does stand out — I was surprised the first time I saw this.” 

Of course she was right.  I had been experimenting with holding both yarns in the left, doing two hands, changing the position of which yarn was in which hand, etc.  It never occurred to me that this could be a problem.  Being consistent and having the pattern shade carried below the background makes all the difference.  In fact, by the time I got to the second repeat of the red stripe the patterning looked even better.  However, if you think I’m ripping out this sleeve yet again just so I can get the two red stripes looking perfect, you’re crazy!  I’m just happy to move on to the second one knowing it will look fabulous.