After watching a few days of the winter Olympics, I dare say most knitters are itching to play with a Fair Isle pattern somehow or another. A pillow, a headband, a single-flower potholder if nothing else. All these Nordic hats and scarves covered with Fair Isle patterns are just too enticing!
So I checked out a book at the library called
The Very Easy Guide to Fair Isle Knitting, by Lynne Watterson. I already have a little experience with Fair Isle, but this book had a wonderful collection of patterns--enough to make your head spin. The treasure trove of patterns, however, will not be the biggest take-away from this book for me. That award goes to the easy fringe lesson in the very back of the book.
I've fringed scarves for years. I cut a single piece to check for size, then use that piece as a guide to cut others. They're all basically the same size, but cutting enough to fringe a scarf or poncho is tedious work.
Then I saw the above illustration.
Oh my, that would be so quick! Wrap the yarn evenly around a piece of cardboard that is basically the length you want for the fringe, make a complete wrap for each piece of fringe, then simply cut along the bottom.
I'm sure my other fringe-making friends out there are saying, "Well, duh. Of course that's how you make it." But for me, this was revolutionary. My mind simply doesn't go to efficiency of its own accord. I have to be led there. This will mean fringe starts appearing on so much around here!
Happy embellishing!
