Fair Isle Pattern
Make a Fair Isle pattern by stacking horizontal bands: 12 motifs of our own, from 1-row dots to 15-row stars, each knitted in a background and a pattern colour, with an optional third colour for the centre rows. The maker keeps every row to two colours, works out the longest float in each row (the run of one colour, counted round the end of the repeat, because the round goes on), marks rows over the limit you choose, and tells you whether the repeat divides your stitch count, or which counts would. Download a chart PDF with colours and symbols, row 1 at the bottom, a swatch made of the same squares, and a seamless swatch tile as SVG or PNG. Nothing is uploaded.
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Page 1 is the chart: one square per stitch, colours and symbols, row 1 at the bottom, rows over your float limit marked !. Page 2 is the swatch (the same squares repeated across), the colour key and the stitch count. The swatch tile repeats edge to edge.
Bands
Colours
Knitting
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How to make a Fair Isle pattern
- Choose a preset, or pick up to four bands from top to bottom.
- For each band, choose the background colour, the pattern colour and, if you like, a different colour for the centre rows.
- Type the stitches in your round and the longest float you want to carry.
- Check the line under the preview: repeats, longest float, and any rows marked over the limit.
- Download the chart PDF (US Letter or A4) and the swatch tile.
What you can use it for
- Yokes, hats, mittens and sweater bodies knitted in the round
- Planning colour changes band by band
- Checking floats before you cast on
- Fitting a repeat to your stitch count
- Swatch pictures for a pattern write-up (PNG, SVG)
- Fabric and web backgrounds from the seamless swatch tile
The 14 presets
| # | Preset | Bands | Chart | Round | Longest float |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Classic navy and cream | Zigzag, Snow star, Zigzag | 12 sts × 23 rows | 240 (20 repeats) | 5 |
| 2 | Shaded nested diamonds | Dot row, Nested diamonds, Dot row | 16 sts × 21 rows | 256 (16 repeats) | 5 |
| 3 | Yoke bands: crosses and lattice | Little crosses, Lattice, Little crosses | 24 sts × 19 rows | 240 (10 repeats) | 5 |
| 4 | Little trees and a snow star | Little trees, Snow star, Little trees | 12 sts × 27 rows | 228 (19 repeats) | 5 |
| 5 | Red and white snow star | Checks, Snow star, Checks | 12 sts × 21 rows | 240 (20 repeats) | 5 |
| 6 | Pastel filled diamonds | Checks, Filled diamonds, Checks | 8 sts × 19 rows | 200 (25 repeats) | 5 |
| 7 | Grey tones lattice | Dot row, Lattice, Dot row | 8 sts × 15 rows | 200 (25 repeats) | 3 |
| 8 | Small bands only (border) | Dot row, Zigzag, Small diamonds, Little crosses | 12 sts × 17 rows | 96 (8 repeats) | 5 |
| 9 | Diamond trellis, two colours | Diamond trellis | 12 sts × 11 rows | 240 (20 repeats) | 5 |
| 10 | Natural browns | Zigzag, Nested diamonds, Zigzag | 16 sts × 25 rows | 240 (15 repeats) | 5 |
| 11 | Teal and mustard star | Little crosses, Star and checks, Little crosses | 48 sts × 25 rows | 240 (5 repeats) | 5 |
| 12 | Hat band (96 stitches) | Small diamonds, Lattice | 24 sts × 17 rows | 96 (4 repeats) | 5 |
| 13 | Mitten cuff (48 stitches) | Checks, Filled diamonds, Checks | 8 sts × 15 rows | 48 (6 repeats) | 5 |
| 14 | Bright four-colour yoke | Dot row, Diamond trellis, Little crosses, Zigzag | 12 sts × 21 rows | 240 (20 repeats) | 5 |
Each preset only fills in the fields; change any band, colour or stitch count afterwards.
The 12 motif bands
| Motif | Band | Rows × stitches | Mirror | Longest float |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dot row | Small | 1 × 4 | Left to right and top to bottom | 3 |
| Checks | Small | 2 × 2 | Left to right | 1 |
| Zigzag | Small | 3 × 4 | Left to right | 3 |
| Little crosses | Small | 3 × 6 | Left to right and top to bottom | 5 |
| Small diamonds | Small | 5 × 6 | Left to right and top to bottom | 5 |
| Little trees | Small | 5 × 6 | Left to right | 5 |
| Filled diamonds | Small | 7 × 8 | Left to right and top to bottom | 5 |
| Lattice | Large | 9 × 8 | Left to right and top to bottom | 3 |
| Diamond trellis | Large | 9 × 12 | Left to right and top to bottom | 5 |
| Snow star | Large | 13 × 12 | Left to right and top to bottom | 5 |
| Nested diamonds | Large | 15 × 16 | Left to right and top to bottom | 5 |
| Star and checks | Large | 15 × 16 | Left to right and top to bottom | 5 |
Small bands are 1 to 7 rows; large bands are 9 to 15 rows. Every motif is a mirror image of itself as stated (our tests check each one).
Round counts that fit a repeat (96 to 288 stitches)
| Repeat | Stitch counts that divide evenly |
|---|---|
| 4 sts | 96, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116 … 280, 284, 288 |
| 6 sts | 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126 … 276, 282, 288 |
| 8 sts | 96, 104, 112, 120, 128, 136 … 272, 280, 288 |
| 12 sts | 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156 … 264, 276, 288 |
| 16 sts | 96, 112, 128, 144, 160, 176 … 256, 272, 288 |
| 24 sts | 96, 120, 144, 168, 192, 216, 240, 264, 288 |
When you stack bands with different repeats, the chart repeat is the smallest number all of them divide into.
Which tool to use
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| Fair Isle bands with a float check | Fair Isle Pattern (this page) |
| Any colourwork grid, or a picture turned into a chart | Knitting Chart Maker |
| A whole Christmas sweater front | Christmas Sweater Design |
| Diamonds with rakers | Argyle Pattern Generator |
| Seamless snowflake repeats | Snowflake Pattern |
Also handy: the Knitting Chart Maker, the Christmas Sweater Design and the Argyle Pattern Generator.
More free tools
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Frequently asked questions
What is Fair Isle knitting?
A colourwork style named after Fair Isle in Shetland. The source we use (dated in our notes) describes traditional Fair Isle patterns as using a small palette, only two colours per row, knitted in the round, with short runs of any one colour. This maker keeps to those three rules.
How many colours can I use?
Up to six in the palette, but never more than two in a row: each band row is its background colour plus its pattern colour, and plain rows are one colour. You can change colours from band to band and for the centre rows of a band.
What is a float and how is it counted here?
When you knit a stitch in one colour, the other colour is carried behind it. The float is the longest run of one colour in a row. The maker counts it round the end of the repeat, because the last stitch of one repeat sits next to the first stitch of the next.
What does the float limit do?
Rows whose longest run is longer than the number you type are marked with ! on the chart and listed on page 2, so you know where to catch the carried strand. The presets all stay within 5 stitches.
How do I fit the pattern to my stitch count?
The repeat is the smallest number of stitches that every band divides into. If it divides your round, the chart says how many repeats you get; if not, it gives the nearest counts that work, below and above.
Does the swatch match the chart?
Yes. The swatch and the swatch tile are drawn from the same chart squares, one square per stitch, in the same colours; our tests compare them square by square.
How is this different from the knitting chart and sweater makers?
The knitting chart maker paints any colourwork grid or turns a picture into a chart, and the Christmas sweater design lays out a whole sweater front with pictures. This page builds Fair Isle bands only: two colours per row, a float check in every row and a repeat that fits your round.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn by JavaScript in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.