According to tradition, northern ‘island’ fishing sweaters were knit in family patterns so that when the body of a fisherman washed ashore, he could be identified by the pattern of his sweater! Another strong northern tradition comes from the Shetland Islands, specifically Fair isle, located northeast of the Scottish mainland. The islands are noteworthy for their damp climate and the quality of their wool. These features, along with the availability of synthetic dyes, combined to foster the development of a colorful form of patterned knitting known as Fairisle knitting. We invite you to spend two days exploring the rich history of Fairisle heirloom knitting traditions as students design their own Fairisle pattern on knitting graph paper, select yarns (traditionally soft but intense shades of yellow, orange and green), then knit swatches from their designs using double-pointed or circular needles. Before the class ends, students will incorporate their Fairisle swatch into a border for a delightful cap or headband to take home with them.