How to do Fair Isle crochet the easy way (video & written instructions)

Fair Isle is the art of introducing distinct color motifs to your crochet background, by running the threads behind your work, so you don't need to keep casting on and off with your yarn. While it's not the easiest style of crochet to master, it is highly addictive, so if you're an intermediate level crocheter, you're going to love the effects you can create.
Having started as a homely knitting technique on the tiny island of Fair Isle in the north of Scotland, the Fair Isle style became fashionable when it was worn in 1921 by the heir to the British throne. Edward, then Prince of Wales, who famously later abdicated as Edward VIII, wore a Fair Isle tank top and launched a crafting frenzy. Fair Isle is still a popular knitting style today, despite the fact that it is complicated to produce. Using crochet to create Fair Isle patterns is a relatively new art, and will bring a crispness to your motifs which cannot be achieved by intarsia or tapestry-style crochet.
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Watch the Fair Isle video tutorial:
Although Fair Isle is not the easiest type of crochet to attempt, the results will make your efforts seem worthwhile. It's worth remembering that, although the color changes can seem tricky at first, the crochet stitches used are often the most basic single crochets and chains.
There are some terms you should know which will pop up in Fair Isle patterns. MC stands for Main Color. CC stands for Contrast Color. Floats are the strings from your alternate colored yarns which are not snipped off but are run around the back of your project.
As you will see from the video tutorial, Fair Isle is usually worked in the round, so it is particularly great for hats. But you can also find patterns that work Fair Isle styles in rows, which work really well with scarves and throws.
Before you start a major Fair Isle project, it's a good idea to practice some of the skills you will need to bring into this new style of crochet. The first is changing color. So begin a crochet project in the round (a hat, say) in a simple stitch like single crochet. When you have two or three rows complete, you can start adding blocks of your contrast color using Fair Isle methods.
First, to change color, forget all about anchoring off your yarn and snipping. Fair Isle is all about keeping two colors running simultaneously and switching back and forth between them. So to add a new color, when you pick up a loop to do a single crochet, just drop your main color and yarn over with your new color, leaving a three to four-inch tail free to weave in later. Simply crochet your stitch with the new color. When it is done, you may notice that your last stitch in the main color looks a little loose. Don't worry about this because when you pick up the main color later on, this will tighten it automatically.
Now continue with your contrast color for as many stitches as you like, to form a block of the new color. When you have finished, simply pick up a loop for your single crochet, drop your contrast color, and yarn over with your main color again. This way you can keep the two colors running without snipping off threads in between stitches. This saves a lot of time, it means there are not nearly as many ends to weave in, and keeps your blocks of color very well defined.
As you go on with your crochet, you'll see that the dropped threads run along the back of your work. Make sure that you don't pull these threads too tightly when you change color, as you need to have enough give to allow your project to stretch a little - particularly important if you are making a hat or gloves. You need the strings to run flat along the block of color without pulling or flapping loose.
To make sure your two yarns don't get tangled behind your work, keep your main color on top of the contrast color, make sure that not too much yarn is unraveled at a time and keep the balls of wool neatly wound.
Fair Isle patterns tend to have short runs between blocks of color, which means your floats at the back don't get too long and aren't in danger of getting tangled or snagged up. But, if you do have some long runs in your pattern - seven stitches or more between color changes - there's a way of making sure the floats do not get in a mess. Half way along your long run, say on the fourth stitch if it's an eight stitch run, just put your contrast color over the hook before you yarn over in your main color. Then when you complete the stitch, your contrast color has been anchored at the back. This very simple step can save you from a lot of tangles!
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Now that you have the mastered the basics of Fair Isle, you are ready to launch yourself on a project fit for a king.