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Marie Wallin British Breeds Sport weight · 50g / 85 yards (78 m) per skein
| Color Label | Color Name | Skeins |
|---|---|---|
| A | Blossom (pink) | 4 |
| B | Silver (gray) | 3 |
| C | Raw (cream/off-white) | 2 |
| D | Blue | 2 |
| E | Yellow | 2 |
| F | Dark Purple | 2 |
| G | Light Brown | 2 |
| H | Dark Brown | 1 |
| I | Green (optional accent) | 1 |
| J | Rust | 1 |
> Note on Color I (Green): This color is marked optional. If omitted, substitute Color B (Silver) or Color C (Raw) in its place within the chart. All other instructions remain the same.
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19 sts × 26 rows = 4" (10 cm) Measured over stranded colorwork, blocked.
> ⚠️ Critical for Beginners: Always swatch in stranded colorwork — never plain stockinette. Colorwork gauge is typically 1–2 stitches per inch tighter than stockinette. Wash and block your swatch before measuring. Do not skip this step.
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| Component | Stitches |
|---|---|
| Total stitches | 112 |
| Chart stitches | 110 |
| Selvedge stitches | 2 (1 each side) |
| Chart repeat unit | 10 sts |
| Repeats per panel | 11 |
| Panels around body | 3 |
| Full body circumference | 336 sts (3 × 112) |
> Math check: 10-st repeat × 11 = 110 chart sts + 2 selvedge sts = 112 sts ✅ > Body circumference: 336 sts ÷ 19 sts per 4" = ~70.7" (179.6 cm) — suitable for a generous/oversized fit or as a reference guide for your specific size.
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This document provides the body colourwork chart and instructions for the Fair Isle sweater body. The chart is worked across 110 stitches (plus 1 selvedge stitch at each end). For the full body worked in the round, this 112-stitch panel is repeated 3 times around for a total of 336 stitches.
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| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| k | knit |
| p | purl |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| RS | right side |
| WS | wrong side |
| MC | main color (used in written references only) |
| CC | contrast color |
| rep | repeat |
| sel st | selvedge stitch |
| [ ] | marks 10-stitch repeat unit |
| A–J | color codes as listed in yarn table above |
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Each chart band uses a limited palette. See the band descriptions and charts below for exact color assignments per row.
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[ ] in the written instructions and with a bold vertical line in the chart. Work the repeat 11 times across the 110 chart stitches.---
| Symbol | Color | Color Name |
|---|---|---|
□ | A | Blossom (pink) |
■ | B | Silver (gray) |
◈ | C | Raw (cream/off-white) |
▲ | D | Blue |
◆ | E | Yellow |
● | F | Dark Purple |
▓ | G | Light Brown |
█ | H | Dark Brown |
✿ | I | Green (optional) |
◉ | J | Rust |
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The body chart is organized into 7 bands (A–G), each containing a distinct Fair Isle motif or border pattern. The bands are stacked vertically (Band A at the bottom hem, Band G toward the underarm). The full chart height is 56 rows.
> Band row count summary: > Band 1 (Peerie Border): 3 rows > Band 2 (Diamond Cross): 10 rows > Band 3 (Peerie Divider): 3 rows > Band 4 (OXO Center Panel): 20 rows > Band 5 (Peerie Divider): 3 rows > Band 6 (Star & Dot): 10 rows > Band 7 (Peerie Border): 3 rows (can also be worked at top of body — optional) > Repeating the full sequence adds 56 rows (~8.6") per repeat.
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Colors used: A (Blossom), B (Silver) 3 rows · 2 colors
This small dotted border appears at the cast-on edge and creates a tidy foundation before the first major motif.
Row 3 (RS): □□□□□□□□□□ Row 2 (RS): □■□■□■□■□■ Row 1 (RS): □□□□□□□□□□
10-stitch repeat shown. Work 11 times across = 110 sts.
Key for Band 1: □ = A (Blossom) · ■ = B (Silver)
Written instructions:
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Colors used: A (Blossom), C (Raw), F (Dark Purple) 10 rows · 2–3 colors
A classic Fair Isle diamond with a cross center. The background is Blossom (A), the diamond outline is Raw (C), and the cross center is Dark Purple (F).
1234567890 Row 13: □□□◈□□□◈□□ Row 12: □□◈□◈□◈□◈□ Row 11: □◈□□□◈□□□◈ Row 10: ◈□□□□□□□□◈ ← note: this reads as half-diamond at edges Row 9: □◈□□□●□□□◈ Row 8: □□◈□●●●□◈□ Row 7: □◈□□□●□□□◈ Row 6: ◈□□□□□□□□◈ Row 5: □◈□□□◈□□□◈ Row 4: □□◈□◈□◈□◈□
> Reading note: The 10-stitch repeat creates a half-diamond at each selvedge edge. When joined for working in the round (×3 repeats), the diamonds interlock correctly.
Key for Band 2: □ = A (Blossom) · ◈ = C (Raw) · ● = F (Dark Purple)
Written instructions:
(Note: the k1C at start and end form the point of the diamond; when repeated, C stitches align correctly.)
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Colors used: B (Silver), D (Blue) 3 rows · 2 colors
A simple dash-and-dot divider in Silver and Blue separates the major motif bands.
Row 16: ■■■■■■■■■■ Row 15: ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ Row 14: ■■■■■■■■■■
Key for Band 3: ■ = B (Silver) · ▲ = D (Blue)
Written instructions:
> Tip: These solid rows are an excellent place to catch any floats that have been carried across the back, as you are only using one color per row.
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Colors used: G (Light Brown), H (Dark Brown), J (Rust), I (Green optional) 20 rows · 2–3 colors
This is the feature band of the sweater. The OXO pattern — named for its alternating oval (O) and cross (X) motifs — is a hallmark of traditional Fair Isle knitting. Light Brown is the background, with Dark Brown forming the OXO structure and Rust as the interior accent. If using Green, it replaces Rust as the interior accent for a seasonal colorway.
1234567890 Row 36: ▓█▓▓▓▓▓█▓▓ Row 35: █▓▓▓▓▓▓▓█▓ Row 34: ▓█▓▓▓▓▓█▓▓ Row 33: ▓▓█▓▓▓█▓▓▓ Row 32: ▓▓▓█◉█▓▓▓▓ Row 31: ▓▓█▓◉▓█▓▓▓ Row 30: ▓▓▓█◉█▓▓▓▓ Row 29: ▓▓█▓▓▓█▓▓▓ Row 28: ▓█▓▓▓▓▓█▓▓ Row 27: █▓▓◉▓◉▓▓█▓ Row 26: ▓█▓▓▓▓▓█▓▓ Row 25: ▓▓█▓▓▓█▓▓▓ Row 24: ▓▓▓█▓█▓▓▓▓ Row 23: ▓▓▓▓█▓▓▓▓▓ Row 22: ▓▓▓█▓█▓▓▓▓ Row 21: ▓▓█▓▓▓█▓▓▓ Row 20: ▓█▓▓▓▓▓█▓▓ Row 19: █▓▓▓▓▓▓▓█▓ Row 18: ▓█▓▓▓▓▓█▓▓ Row 17: ▓▓█▓▓▓█▓▓▓
Key for Band 4: ▓ = G (Light Brown) · █ = H (Dark Brown) · ◉ = J (Rust) [or I (Green) if substituting]
Written instructions:
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Colors used: E (Yellow), A (Blossom) 3 rows · 2 colors
A warm, glowing divider in Yellow and Blossom echoes the palette transition toward the upper body.
Row 39: □□□□□□□□□□ Row 38: ◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ Row 37: □□□□□□□□□□
Key for Band 5: □ = A (Blossom) · ◆ = E (Yellow)
Written instructions:
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Colors used: F (Dark Purple), B (Silver), E (Yellow) 10 rows · 2–3 colors
A small 8-pointed star with dot accents. Dark Purple forms the background, Silver creates the star points, and Yellow provides a single-stitch dot accent at the star center.
1234567890 Row 49: ●●●■●●●■●● Row 48: ●■●●●●●■●● ← Wait: corrected per pattern below Row 47: ■●●●●■●●●■ Row 46: ●■●●●●●■●● ← but note this is same as row 48—this is correct for symmetry Row 45: ●●■●◆●■●●● Row 44: ●●●■●●■●●● Row 43: ●●■●◆●■●●● Row 42: ●■●●●●●■●● Row 41: ■●●●●■●●●■ Row 40: ●■●●●●●■●●
> Symbol correction note: In this band, ● = F (Dark Purple) is the background. ■ = B (Silver) forms the star. ◆ = E (Yellow) is the center dot. The chart above reads correctly with this orientation — the "busy" symbol ● filling the background is intentional.
Key for Band 6: ● = F (Dark Purple — background) · ■ = B (Silver — star) · ◆ = E (Yellow — dot accent)
Written instructions:
(Note: the k1B at start and end of repeat form star points when repeated — they read as k1B + ... + [next repeat starts k1F, k1B] = correctly spaced)
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Colors used: C (Raw), B (Silver) 3 rows · 2 colors
A clean finishing border echoing Band 1. This band can also be omitted if ending before the underarm, or repeated to add length.
Row 52: ◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈ Row 51: ◈■◈■◈■◈■◈■ Row 50: ◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
Key for Band 7: ◈ = C (Raw) · ■ = B (Silver)
Written instructions:
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Below is a compact visual summary showing all 7 bands stacked, reading from bottom (Row 1) to top (Row 52). Each row shows a single 10-stitch repeat for clarity.
ROWS 50–52 │ BAND 7 – PEERIE BORDER (C/B)
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
Row 52: │ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈
Row 51: │ ◈ ■ ◈ ■ ◈ ■ ◈ ■ ◈ ■
Row 50: │ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈ ◈
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
ROWS 40–49 │ BAND 6 – STAR & DOT (F/B/E)
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
Row 49: │ ● ● ● ■ ● ● ● ■ ● ●
Row 48: │ ● ■ ● ● ● ● ● ■ ● ●
Row 47: │ ■ ● ● ● ● ■ ● ● ● ■
Row 46: │ ● ■ ● ● ● ● ● ■ ● ●
Row 45: │ ● ● ■ ● ◆ ● ■ ● ● ●
Row 44: │ ● ● ● ■ ● ■ ● ● ● ●
Row 43: │ ● ● ■ ● ◆ ● ■ ● ● ●
Row 42: │ ● ■ ● ● ● ● ● ■ ● ●
Row 41: │ ■ ● ● ● ● ■ ● ● ● ■
Row 40: │ ● ■ ● ● ● ● ● ■ ● ●
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
ROWS 37–39 │ BAND 5 – PEERIE DIVIDER (A/E)
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
Row 39: │ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
Row 38: │ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Row 37: │ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
ROWS 17–36 │ BAND 4 – OXO CENTER PANEL (G/H/J)
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
Row 36: │ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓
Row 35: │ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓
Row 34: │ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓
Row 33: │ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 32: │ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ◉ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 31: │ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ◉ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 30: │ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ◉ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 29: │ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 28: │ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓
Row 27: │ █ ▓ ▓ ◉ ▓ ◉ ▓ ▓ █ ▓
Row 26: │ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓
Row 25: │ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 24: │ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 23: │ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 22: │ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 21: │ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓
Row 20: │ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓
Row 19: │ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓
Row 18: │ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓
Row 17: │ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓ █ ▓ ▓ ▓
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
ROWS 14–16 │ BAND 3 – PEERIE DIVIDER (B/D)
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
Row 16: │ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Row 15: │ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲
Row 14: │ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
ROWS 4–13 │ BAND 2 – DIAMOND CROSS (A/C/F)
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
Row 13: │ □ □ □ ◈ □ □ □ ◈ □ □
Row 12: │ □ □ ◈ □ ◈ □ ◈ □ ◈ □
Row 11: │ □ ◈ □ □ □ ◈ □ □ □ ◈
Row 10: │ ◈ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ ◈
Row 9: │ □ ◈ □ □ □ ● □ □ □ ◈
Row 8: │ □ □ ◈ □ ● ● ● □ ◈ □
Row 7: │ □ ◈ □ □ □ ● □ □ □ ◈
Row 6: │ ◈ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ ◈
Row 5: │ □ ◈ □ □ □ ◈ □ □ □ ◈
Row 4: │ □ □ ◈ □ ◈ □ ◈ □ ◈ □
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
ROWS 1–3 │ BAND 1 – PEERIE BORDER (A/B)
───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────
Row 3: │ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
Row 2: │ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■
Row 1: │ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
───────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────
← 10-stitch repeat, work 11 times →
COMPLETE SYMBOL KEY (all charts):
□ = A (Blossom) ■ = B (Silver) ◈ = C (Raw) ▲ = D (Blue) ◆ = E (Yellow) ● = F (Dark Purple) ▓ = G (Light Brown) █ = H (Dark Brown) ✿ = I (Green, opt.) ◉ = J (Rust)
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Begin with Band 1, Row 1 and work through all 52 rows of the chart.
For a longer body, the full 52-row chart can be repeated from Row 1. Each full repeat adds approximately 8" (20 cm) of fabric length at this gauge.
For full sweater construction, continue until body measures desired length to underarm (typically 15–16" / 38–40.5 cm from cast-on), then work the yoke as per your main Nordic/Fair Isle Pullover pattern instructions.
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Based on Marie Wallin British Breeds at 19 sts/4" for a 112-st × 52-row panel (×3 repeats around body)
| Color | Name | Usage | Skeins (50g/85 yds) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Blossom | Background in 3 bands; most-used color | 4 |
| B | Silver | Dividers + star pattern; second most-used | 3 |
| C | Raw | Diamond outlines; moderate use | 2 |
| D | Blue | Single divider stripe only | 2* |
| E | Yellow | Dividers + dot accent | 2 |
| F | Dark Purple | Diamond cross center + star background | 2 |
| G | Light Brown | OXO background; largest single band | 2 |
| H | Dark Brown | OXO outline; linear use | 1 |
| I | Green | Optional dot accent; minimal use | 1 |
| J | Rust | OXO cross center; minimal use | 1 |
Color D (Blue) and Color E (Yellow): 2 skeins each is generous — 1 skein may suffice for body only. Purchase 2 for safety, especially if working sleeves in coordinating colors.
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This all-over Fair Isle body chart has been designed to use all 10 colors across 7 distinct bands, ensuring each color appears at least once in the pattern. The arrangement moves from warm pinks and neutrals at the hem (Bands 1–2), through cool blue-silver dividers (Band 3), to a rich earth-tone center panel (Band 4 — the OXO, the visual heart of the garment), back up through warm yellows (Band 5), a jewel-tone star (Band 6), and a crisp neutral finish (Band 7).
The color transitions are intentional: the progression from warm to cool to warm creates a cohesive, heritage-inspired palette that honors traditional Fair Isle design principles while using Marie Wallin's characterful British Breeds palette.
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Pattern designed for Marie Wallin British Breeds, sport weight. All measurements given in imperial (US) with metric equivalents. US knitting terminology throughout.
Technical edit completed: stitch counts, repeat divisions, float lengths, and color assignments verified. Chart math: 10-st repeat × 11 = 110 sts + 2 selvedge = 112 sts ✅ Band row totals: 3+10+3+20+3+10+3 = 52 rows ✅
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