Winter is upon us, there is a chill in the air and it’s time to wrap up in our cosiest knitwear and embrace the elements – you are sure to spot gorgeous woolly wears wherever you turn in Shetland at this time of year!
Although we have weathered a few winter storms already, we have also had the most beautiful calm days in-between. We also experienced a few spectacular displays of the Northern Lights, and we’re reminded how lucky we are to live here!
SWW Winter Offer
To spread a bit of festive joy we are offering a 20% discount on our Shetland Wool Week Annuals and all SWW Merchandise – available from now until 9am Monday 4th December (GMT). The perfect Christmas gift for a woolly loving friend or a nice treat for yourself of course.
Enter discount code – WOOLLYXMAS at checkout to receive 20% off.
Delivery dates: For all international orders, we would recommend you place all orders before Sunday 3rd December to maximise the chances that your parcel arrives before Christmas. UK orders must be placed before Wednesday 13th December to receive pre-Christmas delivery. Please note however, due to possible delays in the postal network, we cannot guarantee these dates. Remember, if you live locally you can select the ‘Pick Up’ shipping option at checkout to collect your order from the Shetland Museum.
SWW Annual Knits
Following the launch of our SWW Annual we always wait in anticipation to see the photo of the first knit from the publication – we love getting your feedback and seeing all the different colour combinations. The Foogry Cowl designed by young knitter, Jenny Jamieson, seems to have been a popular pattern this year – here are a few of our favourites so far.
L-R: Ann Sutton, Jacquie Mercer, Bobby La, Lorraine Wright
L-R: @labellepixie, @thatshoeonthewall, Elise Leung, @desperate_reader
L-R: @mich_h11, @zeistacita, Lorraine Wright, @emmabut69
Remember to share photos of your work in progress and finished garments with us on Facebook and on Instagram using #swwannual #shetlandwoolweekannual2023
New: Vagaland Poetry Book
Another lovely Shetland-themed Christmas present idea hot off the press…
Our colleagues over at the Shetland Amenity Trust have been working hard designing and editing this new book – ‘Love in Human Herts’ – which features 30 selected poems from one of Shetland’s best-loved poets, Vagaland. In both English and Shetland dialect, his poetry celebrations traditional ways of life that few people today have experienced.
It’s a really beautiful publication and lovely to see his poetry in print again (the last time his poetry was available in book-form was in 1975).
Order your copy of ‘Love in Human Herts’
We asked our SWW Patron Alison Rendall to select her favourite poem from the book and tell us why it meant so much to her…
In my role as SWW Patron 2023 I wanted to focus on Shetland’s language as well as the makkin.
I’ve chosen “Shetlanrie” as it summarises the importance of the Shetland language for our cultural identity. Vagaland reminds us that many of the words we use, particularly those used in day to day working rural life, have come directly from the Norn language. The words are apt and descriptive with often no direct, translatable equivalent. I also like the way Vagaland observes the comfort and homeliness we obtain from speaking in our own native tongue, like the difference between a pair of comfortable smucks and a pair of Sunday shoes. He expresses exactly what I feel about our language, but more eloquently than I ever could, which of course is the art of a good poet.
You can purchase a copy of ‘Love in Human Herts’ from the Shetland Museum & Archives and from our online shop.
Are you watching Shetland?
The long dark nights are perfect for curling up with your makkin in front of the T.V – so we are delighted to be able to indulge in the latest series of the BBC drama, ‘Shetland’.
This is the first chapter without Douglas Henshall as Jimmy Perez. There is a new DI on the scene and we are enjoying watching Ashley Jensen play the leading lady Ruth Calder.
As always, a highlight for us is location and knitwear spotting – so we were very excited to see the home of Burra Bears featured in this year’s programme – what a spectacular location!
Wendy Inkster of Burra Bears has shared some behind the scenes photos, she said: “Earlier this year we were delighted to welcome the ‘Shetland’ crew and some of the cast for a few days filming in our house. It was amazing to see the sheer amount of time, effort and quantity of people that go into a series like this, if you spot a green wooden house that’s us, I was busy working away in my workshop behind the blind with all this going on, a great experience all round!”
Series 8 is currently streaming on BBC iPlayer.
Multiple Sclerosis Fundraiser
Helen Robertson, one of our SWW tutors, has designed the cosy Diamond Cowl Pattern to raise funds for Multiple Sclerosis Society Shetland.
Helen told us that Shetland has the second highest rate of MS in the world. The cowl has been designed to celebrate 60 years of the MS Society Shetland Group – their Diamond Anniversary.
The triangle motif used in Helen’s design represents the MS Society logo and the diamond shape symbolises the groups anniversary.
Designed in three colourways – natural; blue and white; and multi coloured.
She is selling patterns, kits and cowls – find out how to order yours here.
All proceeds go to providing support services to people with MS in Shetland.
Orca spotting
Over the past few weeks we have had some incredible Orca encounters – getting close to these beautiful animals in the wild is a truly magical experience. We even spotted them from our SWW headquarters in Lerwick as the pod travelled back and forth through Bressay Sound – now that’s not something you see from the office window every day!
Local photographer, Islander Joy captured this stunning image earlier this month of the 27s pod heading leisurely through the beautiful still waters of Clift Sound bathed in the golden November light.
What’s on your wires?
A common question amongst knitters – so we thought it would be a good chance to catch up with some of our SWW friends to see what they are working on this winter and hopefully give us some casting on inspiration for the months ahead.
Donna Smith of Langsoond Yarn
I tend to have several projects on the go at one time and will work on them depending on what mood I am in, what my concentration levels are at the time or if I am knitting in a group, etc.
Having a look among my knitting baskets and bags, I have one cardigan, two hats, a scarf, a pair of socks, and several swatches on the needles as well as the Brake Blanket. This blanket pattern is from my book Langsoond, A Shetland Yarn and is made up of 24 squares using a combination of garter stitch and the horseshoe lace pattern. I have been working on it for several months; it’s a good project to be working on when travelling or it’s something I can just pick up and knit a few rounds on at a time when I have a little bit of spare time.
I also like to knit it at the same time as the other projects as I get bored quite easily and I’m not sure if I could knit all 24 square in one go! It is also good for knitting in company as the pattern is fairly straight forward to follow and it’s good to have something on the needles I can pick up when going to a knit night. I have started off using my Langsoond DK yarn dyed with plants from the croft (combined with some extracts, e.g. logwood). I haven’t planned what the final blanket will look like so my next job is to lay out the squares I have made already and then decide what other colours to use rather than choosing them randomly!
I launched a lace weight version of Langsoond yarn during Shetland Wool Week which sold out during the week (thanks so much to everyone who bought some!). I have been busy dyeing some more yarn over the past few weeks and I will have several different colours on sale this weekend at my open studio at my home in Burra, check out my social media for the latest details.
I hope everyone stays cosy over the coming advent season and can enjoy some moments of calm with your knitting.
Hazel Mackenzie of Aister ‘oo’
‘Moonshine Lace’ – the new lace weight yarn from Aister ‘oo’ is what’s on Hazel’s wires at the moment.
She explains: It’s the undyed natural white colour from the sheep on our Croft, which has been in our family for hundreds of years.
The star is a pattern by Elizabeth Williamson Knitting and is called Shetland Stars. Having taken an online lace knitting course with Elizabeth earlier this year, (which I would highly recommended) I now follow her on social media. I wanted something ‘perfectly beautiful’ for the very first loops made out of our new Aister ‘oo’ lace weight yarn and as soon as I saw the Shetland Stars, I knew that was it!
Sheila of Laxdale Yarn
Things are quieter after wool week but we are still keeping busy. I am waiting on another batch of yarn and I am pleased to have been able to extend our colour range this time. So some new colours on the way as well as a restock of many we are now very low on.
After a very busy year I am having a few weeks away so makkin has been a bit intermittent. I had in mind for a while to try something with our Mauve shade, a very subtle colour and it has come up lovely in this Brake Cowl on the Stone background. Just now I am turning my mind to family with the imminent arrival of a new grandchild and I will be focussing on some baby knitting.
Keep in touch on our socials and share with us what’s on your wires this winter.
