The Hope

During those times when people of the Shetland Islands were hard-pressed to survive, when the men were out to sea leaving mostly women and children, the Shetland sheep gave life. Women and children were able to handle these small animals and create wonderfully warm clothing. The women spun and knit exquisite articles from the fine, soft neck wools with so many natural hues.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, women on the Shetland Islands significantly outnumbered men. The men were fishermen, known for their competence, pride, and arrogance—all perhaps necessary in such a dangerous profession. Every season the seas swallowed up husbands, sons and sweethearts. Women were often on their own.

During fishing season, women on the isles could outnumber the remaining men sometimes by as many as ten to one. Widows had to care for themselves and their children. The women who never married had to manage somehow. These were the times when the Shetland sheep gave hope.

Because the wool was well-suited for spinning and knitting, the women of the Shetland Islands were able to eke out a living. There can be no doubt that traders exploited the women for the much-valued socks, hats, scarves, lace, and sweaters. But the Shetland people survived. Even in times when the weather and men's luck in fishing were poor, the women and children had these hardy sheep with the excellent wools.

The Art

Shetland wool is famous for being fine and soft. But in truth, not all of a Shetland fleece is soft. For the families on the isles, this came in handy. The soft white neck wools were reserved for undergarments, prized for their comfort and warmth, and for the famous Shetland shawls. The slightly courser wools from the back and sides were used to make warm, durable sweaters and woven tweeds. There were good markets for both type of products. Today, we still find this great versatility in our Shetland flocks.

The wonderful style of Fair Isle knitting is well known.

The natural colored wool of Shetland sheep is always used in true Fair Isle knitting. While the style of Fair Isle knitting developed circa 1850 on the southernmost Shetland Island, the sources of influence are disputed. Because these seafaring peoples were exposed to many cultures, there may have been ideas from as far as Spain. Some patterns also look very similar to Norwegian styles.

Like many artistic styles, ideas were probably drawn from many cultures. The Fair Isle knitters assimilated these influences into the Fair Isle style as we know it.

The Fair Isle style is technically called stranded knitting. Only two colors of wool are used in each row. The yarn not being knitted is carried behind the knitting. True Fair Isle is knitted in the round (like a tube) on three to four needles.

Traditional Fair Isle patterns tend to be symmetrical with the OXO pattern being one of the oldest. The now popular Norwegian Star is one of the newest patterns is a rather new addition (around 1940).

Patterns generally span from two to twenty eight rows. The narrower rows can be used as all over patterns or borders and dividers for the larger patterns.

Traditional Fair Isle knitting is actually cut after it is knitted. The Shetland's wool quality plays an important part in this process. Shetland wool is hairy. It likes to stick to itself and the knitter doesn't have to worry about hard work coming undone.

The Exquisite Shetland Lace

Shetland lace knitting is one of the most exquisite of needlework art forms. During the 1800's, lace knitting was mainly centered on Unst, the northern most island of Shetland. Unst was where the best knitters, spinners, and sheep could be found.

The famous wedding ring shawls—so fine because they could be pulled through a wedding ring—were made from wools plucked from the neck, breast and from behind the ears of the Shetland sheep.

The patience and skill in the creation of a fine wedding ring shawl were considerable. The time involved in the selection of the very finest fibers, the combing or carding, then the spinning, and finally the knitting—could amount to thousands of hours.

Only expert spinners could spin from one ounce of raw wool three-thousand yards of “gossamer”or “cobweb yarn” as the lace yarn was sometimes called. By 1900, few spinners of this quality could be found on the islands. Today, one would be hard pressed to find a person anywhere who could spin wool into gossamer yarn.

In the 1800's, Shetland lace patterns were handed down verbally from mother to daughter. Each shawl was a unique creation. Patterns and their names were taken from the land and sea. Among the more famous pattern names are Old Shale, Cat's Paw, Print of the Wave, Shetland Fern, Horseshoe Stitch, and Cockleshell, and the Ring Stitch.

Today we have Shetland lace patterns printed in books. But the skill involved to truly create one of these exquisite shawls is a lost art.