Joining the Shetland Wool Week festivities

In honour of the Shetland Wool Week festival I have made the time to complete this shetland wool vest I began in 2002.

It is from my much loved volume "Classic British Knits" by Madeline Weston. Not sure though if the folks in Shetland think of themselves as British. My Scottish Aunt Joan used to tell me Britain was not part of Europe, an opinion I never pressed her on, because it is certainly a truth.

I have always loved shetland wool, to dream about, to knit with and to wear, it tops my list. Sometimes I get distracted by Icelandic Alafoss Lopi and Norwegian Peer Gynt. It is the way yarns with that right amount of stickiness produce fabric with integrity, working so perfectly with the techniques of stranded colour work and cut and sew.
All knitters world wide are invited to participate in the Shetland Wool Week with a free pattern written by Ella Gordon.
The fairisle pattern is Crofthoose after the traditional small homes that dot the Shetland islands.

Kim's version is in the coned shetland we have in stock. She wound off one ounce of each of her chosen colours. When completed, the hat used: A-10g, B-5.5g, C-7g, D-9.5g and E-6g for a total of 38g or a little under 3 ounces.

She did her increases a bit differently than those suggested in the pattern, and I see lots of advice on Ravelry for this step in the process. Here are the wee hooses in the purple twilight

and a striped decrease variation

My version also uses our coned shetland yarn. It is oiled on the cone, and functions similar to authentic aran yarn in terms of the knitting experience and water resistance when wearing.

Here it is before washing.

Here it is after, still wooly but nice, soft, and fluffy.

Kim has picked and organized many different combinations to explore

Alpaca, both of brands we carry, are very soft and light.

Lots of shades to choose from.

Einband is similar to Shetland Jumper weight.

Kim has superb talent for colour selection, and we are lucky to have her here in Myrtle Station.