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Knitting and Textiles

With the menfolk at sea, it was up to their wives to run the croft. Women spent their days growing crops, caring for the animals, carrying peat from the hills for the fire and gathering winter fodder. Any free time was spent in knitting or in making extraordinarily fine lace using the wool from Shetland's native sheep. Those traditions are still alive today, whether in elaborately patterned jumpers or lace shawls so delicate that they can be pulled through a wedding ring.

Come to Shetland in October during Shetland Wool Week, seven days dedicated to celebrating the wool of Britain's most northerly native sheep, Shetland's textile industries and rural farming communities. Join knitting master classes in Fair Isle and Shetland Fine Lace, workshops in hand-spinning, weaving and felting attended by knitters, designers and textile artists from all over the world.

Why not begin your knitwear journey at the Shetland Museum and Archives in Lerwick, where displays tell Shetland's textile story from its beginnings to the present day.

The Shetland Textile Museum which is housed at the Böd of Gremista in Lerwick has regular demonstrations of spinning, hand knitting and weaving from the isles' finest makers.

2013 Textile Mini Tours

The Centre for Creative Industries announced programme for their 2013 Shetland Textile Journeys. 

The tours will appeal to anyone keen to understand and tap into that same energy, drawn from an amazing cultural and natural heritage, which has inspired Shetland's rich textile tradition.  To intensify your experience groups are intentionally kept small, so please ensure you book early to secure your place on one of these these popular tours.  All meals and transport is provided and fees and materials are also included.

Craft Trail

Shetland Arts & Crafts Association is proud to announce the launch of Shetland’s first ever Craft trail. Around forty craftspeople, artists and related shops and outlets are participating in opening their workshops or studios – sometimes purpose built and professional; sometimes just a corner of a house – to visitors. Download Trail leaflet (pdf)

Places to visit or buy knitwear, yarns, books or other locally-made textiles

Lerwick

Shetland Textile Museum
(www.shetlandtextilemuseum.com)
Community museum dedicated to the islands’ textile heritage, housed at the Böd of Gremista.

Jamieson and Smith
90 North Road, tel. 01595 693579

Jamieson's Spinning Shetland Ltd.
93-95 Commercial Street, tel. 01595 693114

The Spiders Web
(www.shetland-handknits.co.uk)
51 Commercial Street, tel. 01595 695246

Ninian
80 Commercial Street, tel. 01595 696655

Anderson & Company
60-62 Commercial Street, tel. 01595 693714

Peerie Shop – Victoria Gibson Knitwear
Esplanade, tel. 01595 692816

Spinning Wheel Craft Shop
Esplanade, tel. 01595 694188

Troak – Barbara Ridland
tel. 01595 695031

North Rock Gallery
133 Commercial Street, tel. 01595 694644

Shetland Museum and Archives
Hay's Dock, tel. 01595 695057

Shetland Times Bookshop
71-79 Commercial Street, tel. 01595 695531

The Shetland Art Company
135-137 Commercial Street, tel. 01595 694324

Fair Isle

Fair Isle Cooperative
Fair Isle

Kathy Coull - Fair Isle Textile Workshop
Fair Isle, tel. 01595 760248

George Waterston Memorial Centre
Fair Isle, 01595 760244

South Mainland

Barbara Isbister Knitwear
Cunningsburgh, tel. 01950 477241

Shetland Designer
Cunningsburgh, tel. 01950 477257

The Shetland Collection
www.shetlandknitwear.net
Virkie, tel. 01950 460340

Laurence Odie Ltd – Hoswick Woollen Mill
Sandwick, tel. 01950 431215

Nielanell
Hoswick, next door to Laurence Odie Ltd 01950 695459

Central Mainland

Aamos Designs
Scalloway, tel. 07725 6107303

Burra Bears
www.burrabears.co.uk
Burra, 01595 859374

West Mainland

Jamieson's Spinning Shetland Ltd
www.jamiesonsshetland.co.uk
Sandness, tel. 01595 870285

Delting, Lunnasting & Nesting

Consulate Design Studios
 www.consulatedesigns.com/joomla/index.php
South Nesting, tel. 01595 890296

Northmavine

Braewick Cafe
Eshaness, tel. 01806 503 345

Oily Muggie
www.designedinshetland.co.uk
Hillswick, tel. 01806 503 363

Whalsay

Andrea Williamson
Whalsay, 01806 566468

Yell

The Centre for Creative Industries
Yell, 01957 744355

Pauline Walsh
Yell, tel. 01957 722 282

Old Haa Museum and Art Gallery
Yell, tel. 01957 722339

Unst

Unst Heritage Centre
Haroldswick, Unst, tel. 01957 711528