Blog
Sandra's Supreme Shoormal
Hello everyone, today we thought we'd share something inspiring that Sandra worked on during lockdown - A Shoormal Hap knit in Shetland Supreme Jumper Weight! We launched our Shoormal Hap a couple of years ago, its a classic and timeless Shetland Hap, which is a square shawl that usually has a middle, borders and an edging. These have been made in Shetland for hundreds of years and used for babies, as outerwear and just as a blanket - its a surprisingly versatile item! In the pattern version, Sandra used Shetland Heritage Naturals which worked beautifully - the yarn has an excellent drape and handle but for this version, she decided to use our undyed woollen spun Jumper Weight, Shetland Supreme for a cushier version and I think you will agree it is beautiful! My (Ella's) boyfriend Peter also made me this Hap Board during Lockdown, following the excellent Tutorial on Kate Davies blog but he is a joiner so it came out perfect, so we thought the new Shoormal was a great opportunity to try it out - Nothing looks better than a Hap on Hap board! If you want to make your own Shoormal in Supreme Jumper weight you can find the pattern here or here and you will need: Shetland Supreme Jumper Weight - 50g balls 2005 (Shetland Black) x 6 2008 (Katmollet) x 1 2007 (Sholmit) x 1 2004 (Moorit) x 1 She used the same size needles throughout (5mm) so although the yarn is a bit thicker it came out the same size (45 inches square) perfect for the back of the couch or on your bed. Truly a timeless piece of knitting!
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Hand Knits
Hello everyone, happy weekend! Today is just a quick post to show you some of the hand-knit accessories we have in stock just now, first off we have a limited amount of hand-knit versions of Olivers Hat from 'Jamieson & Smith A Shetland Story' These have been hand-knit by the designer, our very own Sandra Manson so this a special opportunity to get your hands on one! We have added a J&S star tag to mark its authenticity: We also have a selection of hats which are knit by a lovely lady here in Shetland, they are all made using vintage and new shades of Jumper Weight and each one is different, so you will never see another the same! And we have some Fingerless Gloves (although that sounds wrong - they do have fingers, just small ones!) and also Fingerless Mitts (no fingers at all, just ribbing at the top) again knit by a selection of ladies in Shetland using vintage and new wool in a range of one-off patterns. Now as most of these are one-offs you need to get in quick if you see ones you fancy! If they have sold out before we get to your order we will be in touch but I thought we would mention them for (ahem ahem) Christmas gifts as due to the ongoing COVID related delays Royal Mail has put in extremely early last recommended posting dates for international Christmas Delivery - we have already passed one of them!! : Monday 5 October All non-European destinations (except South Africa, Canada, Middle and Far East, USA) Monday 12 October Middle and Far East, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa Monday 2 November Canada, Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Turkey, USA Monday 16 November Western Europe So that's some of the accessories we have in stock, they are selling fast already! Happy knitting!
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Shetland College Project 2020
Hello everyone, You may know that every year we work with the Shetland College and their Fine Art and Contemporary Textiles students on a project in which the students create a piece of work inspired by J&S and its buildings and yarns, even though things have been very different this year we did manage to have the usual visits with the students at the beginning of the year before everything shut down so they were able to continue the project and last week I (Ella) headed to the college to see the results of the project. As always we will go through the students work and I'll write a little bit about their inspirations: Shannon Leslie Shannon was inspired from her visit to us and hearing Oliver speak about the importance of Shetland sheep and their colours, marking and existence - She created this collection of beautiful 'lugs' - ears in Shetland dialect from raw wool and combed tops. She said 'We never want these ears to become mere ‘specimens’ of what ‘once was’'. I found the ears very tactile and cute, and I could see links to Museums and Taxidermy which was very effective. Elouise Spooner Elouise was inspired by the markings on the floor in the Woolstore and the colours and textures in the woolstore from the walls, floors and wool. She worked into a sheet using sewing, painting and distressing. She said: 'The phrase ‘Common Land’ took a whole different meaning when put into the context of today, as before it just meant a field used by many crofters for sheep, but in the context of COVID-19 it stands for how people have had to come together in the ‘Common Land’ of the internet and how people have had to become more empathetic with each other as this virus affects everyone. This piece was not what I expected when I first stepped into Jamieson & Smith, but I’m very happy with the outcome.' It was a really effective piece and I liked how it linked into the present as well as the every day in the Woolstore. Jean Urquhart Jean created a selection of sculptural pieces and painting in her work as well as small art book containing samples of fleece paintings which she then took out onto bigger scale wall pieces. She was inspired by the textures and colours of the woolstore which I think translated well into her use of natural colours in the Heritage and Tops. She said: 'I really enjoyed discovering the wool shed, loved the untreated wool, the atmosphere, the history: found it inspirational. The natural yarn is very beautiufl and makes me want to learn to knit' Elaine Thomason Elaine was inspired by visiting J&S and its buildings to create a 'Taatit Rug' which incorporated lots of elements of what we do - including our logo and bannisters! She said: For the last sixty years, J&S have bought fleeces from the Shetland crofters…who graze their hardy peerie sheep on the stark hillsides. In the 1960s the old United Free Kirk was purchased to be used as a grading shed…it is now the Wool Shop. In the 1900s this part of Lerwick was a hive of activity with numerous fishing stations spread along its shores. The shore being the work-place of the Herring girl’s as they gutted and salted fish. The kirk was a place of worship and relaxation for them. The herring girls had a restroom and knitted in any free time. Marriages also took place and even a Post Office made use of the building. This colourful history inspired me. I thought of the poverty of material things and how nothing was wasted. From conception to creation the coming together of the Tattit rug, historical a wedding gift to the bride and groom from both families.' I found Elaine's rug really moving and could totally see all the inspiratrions and how they had translated into the piece. Cilla Robertson Cilla was inspired by the textures in the woolstore and decided to work with crochet and balls to represent the reach of Shetland Wool all over the world. She combined these into hanging almost 'mobiles' Shet said 'I wanted my final work to highlight the environment that supports the production of wool. I used peat, clay, heather and rams’ horns.' I loved the use of different materials withing the work and found them very beautiufl to look at and stand under. Jane Ridland Jane worked with audio and visuals to represent her visits to J&S and what that ignited within her and she made her film from a Grandaughters perspective. She said 'I used film to recreate the rhythmic movement and sound of my grandmother’s knitting needles and highlight the importance of yarn quality, and the essential knitting belt. Finally, to remember a small flock of twenty sheep.' I think the work the students produced considering everything that's happened this year was really great and it's always amazing to see what is produced and how others see coming into J&S and we love seeing work from so many different perspectives. To find out more about the creative courses at the Shetland College click here, we hope you've enjoyed seeing the students work.
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Working With Wool, A Guest Post from Vivian Ross-Smith
'Form'. Shetland wool on Burlap. 20x21cm. 2018 You don’t have to look hard in my studio to find wool. There are balls of J&S yarn scattered everywhere and crimps of raw fleece dotted around my work benches. There’s a grip and bite to Shetland wool that is unlike any other wool I have used in my work; the texture is beautiful to hold and excellent to work with. J&S have an enticing range of colours waiting to grab your attention but it’s the natural shades that always sit best with my work. Reminding me of shearing sheep on my home island of Fair Isle. 'Fair Isle Scattald' 2018, acrylic on wood. 14 x 12 cm each (series of 17) 'Ewes Out' 2018. Shetland wool handstitched on canvas. 70 x 51 cm (Detail) Some of my fondest childhood memories are gathering as a community to ‘caa’ sheep. This process involves walking through the rugged, heather-covered hills as one to manoeuvre the flock toward the ‘crü’, a large enclosed pen from which sheep can be sheared and dosed. Feeling the rich, almost sticky lanolin coat my hands as I prize fleece away from skin to find the growth line I will clip along. Not only have these textures, colours and smells stuck with me, the coming together of community to work collectively had a huge impact on me too. As with many artists, my personal history is an integral framework for my practice. The mentality and dynamic of island communities’ shapes my work, I approach my art as an islander. 'But if you use the word craft, it's like you're politicising the word craft', 2020. Shetland wool and acrylic on paper 'Craft Conversations II', 2020. Canvas, felt, acrylic, Shetland wool, wood and tracing paper Materiality forms the backbone of my practice from which I explore the aesthetic qualities, as well as the cultural value of material. Fish skins, salt, wood, and hessian are paired with traditional island skill sets such as knitting, knotting, weaving and stitching to communicate craft, skill, isolation, and commitment to place. It is wool, however, that features in my work time and time again – a material completely intertwined with Shetland culture. When I use wool, I play a small part in feeding into the long and rich history of crofting, knitting and textiles in Shetland. 'Stitch', 2019. Hessian and Shetland wool. 24x24cm 'Sorting + Grading' 2019. Shetland wool and burlap. 140x80cm 'Sorting + Grading' 2019. Shetland wool and burlap. 140x80cm (Detail) Living on a small island like Fair Isle simultaneously requires self-sufficiency and a willingness to rely on neighbours. Although not the only industries, the laborious working of land and sea through crofting and fishing, is still a common practice on Shetlands islands. I use my practice as a method of echoing the types of work that take place on islands, commitment to working in a repetitive and laborious way is mirrored through the rhythms and durational nature of my work, reminiscent of the ebb and flow of the sea, or the back and forth of a knitting machine. Alongside the workload of an islander comes a collective commitment to place and way of life, which highlights the need for a strong community, allowing a sharing of workload and the building of support structures. It is this joined-up thinking I am interested in. To me, islands are places of coming together. Good Mother, 2018. Shetland wool handstitched on canvas. 70 x 51 cm 'Moder Dy', 2019. Haddock skins, Shetland wool, wooden bar This shared working is very apparent in the crafts of the island and particularly in the knitting, where its commonplace to share patterns and knitting knowledge with neighbours, friends and family. The social aspect is what draws me to textiles and from that stance, my appreciation of wool as a material strengthens. 'J+S', 2019. Raw fleece hand-stitched with Jamieson and Smith yarn. 24x24 cm I’ve never been taught how to use stitch properly, instead making it up as I go along with whatever means make sense to the work. The same goes for my knitting, although Fair Isle is my home island and I have been surrounded by exceptionally talented knitters for my whole life, I only taught myself to knit garments properly in 2017. My use of wool in my artwork has always been intuitive and centres around the development of tactile surfaces and trying to gain an understanding of the materials form and function. piece could be as simple as exploring the relationship between raw and spun wool, yet the touch of the fleece, the smell of the lanolin, the individual crimps, keep my mind and hands engaged for hours. Or the conceptual could take forefront, how does craft practice fit into fine art? Is the internet the new craft space rather than gathering and making physically? Regardless of the starting point for a piece of work, it’s the material - and usually the wool – that my mind goes to first. 'Craft Conversations III' 2019. Shetland wool and canvas I ask viewers to look at material from a perspective they’re not used to. I ask them to question its qualities, origins and if our understanding of the material itself can be built on. From this place of constant learning, a deep appreciation can be formed. ------------------------------------ Vivian Ross-Smith is an artist working from the Shetland Islands. She adopts a collaborative and systematic approach to making and sharing through painting, textiles and the digital. Her work creates space to discuss the practices of island life from a contemporary, fine art context and explores the textures, qualities and values of material and space. Ross-Smith’s work builds relationships and conversations between material, place and people and is as much about experiencing as it is about seeing. https://www.vivianrosssmith.com @vrosssmith Thank you Vivian for this guest post - we hope you are enjoying our Wool Week content - make sure to follow our instagram and subscribe to our youtube channel - if you haven't already! Happy Knitting!
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In the next few weeks..
Hello Everyone, as difficult as it was we totally understand why the decision was made to cancel Shetland Wool Week this year, but of course, we will miss seeing all our visitors and this means many of you will not be getting your Shetland and J&S fix this year! to that end, we are working hard on having content which we will be sharing over the end of September and beginning of October. We will have exclusives from Haworth Scouring and Combing, West Yorkshire Spinners, Campaign for Wool and Vispring as well as lots from us here at J&S, this post is to remind you to follow our social media to make sure you don't miss anything!: Instagram Facebook twitter And to subscribe to our youtube channel as that is where we will post all our video content first: youtube We know it won't be the same as being here but we hope it will give you lots to see and help tide you over until you can visit again, we also still have spaces available on our Zoom Drop Spindle class with Deborah Gray - this is the only 'live' class we have and it is on the 1st of October, if you order a kit (see here) you will receive a drop spindle and natural comb top sample pack to be used in the class. We will be back with more details about the other content nearer the time but we hope you will all be looking forward to it, Happy knitting!
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Northern Light KAL Final Projects!
Hello everyone, we have reached the end of our Northern Lights KAL! today I'm going to share the projects which have been finished during the KAL, the rules were that the item had to be inspired by the Northern Lights in Shetland and could use any style of knitting or any of our ranges of J&S yarn. If you want to see more pictures please click on the link on each picture – that will take you to the Ravelry project page. We have spilt the poll into garments and accessories so once you’ve had a look over please vote for your favourite, Voting will be open for a week then we will reveal the winners next Tuesday in our Ravelry Group and on Instagram! Garments Shetland Skies Sandvoe Northern Lights KAL Jumper Norrsken Merrie Dancers Dress Birkin Thank you for voting, the poll is NOW CLOSED Accessories Shetland Mirry Dancers Night Project Bag Northern MN Lights Northern Lights Cowl Night Wing Millions O Stars Every Flavour Bousta Hap Cowl Thank you for voting, the poll is NOW CLOSED Happy Voting!
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Lockdown Inspiration
Hello everyone, we hope you are staying safe and well. I thought today we'd share some inspiring finished projects which have been shared to our Ravelry group, it's always interesting to see what other people have been working on using our yarns and it can give you great ideas on patterns, colours and yarns to use: Starting with this beautiful version of Vaila from the Vintage Shetland Book, we love the colours Kim chose in 2ply Jumper Weight and although the shades are quite modern and bright it still gives off great vintage vibes! We shared this project on our social media last week but its so lovely, its the Quaarl Hat pattern knit in Supreme Jumper Weight. We love the big motif on the main body of the hat - it's so impactful and in the natural shades it's just beautiful. This cardigan knit in Shetland Heritage really stood out to me when I saw it and its a great example of someone taking elements from a pattern to make something perfect for them. The lace pattern is from one of the designs in the Legacy of Shetland Lace book. Light Grey Heritage is such a beautiful colour! This scarf is knit using 2ply Supreme Lace held together in a marl and the finished project is so great! We love that it shows the different things you can do with laceweight and the way all the natural colours work together is so inspiring. The pattern is from the new Cecelia Campochiaro book 'Making Marls' This project stood out thanks to the use of Purl Bumps in this pattern, aptly called Purl Bump Mitts is so great and the cuff and fingers texture is so good. simple but so effective! Although it looks like black and white the dark shade is actually Jumper Weight shade 82 which is a really dark green - it works so well with the white. This project shows off the beautiful finished texture of the Shetland Aran Worsted, it looks so soft and the colourwork is so strong, The pattern is Speedy Selbu Mittens and the colour choice is that bit different than usual but still so effective (Berry Wine and Fluggy White). Looking at the recently shared projects on Ravelry always leads you down a happy rabbit hole so during this time when many of us have a bit more time you can spend time looking at some really inspiring projects knit using J&S yarns. Again we'd like to thank you for your support during this time, happy knitting! x
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Northern Lights KAL Update
Photo Copyright: David Gifford Hello everyone, we hope you are all doing well and keeping safe in these scary times! We are all fine here in Shetland for the moment but we are of course keeping an eye on all the advice coming in. Since we may all have a bit more time on our hand's thanks to Coronavirus I thought we would remind you about our Northern Lights KAL, which ends in a couple of weeks. What we would like is for you to knit or crochet something inspired by the Northern Lights, that could be using the colours, motifs and shapes often seen - for more info have a look at our original post. There have been some lovely finished objects appearing in the Ravelry group so if you thought you might have time to whip something up that would be great! Here are a few of the shared projects to whet your appetite.. L-R: Eval8, cutty-sark and brisch's projects L-R: NortherlyKnitting, deborahgray and klakla's projects We have a Pinterest board with pictures you can use to get colour and imagery inspiration and we did another post with more ideas. So if you want to take part there is still time and we look forward to seeing all the projects, Happy Knitting and stay safe!
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Northern Lights KAL Inspiration
Hello everyone, today we thought we'd share some inspiration if you are thinking about taking part in our Northern Lights KAL, there are projects starting to appear on Ravelry and still plenty of time to enter. Now Christmas and New Year are past us there is more time for knitting and certainly, here in Shetland, we are having very dark, windy and rainy nights that just ask for hunkering down and doing some knitting. Photo Copyright: David Gifford I thought I'd share some patterns which could easily be used to convey the feeling of the Northern Lights or even take their inspiration directly from it: L-R: Prairie Stars Gloves - Outi Kater, Sky Gazing Toque - Simone Van Iderstine and Pole Star Mittens - Joan Poleson. L-R: Merrie dancers Toorie - Elizabeth Johnston, Aurora Polaris Cowl- Lou Lachance These patterns all use Fingering Weight/4ply so would work perfectly with 2ply Jumper Weight, this is the range in which we have the widest range of colours but you could take motif inspiration from the patterns and use any weight of yarn - 2ply Lace, Shetland Heritage, The Croft, Shetland Aran Worsted.. Of course, you could choose to go down the Shetland Lace route - I found these two patterns, one of which is directly inspired by Northern Lights: L-R: Merry Dancers - Heather Pfeifer, Shetland Stars Shawl (rectangle) - Monique Boonstra. If you would like to put together your own motifs or patterns there are lots of great books to help with that - some of the best selling ones are: Traditional Fair Isle Knitting by Sheila MacGregor and 200 Fair Isle Designs by Mary Jane Mucklestone. The Magic of Shetland lace Knitting by Liz Lovick and Heirloom Knitting by Sharon Miller I've focused on knitting styles more common in Shetland - Fair Isle/Colourwork and Lace but remember you can use any style of knitting as long as you use all J&S yarns – you can use any, from cobweb up to chunky but to be eligible for a prize you must be able to show it is made in our wool. If you are struggling with colours I've found a few websites you can use, Coolers.co lets you upload an image and puts together a palette from that picture: Adobe Color is another website that lets you search palettes: Some other colours inspiration websites are: Design Seeds, Colour Lovers and Colordot. I hope this has given you some inspiration if you would like to take part, the details of the KAL are: KAL will run until 1st April 2020. You can make any type of Knitted Garment/Accessory or Home item. What you make must only use Jamieson & Smith yarns. Item must be inspired by Northern Lights either in colour, motif or effect – or all three! You can share what you’re making with the #northernlightskal on Instagram and you must tag Ravelry projects with #northernlightskal Happy knitting!
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