Blog
We're doing a little happy dance...
because Knit Real Shetland just went live in digital form. You can buy the eBook here, or a real shiny copy here. Some quotes about the book: "Knit Real Shetland is a total stunner. Utterly amazing, every last page of it." Kate Heppell, Editor of Knit Now magazine. "Tapping into the romance of the Shetland Isles, with their rustic landscapes and countless sheep flocks, this pattern book is a real escape from modern city living... The 15 designs have a slight vintage feel that fits with the island outlook, while presenting a luscious range of colours and styles that fit right into 21st century fashions... We love the Feathercrest Mittens (even the name makes us a little weak at the knees!) designed by Jared Flood, and autumn-toned Melby Jumper dress by Gudrun Johnson. In fact, there isn’t one item in this collection that we wouldn’t love to wear. Apart from, perhaps, the Osaka Tea Cosy. We’ll leave that to the teapot." Judy Darley, TheKnitter.co.uk. "It was a real honour to be asked to write the introduction to this book, celebrating 65 years of Jamieson & Smith. As well as super designs from names that are no doubt familiar to you, Knit Real Shetland also includes gorgeous patterns from designers you may not have heard of but should know: Mary Kay, Hazel Tindall, Lesley Smith, Joyce Ward and Sandra Manson – lovely women all, and talented Shetland knitters" Kate Davies, Textisles. And an inside peep...
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Goody bag
Fair Isle Goody Bag = Perfect gift for a beginner, or a little treat to yourself. The goody bag contains a DVD with an introduction to knitting Fair Isle by Elizabeth Lovick, 4 balls of yarn, needles, stitchmarkers and a tapestry needle. The kit comes in one our lovely new bags - made from unbleached, Fairtrade cotton and produced in a carbon neutral factory. You can find these limited edition bags here, among our House&Home products.
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Cosy Competition
The Real Shetland Company are running a lovely competition with the Campaign for Wool. The idea is that you come up with a slogan that promotes the use of wool and you can win a Real Shetland Throw, photographed above by Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed. Some examples: 'Wool runs on grass' and 'Wear British Wool; 30,000,000 British sheep can't be wrong'. You get the idea? The Real Shetland Company are pretty cool customers: they purchase the coloured wool from Jamieson & Smith to make the lovely throws, carpets and rugs. Cosy cosy. They've had some hilarious entries from all over the world already. The competition has come at a good time too, with Wovember in full swing (a reminder of why it's so important to promote wool, as well as a source of inspiration). Good luck...
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T'internet
Hello all, We're back online after internet problems that caused disruption to our email systems. Will catch up with all your messages tomorrow. Phew! Best wishes All at Jamieson & Smith x Image source: Shetland Museum and Archives
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WOVEMBER
Yay! Wovember is here, recognising that Real Wool comes from Real Sheep. Wear as much Real Wool as possible throughout the entire month of November. Two main reasons: 1. it's amazing 2. as a protest to manufacturers and retailers who label their goods as wool, despite it having no wool at all or a tiny teeny little bit mixed in with a load of synthetics. Sign the Wovember Petition and enter the Wovember Competition to show your support for the sheep and the people involved in producing Real Wool. x
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Launching...
A lovely shiny new book with 15 knitting projects in Real Shetland Wool by 14 designers. Introduction by Kate Davies, tech editing by Jen Arnall-Culliford, interior and cover design by Laura Palumbo and photography by Dave Donaldson. We'll be launching the book digitally, shortly but there are only a limited amount of real live glossy versions here. The book is available worldwide, including the USA. As a special launch offer, UK postage on the book is free until this Friday 21st October 2011.You can see each of the kits for Knit Real Shetland here. Eeek, we're so excited. Will post images of the launch where Kate Davies, Masami Yokoyama, Mary Jane Mucklestone, Mary Kay, Sandra Manson, Gudrun Johnston, Lesley Smith, Joyce Ward and Hazel Tindall joined us on Friday night at the Shetland Museum. xPS. If you're a retailer and would like to stock Knit Real Shetland, please contact us at sales@shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk
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We're at Wool Modern
If you're lucky enough to be in London, go check out Wool Modern at Pall Mall.Jamieson & Smith are there, as part of a collaboration with Claire-Anne O'Brien. We'll come back with some images of her beautiful work. Also exhibited is pieces by Maison Martin Margiela, Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. The exhibition is part of the Campaign for Wool and will tour Berlin, Shanghai, the US and Tokyo. Oh I wish we could teleport ourselves down to have a look. If you go, leave us a comment and let us know how it was...
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A knitting castle
Work is beginning on the renovations of Brough Lodge, a nineteenth century estate on the Shetland island of Fetlar. It's stunning and everything - both the building itself and it's beautiful surroundings feel a little bit unreal, like something from a fairytale - but that's not the whole reason we're mentioning it to you...One day Brough Lodge will be a knitting retreat. Yup, a place to cosy up for an entire holiday and knit. We've been speaking about this with the people behind the project, Pierre and Deborah (Deborah is a lovely knitter herself). The pair have the most amazing and inspiring vision for the place that includes knitting workshops and residencies. Plans are to finish the building to an exceptionally high standard in terms of materials, design and furnishings to create a place that you just won't want to ever leave. The project is a big one - and it needs support. The house is in need of major repairs and there's a long way to go before it's a luxury knitting escape in the wilds. We can hardly wait for that point, so Jamieson & Smith are sponsoring the project. Individuals can also donate to the project here. Please do. Your name is kept on record as a supporter of the project. And if you're really keen, they are also looking for a patron who the Lodge will be named after... How cool is that?! http://www.justgiving.com/broughlodge/Donate
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Dispatch
Part of a load of wool waiting to go out for processing. The numbers scrawled on each 275kg (roughly) bale identify the grade of wool, as well as the local wool grower it came from. These identifiers stay with the wool right through all stages of the process, both electronically and in huge marker pen, so we know who and where it came from. All we need now is a computer genius who can give us a system to let customers trace their products back to the origin, Original Beans style. Anybody?!The photo was taken by Stuart when our first load of the season went out (which feels like forever ago now because we've put a few out since!). Stuart is back for the summer being indispensible in the wool store and just generally keeping us all entertained. He's off to the mainland for a week doing architecture stuff, and is apparently missing the rock already: I finally got yun photo aff my phone if do wants it.P.S. Canna wait tae get back....am so fed up. Aaww!
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