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wool week day 1
So Wool Week has begun, today in the shop we had a great talk from Jen Arnall-Culliford about making knitting a career.. the best career i can think of!! And tonight we had a Trunk Show from Kate Davies featuring her new collection of garments and accessories all knitted in J&S 2ply jumper weight.. i also snapped a photo of Coop Knits in her Puffin Apple Hat by Cloudy Apples knitted in our lovely Shetland Aran weight.. i just love the yellow next to her lavender hair! more pictures of Wool Week soon.. :)
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Beware of Imitations..
Being unique brings with it the possibility of imitation. We are proud to work with Kate Davies. Her designs have specifically been made for our wool, to showcase its particular palette and properties. The nature of real Shetland wool is that it blooms during blocking to create the 'halo' that's characteristic of all great Fair Isle knitting. To ensure you support the majority of Shetland Wool producers and help to keep the sheep on the hill, buy from Jamieson & Smith. Over 700 local suppliers provide us with the wool that makes your hats, gloves, blankets.... etc. When purchasing Jamieson & Smith you can be safe in the knowledge that the product you buy is 100% Real Shetland Wool. just so you know..
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Royal Visit
Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex visited Haworth Scouring and Combing Companies in Bradford on the 24th July. She officially opened The Wessex Room which was so named in honour of the Royal visit. The wool processing companies are owned by Curtis Wool Direct Ltd, the parent company of Jamieson and Smith Shetland Wool Brokers Ltd. Her Royal Highness found the tour of the plant interesting and it served as a useful introduction to the Campaign for Wool, which was convened by HRH The Prince of Wales, her brother in law. Her Royal Highness was particularly pleased to meet the guests at the event as they represented many different sectors of the wool industry. Among the guests were Mike Meehan, Managing Director and Chris Harrison the Operations Director of Vi-Spring who showed her the Real Shetland cut-away display bed. Adam Curtis Managing Director of The Real Shetland Company showed the range of Real Shetland carpets, one of which is fitted in the wonderful Wessex Room, throws, duvets, scarves and knitting kits which are all made in Real Shetland wool. Haworth Scouring is probably the most environmentally friendly scouring plant of its type in the world. On the same 12 acre site is the combing plant, which increases efficiencies hugely and is where the Real Shetland tops are combed before being spun into the new Real Shetland Heritage Collection of yarns that have been developed in association with The Shetland Museum and Archives. In the Wessex Room Jamieson & Smith knitting kits, yarns, accessories, and books are all on display. The Countess was presented with a 1ply Shetland Supreme lace scarf called the St. Ninian, designed and knitted by Mary Kay of Lerwick. The yarn used is worsted spun from 100% Real Shetland wool, this method of spinning captures the main characteristics of Real Shetland wool, exceptional soft handle, combined with a subtle strength. It was explained that Real Shetland wool is seen as the pinnacle of Curtis` British wool production but that within the Campaign for Wool, all wool is equally important. The knitwear designer Kate Davies, the ambassador of Shetland wool who designs items made from Jamieson & Smith yarns, was there to demonstrate hand knitting. With an array of products made from wool, from carpets to bespoke hand made suits, from tennis balls to handbags, throws to dresses the whole display was epitomised in the installation created by artist Angela Wright which was made with wool that came from 40 different countries – that is what the Campaign for Wool is all about and it included Real Shetland wool, one of the great fibres of the world. read how Kate Davies enjoyed the day here
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Lace Collection 2012
Anderlea by Ina Irvine Loren by Gudrun Johnston Quarry by Ina Irvine Early Spring Blossom by Nancy Bush Dunella by Kathleen Anderson Shetland Crescent by Kieran Foley Shetland Bound by Monique Boonstra Great Grand Aunt Leezie's Scarf by Mary Kay Tether by Ysolda Teague And here is the last in a flurry of new releases. The Lace Collection has been our little secret jewel, in the planning since Shetland Wool Week. There are pieces in Jamieson & Smith 1 and 2 Ply Supreme from some of our favourite designers in Shetland and further afield... 1. Anderlea by Ina Irvine 2. Loren by Gudrun Johnston 3. Quarry by Ina Irvine 4. Early Spring Blossom by Nancy Bush 5. Dunella by Kathleen Anderson 6. Shetland Crescent by Kieran Foley 7. Shetland Bound by Monique Boonstra 8. Great Grand Aunt Leezie by Mary Kay 9. Tether by Ysolda Teague And with that, some changes are afoot at J&S. Sarah is off to pastures new. From Monday, Ella and Sandra will be taking care of the blog as well as keeping in touch through Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry and email. We've written this post together, saying hello and goodbye at the same time. Wish us all luck...
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New yarn launch - Shetland Heritage
Today we’re launching Shetland Heritage yarn, the newest addition to the collection. Shetland Heritage yarn recreates the original characteristics of handspun ‘wursit’ used in old Fair Isle garments. The yarn is replicated from that found in knitted Fair Isle garments in the collection of Shetland Museum and Archives. Wool experts, specialist dyers, curators and knitters have worked together to develop and trial Shetland Heritage yarn, which is worsted spun from Jamieson & Smith’s combed tops to give a soft feel, and a smooth finish. The yarn is slightly finer than the four ply we use today to knit stranded colourwork and Fair Isle. Instead, it gives a definition and complexity of colour and pattern that goes right back to the nineteenth century. Shetland Heritage Yarn is part of a collaborative project between Shetland Amenity Trust, Shetland Museum and Archives, Curtis Wool Direct and Jamieson & Smith (Shetland Wool Brokers) Ltd. Together, we were inspired to recreate the worsted spun yarns in Fair Isle artefacts in the Shetland Museum’s collection after the success of a project to revive Shetland Fine Lace in 2010. As with all of our wool products, every stage of development and production is carried out in the UK and is made from the wool of over 700 of Shetland's crofters and farmers. We’re working with local knitters and the amazing Jen Arnall-Culliford on translating artefacts in the Shetland Museum’s collection to hand knit patterns. This collection of garments will be launched during Shetland Wool Week 2012. Technical info: 25g, 110m/120yds, 2.8nm worsted Tension: 30 sts and 32 rows = 10cm/4in over Fair Isle pattern using 3mm needles Enjoy... x
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Nortower Lodges
Gosh, there's lots of exciting things to blog about today. Hazel and Kenneth Mackenzie have recently opened their beautiful holiday accomodation, Nortower Lodges, which are all done out in our Real Shetland Carpets. The Mackenzie family are one of our 700+ wool suppliers. So, as well as padding around on some woolly luxury, you can experience their way of life (and even spend time knitting with them). Now that's an idea for Shetland Wool Week... image: one of the 360 degree views from Nortower lodges
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Oliver Henry's 45 years at Jamieson & Smith Shetland Wool Brokers
Oliver's knitted banner by Ella Gordon Oliver Henry (standing on pier) and Jim Smith (in boat), Uyea, Shetland Oliver loading wool for shipping Oliver and Catherine Henry, ready for a night out with the Hunter's of Brora team Oliver shearing sheep on the Isle of Skye Oliver hand sorting wool with a trainee Oliver feeding a Shetland pony at Berry Farm in Scalloway, the birth place of Jamieson & Smith Shetland Wool Brokers Ltd. Oliver presenting prizes to textiles graduates Oliver's 45 year anniversary cake, a gift from Jimmy Moncrieff of Shetland Amenity Trust. Yesterday we celebrated Oliver's 45 year anniversary as 'Wool Man' at Jamieson & Smith Shetland Wool Brokers. We thought we'd share some images of his time here since 1967. x
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Flying the (knitted) Shetland Flag
Here's a fun project for a happy Friday afternoon... Fly the Shetland Flag wherever you are (and send us back pictures from all over the world). Hooray! Designed by June Onigbanjo. x
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