Shetland Wool Adventures volume 3
This most authentic way to connect you with Shetland, even when you’re not here. Or if you were lucky enough to experience this colourful place on a past trip and want to keep your personal memories alive.
Made by those who live, love & breathe Shetland.
Shetland is a patchwork kind of place.
Half-way between mainland Scotland and Norway, Shetland is a place where separate strands are woven together to create something new. Not just the textiles, but the language and the architecture also intertwine multiple influences, to add texture to these islands.
Inside the Journal
Inside Volume 3, you’ll unravel
6 new knitting patterns, 2 local walks, 2 articles about books from Shetland, a sprinkling of recipes, and 11 island stories, interviews, and some personal insights into the lives of the isles’ top knitters and craftspeople.
Here are just a few of our favourites
New knitting patterns, photographed by Susan Molloy & illustrated Lorna Reid
- Vegar Jumper by Barbara Cheyne
- New Shell Scarf by Barbara Cheyne
- Blosta Hat by Amy Gair
- Halliara Spencer by Alison Rendall
- Oyster Gloves by Wilma Malcolmson
- Culswick Snood by Mary Fraser
For this volume’s patterns details please click here.
Packing for Shetland
What do you wear in a climate that boasts four seasons in one day? Laurie Goodlad gives suggestions for what the well-prepared traveller should be wearing in Shetland to make the best of their adventure.
Walking the landscape
In volume 3 we join Gill Nadin, SWA’s very own accredited tour guide, on a circular walk at Sumburgh Head and explore the wonderful remote headland of Lunna Ness.
Beacons of Hope
The sea has long been an alluring force, but can be a cruel and unpredictable mistress. Lighthouses have saved thousands of lives over the centuries. Laurie Goodlad looks at the profound influence of the Stevenson family on their existence in Shetland.
Spinning a web of wonderful wool
Jamieson’s of Shetland is Shetland’s only spinning mill where raw fleece is made into yarn, cloth and knitwear, all under one roof. Garry Jamieson speaks about running the business, from 1890s to today.
Lerwick’s Hidden Past
Those of you who have participated in Shetland Wool Adventures or Shetland Wool Weeks may have passed these mundane-looking buildings without a second thought. Douglas M Sinclair unearths the fascinating histories of some well-known Lerwick buildings.
The Many Incarnations of the Spencer
Once a formal officer’s jacket, how on earth did the spencer become a piece of lady’s underwear? Carol Christiansen pulls the wool away from puzzled eyes.
A language under threat
“Language adds layers to our culture; it enriches our heritage and fosters pride in our communities.” Laurie Goodlad looks into the way Shetlanders speak and why it is more than a dialect.
Journal reader from Denver, Colorado
Leanna
I like reading materials that are written by authoritative sources (like people who live and work in Shetland). But I don't always know where online information is coming from. Reading the Journal, I felt like I was listening to a friend over tea while learning about Shetland.
I wanted the Journal so I could connect the knitting, the land, and the people in my mind. I love the knitting on its own, but learning about the land, the sea, the people and the animals makes it all so much richer.
I decided that it was too beautiful to pass up, and I figured my purchase would help support a small business in a place that I really hope to live in some day!"
"I had done some dreaming and reading online about Shetland, and quickly started planning a trip to visit.
Escape to a wilder, windier world
The Journal is more than just something to keep your hands busy.
Like the way that knitting helps you escape the busy-ness of your everyday life, you can flick through these pages to feel transported to a new environment.
It’s a treasure trove of places to go, people to meet, food to eat, and walks to embark upon.
Think of the Journal as your guidebook to Shetland. But with richer interviews and more intriguing historical articles. So you feel like you know the pace before setting foot on Shetland soil.
Kate Davies
Scotland based publisher & knitwear designer
“Substantial in every sense of the word, this publication is a truly beautiful thing – a purposeful and joyous celebration of so many of the things there are to love about Shetland.”
Just a fleck of gold in the open ocean, the Northmost point of Scotland is so full of life. The atmospheric photography from Shetland will let you live vicariously through the eyes of our wonderful contributors, all having lived on the islands, past and present. You’ll feel like you’re on a knitwear shoot with us. Or standing on the edge of the cliffs, salt on the tip of your tongue.
Explore the vivid landscapes of Shetland without getting your socks soggy.
Open up a window to colour
A true collectors’ item
Whether you want to dip in and out of our limited volumes, or read cover to cover as soon as it lands on your doorstep.
It’s truly a smart and re-readable addition to your travel bookshelf or crafts corner.
Made with stiff FSC-certified grade paper, and printed in the UK. Just bigger than A5, it’s easy to pop into your bag, next to your needles on a long-journey. Or if you want to share it with your fellow stitchers, at your next Knitting Circle meet-up (as long as they promise to give it back).
Barbara
Journal reader from Stamford, Connecticut
“I keep all my issues in a basket I can easily grab for reference. I pour through them all the time. I may not read everything all at once, but I always go back to the basket.
I keep them for the patterns and as a Shetland reference and look at them over and over and over again. They're timeless and inspiring.”
Linda
Journal reader from Calgary, Canada
"I worked in printing/graphic arts/typography in a previous life and I still like a freshly printed hard copy publication. The first thing I do is take a deep inhale of a freshly printed page - I love the smell of paper and ink! I appreciated your design aesthetic and the journals are beautifully produced.
The Journal is a wonderful way to sustain my love of all things Shetland. There is something magical about the place that you capture beautifully in the Journal."
For UK readers, your first (or next) volume will be dropping onto your doormat in 10 working days.
Or if we’ve got a new volume in the works and available to pre-order, you’ll get your copy popped into the post to you, as soon as it’s back from the printers.
Get-Knitting-Quick
Purchase a paper volume through our website and you’ll also get the a digital version of the patterns emailed to you for free.
No need to bruise your copy — print your knitting patterns for greater manoeuvrability, you can make sure your paper copy stays looking smart on your bookshelf.
No Bruises Bonus
You can revive the colours of Shetland, even through the wind and rain.
A celebration of all things Shetland, through the eyes of a Shetlander. Plus…
A wonderful addition to your crafts bookshelf or travel library
Add the Journal to my travel library
