24th Sept
Well, the day had finally arrived for wool week to start. My first class was on Yokes and started at 10 in Lerwick. We were staying about 6 miles south at Aithsvoe Marina and it was very nice indeed - more about that later. I was very excited as I had knitted a yoked jumper pattern using machine and hand knitting that I had designed to fit me and fit the yoke section I was trying out. However, I know you can always learn more from an expert- and Hazel is certainly that. We had been given homework to do so that we maximised the time in the half day class.
As I was taking my coat off, one of the ladies was extremely complimentary about my black and white 'fair isle' cardigan (1) and wanted to buy a pattern for it from me. I think I am missing something here!
At the start of the class we must have seen the world's best collection of yokes, including some machine knit jumper bodies which were very interesting to me. We were given verbal and written instructions including calculations etc for a yoked jumper and more. We were to either knit in a circle with a steek or forwards continuously. I opted for the former and learnt so much from doing this. Hazel and many Shetland knitters use 3 not 4 needles when working ' circular' so I was keen to have a go at that.
So here is what I produced during the session.
And in this one I cut the steek and blocked the sample
If you enlarge this you can see where I finally 'got' how to hold the needles properly. It's in the middle at where the grey background turns into a mauve background.
Great class where I learned far more than yokes. Great to meet other wool week attendees. Excellent all round.
I then walked to Hay's Dock as it had been nearly a week since we ate there, Michael had booked a table - which was essential. After lunch I visited the Hub ( in the museum this year) and picked up my goodie bag. I also collected my Shetland Wool Week annual as I had arranged to pick this up. I liked last year's, but I think this one is excellent. I decided to leave looking at it until later.
View of the Hub(2)
In the afternoon I decided it was my opportunity to go to the Bod ( Shetland Textile Museum) which always has lovely volunteers to talk too and superb exhibits including items made by Shetland Guild members. Amongst my special likes were: weaving from Global Yell, entries from the neckwear competition, finest lace and Fair Isle knitting from Fair Isle - which brought back strong memories as there were knitted egg cosies which I had knitted at junior school in knitting lessons. ( I could see no use for them now or then, but realise they are excellent training in fine manipulation in knitting).
I talked at length to the volunteer upstairs - about the exhibits and my natural dyeing. I also bought a ball of Shetland Organics lace weight yarn in grey, thinking it would be the background for a cockleshell scarf with my dyed colours as additions.
Then back to the marina before it got dark, we had been joined by a caravan. On talking to the couple, they were down from Unst and believe it or not the lady was sister in law to a knitter lady I know on Unst.
What a great first day of wool week this had been.
(1) Looks like this has not been the subject of a post here, will add one sometime but it can be found on my website under 'machine knitting')
(2) The Hub was open every day, well into the evening. You could go and chat, knit or rest. Drinks were available too.
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