Shetland Lace Knitting : ‘joins’ in a mini hap

I have mainly chosen to knit rectangular scarves/ stoles/ shawls. There are several reasons for this but  the three main ones are: more wearable for me; I first saw the very fine lace Unst examples and wanted to recreate these; their construction with invisible joins appealed to me a lot! I also found that as I became more skilled in the construction and techniques I could personalise these by using my own chosen combination of motifs. 

During one wool week I took a mini hap class (outside to inside)  with Donna Smith so I could become more familiar with the construction of a square hap….. I quickly learned that there were many ways of constructing a hap and doing the joins! It took me a long time to get round to finishing this hap. 

I am a firm believer in trying out a technique first, often using larger needles and yarn and then when I am happy with the different techniques I can scale down the yarn and needle size to suit my preferences for something very lacy. Eventually I finished the hap but was not proud of what I had achieved. 

I continued to knit fine lace and more recently use my own naturally dyed yarn for this. Then I became very fortunate, Elizabeth Williamson, daughter of Betsy Williamson from Shetland, moved to Woodbridge and started teaching lace knitting! This has really broadened my horizons as I have knitted in different yarns, learned to knit different shaped shawls, learnt many more Shetland techniques, many that I did not know I did not know and generally had a great time! 

The most recent project we have been doing is a mini  square Shetland lace hap, again outside to inside. Illness got in the way and I needed to wait for the next stage (we are fortunate in meeting with Elizabeth in person, although her workshops can be taken online wherever you are in the world.) It is a very clever and lovely design. I have posted about it here on 15 June  22. 

I decided to return to the hap I had knitted many years ago whilst waiting to finish ‘Elizabeth’s’ hap. I wanted to try different ways of joining the mitres where the wedges meet  and also joining on the sides of the centre to the two wedges (trapezoids). I ignored the outer lace at this stage and just knitted in garter stitch. Some of the wedges I did the decrease on the outer stitches and some one stitch in. I wondered if I could even tell the difference. One wedge would be knitted first,  before the centre and the one opposite would be grafted on. (I love grafting since I have improved my technique due to following methods given for grafting, including two sided lace grafting, by Joni Coniglio documented in some recent  posts here in this blog). 

The other important consideration to me was the holes around the centre of the shawl, I aimed for the holes to be identical and the same number on each side. 

Sample one

Hap  with holes on each side and the garter stitch graft on the side opposite where I started.

In this instance I am happy with either a herringbone stitch or whip stitch join for sides 2 and 3 to the centre 

Sample two 

Knitting another sample to see how slipping the first stitch and then doing a whip stitch join can look. I like the neatness of the holes formed and one to add to my repertoire but not for joining the edges of the centre square when I have already knitted the holes around all 4 sides of the square. 

Sample three 

Bigger and with proper wedges. However, I shaped these by decreasing on every  other row from the start, outer edge, and look how they kick out at the outer edges! This must be why Shetland Hap Knitters often / usually  have some straight rows before starting the decreases to make the mitres! 

Happy with the holes and happy with how I joined on the side wedges by joining  them on as I knitted the centre 

Each wedge forming the mitres is  joined to two other wedges with versions of the Betsy join as I interpreted it in 4 different ways based on Hazel Tindall’s  demonstration in the 50 tips from Shetland Knitters  DVDs which she did with Elizabeth Johnston (3). I was waiting for my personal tuition of the Betsy  join for Elizabeth’s hap, which explained and clarified  the method. (The equivalent wedge joins after my personal tuition are shown in a previous blog post Elizabeth’s  Mini hap)

So onto a much changed version of Donna’s knitted hap from the earlier workshop. 

I used Shetland Supreme 2 ply yarn, which I naturally dyed with Alchemilla and Madder. I used size 3.25mm dpns. 

Image of the modified hap 

This has benefited from workshops and discussions with the following Shetland Lace Knitters ( I hope I have not missed anyone out, apologies if I have): 

Kathleen Anderson 

Anne Eunson 

The late Ina Irvine

Elizabeth Johnston 

Donna Smith 

Betsy Williamson

Elizabeth Williamson 

And also Tessa Lorant for the Buttercup Edging in her book  ‘Lace Edgings’ and Joni Coniglio for enabling me to graft lace invisibly

…..but basically the interpretation is mine and I now have managed to work out a variation of the 2017 Mini Hap that I am happy with. 

Order of construction 

Lace edging knitted first, graft completed the Joni Coniglio method

Stitches picked up along a quarter of the peaks, then board/ wedge knitted including the row of holes and return row

3 more boards  completed by picking up stitches along a quarter of the outer peaks for each one,finishing as the first one. 

Returning to the completed first board the centre is knitted picking up one stitch from boards 2 and then 3 on every other row but finishing 2 rows short. The remaining stitch left from each side board is placed on a separate yarn holder. 

The centre is then grafted to the fourth side board including picking up the remaining  st from the side boards to complete the centre section. 

This leaves four  gaps at the mitres which are closed with herringbone stitch after dressing the hap. I felt the herringbone stitch complimented the Buttercup Edging of the lace border.

At last I feel I understand how I can knit a full sized hap, the many alternatives for knitting an outside-in hap and the effect of the different choices made. Planning and making swatches of the motifs and techniques payed off for me. I like to fully understand and be in control of all that goes on in making a knitted item. Perhaps the late Elizabeth Zimmerman should be added to my list above. She certainly encourages this approach! 

A Shetland Lace Hap

At last my completed Shetland Mini Hap.

I am really pleased with how this has worked out. 

Details:

Pattern (and tuition) Elizabeth Williamson (contact for online classes for this and other lace see https://www.elizabethwilliamsonknitting.co.uk )

As followers  of my blog will know I, and 2 other Shetland and Shetland Lace Knitting Lovers have been been privileged to meet up with Elizabeth for lace knitting tuition for nearly a year now. Examples of what I have been doing are in earlier blog posts. 

Needles - 2.75 double pointed (and used a knitting belt) 

Yarn - James and Smith Shetland Supreme 2ply

Size when dressed- 32 cm x 32 cm 

Finished weight - 14.8 g 

Construction is a traditional Shetland method. Knit one lace edge, then the corresponding border, then the centre. The 3 other lace edges and corresponding border are knitted separately. These are then grafted together and make use of the ‘family’ graft, which has become known as ‘the Betsy join’. 

A big advantage of doing a hap this way particularly a full sized one, to me, is that you don’t have to carry much with you until you get to the construction. I read about people picking up hundreds of stitches and having the whole hap on their needles as they knit but this is not the case with this pattern. I think knitting a hap from the inside out, means mordanted e and more stitches as you knit but this is not the case here due to the construction. 

I love the well designed individual elements of this hap and the way they fit together. The boards (borders) being my favourite. I also learnt new ways of knitting stitches, including ‘holes’ with added definition. 

I had knitted one large scale hap previously. This was early in my Shetland Lace Knitting Career, in 2001. This  was the Brora Black Shawl, although I knit this in natural coloured 1 ply cobweb from Jamieson and Smith, pattern by Gladys Amedro. This was done from written instructions as no charted ones were available then. It was given to my son and his wife on the birth of our first  grandson in 2008. I have a ‘ post it’ on the pattern noting 95 hours! That sounds about right. It looks as if I knitted for about 1 to 2 hours at a time on it, by the crossings out on the post it! 

Unfortunately the photos are pretty poor….I’m glad my photography has improved too! 

This mini hap gives me another way of constructing a hap and I like the way the centre is not divided by ‘joins’. 

Shetland Wool Week 19: 13 Ollaberry plus

Tues Oct 1: Day 16 

This was a day without any classes.  I had planned to go to Isleburgh Knitters and Spinners again this year in the evening, but realised that if I did I would be so knocked up I wouldn’t cope with my classes on Wednesday and Thursday. 

We started off in Mackenzies as we usually do in wool week for our second breakfast. Then it was a quick trip along to Isleburgh. I had arranged with Bunchy that I would pick up my Natural Dye Colours from Shetland book before her class. I knew how frantic preparing for the class might be so I had the money ready in a sealed envelope and all I had to do was swap it for the book. I had followed  the progress of the book on IG and I believe I was the first person to put my name down when Bunchy said she was producing this book. (1) I had seen the book in Unst as Helen got her copy when she was on Mainland and brought it along to our dye workshop  on the Wednesday evening. Taking as little time as possible I got my hands on the book. 

We then parked the van at the museum and went in for a coffee. 

Entrance Hall Of the Museum

This was my opportunity to have a closer look at the items belonging to the patterns in the SWW annual and also to look round the knitwear section of the Museum. It doesn’t matter how many times I look round I always ‘see’ more things. I was particularly interested in grafting in shawls this year. 

So first of all the Hub where the Annual Knitwear display was - it was good to see how Elizabeth (Johnston) had mitred the corners on her shawl pattern in the annual. 

What a mitre! 

The museum hosts other exhibitions of interest during wool week. One such was from Deborah Gray:  ‘Of the land: Icelandic Wool’ from her time as an artist in residence there. The frames are bound with hand spun wool, naturally dyed. During her time there she explored the differences between the two different wool fibres in the fleece  and the effect of natural dyeing on these. 

While looking around the knitting section my eye caught a glimpse of a name I was familiar with from a fb lace knitting group. I duly messaged the owner, in Thailand,  who was really pleased that I had noticed this. He had answered the call some time ago to take part in the Nottingham-Shetland Lace Research Project and had sent in his samples in 2018. He did not know they  were exhibited in Shetland Museum and was very pleased to be able to see photos I sent him. Another example of the wonders of fb! (2)

Then I had to return to look at the exquisite examples of the ‘so fine’ lace and tell myself to be patient. I am spinning fine, I just need to do metres and metres more and then design my own shawls just like these truly amazing women did. 

We left at lunch  time and were going to drive up to Ollaberry. The day was warm and bright, what a super journey we were in for. 

 Hays Dock by the Museum, it was October! 

Ollaberry is special, it is associated in my mind with much marvellous lace, the ability to talk to lace knitters with real expertise and great food. We decided that we would have our plate of food when we got there and call it lunch! 

We were too polite to be the first for the spread, but were encouraged by the ladies serving that this would be good. As we sat down they told us they were expecting a coach tour, this was  one  of the tours put on for wool week and it must have been full considering the number who came in for lunch. As always it was a wonderful spread and after the coach had left more food was added and one would not have known 50 or so people had just been in for lunch. 

We had come to Ollaberry this day in particular as I was going to meet Gordon (Fleece loved products) and his wife Gill. I had been in touch with him before we left home and I was hoping I could buy  one his fine lace bobbins and the brake system that he had customised for my wheel. Kate had told me how great they were and so I was very excited by this prospect. We met and I used the said system on my wheel and was delighted with it. It was great to be involved with these expert fine spinners such as Betsy Williamson who the bobbin, named the Ollaberry bobbin, had been expertly designed for. This was one of the major highlights of my week. I decided to have enough bobbins to spin and ply the yarn this way and also purchased an Ollaberry Lace Weight Gauge (and one for another Shetland Spinner and knitter) who had seen Gordon on Saturday and not acquired one. As a bonus I was able to try Gill’s Ashford electric spinner. I didn’t expect to like it, but I absolutely loved it. DH came back from his bird watching walk as I was using it and I believe I heard him say I ought to have one for Christmas! It was a delight to meet this couple and to feel that spinning as finely as I do in not ‘freakish’. (3) It was lovely to be made so welcome by the local ladies spinning at Ollaberry and to be able to talk to them again this year. 

Fine lace gauge and a bobbin

On show close to where we were sitting was displayed the most gorgeous and perfect shawl. This  had been knitted by a young knitter and won lots of prizes. Her name was Lauren Anderson and I heard from one of the ladies (her grandmother) that she had ‘knitting genes’ from both of her parents.(4)

Lauren’s Shawl

What an afternoon this had been, on top of a wonderful morning. It only needed to be finished off by stopping off at Frankie’s Fish and Chip shop in Brae for a very tasty dinner. 

People coming to wool week get upset when they can’t get the classes they feel they ‘need’ when booking. I hope this day will go some way to showing that there is so much wonderful stuff to see and marvellous ‘wool’ people to meet and talk to, that having a day with no classes is nothing to worry about. There is so much to see and do. Everything I did today was free, except for the purchases I made and yet it will be one of my best days in Shetland. Keep your mind and eyes open, talk to people and you will learn so much! 

1. Again a very good example of social media, Bunchy posts as Spindrift Crafts both on iG and fb and it has been good to follow this publishing journey with her.
2. Carol  Christiansen mentioned this project on her talk on Thursday. I will be writing more about it then. 
3. Gordon has amazing skills. An engineer by training he is making a number of laser cut birch products of quality for knitters, spinners, weavers and crochet lovers. It is the ‘cleverness’ of the design which is particularly striking eg on the Ollaberry Gauge just 20 winds of the yarn can give you the wpi down to 200. A very useful tool when actually spinning. If you search for ‘fleece loved products’ you will find Jelly Bean yarns on Etsy and Beaker Button (also both on fb) as some of the stockists or contact directly at fleecelovedproducts@gmail.com 
4. This is the second shawl of Lauren’s. She was just 16 when she knitted the first shawl and won the children’s section and the judges were so impressed that the shawl was put in the adult section where she won that prize too. She was just 20 when she knitted the shawl in the picture and it won all the prizes possible at the Voe Show. This shawl is just perfect. Lauren was interviewed for the  Fruity Knitting podcast no 87 and  she can be found on iG as laurenclaireart

Shetland Wool Week: Day 14 : Traditional Hap and Painting with Wool workshops also Fae Oota Cloo: Tues 26 Sept

Today’s two workshops were with real experts in their field. There was a gap between when we planned to fit in lunch and visit the Fae Oota Cloo exhibition. I expected it to be a stunning day. 

Traditional Hap

The first workshop was on Traditional Haps with Donna Smith. I heard such good reports of this workshop last year from friends that it was high on my priority list for this year and I was delighted when I managed to book a place. Again we had a pack of materials to start with which included extensive instructions  from Donna and a ball of Jamieson’s Ultra. I had not knitted with this previously so was particularly looking forward to using it. Donna started by talking about differences between a hap and shawl ( a hap is an ‘everyday’ piece to her way of thinking ) and describing the different methods of constructing hap and shawls. There were several haps and shawls to look at, some being knitted by Donna’s aunt who is her 90s and still knits these ‘from what is in her head’. We were going to construct a full mini hap, the traditional way, from the outside in. 

We started by knitting some of the outside border, I then opted to pick up and knit the inside border and by the end of the class had two sections completed in this way. It was great to refine my techniques and see how a real expert does it. To me this is the best part of Wool Week, learning from those who are very very good at what they do. There is always a reason for a particular way and this is based on several generations of knitting. It is all so thoughtful and I have found the tutors are so willing to share. 

This is what we were aiming for

Again it was a lovely group of people from around the world who love knitting and it was  nice to share our experiences and continue to do so when we chanced  upon each other later in the week. 

While I was at Isleburgh at Donna’s workshop Michael headed off to West  and East Quarff to check on any autumn migrants. 

A new farm shop and cafe had opened on the main road between Lerwick and Sumburgh at Cunningsburgh and we planned to have lunch there today. The food was very good, it was spacious and there was a good range of things to eat  and nice craft items. After this first trip we became regulars for the week. 

After lunch and more catching up with fellow ‘Wool weekers’ we parked at the History hut and looked round the exhibition Fae Oota Cloo which concentrated on an exhibition of wool and knitwear  in the Cunningsburgh  area. There was plenty to see and it was such a nice idea for a village to take part in Wool Week like this. I seem to find myself in setting up exhibitions back in Norfolk so it is always good to see how others do it and get new ideas. 

I was particularly taken by this:

So then we had a short gap for a rest as my workshop with Wilma was down at Hoswick in the evening. It would be busy as I think there were  4 workshops on at the same time. We arrived early (the class was starting at 6.30) and enjoyed looking at the displays in the visitors centre and of course sharing experiences of the week with people I met earlier this  week or in previous Wool weeks (this is what makes Wool Week extra special). 

Painting with colour

Wilma and her helper (Irene?) started by producing a huge range of yarn butterflies of just about every conceivable colour in the centre of our table. On other tables around the workshop were displays of Wilma’s Fair Isle showing her initial stimulus, her vast sampling (which she regards as very  important) and the completed  items.  Some of these were small such as phone cases and fingerless mitts and also including tams and jumpers which are so characteristic of Wilma. It was such a feast for the eyes and I could have spent many hours looking at the samples and seeing how subtle changes perhaps of just one yarn in the palette of colours had such a profound effect on the finished piece. Attending this workshop had already been worth it for me before the actual workshop started. 2 young  knitters from one of Wilma’s knitting classes were joining us. Wilma  is very committed to encouraging and helping the next generation  of Shetland Knitters. 

We had an initial talk about colour and it’s relation to pattern in Fair Isle. Fortunately much of this was in the notes as I always like to reflect on this when I am back home. 

Then given a couple of designs prepared in graphical form to choose from, we were encouraged to select colours without looking at any Fair isle designs. We then discussed our colours and pattern with Wilma or Irene before we got going on making a sample phone cover. We had started this before the class so we could maximise our Fair Isle knitting during the workshop.

some of our knitting at the end of the session

 It was a brilliant workshop, again accompanied by useful notes to aid us later. 

Then home to bed and another night when I would have no trouble sleeping. 

Shetland Wool Week Day 12: Wonderful Haps and the Opening Ceremony

Wind was a dominant feature of today, it had been very windy in the night and unusually the van rocked a bit. We were very glad we were in a sheltered spot. It looked  as though it might be a weather dominating week. 

The plan had initially been to have a restful day after a full day yesterday, with just the opening ceremony. However, the restful part of the day was to be confined to the morning. 

The Ollaberry Haps Exhibition was closing on Wednesday so the only possible time for me to see it again was this afternoon when I could fit in a brief visit. I also found out I had to call at the Hub to get my membership bag so I had entry to the Opening Ceremony tonight. Then we needed to get to Cunnisburgh and get our campsite place sorted all before 6.30 when the opening ceremony started. It would work but I would need to limit how much chatting I did!

We decided to have lunch as the Ollaberry exhibition opened and as long as we spent no more than an hour there it would be fine. As before the spread was wonderful and we were easily able to chose some lunch. As soon as I sat down to eat I noticed a jumper board for sale that would fold up quite small. Well this was too good an opportunity to miss.  What was really nice  about this was the lady sitting at the stall was the wife of the maker, who himself turned up later so I was able to chat to him about it. It is very nice to envisage the maker of things like this that I buy. I did get chatting to the lady selling, who told me that she spent a few happy years in Norfolk as her husband had postings there in the RAF. So we chatted about Thetford, what a small world. 

Although I had seen Haps at Ollaberry last year, it was still an immense pleasure to see them. What was particularly good was seeing those made in Hap classes that had been held in the time since the last exhibition, what a great idea. Again it was lovely that there was such a good description and story available for the majority of these. I bought some other small things and chatted to people who have become friends. 

This one won a prize at Voe Show, had 3 rosettes  and noted it took 100 hours to complete. It was superb and priced at £500, underpriced in my mind. 

This is the jumper board when constructed. Apologies for the quality of the photo. This was taken in the evening back in the kitchen where we were staying.

I was really pleased that I had managed to get there but only sorry I could not have spent days examining them.... the skill and work that had gone into each demanded that really. So two days, two great exhibitions, what a treat. 

Then on to the Hub  to pick up my membership bag, a nice design again this year. 

I did chat a bit - this time to Alyssa Malcolmson who was wearing a magnificent cardigan that she had knitted. She is Wilma Malcolmson’s (1) niece  and a designer to watch. She is on Ravelry (LissyLooLoo) with at least one of her designs there. https://www.ravelry.com/designers/alyssa-maggie

The visit to the Shetland Museum visit was tinged with some disappointment as the shop still did not have Elizabeth and Hazel’s DVD. I made a new appointment for tomorrow- I would be at the Shetland Times Bookshop as early as possible, they MUST have a copy as they were publishing it (I hoped). 

A short drive down to Cuningsborough, where I met a machine knitting friend and her husband who were visiting Wool Week for the first time. Then a quick turnaround and off to Clickimin where the opening ceremony would be held in the Sports Hall again. 

We sat at a table near the front in the huge hall and had a lovely group for the evening. It was so lovely that Wilma Malcolmson came to sit with us, as well as Sarah and Jo (2) and Silvina  (3). As always the event was enjoyable. I felt it was too long last year but rather rushed this year. It was great to see items from New Designers in the Fashion Show but I was disappointed that established Designers were not represented. I wore my Ground Elder Dyed cardigan for the first time - there will be a separate blog post about this after the Shetland 2017 Journal series is completed. 

There were too many people to catch up with but I did have a brief chat with Hazel (3) Ruth(5) and Oliver (6) as the undyed wool for the cardigan was a cone of Jamieson and Smith Jumper weight and I know he likes to see products made from their yarn. 

Ground Elder Dyed cardigan. 

This was marked on the plan as a rest day! It had been another great ‘wool’ day but a rest day -not really. 

Notes: 

If you are into Wool you will know many of the people I refer too, but just in case I am giving more details. 

(1) Wilma runs www.shetlanddesigner.co.uk - her use of colour in Fair Isle is legendary

(2) Sarah Moran - we met in Cheshire when I was organising the first Maker’s Market for Alsager Music and Arts and have become ‘wool week’ friends since... and her impeccably dressed friend and  ‘all things needlework’ Jo

(3) Hazel Tindall, who changed my knitting life last year after the classes on using the knitting belt and knitting a yoke. Hazel has a great dvd on Fair Isle knitting - and also the one with Elizabeth (see later) which I  recommend. (www.hazeltindall.com)

(4)Silvina - from Brazil,  who I sat next to at the workshop in Whalsay the day before  -a keen knitter who is VERY keen to learn all she can about lace knitting and more

(5) Ruth Gough of www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk - Ruth and I go back a lot of years. She is great for spinning tuition, teaching the how and the why; great for equipment; great for courses. I have been to both Wingham and Borrowdale where I see they are doing residential courses again. 

(6) Oliver Henry of Jamieson and  Smith www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk - this  website has to be on any serious knitters ‘favourites’ list in my opinion 

Shetland 2016: Day Eleven Haps and the Opening Ceremony

25th Sept

The plan was to have a restful day and then finish off with the Opening Ceremony for Wool Week that started  at 18.30. However plans changed after Hazel explained how good she expected the Haps ( and Sunday Tea) to be at Ollaberry Hall. Local haps (1) never seen before were  going to be shown. We had not been up to that part of mainland before so decided we could fit it in and still have time for a snack before I went to the opening ceremony. 

We had an early lunch and then went  to Ollaberry Hall so we're there for the opening time.  Just as we were leaving the van, a fellow Wool Weeker ( from Germany) asked if we would mind if she could talk to us about our motorhome. We love our motorhome and the layout suits us so well that we were more than happy to show it off to her. (2) Wool Week is great for finding out all sorts of stuff!

Once we got in the hall we could see there were lots and lots of haps ( I heard the number 70 being mentioned) but before I got into serious looking I noticed some wooden glove boards on the sales table. Too good to be true so I had to treat myself to such a useful item. I have to say I was very tempted to buy a jumper board and I also noticed a shawl frame on the stage of the Hall. 

 

I then started looking at the haps, there was such a variety and what was really nice was the stories by each one. It is this detail that really helps place an item and to value it even more- if that is possible. There were some local ladies spinning and  I got chatting to one of them explaining that I too was a spinner - liking best to spin very very fine. She mentioned that one of her fleece was for sale- under the table where the glove boards had been. I definitely did not need another fleece- I have a fleece shed and there are not really any spaces on the shelves. I went to look at this fleece straight away, it was the most glorious greyish and the crimp was superb? However, I had a plan for some of this so decided it was too good to miss.  I also couldn't resist a super pottery diz too. 

By this time the tables were filling up so we took a plate and tried not to choose too much food through it did look delicious and sat down to enjoy. 

General view giving. Feel for the tea and a few of the haps

 

I needed to look carefully at the remaining haps etc as I didn't want to miss any, as each is unique and there is so much to learn by studying them. But I was conscious that we needed to get back to Lerwick.

I was hoping to call in at the Bod Before it closed as I decided that if I had another ball of the Organics lace weight yarn I would be able to knit the Sanik Shawl by Donna Smith. The pattern was in this year's annual. We managed to make it before closing time. I picked up yarn with the same code as before but the observant lady on the till noticed that I had picked up cream  and she remembered I had bought light grey the day before. How lucky was that - apparently the code is something to do with the spinning, anyway I got another light grey! 

So we went and  parked in the Leisure Centre Car Park so I could have a snack and a bit of a rest before the evening. 

A few fellow members of the Online Guild of Weavers,  Spinners and Dyers had arranged to meet in the queue for the Opening Ceremony. This year Margaret Parker the convener of the group was there too. As planned several of us met (in all during the evening I think Barbro from Sweden, Maggie who has a son living in Shetland, Katherine from Kentucky and Gloria   with other friends met up ) (3)  and Margaret was organised with an Online Guild sign for the table so others could find  during the evening. I wore the Meadowsweet jumper and of course the crofthoose hat.(4) I was surprised how many people came to talk to me about my jumper and a couple even asked if they could take photos of me! 

Margaret and I going in - not sure who took this, it appeared on my FB page! 

 

 The Opening Ceremony was much changed from when I attended in 2014. There were lots of tables set out and the Hall was massive. 

   

This gives an idea of the size of the hall. 

There was entertainment throughout the evening, wine on entering food on the table with a sheet giving its local provenance and a lovely atmosphere. The evening started with the Lerwicks  Jarl's Squad and included during the evening : ; music items from members of Hjaltibonhoga; a talk on Shetland food; a fashion show from Shetland designers presentation by Garry Jamieson about the development of Jamieson's Mill in Sandness. 

I crept out during the concluding question and answer session as it was getting late.

Michael had planned to walk around Clickimin Loch but it was cold and windy and now getting dark quite early. Fortunately, he had been lent the three 'Hunger Games' Books and as an avid reader was quite happy. I am hoping to persuade him to join me at the Opening Ceremony next year which I think he will enjoy. 

My mind was buzzing as we drove back and I was glad that my class tomorrow was after lunch

(1) A hap. To give a definition can't be done in a sentence, other than to say it is a Scottish word for an everyday wrap or shawl. I would like to point you to Kate Davies beautiful book  'The book of Haps'. As always it is more than a book of glorious patterns but a book to treasure about the history of Shetland haps. 

(2) Our  motorhome is a Wildax Aurora Leisure built by a brilliant  firm in Elland : www.wildaxmotorhomes.com

(3) Apologies if I missed you out , let me know and I will correct! Jenni was on Yell weaving and Sue from Berkshire was around somewhere

(4) The Wool Week hat- each year the Patron of Wool Week designs a hat- this year it was Ella Gordon who designed the crofthoose hat ( see post of 12 Sept 16 ) and given that it was thought there were 400 people at wool week, very few of the hats would be the same! So lovely to see them all.