Shetland 2016: Day nineteen visiting Wilma Malcolmson and Jamieson and Smith

Mon 3 Oct 

Well, our last day in Shetland had arrived, we were catching the evening ferry back to Aberdeen. 

We had really enjoyed our stay at Aithsvoe  Marina. Today the weather was good and as everyone else was taking photos of me I thought I would have one for myself. So wearing my hat and holding my covered notebook M took photos in the lovely morning light. I am not a fan of having my photo taken but think this one is OK! Unfortunately despite my best efforts the fingerless gloves were not finished so they are missing from the set! 

 

I had promised Wilma that I would visit her studio before we left. We were very close as she is situated on the main road in Cunningsburgh. What a feast for a knitter's eyes it is inside. Wilma also showed me her box of samples from designing with her latest set of colours. She has an amazing eye for colour and her fair isle knitwear is lovely.(1) M was 'eyeing' the jumpers but wanted to think about them, so this is first on the list for him in terms of a purchase next year. It was good also to see a thank you photo from Jimmy Perez who also appreciates Wilma's skill. It was good to hear that a granddaughter is keen on working with Wilma. I think I have a good knitting space but this was even more desirable! We were glad we managed to fit in the visit and highly recommend it! 

Lerwick Harbour was the next spot and the last visit to the Shetland Times bookshop, the 'excuse' being to find something for the grandchildren but I just had to go through their knitting books again! 

A treat to see ! 

 

Purchases made we made our last visit to the Peerie cafe and bade 'safe journey' to fellow wool weekers from some of my classes who were travelling back to America. It looked like the ferry would have quite a wool week contingent. More purchases at the Shetland Museum and a last look at the 19th century pattern books project  exhibition in the foyer which I had not had time to study previously. There really is so much to do in Wool Week. 

From the pattern books project

 

Unfortunately Hay's Dock cafe was closed for staff training on the new menu so we couldn't enjoy our usual view from the first floor over the  Harbour- instead managing with the view from the motorhome in the car park there as we had lunch. 

Then onto Jamieson and Smith and a conversation with Oliver about fleece and the purchase of cones of Shetland Jumper Yarn  for machine knitting- a cone for a jumper for M and natural coloured wool for dyeing before knitting for myself.

All too soon it was time to go to the ferry, once on board we made for the lounge, which wasn't quite full of wool weekers but there were several. We had a nice meal with Eve and chatted to a couple from Whalsay. It turns out the husband makes knitting boards ( glove boards, jumpers boards)  so I have his phone number - what a lucky meeting that was! 

Exhausted from a restful day I tumbled into bed. Once again we were stopping at Kirkwall and it looked to me as if it was not a flat calm crossing! Tomorrow we would wake up close to Aberdeen. 

(1) see Wilma's work at www.shetlanddesigner.co.uk