Mon and Tues Oct 7-8: Day 22 and 23
We like to stay a couple of days after wool week to have a bit of a rest and also do some shopping. There are too many other things to do during wool week without worrying about getting wool. I also like to get into the Museum and if possible the archives. There are some interesting wool related books on the shelves in there. We did not expect to be the only ‘wool weekers’ on the ferry either, and already know of two friends we will meet up with in the lounge.
Even though it was bright and sunny we noticed that the wind was getting up by the time we arrived back at the campsite on Sunday evening and for the first time this week we parked the van facing into the wind and gave a thought to those on the boat, wondering how choppy it would be.
When we woke in the morning it was quite mild again but I could hear the wind, so guessed it wasn’t the best journey back to Aberdeen. For us, it was a superb sunrise. We are very lucky, we enjoy the sunrise here but also at home in Norfolk we see great sunrises and sunsets from our house and having lived in built up areas it is never something we take for granted.
During coffee the wind got stronger and the rain was heavy, so we lingered checking up on the outside world which we were soon to re-enter. We found out that whilst we were away it had been very wet at home, the local town had been flooded. It seemed strange that as we left we wondered how the garden would manage - it was hot and very dry when we left for Shetland! The garden at home needed the rain but we expected to see our ground elder crop, which we try and keep down, waist high!
We called at Tesco for enough provisions to get us home later in the week and then decided to have lunch in Mareel, they do a very nice hot bacon and cheese croissant!
I popped over to the Museum to buy more cards to send home to our young grandsons and was surprised it was closed. At least I could programme going back to look at knitwear etc for tomorrow.
We had never been to Skeld campsite and friends tell us how nice it is so we decided to drive there and have a look. However we got as far as the turn off to Tingwall and the weather was ‘not good’ in Shetland terms, at home it would have been called ‘evil’ so we opted out and went back to the campsite.
This was great, I could have an afternoon and evening making progress on Hazel’s gloves (Hoosiefield) from the annual. I had brought wool with me and I juggled with the colours and came up with a plan. Perhaps I could get them finished before I got home. I was pleased they had Fair Isle fingers, these would be double thickness. It brought back bad memories, I used to have chilblains on my fingers as I had a very long journey to school, involving a bike, walk, train and walk for 7 long years. Pity I didn’t have gloves with double thickness fingers then.
The beginning of the back of the hand pattern
And my colour selection and working notes
Another night not to be on the boat I suspect. (We heard later that it was very rough last night!)
Tuesday was our last day and we were keen to make the most of it and not just drift around waiting for the evening ferry. Several of our wool week friends would be on the boat too and it would be a happy time tinged with sadness knowing we would have to rely on social media for keeping in touch until next year.
It was a relief that there was no noticeable wind as we got up, so fingers crossed for a calm crossing tonight.
We tidied up and left fairly early and made for Mackenzies for the last bacon bap of the holiday. After this we did a mini tour of Cunningsburgh to search out a ‘new’ birdwatching sites M had been told about. By this time it was dull and wet and no sign of the red backed shrike.
Next stop was the Museum to pick up cards for the grandsons. Lunch was available but it was soup, panini or sandwiches and none of these appealed to me that day. Mareel, a short stroll away, was offering Beetroot and Brie tart which was delicious.
I wanted more time in the Museum. I had been in touch during the week with Michael H who had some knitted lace samples on show knitted in 2018 as part of an earlier lace project and I though I could get better images for him. This I did and then decided I hadn’t really looked at the Fair Isle knitting this year so very much enjoyed doing this.
I love this hat, particularly the shape. It uses natural dyed wool for the colours and dates to c.1870
I still hadn’t bought the wool I needed from Jamieson’s so it was back to the Quay to park.
As I got there I realised I had not taken a photo of their special wool week window, which is always a joy to see. I hadn’t realised that I had a mention in the window!
Part of the display
The cone of grey wool that I had ordered nearly 2 weeks ago was not there and I was reassured it would follow me home.(1)
The wool I needed and the overshot weaving that it will form part of, I am thinking will be another simple bag or handbag if I have enough of the 4 yarns involved to make sufficient fabric. I just love this pattern and have made x samples before I got the colour combination to my liking.
I popped into the first charity shop I came too, just to browse and what a bonus day it was, I found a vintage pattern for a knitted suit, now I need to translate it from hand knitting to machine knitting.
The afternoon was getting on and we decided to stop in the Bod car park and make tea and cake and make sure everything was put away and we had our bags packed ready for the night on the ferry.
Part of the Bod sign
Unusually we were one the first vehicles onto the ferry, squeezed in between 2 large lorries, and by 17.45 I was in the lounge. It was drizzly but calm.
We decided to eat straight away and were joined by Eve and Angela and then Kate. Eve had carried her nano electric spinner with her so I could see how tiny it was and how it would fit into a bag. I was trying to decide whether to buy a slightly larger, and to me more robust Ashford, or this tiny one. Eve also came up with a suggestion of where I could get 2.75mm dpns, which I had failed to track down anywhere. (2)
We had a long journey the next day so were in the cabin at 22.00. However, M showed me the top of his foot that had been rubbing on his boots, his whole foot was very swollen and red! Another medical emergency on the ferry. All we could do was go to sleep and hope having the leg up would help, but I went to sleep thinking we would need to visit the hospital in Aberdeen first thing in the morning as it looked infected to me.
- The card from the postman which greeted me on arriving home said my neighbour had the wool. He had been looking after it since yesterday so the wool beat me home!
- I ordered these as soon as we were back from https://www.guernseywool.co.uk I am very pleased I now have a set that are longer than my 23cm sock knitting ones, although I have mastered these and shorter ones with my knitting belt. I am still to order an electric spinner.
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