Wooly Memories

For someone who knits as much as I do, I sure don't wear my sweaters very often.  I was going through my drawers yesterday looking at some of my old labors of love.  Since I didn't get much knitting done this weekend to share, I thought I'd share my blasts from the past.

My all time favorite garment is this one from Ann Feitelson's "The Art of Fair Isle Knitting". 

It's the Fridarey vest on page 120.  I bought the wool for it and the Scalloway yoke sweater while we were in Lerwick, Shetland in 1997.  Here's the yoke of the Scalloway:

You can click on the yoke to see the full size version.

The nice thing about these is that they are the perfect souvenir of that trip and I'm reminded instantly of how much we loved Shetland.  Dan had just come home from eight months in Bosnia and we needed family time alone.  Couldn't have picked a better place.  It's the perfect get-away.  Enough to keep you from getting bored, but all relaxing and you are surrounded by natural beauty.  We spent a few days in Edinburgh, then a week in Shetland and then back to Edinburgh for a few days for the Military Tattoo.

I still have about five sweaters worth of Shetland wool kitted up.  It's my favorite style of knitting.  That trip is the best one I've ever taken in my life.  We went to the mill where they used to spin the Alice Starmore yarns, visited bird sanctuaries, watched the Shetland women knit lace and fair isle at the speed of lightening and watched them spin cobweb weight yarn like it was second nature. 

We stayed in the Sumburgh Hotel at the southern tip of the island.  When we first arrived and got to the top of the stairs I almost broke down in tears.  On our door was a brass plate that said, "Fair Isle Room"  Is that fate or what?  It's called that because you can see Fair Isle (25 miles away) from the window when it's clear out.  We couldn't go to Fair Isle because we didn't time our trip right with the mail boat that takes you there and back.  If you look at the photo of the hotel in the link, we were in the room with the big picture window upstairs.  It was gorgeous. The house used to be a family home of Robert the Bruce.  The sea is just in front of the house and there's a croft that you can walk to just up the road.   We happened upon a man shearing one of his sheep.  Heaven I'm telling you.  Sheer heaven (no pun intended).

Here are some photos of that trip:

Dan and I look a little shell shocked as we were pulling into Lerwick Harbor because it was about 5am.  lol.  As you can see, Daniel slept just fine in the tiny berth on our P&O Ferry overnight journey from Aberdeen.  We couldn't get over how it never really got dark at night.  It looked like dusk at about 2 am.  It was stunning with all the fog.

Here's Daniel and I at the croft by the Sumburgh.  You can't see it very well, but the sweater Daniel has on was from my second project all from my hand spun. It's done in 1x1 rib with a cable going up the sleeves.  The yoke sweater I'm wearing was my own design based on Meg Swansen's "Cardigan Details" video and EZ's percentage system for yoke sweaters.   I call it my one-week sweater.  I knit it in a week while Dan was in Bosnia.  Lots of knitting till the wee hours of the morning when I couldn't sleep.

This photo of Daniel and I feeding a lamb is probably my favorite from the whole trip.  It was taken at a working croft  you can visit on the west side of the island. It's run by Mary and Tommy Isbister.  The nicest people. We had so much fun there we went twice.  They had every kind of farm animal around.  They invited us back for tea (hence the 2ND visit) and they gave a small toy to Daniel that is tucked away in his keepsakes box.

I think I'm going to go watch the videos now so I can fully reminisce.

Comments

[Mary Morrison]

Beautiful, beautiful knitted work. I went to Shetland in August and September of this year and can only echo your praises. It is one of my favorite places on earth. I love the people, and the sheep aren't bad, either. It is fun to compare some of my pictures, etc., to yours -- brings back great memories. Good knitting, Mary Morrison

[Jessica]

Love the yoked sweater - beautiful colors! Do you list a pattern source other than scalloway or do you have any other suggestions - I'd really love to make something similar. I really enjoy your blog however rareky I may comment. Keep posting.

[heather]

wow! I am so impressed...a week? did you say a week? wow. as in 7 days? okay I have to leave now. just kidding. Love your pictures...it looks like it was a wonderful trip. very very cool.

[froggy]

what wonderful sweaters! your fair isle is fantastic. beautiful photos too.

[bri]

So, Jean, when are you going to write a travel log on your knitting trips...if you want a publishing connection...I'm not a traveler but reading your narrative makes want to spend spring break in Shetland! Bri

[Eva Shiu]

Hi Jean, The fairisle vest is wonderful ! I wish I can knit something similar in one day.

[Rose]

Wow - check out that sweater. I love Fair Isle - you did a great job. This is a great post. I'm putting it on my must do list for the future. Thanks so much for sharing.

[kim]

A week??????????? I am impressed and feeling very inadequate...LOL. I am such a slooooow knitter! Your sweaters are lovely!

[kate]

wow! What aweseome work!

[Heather (from elann)]

Your sweaters are beautiful! And the trip looked like it was magical! How wonderful it must have been. And knitting a sweater in a week?! I bet Dan is glad he doesn't have to go away that often. Otherwise he'd probably come home to a house filled with sweaters and yarn. Oh yeah he does anyways, lol :)

[Annie]

Okay, let me get this straight. You knit that gorgeous sweater in ONE week?!? And, the sweater your adorable son is wearing is knit entirely from your OWN handspun? Wow! I am in awe of your talent. :)

[Margene]

Bautiful pictures of your trip. What a nice rememberance. I love FI knitting, too. I have a couple of Starmore kits to get to...next year!

[monica]

The vest is gorgeous! What a great way to remember your trips by having knitting souvenirs. Thanks for sharing the photos from your trip too. It looks like you're a world traveller!

[yvette]

That looks like a fantastic family holiday, great sweaters too.