Not long until another busy wool week returns
KNITTING needles are at the ready as Shetland Wool Week prepares to return this coming weekend.
The annual celebration of wool, knitting, textiles and heritage will formally open with an event on Sunday.
Now in its seventeenth year the festival, which is managed by Shetland Amenity Trust, is set to bring nearly 1,000 wool enthusiasts from across the world to Shetland – with some coming from as far as Japan and New Zealand.
On offer will be a week packed with hundreds of classes, workshops, talks, tours, exhibitions, social events and plenty of opportunities to get together.
Activities are taking place from Unst to the South Mainland, with local communities at their heart as halls, crofts, businesses, makers, musicians and heritage organisations come together for Wool Week.
This year’s patron, knitwear designer Helen Robertson, has been busy in the build-up to the festival, from designing her much-anticipated Wool Week hat, the Birsie Beanny, to leading ‘Knit-A-Long’ sessions both in person and online.
Known for combining Shetland traditions with an innovative and contemporary approach to design, Robertson has brought plenty of her own ideas to the programme.
She will lead three special tours during the week, travelling to Unst, Ollaberry and Whalsay.
The Unst tour will also feature a livestreamed panel discussion with local lace knitters.
Robertson said: “I am looking forward to meeting old friends and new and seeing all the different colour schemes folk have used in their hats. I love hearing the many languages and accents throughout the week as it always makes me feel like I’ve been on holiday abroad.
“I hope everyone leaves with happy memories, plenty of knitting plans and suitcases full of yarn.”
Alongside many familiar favourites, this year’s programme includes a number of new workshops and experiences such as Fair Isle knitting through the ages, finishing techniques, and peg loom weaving, while lunchtime talks at Shetland Museum and Archives offer an informal opportunity to hear about a wide range of subjects.
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There’s also a croft kitchen event, a special drop-in stitch marker workshop and plenty of opportunities to try something new, learn from experienced makers or simply spend time enjoying the atmosphere of Wool Week.
There are also some changes to the way the festival is centred in Lerwick, with the historic Hay’s Dock waterfront becoming a “key gathering point”.
Shetland Museum and Archives remains at the heart of the festival, with Shetland Arts’ Mareel joining as a secondary hub for classes, talks, social events and evening entertainment.
A list of the activities and events in Mareel can be found here.
Shetland Amenity Trust’s own heritage and natural heritage activities will also form part of the wider Wool Week experience.
Visitors can take part in everything from archive tours and net mending to lighthouse tours, a peatland restoration day and Walk in Da Shoes experience at the Crofthouse Museum.
There are exhibitions to explore too, including the popular 150 Years of Rattar Photography, and Valda and Da Maakins, a display of knitted textiles inspired by Valda Grieve who lived in Whalsay with poet Hugh MacDiarmid.
The trust’s cultural heritage manager Jacqui Birnie said: “At its heart, Shetland Wool Week is about the people – the people who continue to make, teach and share these traditions, and the people who come from all over the world to experience them.
“We’ve worked hard to keep the programme fresh while retaining the things people know and love about Wool Week. This year’s programme has been shaped with input from our new SWW [Shetland Wool Week] Advisory Group, and we’re excited about the mix of familiar favourites and new experiences.
“There really is something for everyone. You can spend a day in an intensive knitting class, wander into a community hall to see what local knitters have been working on, listen to a lunchtime talk, visit an exhibition, take a croft tour, enjoy Shetland’s famous teas, learn traditional dancing, hear tales of folklore, or simply meet up with other wool enthusiasts.
“You can immerse yourself in the whole week or just pick out a few things that catch your eye. You never quite know who you’re going to meet or what you’re going to discover – and that’s part of the fun! It’s going to be a busy week and we can’t wait to welcome everyone.
“As ever, a big thank you to the sponsors and partners of Shetland Wool Week – your generous support helps make this event possible.”
The week will get off to a musical start on Sunday evening at the official opening with a special performance from pianist Amy Laurenson and saxophonist Norman Willmore, alongside spoken word from Claire White, the newly appointed Shaetlan scriever.
For those unable to make it to Shetland, a few events will also be livestreamed during the week.
Alongside the chance to pick up locally made wool and textile treasures, this year also sees the launch of a range of new Shetland Wool Week merchandise.
The festival will culminate on Saturday 3 October with the Shetland Wool Week makkers market at the Anderson High School in Lerwick.
Tickets are still available for a number of classes and events, alongside a wide programme of drop-in sessions, talks and exhibitions.
For full programme details and tickets, visit here.
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