New yarn launch – Shetland Heritage

Today we’re launching Shetland Heritage yarn, the newest addition to the collection.

Shetland Heritage yarn recreates the original characteristics of handspun ‘wursit’ used in old Fair Isle garments. The yarn is replicated from that found in knitted Fair Isle garments in the collection of Shetland Museum and Archives.

Wool experts, specialist dyers, curators and knitters have worked together to develop and trial Shetland Heritage yarn, which is worsted spun from Jamieson & Smith’s combed tops to give a soft feel, and a smooth finish. The yarn is slightly finer than the four ply we use today to knit stranded colourwork and Fair Isle. Instead, it gives a definition and complexity of colour and pattern that goes right back to the nineteenth century.

Shetland Heritage Yarn is part of a collaborative project between Shetland Amenity Trust, Shetland Museum and Archives, Curtis Wool Direct and Jamieson & Smith (Shetland Wool Brokers) Ltd.  Together, we were inspired to recreate the worsted spun yarns in Fair Isle artefacts in the Shetland Museum’s collection after the success of a project to revive Shetland Fine Lace in 2010.

As with all of our wool products, every stage of development and production is carried out in the UK and is made from the wool of over 700 of Shetland’s crofters and farmers. We’re working with local knitters and the amazing Jen Arnall-Culliford on translating artefacts in the Shetland Museum’s collection to hand knit patterns. This collection of garments will be launched during Shetland Wool Week 2012.

Technical info:

25g, 110m/120yds, 2.8nm worsted

Tension: 30 sts and 32 rows = 10cm/4in over Fair Isle pattern using 3mm needles

Enjoy…

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