About
Jamieson & Smith Shetland Wool Brokers Ltd. purchase Shetland wool from over 600 of Shetland’s crofters and farmers, and transform it into high-quality Real Shetland Wool products including yarns, knitwear, blankets and carpets.
Real Shetland Wool is an incredibly natural and sustainable fibre, and is world-renowned for its fineness and warmth. Shetland Sheep graze on the islands’ hills and beaches eating wild heather and seaweed. This diet, along with the not-so-great weather, makes Shetland wool soft, strong and warm.
Our wool is perfect for hand-knitting both Shetland Lace and Fair Isle, as well as for knitwear manufacture and weaving. We hand sort and grade our wool and, to make sure that we do not waste anything.
Everything we do at Jamieson & Smith is with the aim of enhancing the profile of Shetland wool, so as to raise the prices for local wool producers. A 2009 trading standards investigation revealed that we purchase over 80% of the wool produced in Shetland. Therefore Jamieson & Smith’s activities play an important part in sustaining Shetland’s fragile crofting industry, as well as our textiles industry and heritage. We founded Shetland Wool Week in 2010 which has gone on to become a world famous textile event, to ensure the future of the Shetland wool industry we work closely with key organisations and we are dedicated to textile innovation and experimentation.
Jamieson & Smith have been around since the 1930s, when it was founded by the Smith family of Berry Farm in Scalloway, on the east coast of Shetland. In the 60s, we re-located to our current premises overlooking the harbour in Lerwick. Our little cluster of buildings on the North Road includes our wool sheds, a renovated church – which is now our yarn store, and in 2020 we extended our shop.
In 2004 the Smith family retired and we joined with Curtis Wool Direct in Yorkshire. Jamieson & Smith continues to be staffed by Shetlanders and we remain a stand-alone company, in that the profits received from the sale of Real Shetland Wool and Real Shetland Wool products come back into the Shetland economy and are passed along to our number one priority, the wool producer.
All of our products carry the 3 Sheep Logo, which signals that the product is manufactured from 100% Real Shetland Wool from pure bred Shetland Sheep that are born and bred on the islands.
Something else you’d like to know?
Visit our website: www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk
J&S Blog 
Please can you help me? I would like to buy a kit but am not an experinced knitter. Do you have knitters that could make me up one of your shawls for my Grandchild? Thank you Helen Holmes
Hello Helen,
Thanks for getting in touch. Unfortunately this isn’t a service we offer, but you should get in touch with Sheila here.
http://www.shetlandlaceshawls.co.uk
Sarah x
My grandfather was Alexander Lawrence Jamieson from Lerwick and my Grandmother was Jean Jackson Smith from Aberdeen. Is this a coincidence or are we related?
Can’t wait to pay you a visit on our holidays in Scotland next year. Will bring my also-knitting fiancee with me. 🙂
Best wishes from Christine, Herchen, Germany.
Hi, I wanted to knit some aran patterned over the knee socks this christmas – I have found a pattern from the 1940’s but could you recommend one of your wools that would work best please. Kind regards Amanda, Windsor, Berkshire
Hi Amanda.
Yes we actually have Aran Weight Yarn which we currently stock in 23 shades. You can find them on our website here. That pattern sounds really interesting, we would love to see a photo when you’ve done!
Okay will do – but I think I will try these in 4ply first – aran might be to thick – and you havee some lovely 4ply yarns for sale that I’d love to try. Here’s the pattern though if you’d like to maybe try it for yoursleeves:
Starting at the cuff, cast on (64 sts-sizes 10-10 ½) (68 sts -sizes 11-11 ½) (72 sts-sizes 12-12 ½). Work in ribbing of k 2, p 2 for 4 inches. On the row increase to 78 sts for all sizes and work in the following pattern:
1st row: K 1, p 2, * k 6, p 2, k 1, p 2, repeat from * across row, ending with k 6, p 2, k 1.
2nd row: P 1, k 2, * p 6, k 2, p 1, k 2, repeat from * across row, ending with p 6, k 2, p 1.
3rd row: Repeat lst row.
4th row: Repeat 2nd row.
5th row: Repeat lst row.
6th row: Repeat 2nd row.
7th row: K 1, p 2, * slip the next 3 sts onto a dble pt needle and hold in back of work, knit the next 3 sts, knit the 3 sts off the dble pt needle (cable twist), p 2, k 1, p 2, repeat from * across row, ending with cable, p 2, k 1.
8th row: P 1, k 2, * p 6, k 2, p 1, k 2, repeat from * across row, ending with k 2, p 1. Repeat these 8 rows for the pattern. Work until the piece measures (10 ½ ins.-sizes 10-10 ½) (11 ins.-sizes 11-11 ½) (11 ½ ins.-sizes 12-12 ½); ending with the 8th row of the pattern.
HEEL: K 4 sts, k 2 tog, k 4, k 2 tog, k 4, k 2 tog, k 2. (17 sts on right hand needle); place the next 38 sts for the instep onto a st holder; the remaining 20 sts onto a 2nd st holder. Working on the first 17 sts, purl 1 row, k 1 row, for 25 rows, (always slipping the first st on a purl row); ending with a purl row.
SHAPING OF HEEL:
K 2, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 1, turn; sl 1, p 3, turn;
k 3, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 1, turn; sl 1, p 4, turn;
k 4, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 1, turn; sl 1, p 5, turn;
k 5, sl 1, k 1, psso k 1, turn; sl 1, p 6, turn;
k 6, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 1, turn; sl 1, p 7, turn;
k 7, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 1, turn; sl 1, p 8, turn;
k 8, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 1, (10 sts).
With the same needle, pick up and knit 14 sts along side of heel; in pattern work off the 38 sts of instep onto the needle. Place all these sts from needle onto a free st holder. Knit the 20 sts off st holder as follows: K 2, k 2 tog, k 4, k 2 tog k 4, k 2 tog, k 4. Purl 1 row, knit 1 row, on these 17 sts for 26 rows, always slipping the first st on a knit row, ending with a knit row.
SHAPING OF HEEL:
P 2, p 2 tog, p 1, turn; sl 1, k 3, turn;
p 3, p 2 tog, p 1, turn; sl 1, k 4, turn;
p 4, p 2 tog, p 1, turn; sl 1, k 5, turn;
p 5, p 2 tog, p 1, turn; sl 1, k 6, turn;
p 6, p 2 tog, p 1, turn; sl 1, k 7, turn;
p 7, p 2 tog, p 1, turn; sl 1, k 8, turn;
p 8, p 2 tog, p 1, (10 sts).
With the same needle pick up and purl 14 sts along side of heel; place a marker on the needle; work across the 38 sts of instep off the st holder in pattern; place a marker on needle; purl the remaining 24 sts.
GUSSET DECREASES: Knit to within 3 sts of first marker, k 2 tog, k 1; slip marker; work across 38 sts in the pattern; slip marker, k 1, sl 1, k 1, psso, knit to end of row. NEXT ROW: Purl to marker; slip marker; pattern across 38 sts; slip marker; purl to end of row. Repeat these last 2 rows until 68 sts remain on the needle. Drop off both markers. Work even, keeping the 38 center sts in pattern and 15 sts at each side in stockinette stitch, until the sock measures the following inches from the back of the heel: (7 ½ ins.-sizes 10-10 ½) (8 ½ ins.-sizes 11-11 ½) (9 ½ ins.-sizes 12-12 ½), ending with the right of the work facing you.
NEXT ROW: Knit all across row, decreasing to 60 sts. Purl 1 row, knit 1 row, for a half inch, ending with a knit row. Purl 15 sts; place a marker on needle; purl 30 sts; place a marker on needle; purl the last 15 sts.
TOE DECREASES: Knit to within 3 sts of first marker; k 2 tog, k 1; slip marker; k 1, sl 1, k 1, psso, knit to within 3 sts of 2nd marker, k 2 tog, k 1; slip marker; k 1, sl 1, k 1, psso, knit to end of row. 2nd row: Purl across, keeping markers in place. Repeat these last 2 rows until you have 20 sts on the needle. Bind off, fold, so that the decreases are at the side. Sew across toe. Sew sole and back seams. Make the other sock the same way.
Kind regards Amanda
I would like to make” the Queen Shawl” do you stock suitable yarn to make the finest quality version in either cream or white? If so could you send me details/price etc?Thank you
Is it possible to purchase just the pattern for your Shetland Lace scarves that you sell as kits?
Many thanks
You can order patterns by phone, thanks!
Fantastic pictures. My grandfather Magnus Coutts (Burland Trondra) descends from Thomas Coutts (1760) Papa Stour and my grandmother Barbara mother was Mary Slater and that side dates back to Laurence Slater, Isle of Oxna (1770) so to see photo’s with both Papa Stour and Oxna in the background was totally fabulous for me in New Zealand. Would be very keen to connect with you. Thank you
I am knitting a vest from Sasha Kagan pattern – fair isle, using 2ply jumper Shetland knit. Will I be able to hand wash this in an approved wool wash?
Hello, yes of course!