All About Shetland Yarns – Beautiful, Colourful, Versatile

Shetland yarns are famously lovely, a sheer delight to knit. And humans have been using the wool for a very long time indeed. Archaeological evidence reveals people on the islands have been raising sheep for their fleece on the islands for at least 4500 years. The remains of primitive Soay sheep kept by early Neolithic farmers prove the point, found during the excavation of the prehistoric site at Jarlshof on Shetland itself. So why is Shetland wool so popular, and what's the history behind the islands' long history of textile-making?

About the Shetland sheep – Small yet beautiful

The Shetland sheep is a small, slow-growing breed that actually originated in the Shetland Isles, a Northern European short-tailed type that's related to the Scottish Dunface, sadly now extinct. Its fine, super-soft wool isn't the only product that makes the Shetland sheep a unique animal. The meat is delicious, and being so resilient it's also a great choice for conservation grazing projects designed to revive and protect rare indigenous grasslands.

Shetlands are particularly hardy and tough. They lamb with ease, are adaptable to all sorts of conditions, are used to a poor diet and live longer than the average breed. Because many of their natural survival instincts remain intact thanks to a lack of cross-breeding, they're hardier and easier to look after than most contemporary breeds.

A distinguishing feature of Shetlands is their short tail, fat at the base,tapered to a point and hairy rather than woolly. But it's the colour of their wool that's the most magical thing. It comes in many different colours and patterns, most with their own ancient names dating back millennia. Moorit wool, for example, is a rich, red-brown shade. Emsket wool is a dusky blue-grey, Musket wool is a pale grey-brown, Shaela a dark steel-grey and Mioget honey-coloured. There are many more, whose quirky names also come from the islands' ancient Norn language.

There are also 30 unique markings, which often appear in a combination. Katmoget, for example, means badgerface, a pattern involving a dark tummy and shading around the nose and eyes, with lighter wool elsewhere. And a Yuglet is a light coloured animal with dark rings around its eyes. Our favourite, though is Sokket, a fantastic name for sheep with white socks on its legs and obviously marking the origin of the modern word 'socks'.

The coarser wool from Shetlands is used to make Tweed, the softer wools for mullti-coloured knits in beautiful Fair Isle patterns, plus wonderfully soft knitted lace shawls. These shawls are so very fine and delicate that you can actually pass one through a wedding ring, just like a fairy tale.

In late 2011 the Shetland wool actually produced on the islands themselves was awarded protected geographical status with a protected designation of origin classification of Native Shetland Wool, the first non-food product to achieve the honour.

The history of textiles on the Shetland Isles

The Shetland isles are known and loved all over the world for their splendid textiles. They've been weaving and knitting the wool for man centuries. But it wasn't until the 1800s that the industry really took off, allowing women to play a valuable part in earning income for their families. The islanders soon responded by inventing all sorts of new products, and importing and adapting special tools from around the world. But one thing didn't change: the traditional ways of hand production and finishing.

A large and successful cottage industry sprang up in no time, knitwear being the most popular product. Plain knitting was perfect for socks and stockings, hats, winter underwear, thick traditional shawls called haps, scarves, mittens and gloves, and these formed the core of the industry.

Fair Isle knitwear is what the islands are best known for, originally worn by fishermen and later sold to tourists. Fine lace was once another, an expensive luxury including some of the most intricate garments you can imagine, as delicate as spider webs and patterned to perfection. Costly items like this were restricted to the rich, and the royal families and aristocracy of Britain and beyond into Europe couldn't get enough of them.

These days the industry carries on, but cheaper mass-produced alternatives have taken their toll and the islands' weaving industry has disappeared. Luckily today's knitters have formed groups to promote their unique craft, which is celebrated every year via a special Wool Week. This year the event runs from Saturday 23rd September to
Sunday 1 October 2017, a wonderful celebration for anyone with a passion for knitting and a respect for the ancient roots of the Shetland sheep.

Buy Shetland yarns from our own sheep and other local breeders

We sell superb Shetland yarns from our own sheep, and from our favourite local producers. If you'd like to knit yourself something sumptuous, luxurious and deliciously soft, it's perfect. Here's a link to our Shetland Wool page.