J&S Shetland Heritage

Description

J&S 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. The J&S Shetland Heritage yarn is dyed in a gorgeous range of 11 beautiful historical colours.

Wool experts, specialist dyers, curators and knitters have worked together to develop and trial J&S 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 used 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.

J&S 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, they 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.

• Fibre: 100% Real Shetland Wool
• Ball Weight: 25g
• Length: 110m/120yds
• Hand wash.
• Tension: 30 sts and 32 rows = 10cm/4 in over fair isle pattern using 3mm needles.