Countdown Begins

In one weeks time I'll be heading off from these windswept isles.......I can hardly believe we've been here for three and half months.....it's going to be hard to say goodbye.....I will endevour to get plenty more photos this week.

Today we had a beautiful walk along the coast at Dale of Walls:

We Wish You a Merry Xmas......

..... or whatever you celebrate at this time of year.

Some highlights from our day......champagne for breakfast, generous and thoughtful gift giving, grateful recipients of gifts, calm day for walking, sticky toffee pudding, Xmas crackers, a new Wallace and Gromit TV special, dancing contests...fun with family.....feeling grateful.....

My Man!

Reunited with my man after three months...he arrived in Shetland today.....and is already making dinner.....so incredibly good to have him here...especially as Maya and I have raging colds and need to be taken care of!

The Festivity Begins

Thought I'd share some festive tidbits from Muckle Bousta. We don't usually get a tree this early but both of my kids have been ill this week and needed some cheering up! I have to admit to being a bit nervous that we wouldn't find a real Xmas tree up here where as you can see there is a distinct lack of the things! But of course they were imported (probably from Norway) and we picked one up at the supermarket!

We unearthed some of my parents old decorations and added a few of our own to make it a particulary Shetland tree: Some old glass floats, a puffin, a shetland pony and some felted fish!

We also added a freshly made felted goddess as the tree topper.....I like the crooked crown she has....too much Xmas punch already!

And Maya and I are both whizzing up the Xmas knits!

Breiwick Beret

Breiwick has been test knit (thanks Christy) and is ready to go!

Inspired by beachcombing walks in Shetland this highly textured beret uses a slip stitch pattern to create a cable-like lattice evocative of fishing nets. Make this in a worsted weight yarn for a thicker, sturdier beret or in a DK weight for a more peerie (small) beret.

Finished Size
Diameter across top of beret is 10.5 inches in Worsted weight and 10 inches in DK weight.
Materials
Approx 190 yrds worsted weight yarn or 210 yrds of DK weight yarn. Shown in Dream In Colour, Classy and Rowan Pure Wool DK.
US#4/3.5mm 16-inch Circular Needle (for both berets)
US#8/5mm 16-inch Circular Needle (for worsted weight beret)
US#7/4.5mm 16 inch Circular Needle (for DK weight beret)
Set of US#8/5mm DPN’S (for worsted weight beret)
Set of US#7/4.5mm DPN’S (for DK weight beret)
Crochet hook (for catching slipped sts)
Marker
Gauge
19 sts and 28 rows=4 inches in stockinette st on US#8/5mm in worsted weight.
21 sts and 28 rows=4 inches in stockinette st on US#7/4.5mm in DK weight.

Skill Level

Intermediate. The slip stitch patterns requires dropping and catching stitches without using a cable needle.

$4.00

December Light

Driving back from Lerwick at 3:30pm....sun about to dip below the horizon.

Papa Stour ferry that passes daily in front of the house.

"Ling"-Scottish term for heather.

"Linga"- means heather covered island and is to be the name for this beret which uses the same Shetland lace pattern as my Vaila sweater. Vaila and Linga are islands that lie next to one another on the Wastside of Shetland.

A good portion of Shetland roads are single track with these wee passing places dotted alongside....got to watch out for stubborn sheep too!

I Wish This Morning Would Never End

That was the last line to a poem my daughter wrote about the beautiful crisp winter morning we had today......still and perfect for walking......

We are starting to get closer to our departure from this far flung location and as often happens when you know you're leaving a place you start to feel nostalgic for it!

(big brother's turn for a visit)

It's been absolutley brilliant to spend quality time with family (although I'm missing not having my sister nearby) and to be back in my own country for a while.

Our departure isn't imminent however.....we still get to celebrate Xmas and New Year here which will be all the more complete when David (my man) gets here in about 16 days time!!

Beret Bonanza

Hello......still here......just haven't snapped many shots of late as it's been a bit dreich (as us Scots like to say)! However all this indoor time has kept me busy with lots of knitting .....including a slew of beret making/designing (One pattern written up and being test knit...the other to be done asap)!

.....here's a wee selection so far (taken when the sun made a brief appearance)....

There are 2 different designs going on here, one shown in a worsted and DK weight (winey and grey ones) and the other just in DK . I wanted to test out the variety of floppiness that can be had with berets as I find it hard myself to decide how slouchy I want them to be.

What about you? How much slouch do you go for in a beret?

(Just for fun-the view from the kitchen window after lots of cooking has taken place)

Swatching for Vaila

Firstly thanks for all the wonderful compliments on Vaila.....I'm extremely pleased with it and with Caroline Bergeron's wonderful photography!

After receiving some queries regarding yarn substitutes I realized that it might be helpful for those who would like to swatch the lace panel to include instructions for flat knitting (as it is only worked in the round in the pattern).

I would recommend including some reverse stockinette either side of the lace panel so that the contrast can be seen.

Shetland Twins Pattern B
(This is taken from A Treasury Of Knitting Patterns by Barbara Walker)
The lace panel in the pattern is 29sts wide which ends up creating two repeats of the lace

Row 1(Right Side)-K1, *k4, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k5; rep from *.
Row 2-P1, *p3, p2tog-b, yo, p3, yo, p2tog, p4; rep from*.
Row 3-K1, *k2, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, k3; rep from *.
Row 4-P1, *p1, p2tog-b, yo, p7, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *.
Row 5-K1, *(k2tog, yo) twice, k1, yo, sk2p, yo, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, k1; rep from *.
Row 6, 8, 10 and 12-P1, *yo, p2tog, p9, p2tog-b, yo, p1; rep from *.
Row 7-K1, *yo, ssk, (k1, yo, sk2p, yo) twice, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from *.
Row 9-K1, *yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, sk2p, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from *.
Row 11-Repeat row 7.
Row 13-K1, *k1, yo, ssk, k2, yo, sk2p, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k2; rep from *.
Row 14-P1, *p2, yo, p2tog, p5, p2tog-b, yo, p3; rep from *.
Row 15-K1, *k3, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k4; rep from *.
Row 16-P1, *p4, yo, p2tog, p1, p2tog-b, yo, p5; rep from *.
Row 17-K1, *k5, yo, sk2p, yo, k6; rep from *.
Row 18- Knit

All abbreviations can be found in the Vaila pattern except for p2tog-b which just means purl 2 sts together through the back loops.

Twist Collective

I'm over the moon to have a pattern in the new Twist Collective and to be amongst such astounding talent........

copyright © caroline bergeron

November 4th in Shetland

November 4th was an amazingly calm and picturesque day here in Shetland

Dad and I even had a wee picnic on the beach.........then we stayed up all night to share in the celebrations out west.......feeling very happy (but tired) today!

Beret Lover

I've never been a huge wearer or lover of berets in the past but I notice I've been wearing them a lot lately.......must have something to do with having longer hair after years of very short locks..and the need to take the chill off over here in the windy islands.

The latest one off the needles is Porom by Jared Flood.....great pattern and great slouchy, lacey beret...this one made from some cashmere/angora/lambswool mix from the Isle of Skye.

As this is actually going to a friend of mine I may need to make another for myself!

More Scenery

The colours and light quality have been absolutley stunning up here the last few days so I've been snapping away.......these are edited and obviously I'm still fiddling with the colours but it does still represent some of the textures and contrasts that can be seen. A view on the drive into town (which takes about 45 mins )

Thought it was time to include a shot of a sheep however this one ain't a Shetlander, it's a scandinavian breed that produces a bigger lamb apparently....anyway these are the ones that reside around my dad's cottage....I'll get some locals before too long!

Looking at the hoose from behind.......and.......

......ta da.....I finished my Fair Isle project! Here they are being 'dressed' on some hand boards that my dad happened to have lying around.....some modeled photos soon..and perhaps a pattern!

Great Day for Knitting

Back up North now and have been watching some dramatic seas mostly from indoors whilst knitting and drinking cups of tea......lovely!

Here's one with sound effects:

Edinburgh and Ysolda!

Just had a great few days in Edinburgh soaking up the Georgian architecture of the New Town and roaming the old cobblestone streets of the Old Town and generally being quite a tourist!

Along the way I had the pleasure of meeting this lovely knitwear designer......

who supplied me with a cup of tea and a scrumptious mini apple pie whilst we chatted about Edinburgh (we both went to the same school although about 12 years apart) and knitting of course! She graciously shared some of her latest projects with me and has some fantastic designs coming your way soon!