I’m always up for a new journal or magazine with a knitting or wool theme, so was excited to hear about a new project in Scotland, called Yarn dedicated to Scottish Wool. Editor/Publisher Susan Anderson has brought together a diverse selection of articles in the first (Spring/Summer 2022) issue, and it will be really interesting to see where she goes next. This isn’t just another knitting or crochet magazine (although there are patterns included), but rather explores all facets of yarn from embroidery, to weaving, to textile history, to sheep breeds and manufacturing. The articles are detailed, and have sufficient depth to qualify this publication as a serious journal.
On my first run through I found myself skimming and noting that I needed to come back for a more in-depth “read.” And I’ve continued to come back again and again to read more. From my point of view, that says all you need to know about this publication. I believe it has value both for the crafter with interest in only one or two topics, as well as a serious historian wanting to broaden their knowledge.
Solas Órga Sampler, Susie Finlayson
There are several things I liked about the designs featured in this issue. First, like the articles, they are diverse. Second, they are not gender specific, and third, the instructions are detailed enough to overcome the timidity of the beginner. I also really enjoyed the fact that most of the patterns are shown in more than one colorway, and these are designers I haven’t seen before.
“Making Connections and Joining Threads” is the theme (and the glue) that runs through Yarn. I truly hope that Susan will be wildly successful in this venture. I’m already looking forward to the next issue.
A Different Journey
Some time back I did a short description of Debbie Zawinski’s book, In the Footsteps of Sheep. Since that time I’ve not been able to get her absolutely on point title out of my head, and I’m struggling to think of the best idea for a title for the book on sheep of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. She absolutely nailed it! I’m now two weeks away from my next trip, although this time will be less about northern Scotland and more about research. I’ll be attending the 2022 Fleece to Fashion conference, heading back to Perth for the fall yarn festival, and then to Edinburgh to look at some of the earliest knitted textiles from the National Museum of Scotland collection.
The early pieces all come from a burial in Gunnister, Shetland, where a man was found in a shallow grave believed to date to the late 17th/early 18th century, preserved by the peat bog. The two pieces of most interest to me are a small purse that shows some stranded knitting, and the stockings. The purse has been fully analyzed and I think I’d like to try reproducing it, although at 17 sts/inch, it may be somewhat of a challenge. Let’s see, shall we? The original is done in a two-ply yarn, and I have some superfine lace yarn that I bought in Estonia (that actually comes from Shetland), so I’ll try some swatching to see how far I get. This is a fairly decent photo from the 1950s taken at the time of the excavation, and I am hoping I can find one in color with more definition.
Meanwhile…
I’m still working on the series of Boot toppers. I have 3 more to go, and am currently on the ribbed part (that is a pretty boring knit). I’d like to have all of them done to take with me on my trip.
I also got all bolloxed up with the cable charts for Bruce’s sweater, so that project is currently in “time out.” I hope not for long as it should be a reasonably fast knit with aran yarn, and it would be really nice to have made a sweater for him that he enjoys wearing (the one of Gotland wool is too scratchy, and a bit tight around the middle).
The end of the growing season is coming with a surplus of yellow squash, tomatoes and zucchini, so I’ll be spending some time in the kitchen. I have the urge to fill the freezer for the long winter, and am looking forward to cooler days for sweater knitting. So as always, keep calm and knit (spin, crochet, weave, etc.) on!
Thanks for the review of the Yarn magazine. It sounds very interesting 🧐.