I probably should start with happiness, but I’d rather get the disappointment out of the way and move on.
Rarely do I review a yarn where I can’t recommend something about it that would make me (or you) immediately want to try it. Even when I find fault, or think that improvements could be made, I tend not to give a yarn the absolute “thumbs down.”
And even doing that today, I feel badly, but I’m really disappointed in what I experienced with Foula Wool.
One of the things that caught my eye when I discovered this wool at Shetland Wool Week was their statement on the ball band that the wool was processed in a “low carbon” manner. I searched the website to find out more, but there was nothing there to explain the statement. I finally located the information I was looking for at a site called Shetland.org.
Here is what I found: The island has no connection to the national grid, therefore the islanders have to run their own electricity scheme. This is a hybrid scheme, with three wind turbines, a hydro generator, solar panels, battery banks and a distribution network. The Foula Electricity Trust has pledged to transition the island to zero carbon. I thought that was more than a little bit interesting, and a point in the company’s favor.
The other think I found interesting is that the sheep on Foula have been isolated there for quite a long time, making them more like the primitive breed Shetland sheep than many of the mainland Shetland sheep that have been cross-bred. The island’s prohibition on the importation of new sheep continues to isolate this small group of animals and helps to maintain their fleece character. Knitting with the yarn I couldn’t find any real difference between the Foula sheep and the primitive/organic sheep of Uradale Farms. The Foula yarn has the same slightly rustic feel of all of the Shetland wool, while still providing enough softness to make it enjoyable to handle.
However, I was a little cranky when I found my first section of un-spun lengths in a skein. Usually I chalk that up to an “oops” and move on, attempting to do a little rolling between my fingers with a bit of moisture to take out the fluffy bits. For my small hap, I thought it would be manageable and not look inappropriate… a bit more homespun than I’d like to find in mill production.
But, when the unspun/plied strands started showing up regularly, and they weren’t able to be “re-spun” to my satisfaction, I started having a real issue trying to figure out how, if at all, I was going to use the yarn productively.
I did order more from the company in hopes that my 6 skeins were somehow not representative of the mill’s capabilities. Also, I underestimated what I could accomplish with the amount of yarn I had, so needed more to be able to finish a workable garment. It’s that old voice in my head saying “just knit faster and you won’t run out!”
To be absolutely fair, Foula Wool is a new company and there is a pretty big learning curve in running any mini-mill. The have an opportunity to improve, but are going to have to take quality control seriously if they expect to garner a following.
I just received a response from Justyna and Magnus yesterday with an explanation of the issues they have been dealing with as a new company with new equipment. They are currently not producing or selling wool while they work to solve their equipment and quality control issues. My recent order to them had come as a surprise — they thought that they had no more stock from their last production run. In any event, I’ll be looking forward to seeing what happens when they are up and running again.
I do have a work-around if the next skeins from Foula prove either unsatisfactory or insufficient — I’ll use up the ends of other skeins of Shetland wool that I have in natural colors I assume will blend. In any case, I refuse to give up (yet).
I’m also putting a note on my calendar to order more of their wool a year from now to see how they are doing and have been able to overcome the inconsistency in their yarns. Stay tuned.
On to Happiness…
There still are classes and events from Shetland Wool Week I’m excited to share with you. One of the more “atmospheric” observations has to do with how the classes were scattered about different venues that gave all of us the opportunity to see more of the Shetland communities on the mainland as well as nearby islands. My absolute favorites were those held in the smaller community centers, like the Gunnister Man Day held at the Delting Boat Club in Brae (not far from the Gunnister Site).
From regular “Maakin and Yaakin” sessions, to darts competitions, parties, and Bingo, the community centers truly are the center of community life in many villages. My observation, also, is that if you are lucky enough to have a lunch there, you’ll find excellent soups, and more cakes than you could possibly taste. The warmth of the welcome of these centers was equal to the warmth and comfort of those soups, and made me love those islands even more. The centers also were the locations for a number of gatherings to knit and chat with local knitters, spinners, and weavers.
There also was time for viewing a variety of exhibitions, and open studios to visit with opportunities to talk with artists at work. Teas and lectures, traditional music sessions (including some at the local breweries!) and pop-up shops kept all of us busy, not wanting to miss a thing. Then there were more formal tours, such as visits to Unst in the far north (complete with a stop at the museum housing all manner of crafts, but particularly featuring incredible lace), Shetland ponies, sheep dogs, behind the scenes at the Shetland Museum and Archives, and even a photography safari with a well-known nature photographer. There also were classes using fused glass, whittling a shawl pin, paper cutting, knotted baskets, and non-traditional (for Shetland) nailbinding, and card weaving. I haven’t even scratched the surface of what was offered. For any visitor, there was absolutely no reason to be without something to do even if you hadn’t gotten to take all of the classes you were hoping for.
In many respects, there was too much to do. I came home really tired, although it was a happy tired. I’ve learned since that the overwhelming activity did in the locals as well. Next year’s offerings and the length of the celebration will be pared back just a little bit. That will in no way diminish the energy and enjoyment for everyone, I’m quite sure, but will perhaps provide just a bit more breathing space for everyone. Sometimes the line between “enough” and “too much” is hard to define.
One of the classes I signed up for sort of on the spur of the moment turned out to be one of my favorites…knitting Fair Isle on a flatbed knitting machine. You see here the unfinished result of the class I took to knit a fisherman’s kep (cap). I knit one by hand for Bruce a couple of years ago (which turned out to be too small even for his rather small head and was subsequently gifted to a charity for children.) It took quite a long time to knit…days and days. The one on a knitting machine, once I got going, probably represented 3 hours or less of knitting time, and is more finely knit than I would have been able to do by hand. Granted, I have a significant amount of finishing work to do (grafting on the brim for the turned-up edge, and seaming), but the machine itself was magic.
The instructor for the class, Marie Bruhar, is a French transplant, living on Fair Isle. She sells her lovely knitwear, teaches, and even runs multi-day workshops on Fair Isle. When she isn’t teaching off-island, you can find her with her sheep, designing new custom- or ready-made knitwear, or possibly training with other islanders to be a fire fighter. She truly has integrated herself into island life with energy and enthusiasm. It was not in small measure her enthusiasm that had me searching for a knitting machine to buy when I returned home.
Marie wearing a fisherman’s kep of her own design. Photo by Daniel Craanen
There is a hand knitting pattern for this kep available on Marie’s website, and she’s planning to have it available on Ravelry soon. Let me also say that her patterns are beautifully written and illustrated, so very nice to work with.
On the needles…
I’m continuing to work on my hap moving from one natural color of Shetland sheep to the next. While I’m waiting to get my last skeins of the Foula wool, I’m using up the bits and pieces of other skeins of undyed Shetland…very helpful in the process of stash busting.
Yes, I’m continuing with that project (de-stashing) as well! New yarn seems to keep coming through the door, but at least more is going out than coming in. I’m truly grateful that my Wednesday knitting group has been able to absorb what I’m unable to use. It’s also fun to see the results of some of their knitting with “my” yarn. They have done such lovely and creative things that I’d never thought of when that yarn first came into my house.
The other thing that has been distracting me is baby gifts. Two young women within the greater family are expecting little girls…one at the end of this month and one in the spring. I have a baby sack/bunting nearly finished for one. It needs a teddybear or lamb to go with it, but that might arrive a little later. A blanket and stuffed toy is also next up for the other mom-to-be. Pictures soon.
I have more Shetland yarn to knit up, and then I’ll be diving into the next round of research in the Highlands and Orkney. I’m looking forward to that, and fortunately I only have two new wool-types to add that I haven’t already sampled. Then comes the really intensive writing and pattern drafting for the book. I hope to have it wrapped up by the end of 2024 — only a year behind my original estimate.
So until the next time, stay calm and craft on. With all of the terrible conflict in the world, that is an aspiration, to be sure. But, I hope that you’ll try. I’m going to do so as well.