Please Note, this is the digital version of this book, you can buy a printed copy here

This pattern brings two islands together; the yarn was naturally dyed by Shilasdair in the island of Skye on the west coast of Scotland then sent to the island of Burra in the Shetland Isles in the north of Scotland where I designed and made the shawl.

First published in the Shetland Wool Week Annual 2020, Vol 6 this jumper is inspired by the traditional lace garments that were at one time worn regularly in Shetland. It has been given a modern twist using double knit yarn and an oversized boxy shape.

This scarf and stole uses an allover zigzag textured pattern creating an interesting fabric that is repetitive yet interesting to knit.

This is a cosy cowl knit in the round using a repeat of the horseshoe lace pattern, one which is very commonly used in Shetland knitting. It is one of my favourite lace patterns to knit as I love the repetition of the yarn overs, stitches and decreases.

This shawl is knitted in Langsoond Shetland yarn, a DK weight making a cosy wrap to be worn either scarf-like or draped over the shoulders like a shawl. The central triangle features the cats’ paw motif and is framed by a repeated leaf pattern which is finished off by a garter stitch border. Brough is the neighbouring croft to our one and where...

This hat is inspired by my Straemsound hat which uses a zig zag colourwork pattern. Instead of using two colours the hat uses a series of knit and purl stitches to create an interesting textured pattern. The zig zag pattern converges at the crown forming a satisfying star shape.

This pattern was first available in the Shetland Wool Week Annual 2018, which is packed with exclusive patterns and fascinating essays, against a backdrop of glorious photography which captures Shetland’s rich and varied crofting landscape.

This cowl is a relatively straight forward pattern using a repetitive vine trellis lace pattern knitted in the round so there is very limited finishing. It uses one skein of Langsoond yarn, spun from the sheep from our flock and our neighbours. The cowl is named after Maijie’s Crub, a walled enclosure on the croft where we separate the new lamb...

This hat is inspired by a traditional Fair Isle pattern, it is repeated to create a contemporary all over design, combining simple zig zags that converge at the crown and is the same motif I used on “The Good Years Hat” pattern.

This shawl is made up of sections of stocking stitch bordered with garter stich and punctuated by sections of garter stitch eyelets. These eyelets are inspired by mussel farms that are a very common sight in the inshore coasts around Shetland. The farms are made up rafts floating on the water’s surface. Ropes with connected pegs are tied to the...

The Papil Beret uses the same motifs as the Papil Mitts; those were inspired by a tin containing caramel wafers that was given to me by two Dutch friends during Shetland Wool Week 2016. We met up during a workshop I was teaching at a venue in Papil, Burra Isle and they were also staying in a cottage nearby. Using Shetland knitting techniques to...

These mitts were inspired by a tin containing caramel wafers that was given to me by two Dutch friends during Shetland Wool Week 2016. We met up during a workshop I was teaching at a venue in Papil, Burra Isle and they were also staying in a cottage nearby. Using Shetland knitting techniques together with the pattern and colours inspired by the...

Pattern Notes

Sunwick is a cosy cowl, made in Shetland double knit yarn and captures a geometric simplicity which is inspired by the lines, patterns, textures and contrasting colours of the urban environment. It makes for a relaxing stranded knit with the addition of an optional contrast edging. It works up fast in DK yarn and will fight the fiercest of Shet...

These mittens and cowl have been designed to go with the Baa-ble hat, the pattern I designed and was used as the official hat pattern for Shetland Wool Week 2015. The set is knitted in Jamieson’s of Shetland Heather Aran weight 100% wool and are knitted at a fairly tight gauge to keep out the wind. The original design was inspired by my surroun...

Please note this pattern was first published in the Shetland Wool Week Annual 2016 which is now sold out. The pattern can be purchased by clicking on “buy it now” above.

This hat is inspired by a traditional Fair Isle pattern, it is repeated to create a contemporary all over design, combining simple zig zags that converge to form a star shape at the crown.

The Book of Haps is now available

This snood is made up of a range of patterns that are completed in sections using two colours of yarn. It is started using a provisional cast on, knit in the round and then the stitches at the beginning and end are grafted together to create a continuous snood.

This is my version of my Granny’s gloves - she was constantly knitting and sold whatever she made to shops and agents in Lerwick. She tended to use five colours shading the background of the gloves but I have made these in blocks of three colours. Of course, you can experiment and use as many colours as you like- gloves are an ideal way of usin...

This was the official pattern for Shetland Wool Week 2015, an event held every year in Shetland to celebrate Shetland wool and it’s associated crafts.