The patterns of Shetland Shades by Gudrun Johnston feature beautiful vests with versatile, intriguing constructions, exploring various ways of knitting with color – from color blocking and traditional Fair-Isle to mosaic knitting and marling. A few engaging hats and scarves compliments this captivating collection.
Ayre
The Ayre is constructed from two identical pieces worked in mosaic knitting. The sides are left open, connecting the front and back with optional tassel ties. The vest is inspired by quilted, bib-style vests.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Prussian, Laurel, Green Mist and Oyster and Mighty Mo by The Farmer’s Daughter Fiber, colorway I’ve Got Dreams to Remember.
Riggies
The Riggies is the companion vest to the Riggies Cardigan, which featured in Gudrun’s previous book with Laine, Grand Shetland Adventure Knits. Worked entirely in garter stitch with identical front and back pieces, Riggies makes the perfect cozy layering piece.
Yarn: Double Knitting by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Mooskit and Sandalwood (natural version), Green Mist, Burnt Umber, Mogit, Titanic + Cinnamon (open front version).
Mool
This fun buttoned vest has stripes of varying widths on the front pieces. The vest is worked bottom-up in pieces and seamed together at sides and shoulders. Finally, it is finished with a double-knit button band.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Granite, Osprey, Salmon, Bracken and Nutmeg.
Vaddel
The Vaddel is a fun project to use up scraps of yarn. Featuring a simple slip stitch pattern, this neckerchief is a great opportunity to play with colors, but it is also striking in just two shades.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Old Gold, Mint, Amber and Coral.
Hairst
Hairst is a word for the fall and harvest time, and it is also a specific shade used in this vest. The Hairst is worked in stranded colorwork in one piece from the bottom up with steek stitches at the front. When knitting with Shetland wool, no reinforcement is needed when cutting your knitting.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Grouse, Hairst, Burn Umber, Burnt Ochre, Ruby, Nutmeg, Moorland and Salmon.
Helyer
The Helyer hat is a stranded colorwork beanie and easy entry point into two-color knitting: engaging but not too overwhelming.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Prussian, Old Gold, Mermaid and Bluebell and Mighty Mo by The Farmer’s Daughters Fibers, colorway I’ve got Dreams to Remember.
Stakkur
The Stakkur has a Faroese-style of stranded design inspired by a turtleneck sweater Gudrun had when she was 4 years old. The front stranded section is worked in the round with the addition of steeks and the back is worked flat. Once the steeks are cut open, the shoulders and side seams are joined together with a three-needle bind-off.
Yarn: Double Knitting by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Mooskit, Burnt Umber, Moorit and Nutmeg.
Skelf
The Skelf is a marled vest reflecting the colors of a rocky beach — grey shades of rocks with yellow lichen. The vest is worked top down with three strands of fingering-weight yarn held together.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Shaela, Granit and Burnt Ochre.
Scord
The Scord hat is the sister pattern to the Skelf vest. It features the same marled effect complemented by a strand of mohair for extra coziness. The brim is worked in the fisherman's rib.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Hairst, Old Gold and Salmon and Mohair Silk by Les Garçons, colorway Aleks’s Red Squirrel Friend.
Hap Quilt
The Hap Quilt vest has a fun construction, featuring a traditional Shetland mini hap in the centre of front and back pieces. The sides of the vest are connected with button loops.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorway Foxglove and yarn scraps from yarn stash.
Happy
The construction of this scarf brings a little twist to the modern construction method of a Shetland Hap Shawl. The scarf uses only small amounts of yarn, so it’s a good way to use leftover yarn.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Pine Forest and Cocoa.
Little Wave
The Little Wave features a textured twisted-stitch pattern and a shawl collar. It is worked by holding a strand of silk mohair with Shetland wool, which creates nice soft fabric with a beautiful halo.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorway Hairst and Mohair Silk by Les Garçons, colorway Aleks’s Red Squirrel Friend.
Learn more:
Shetland Shades
Pattern Previews for Shetland Shades
The patterns of Shetland Shades by Gudrun Johnston feature beautiful vests with versatile, intriguing constructions, exploring various ways of knitting with color – from color blocking and traditional Fair-Isle to mosaic knitting and marling. A few engaging hats and scarves compliments this captivating collection.
Ayre
The Ayre is constructed from two identical pieces worked in mosaic knitting. The sides are left open, connecting the front and back with optional tassel ties. The vest is inspired by quilted, bib-style vests.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Prussian, Laurel, Green Mist and Oyster and Mighty Mo by The Farmer’s Daughter Fiber, colorway I’ve Got Dreams to Remember.
Riggies
The Riggies is the companion vest to the Riggies Cardigan, which featured in Gudrun’s previous book with Laine, Grand Shetland Adventure Knits. Worked entirely in garter stitch with identical front and back pieces, Riggies makes the perfect cozy layering piece.
Yarn: Double Knitting by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Mooskit and Sandalwood (natural version), Green Mist, Burnt Umber, Mogit, Titanic + Cinnamon (open front version).
Mool
This fun buttoned vest has stripes of varying widths on the front pieces. The vest is worked bottom-up in pieces and seamed together at sides and shoulders. Finally, it is finished with a double-knit button band.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Granite, Osprey, Salmon, Bracken and Nutmeg.
Vaddel
The Vaddel is a fun project to use up scraps of yarn. Featuring a simple slip stitch pattern, this neckerchief is a great opportunity to play with colors, but it is also striking in just two shades.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Old Gold, Mint, Amber and Coral.
Hairst
Hairst is a word for the fall and harvest time, and it is also a specific shade used in this vest. The Hairst is worked in stranded colorwork in one piece from the bottom up with steek stitches at the front. When knitting with Shetland wool, no reinforcement is needed when cutting your knitting.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Grouse, Hairst, Burn Umber, Burnt Ochre, Ruby, Nutmeg, Moorland and Salmon.
Helyer
The Helyer hat is a stranded colorwork beanie and easy entry point into two-color knitting: engaging but not too overwhelming.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Prussian, Old Gold, Mermaid and Bluebell and Mighty Mo by The Farmer’s Daughters Fibers, colorway I’ve got Dreams to Remember.
Stakkur
The Stakkur has a Faroese-style of stranded design inspired by a turtleneck sweater Gudrun had when she was 4 years old. The front stranded section is worked in the round with the addition of steeks and the back is worked flat. Once the steeks are cut open, the shoulders and side seams are joined together with a three-needle bind-off.
Yarn: Double Knitting by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Mooskit, Burnt Umber, Moorit and Nutmeg.
Skelf
The Skelf is a marled vest reflecting the colors of a rocky beach — grey shades of rocks with yellow lichen. The vest is worked top down with three strands of fingering-weight yarn held together.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Shaela, Granit and Burnt Ochre.
Scord
The Scord hat is the sister pattern to the Skelf vest. It features the same marled effect complemented by a strand of mohair for extra coziness. The brim is worked in the fisherman's rib.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Hairst, Old Gold and Salmon and Mohair Silk by Les Garçons, colorway Aleks’s Red Squirrel Friend.
Hap Quilt
The Hap Quilt vest has a fun construction, featuring a traditional Shetland mini hap in the centre of front and back pieces. The sides of the vest are connected with button loops.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorway Foxglove and yarn scraps from yarn stash.
Happy
The construction of this scarf brings a little twist to the modern construction method of a Shetland Hap Shawl. The scarf uses only small amounts of yarn, so it’s a good way to use leftover yarn.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorways Pine Forest and Cocoa.
Little Wave
The Little Wave features a textured twisted-stitch pattern and a shawl collar. It is worked by holding a strand of silk mohair with Shetland wool, which creates nice soft fabric with a beautiful halo.
Yarn: Spindrift by Jamieson’s of Shetland, colorway Hairst and Mohair Silk by Les Garçons, colorway Aleks’s Red Squirrel Friend.
Learn more:
Shetland Shades