Pattern Previews for Grand Shetland Adventure Knits
Join knitwear designers Mary Jane Mucklestone and Gudrun Johnston for a true Shetland adventure! Grand Shetland Adventure Knits features 14 knitwear patterns that are perfect for a trip to Shetland.
Cake Fridge Hat
by Gudrun Johnston
“Yes it’s true — there is an actual fridge at the side of the road where one can purchase cakes and sweets. We always make sure that every person visiting Shetland gets to experience this phenomenon. The motifs and colors in this hat reminded me of having some fancy cake and tea, something Shetlanders love to do!” –Gudrun
Shown in: Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift in shades Wren (MC), Granite (CC1), Charcoal (CC2), Sage (CC3), Oyster (CC4) and Salmon (CC5).
Staneydale Scarf
by Mary Jane Mucklestone
“Lace knitting in Shetland is a high art and I’m an absolute novice. This scarf is as simple as it gets, with a stacked flower motif inspired by the Unst Eyelid lace pattern alternating with strips of ribbing. It reminds me of long narrow fields, some cultivated and blooming and others plowed but left fallow.” –MJ
Shown in: Biches & Bûches Le Petit Lambswool in shade Dark Orange Grey.
Bousta Socks
by Gudrun Johnston
“We are always glad to have some hand knit socks to pad around Burrastow Cottage. This is actually the first time I have written a sock pattern and what immediately came to mind was using the same motif from my previously published Bousta Beanie hat. As with the hat, these socks feature a short and easy pattern repeat that makes for a good beginner colorwork project; folks new to sock knitting should find these accessible, too. A gradient-style yarn will shine in this pattern.” –Gudrun
Shown in: MC: Retrosaria Mondim in shade 301.
CC: Spincycle Yarns Dyed In The Wool in shade Close Call.
Lucky Lines Pullover
by Gudrun Johnston
“Upon finishing this sweater, I was struck by how much it reminded me of tangled lines of seaweed waving about in the water. Lucky Lines is a Shetland term used for Sea Lace, a type of seaweed that is found in shallow water and that attaches itself to the sea bed by a loop. Who doesn’t want to knit a lucky sweater!” –Gudrun
Shown in: Holst Garn Supersoft in shade Tundra.
Island to Island Vest
by Mary Jane Mucklestone
“It's fun to have fellow travelers who are professionals or enthusiasts of disciplines different from your own. One member of our group had a passion for geology that was infectious! Shetland is a UNESCO Global Geopark, and many visitors come solely for the rocks. Commenting that some of the stones look just like some I collect in Maine, our friend confirmed that eons ago, the two places were connected! To renew the union, I use Nash Island Maine wool in this Fair Isle vest.” –MJ
Shown in: Nash Island Tide in shades Raven (MC), Seaweed (CC1), Moss (CC2) and Lichen (CC3).
Peerie Shop Cardigan
by Mary Jane Mucklestone
“A Lopi cardigan is often all I need for outwear in Shetland. Initially a study in mossy greens, I added the color of my favorite Sharpie into the mix when I realized how nice it would look with my beloved magenta backpack from The Peerie Shop — which I resisted buying for two years until, finally, I succumbed to its charms. I use a looser-than-typical gauge for a lofty lightweight garment. The magical quality of Icelandic wool puffs up to fill the space.” –MJ
Shown in: Ístex Léttlopi in shades 1405 Bottle Green (MC), 9423 Lagoon Heather (CC1), 1705 Royal Fuchsia (CC2), 1407 Pine Green (CC3), 9421 Celery Green (CC4) and 1417 Frostbite (C5).
Riggies Cardi
by Gudrun Johnston
“Riggies are the garter stitch rows referred to in Shetland knitting. This cardigan is all about this most basic and grounding of stitches, taken a step beyond by an atypical construction. I always make sure to have this style of throw-on-and-cozy-up garment at hand for sheltering in the cottage when it’s blustery outside.” –Gudrun
Shown in: Jamieson’s of Shetland Double Knitting in shade Old Gold.
Ling V-neck
by Mary Jane Mucklestone
“One summer visit to Shetland, unaccustomed to the nearly 24-hour daylight, restless and unable to sleep, I wandered the purple heather-covered hills. At last, I lay down and dozed off. The scent of heather and sound of munching mingled in my dreams. I awoke to find a pair of Shetland ponies grazing so close I could feel their breath. New friends! Ling is the variety of heather the ponies were breakfasting on.” –MJ
Shown in: Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift in shades Foxglove (MC), Mantilla (CC1), Port Wine (CC2), Eucalyptus (CC3) and Surf (CC4).
Flooers Cowl
by Gudrun Johnston
“I’m a huge cowl advocate — I wear them all the time. For this cowl I chose to use an allover pattern with fairly subtle contrast, a gentle reminder of the beautiful specks of color to be found from the wildflowers dotting the hillside in the summer months. I rely on Mary Jane to fill me in on the botanical details as she has become quite the wildflower expert over our many visits to Shetland!” –Gudrun
Shown in: La Bien Aimée Helix in shades Clay (MC) and Fluoro Morganite (CC).
Swatchtastic Flower Hat
by Mary Jane Mucklestone
“I consider my swatches trophies, representations of time well spent. For those who avoid swatching, I say trick yourself and make this hat — you can swatch for color and gauge all in one go! The inspiration for this hat came when I was practicing stockinette stitch gauge for the Ling sweater on an unfinished hat. By the way: any other motif from my patterns in this book fit in this hat. Go for it and have fun!” –MJ
Shown in: Jamieson & Smith 2-ply Jumper Weight in shades 118 Medium Green (MC), FC11 Bright Grass Green (CC1), 65 Marled Mid Green (CC2), 125 Orange (CC3), 142 Dark Azure Blue (CC4), 93 Bright Red (CC5) and 132 Azure Blue (CC6).
Snow Treasures Gloves
by Mary Jane Mucklestone
“Gloves are wonderful souvenirs from Shetland; each pair is a treasure of color and design. And practical — I always need them, even in summer. This set reflects Shetland’s Nordic connection, combining Scandinavian-style stars with Shetland shading. The design is named for a kid’s book that parallels the story of Shetland’s involvement in the WW2 Norwegian resistance, where naval boats left Shetland disguised as working fishing boats, just like in the story.” –MJ
Shown in: Rauma Finull PT2 in shades 424 Red (MC), 451 Light Peasant Blue (CC1), 472 Sky Blue (CC2) and 4406 Light Blue (CC1).
Heritage Yoke
by Gudrun Johnston
“The inspiration for this piece came from a sweater that my mum designed in the 1970s when she ran The Shetland Trader. I only ever saw photos of it and her version was an allover colorwork gansey. For this version, I opted for my favorite sweater style and chose to keep the colorwork just in the yoke. I find the natural earthy tones and classic Fair Isle motifs immediately pleasing to the eye.” –Gudrun
Shown in: Jamieson & Smith Heritage in shades Black (MC), Berry Wine (CC1), Fawn (CC2), Light Grey (CC3) and White (CC4).
Downstairs Socks
by Mary Jane Mucklestone
“I run around a lot, racing up and down the steep, narrow stairs of the cottage. Vintage pattern motifs are my obsession, and this arrangement is a favorite. Vertical panels alternate between a small, sweet OXO pattern and zigzags that mimic the stairs I mustn't dash up! How do I hold my yarns when the background and pattern colors switch places within each round? I make a call. I keep the light to the right because it rhymes, so it's easy to remember!” –MJ
Shown in: Jamieson & Smith 2-ply Jumper Weight in shades 202 Light Fawn (MC), 9097 Orangey Red (CC1), 121 Marled Yellow (CC2) and 135 Medium Navy (CC3).
Virdek Shawl
by Gudrun Johnston
“A virdek is a pile of stones acting as some type of marker. The interlocking and defined texture in this shawl evokes a carefully stacked cairn where one might look wistfully out to sea wrapped in Shetland wool. The construction gives a nod to the modern method of knitting traditional Shetland haps, where pleasing little yarn over loops are made to facilitate the shaping — and in this case, form a simple decorative edge.”
Shown in: Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift in shade Yellow Ochre.
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