Shetland Lace

Hi, and thanks for popping by. If this is your first visit, please feel free to browse my blog, comment, follow, request further information etc. I'm open to questions and suggestions as to how I can improve my blog and make it more interesting to you.
Today I'm just going to share with you some details of the next project I have in mind. I'll also be showing you some lovely lace knitting patterns, suggesting a great book on Shetland lace and bringing you a little bowl of colour!!
So let me start with the colour to brighten up the very dull and misty day we have here.
As I mentioned I'm already planning the project I will be doing after I finish my natural coloured Shetland shawl. It's ALMOST finished now and it should be on the stretcher by Sunday at the latest!From there I am planning to make a coloured lace scarf in the "new shale" design. This is what the scarf and pattern look like..........



Now here's my little bowl of colour.....



This particular scarf will have white as the main colour and I'll choose 6 other colours with the white, blended as well as possible to make a nice coloured new shale lace scarf. The colours in the photo have not translated all that well as the lighting today is bad for taking photos indoors. The purple in the middle is a much richer "plummy" purple and the blues are not so "samey" as the photo portrays, but I hope you get the general idea.
This is actually one of the easiest of patterns to knit and was the first one I learned from my mother. If you would like the pattern details please just email me and I'll send them over to you. The scarf when finished measures about 46 inches long.
The pattern comes from a great book called, "The Art of Shetland Lace" by Sarah Don. The book shares the history of Shetland lace knitting, gives basic techniques, shows samples of Shetland lace patterns, some of which I'll share below and also gives knitting instructions for Shetland lace garments. All in all a very informative book and worth having on your shelf for constant reference and inspiration.
Here are four Shetland lace patterns. I'd be interested to know your favourite. You can let me know in a comment below if you like. I'll share some more in my next post.




The first one is "Fern Lace, the next one "Diamond Madeira and 4 Hole Lace", the third one "Lace Cable" which is one of my personal favourites and the Print o' the Wave, a very important pattern to Shetland with it's history of seafaring and fishing.
And isn't this christening gown just adorable.....



I hope something in this post has whetted your appetitie to find out more about Shetland lace knitting. Please ask if you want to know anything. Just click the email icon at the top right of the blog.
Until next time, don't let anyone stitch you up!!!