003: Shetland

Released: February 26, 2019

In this episode, Anne shares her trip to Shetland in July 2018.

History

The early days of knitting on Shetland have hazy beginnings. "Gunnister Man" died around 1700. He and his clothing were preserved by the peat he was buried in, including the earliest examples of knitted clothing found on the islands. A recreation of his knitted clothing and purse can be seen at the Tangwick Haa Museum.

Shetlanders were trading stockings to Dutch fisherman hundreds of years ago. Over time, the industrial revolution decreased demand for stockings and the knitting industry shifted to fine, open-work shawls in the mid-1800s. A photo of Edward, Prince of Wales, in a Fair-Isle sweater in 1921 popularized the style beyond the shores of Shetland, and it has continued to be a part of popular fashion to one degree or other since then. Excellent examples of both styles of knitting are available for view at the Shetland Museum and Archives and the Shetland Textile Museum.

A few of the Fair-Isle pieces on display at the Shetland Textile Museum.

The Crofthouse Museum is a great place to get a sense of the conditions that many of the island knitters. For many years, these women were subject to the truck system in which they were paid for their goods with merchandise, typically tea.

Local Tools

Shetland Knitters came up with many creative ways to do their work. To simplify blocking, they came up with a system of stretching frames for shawls and jumper boards for sweaters. Both allowed the women to move the knitting out of the way while it was drying in the proper shape.

Examples of Jumper Boards used to block Fair-Isle sweaters outside of the Shetland Textile Museum in Lerwick. This style of board would typically have been hung, here they are propped up against the wall with the help of some rocks.

A second ingenious invention was the knitting belt. This simple leather needle holder allowed knitters to keep control of their knitting while having to multitask. It also took the pressure off the right hand while they knit. Keep your eyes peeled at fiber festivals for a chance to give one a test drive.

Shetland MRI Scanner Appeal

Rather than having a sponsor on this episode, Anne would like to call your attention to the Shetland MRI Scanner Appeal. From their website:

"Over 600 patients from Shetland must travel south to have an MRI scan each year. MRI diagnostics are used to diagnose and monitor a wide variety of conditions and the number of patients who need them is steadily increasing.

There can be delays in getting an MRI scan due to bad weather, transport delays and logistical problems in getting short notice appointments or one-stop clinics. There is also the challenge of making the journey itself, which can involve time off work, and impact on family life and child care at an already difficult time. "

https://shetlandmriscannerappeal.com/

There are many ways that you can contribute to the cause. Please visit their website and click on the yellow donate button at the top of the page to see their Fundraising Pack. It shows the many ways donations can be made, some at no direct cost to you. Planning to buy something from Amazon or eBay this week? Use their EasyFundraising link and the retailer will make a donation at no additional cost to you! There is information on ways to donate directly, host a fundraiser in person or online, and more! You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay aware of fundraising events as they arise. Get in touch--they would love to hear from you!

Personal Essay

The view through the window of an abandoned crofthouse on Bressay.

Anne shares the lesson she learned while on Shetland about the consoling power of history and place.

Yarn Shops

Yarn is not hard to find on Shetland. Most gift shops carry either knitted items or yarn or both. But there are two yarn producers on Shetland who have stores in Lerwick that you won't want to miss.

Jamieson and Smith is a bit of a walk from the High Street area, but it's an easy walk and they have large amounts of everything in stock. Plus, they take in fleeces from crofters right next door and you can take a peak to get a sense of just how much work goes from getting the "before" to the "after."

Jamieson's of Shetland has a storefront on the High Street, with all their yarns, plus woven cloth. Those who sew as well as doing yarn crafts shouldn't miss it!

Both shops carry patterns, notions, hand-knit sweaters and more. If time permits, visit both. They each have their own special look and feel. Listen to the podcast for a more thorough description of each shop.

Recommended Books

If this episode piqued your interest in the history of Shetland knitting, some good follow-up books were mentioned in the episode. They are listed here, along with a few others:

Alice Starmore's Fair Isle Knitting - This book has a general, but thorough, overview of Shetland's knitting history. The rest of the book is patterns for several different sweaters, as well as designs for motifs and instructions to design your own fair-isle sweater. Magical Shetland Lace Shawls to Knit - This book opens with a brief history of Shetland openwork knitting, and is then followed by a series of shawls inspired by or mimicking traditional Shetland shawls. There are projects at various knitting levels. It's a good choice if you want a collection of patterns you can "grow into" as your experience level increases. The Magic of Shetland Lace Knitting - This book by Elizabeth Lovick, the same author of Magical Shetland Lace Shawls to Knit, is a collection of the motifs common to Shetland openwork. It's a must-have for designers! At the end of the book, Lovick applies the motifs to a series of modern projects. They would make great gifts for someone deserving of the effort! Knitting by the Fireside and on the Hillside - If you wish to delve more deeply into the history of knitting on Shetland, this is the book. Linda G. Fryer takes readers into the society of the knitters and merchants involved with the hand knitting industry. You'll get to know some of the knitters and merchants by name. A more scholarly work, but still an enjoyable read.

Featured Music

The first song featured was by Fjanna, a group of teen musicians on Shetland who are keeping traditional music alive. They have great energy and sound! Put them on when you're tidying up or out on a run, and they'll keep you moving! Follow them on Facebook and YouTube to hear more of their music.

The second song was "Between the Eyes" by Arthur Nicholson, a folk singer from Shetland. Arthur's work is insightful and mellow. You'll find yourself singing his choruses to yourself through the day. Find his work on Soundcloud or YouTube, or visit his website to buy a CD for yourself.

If you are a musician who would like a song featured on the program, or if you have comments or feedback, please contact the show at [email protected].

Social Media

You can follow Anne on Instagram or Ravelry as @ithoughtiknewhow. She posts articles related to knitting and yarn on the Facebook Group and on Twitter as @ThoughtIKhewHow. Subscribe to the podcast through iTunes or the podcast app of your choice.

002: Hand Knitting is Not Machine Knitting

Released: February 12, 2019

In this episode, Anne talks in greater detail about the preliminary swatch she talked about in the last episode. Specifically, she talks about how the imperfections nearly halted her progress for good, until some wise words silenced the negative voice in her head.

It may seem like a minor thing, but we often get caught up on the imperfections in the "minor things" and keep ourselves from doing bigger things as a result. We are not machines, and shouldn't hold ourselves to a standard of constant perfection. It's ok to make mistakes, as long as we learn along the way and we fix the things we can.

Anne moves on to discuss a series of items she finished in the last two weeks. Visit her Ravelry account for photos and information about the Loving Embrace shawl, cacti, Grosgrain Hat, and Girlfriends cowls.

Anne has been knitting for over 20 years and has never knit socks. She needs to start learning the ins and outs of the process before she moves on to level 2 of the Master Hand Knitter Program. If you have a favorite sock pattern you can recommend, send her an email at anne @ familypodcasts . com.

Book Review

Anne gives a brief review of The Knitter's Book of Wool: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Using, and Loving this Most Fabulous Fiber, by Clara Parkes. It is a fascinating read about the structure of wool fibers and yarns, the benefits of blending certain fibers with wool, and general information on the cleaning and care of wool. Where this book really shines, though, is the breed-by-breed comparison of the types of wool available to knitters and spinners. The information is presented in a non-technical format that is approachable to anyone. Anne loved it so much that after borrowing a copy, she bought a copy for herself to keep on hand.

Featured Music

The first song featured was "Yippee!" by Loyalty Freak Music is available on the Free Music Archive. The second song was "Fireworks" by Jahzarr is available on the Free Music Archive.

If you are a musician who would like a song featured on the program, or if you have comments or feedback, please contact the show at [email protected].

Support the Show

You can support the show this week by trying ButcherBox. ButcherBox is a service that delivers grass-fed beef, heritage breed pork and organic chicken right to your door. They are a favorite in the I Thought I Knew How household. When you order using the link above, you'll receive a discount and a few bonus cuts of meat, and, at no additional cost to you, ButcherBox will provide a benefit to the podcast that will offset the costs of operation.

Social Media

You can follow Anne on Instagram or Ravelry as @ithoughtiknewhow.

001: Introduction

Released: January 28, 2019

In this episode, Anne takes some time to introduce herself. She learned to crochet as a child and to knit several years later. On January 1, she took the plunge and signed up for the Master Hand Knitter Program offered by the Knitting Guild Association.

The first song in the show is "Dead From the Beginning, Alive Till the End," by Doctor Turtle and available at the Free Music Archive.

After the music break, Anne shares her first memories of yarn shopping with her mother, as well as some thoughts on her current local yarn store, Marji's Yarncrafts in Granby, Connecticut. Marji's is a delightful yarn shop full of the tried and true as well as items to add extra style to your projects, all in a cozy setting that will have you wishing you had the time to sit and knit for a while. The last time Anne was in Marji's, she picked up a Mybaggee mini zippered mesh pouch set that has done a perfect job at keeping her notions contained and orderly.

The second song in the show is "MainSquare," by Jahzzar and available at the Free Music Archive.

Next, Anne talks about blocking the preliminary swatch for the Master Knitter program. It was a little tricky and required two different blocking methods to get it to lie straight. A traditional wet block stopped the sides from curling in, but the tops required the "mega-steam" method as described by Deborah Newton in her book, Finishing School: A Master Class for Knitters. It's a great way to get stubborn, natural-fiber knitting to lie flat without mashing your stitches. Listen to the episode for details!

A great way to support the show and save money is to order your household detergent from Dropps. They will ship laundry or dishwasher detergent straight to your door, as well as fabric softener, scent boosters, oxi boosters, and more. Their eco-friendly packaging is recyclable cardboard and their formula is free from dyes and excess water. One Dropps laundry pod does the job of two pods from a certain national leading brand, and the price per pod is roughly half the price of most of the popular brands sold in the supermarket. They have plans for singles, couples, and families that ship to your door every four months. With Dropps, you no longer have to worry about running out of detergent and you'll likely end up paying much less than you were. Use our link and save $10 off your first order while helping to support to show!

Anne rounds out the show by talking about what's on her needles at the moment: the Drops Loving Embrace pattern worked in Madeline Tosh Merino Light. Then, she finishes with two podcast recommendations: Cast On and Mastering the Knits. If I Thought I Knew How didn't satisfy your knitting podcast needs, give them a listen!

If you are a musician who would like a song featured on the program, or if you have comments or feedback, please contact the show at [email protected].

You can follow Anne on Instagram or Ravelry as @ithoughtiknewhow.