Sweater Shopping in Scotland (Plus yarn and fiber)!

Well, there is a Shetland Wool Festival that happens every year in September. One of these days I plan on getting there, although I’m not a knitter. I mostly sew but do some rug hooking and felting with wool.

And it’s too bad you’re not going to Harris and Lewis as you can find some wonderful Harris tweed there and a lot of wool shops.

Skyegirl posts here frequently so she might have some ideas for you.

Hi, Kiana,

As you're going to be on Shetland, you could try Jamieson's on Commercial Street in Lerwick. They are an exporter of sweaters made in Shetland. You probably won't have time to visit Fair Isle, so you won't be able to pick up anything there; however, Jamieson's does have a line of sweaters which have Fair Isle designs. They also sell yarn.

Check out their website. It's www.jamiesonsofshetland.co.uk

Shop 'til you drop, and have a wonderful holiday!

Mike (Auchterless)

You may find some ideas by looking at the Shetland Wool Week website - plenty of ads for shops and such https://www.shetlandwoolweek.com/

Try doing a google search for fiber arts in Scotland, this came up first thing: https://thescottishyarnfestival.com/

I got a great beanie hat on Shetland in 2023. I picked it up from a craft shop in Scalloway filled with locally made items. I will tell you that I am sensitive to wool and can barely wear it. It feels soft enough but unless it is really cold out (below 30F) it makes my head itch after about half an hour.

On the other hand, I also got a headband that is acrylic, also hand knitted by a crafter on Shetland and I can wear it with no problem. It's cute as can be with little sheep on it, lol.

On Commercial Street in Lerwick, in addition to the Jamieson's Mike mentioned, there is a craft shop next door to a restaurant called The Dowry. I just looked in the window but they had handmade items and some wool. I'm not a knitter so didn't look closely at it but it's also a possibility. BTW, The Dowry has great food, too!

If you have time when you visit Uradale Farm, stop in Scalloway to see the memorial to the Shetland Bus which was a covert WWII operation taking guns, ammo, covert operatives to Norway and bringing back intelligence and refugees. The Scalloway Museum is excellent as well. Small, but very interesting.

Transportation to Shetland can be challenging. It's great if you have good weather but there can be delays if there is poor weather. Give yourself some flex time going and coming back...in other words, don't plan to fly back from Shetland to Edinburgh or wherever and plan to get your international flight that day. Give yourself some grace.

I was on the hunt for yarn and other wool items. I had good luck at the Scottish Textiles Showcase shop in Edinburgh. Just off the Royal mile. They source wool and fiber products from all around the country and are much higher quality than what you see in most “tourist tat” shops. Prices to match, but definitely worth it.

Hi Kiana

I am a very experienced knitter and I do a lot of Fair Isle patterns (also known as stranded colour work) using traditional patterns from Shetland. I fear that you are unlikely to find a true Fair Isle or Shetland sweater in the type of wool that will be soft enough for sensitive skin. This kind of knitting uses real wool, from breeds of sheep that thrive in Shetland. The best yarns for Fair Isle are woollen and slightly sticky. The smoother and shinier the yarn, the harder it is to get a neat effect with the 'floats' that sit on the reverse of the knitting (basically the strands of wool that are created when the colour is alternated to make the pattern). With a traditional Shetland-style yarn, the tiny fibres of the different colours will meld together between the stitches, giving a breathable yet very warm fabric. It's this 'sticky' yarn that some wearers find to be itchy. One solution is to wear a thin base layer - personally I have some silk base layer tops that I wear under my sweaters. Sadly you won't find authentic Shetland or Fair Isle sweaters knitted in anything other than local wool.

Most of the Fair Isle and Shetland sweaters that you find for commercial sale (e.g. in Jamiesons) will have been machine knitted. I saw some in their shop for about £150 when I was there in September. A hand knitted version would be 3 times the price. I am currently knitting an all over patterned Fair Isle sweater for my husband and have probably spent in excess of 150 hours on it so far with half a sleeve and the finishing still to do.

The lady who makes the hats and head bands with sheep is based in Shetland, but her work is done in acrylic yarn so it can be washed. It works fine for small things like hats, but wouldn't work well for a sweater - which I imagine is why she doesn't sell sweaters made in that yarn. She is on facebook as Peerie Knits.

Sorry for the detailed reply, but hopefully it will be of assistance

Jacqui (Skyegirl)

I second CindyB's recommendation of the Scottish Textiles Showcase shop on St Mary's St--I found it by accident and bought the most wonderful hand-knit Fair Isle fingerless gloves--wear them every morning in the winter and remember my fabulous stay in Edinburgh! I am also a knitter, though I did not feel the need to bring home any yarn--but they do have a lovely selection.

If you have an hour or so extra in Edinburgh you might enjoy a visit to Dovecot Studios on Infirmary St (just off the Royal Mile)--they feature a tapestry studio and textile exhibitions, great gift shop with fiber-related kits to buy.