At the end of 2022 SWW invited Ella to come along and take a closer look at some of the items in the Shetland Museum textile collection, in the hope that something might pique her interest and transform into something of her own.

As someone who wears my hair up a lot I often reach for a Fair Isle headband, they are good for trying out colours and motifs as well as using up odds and ends of Shetland Wool. In this pattern I have used twisted rib and tubular edging which gives the lug (ear) warmer a professional and comfortable finish. I used colours and motifs inspired by...

Vertical panel jumpers and cardigans are some of the most often made and worn styles by Shetlanders so why should dogs be left out? The central panel of a small Norwegian Star motif is flanked by a rope-type motif and then easily repeated cross-seeding. All the Fair Isle is knit in the round with a steek, it’s then surrounded by an i-cord edgin...

These mitts are inspired by traditional Gansey motifs, they are simple to knit and incorporate a thumb gusset and an afterthought thumb. One size of needles are used throughout and length can be added by repeating a section of the chart.

Ever since I designed the Houll Hat I have wanted to use the allover motif in another design, and I thought the pattern was perfect for a short cowl! Its provisionally cast on and knit in the round until the required length. The knitting is then grafted together.

A simple Fair Isle beanie incorporating the motifs from my Roosty Tank Top pattern. Two colourways are provided, both inspired by Shetland’s landscape.

A seamless double-sided headband to match my Sunbeam Dog Coat as featured in the 2022 Shetland Wool Week Annual, the motifs are the same as used in the dog coat and are reminiscent of retro fishermans Fair Isle ganseys. One side features small Norwegian stars and the other a seeding cross motif all over. The headband is worked in the round and ...

There is a mistake in the charted pattern in the annual - round 21, stitch 15 should be FC38.

Designed to match Ella Gordon’s Hesti Hat in Volume 1, these mitts are knitted in the round with corrugated ribbing and an afterthought thumb.

This cowl is inspired by allover Fair Isle Jumpers of the 70s and 80’s, the motif features big and small stars in a shaded retro colour palette. Its knit as a tube using two needle sizes – larger on the outside and then smaller, this means the inside sits nicely and a gentle funnel shape is created.

Errata, the version in Shetland Wool Adventures Journal Volume 1: On the crown round 1 of Chart C should be knit in Yarn C (FC47) not E and on row 8 stitch 6 should be knit in shade D (121), not A.

My Mattie Yoke is a child’s jumper, inspired by the colours and motifs of Taatit rugs. These traditional pile bedcovers of Shetland were made by pulling wool through a base fabric into long loops, then trimming the loops to create a pile. This made for a thick, insulating bedcover for frigid Shetland winters. The wool was dyed with natural dyes...

Classic Shetland Fingerless Mitts featuring the all-over motif from the Radiant Star Cowl (found in the Shetland Wool Week Annual 2020) and a seeding pattern on the palm. Inspired by all-over jumpers of the 70s and 80s with a bright retro colour palette.

A short cowl knit in DK weight yarn with bands of fair isle motifs. The cowl is begun provisionally and knit in the round until the required length, the knitting is then grafted together.

Einar Hat

Short-sleeved and cropped shetland Yoke, featuring a 1970’s inspired colour palette.

Breiwick

A short cowl knit in hand dyed DK weight yarn with an all over fair isle motif, perfect for using with single hanks of hand-dyed yarn, just ensure there this enough contrast between your two shades. The cowl is begun provisionally and knit in the round until the required length, the knitting is then grafted together.

This is a slightly different pattern than my original Háls cowl which was published in Rib Magazine. There is a twist at both the front and back and it is shorter.

The child size version of Moorie Cardigan from Making No. 6 / Black & White

Finished measurements

The name for this design comes from the story of the ‘Eagle Bairn’ - the story says in the 1690’s Mary Anderson was stolen from her croft in Unst by an Eagle and she was taken to a cliff nest in Fetlar where she was rescued by a young boy named Robert. Robert and Mary went on to be married and many Shetlanders are said to be descended from ‘The...

if you have previously purchased my einar mitts pattern get the yule mitts for free by using the code ‘yule’

When I received my skeins of Ram Jam I knew I wanted to make something using all four colours and a shaded pattern. This ‘diamond’ shading is common in Shetland knitting and I took the motif from my Uyea Legwarmers pattern. If you reverse your colours you should be able to get two hats out of four 50g skeins.

Traditional Shetland fingerless gloves with a tree motif.

Designed to go alongside my Einar Hat (only available in the Shetland Wool Week annual until 2019) these mitts use a small repeating motif with seeding on the palms to ensure no fingers get caught! Half fingers keep you warm but still keep your fingers free.

This is the penultimate pattern from A Year of Techniques - a collection of 12 patterns to teach you new knitting skills.

A simple Fair Isle hat with a folded brim and peerie pom pom!

Ever since I designed my Hap Cowl pattern I have thought about incorporating the traditional Hap outer motif in a yoke. You knit the body as sleeves as normal from the bottom up, join, work shaping and then just before you begin the chart you turn the knitting inside out and its worn with the reverse side on the outside, this emulates the garte...

A couple of years ago I bought a childs beret from the saleroom which had a similar motif to this and since then I have always wanted to design a hat which uses the pleasing repetitiveness of an all-over pattern that simply grows into the crown decreases. The colours subtly shade with a bright middle row and the two colourways show how differen...

A traditionally inspired Fair Isle yoke with a rolled cuff and slightly cropped body. My colour scheme was inspired by the main shade I chose - a bright royal blue from J&S, and I love orange and blue together so the palette grew from there. The body and sleeves are knit from the bottom up in the round before all the pieces are joined toget...

This pattern is knitted in the round and uses the Fair Isle colourwork technique. It uses the yarn held double to create a thicker fabric.

Fingerless mitts featuring a couple of peerie crofthooses.

This vest is inspired by one I made a few years ago from a Japanese pattern, it was the first piece of knitting which used my crofthoose motif, I found the lack of instructions in the pattern very liberating to knit and I have tried to replicate the style of pattern with some extra information in the text. I redesigned the motifs and used two s...

This jumper is knit from the bottom up, I used a easy shetland lace pattern on the bottom combined with a simple raglan top. Three quarter length sleeves, a cropped, boxy shape and worsted weight yarn makes this a quick and easy knit with something a little bit different!

This jumper is my version of a traditional Shetland Yoke jumper, I have used raglan shaping before the yoke, a lower neckline and short row shaping to make it more modern. I used 5 contrast colours but the yoke would look equally striking in one shade. Ola’s Ness is an area located near to my Grandads Croft in Northmavine in Shetland and the gr...

I have always loved the little Crofthouse’s you see dotted all over Shetland. I am known for making cushions in the shape of traditional Crofthhouses and my 2016 Shetland Wool Week design is another use of one of my

These mitts are inspired by a Fair Isle Yoke cardigan I bought on eBay (accidentally) from my Auntie. I loved the way the colours in the yoke worked together and it’s inspired me to design these mitts using the same motif and colours. Its a great way to use up odds and ends, they use traditional Shetland glove construction and design, the chequ...

A circular cowl inspired by the elements of traditional Shetland Haps, worked flat and then seamed this cowl uses garter stitch, simple lace and colour changes for a surprisingly easy but effective looking knit. My two colourways are inspired by nature in Shetland: Colourway 1 reminds me of the sea, sand and cliff’s whereas Colourway two is ins...

A bairns (children’s) version of my Crofthoose Yoke. This pattern is knit entirely in the round with extra stitches cast on at the centre back and worked in a stripe pattern as indicated in the chart. When the jumper is finished the steek is reinforced, cut open and a buttonband picked up.

inspired by my design for Shetland Wool Week 2016 this jumper takes the Crofthoose motif onto a traditionally inspired yoke jumper. Short rows at the neck give this a modern and comfotable shape and knit using Shetland Jumper weight it makes a warm garment suitable for all year round. Included is 3 different colourways and a chart for using you...

Inspired by the roof tiles on traditional Shetland Crofthouses this cosy hat knit in chunky yarn will knit up quickly, knit in only two colours it makes a great introduction to colourwork.

This quick and fun knit uses two strands of jumper weight Shetland wool held together to make a warm and cosy headband, perfect for wearing with your hair up or just to cover your ears. Shown in two different colourways, you can lots of shades for different effects: one colourway is a more traditionally shaded effect whereas in the other I hav...

Inspired by my upcoming trip to Iceland and the need for a warm hat I designed this hat simple hat using Icelandic Wool and a classic Fair Isle Motif.