Spring is in the air in Shetland, and we have news!
After much deliberation we are thrilled to announce that Shetland Wool Week will be going ahead in person this year. It will be a scaled back version of our usual physical event as our main focus will be on delivering SWW in full for 2023.
The all-important dates are Saturday 24 September to Sunday 2 October 2022.
For the past two years we have run a virtual event, but this year, with Covid restrictions lifting around the world, we wanted to take our first steps towards bringing a physical event back and will be calling it ‘Casting on Shetland Wool Week’.
This temporary name change is an indication of how this year’s event will be quite different in scale from previous physical Wool Weeks. With the ongoing uncertainty of new Covid variants, and ever-mindful of our small island community, our programme will be reduced in size from previous years.
How will this year’s SWW be different?
While this year’s event will include classes in popular topics, such as Fair Isle knitting, weaving and lace, we will not have the variety and sheer number of workshops as before, so there will be limited capacity and choice. There will be tours, talks and textile drop ins at community halls throughout the isles, but it is looking likely that the large-scale public gatherings, such as the opening ceremony, and much-loved Hub space at the Shetland Museum may be omitted.
Programme to be announced in mid-summer
We are currently pulling together the programme which will be announced in mid-summer.
Whilst we are excited about easing back into a physical event for 2022, we appreciate that its smaller scale may create some disappointment. However, we want to be clear in our messaging so that you know what to expect.
Our main focus is on bringing back the full-scale Shetland Wool Week for next year in 2023.
We would love to see you here in Shetland this September, and we thank you for supporting us over the past two years. For those who decide to join us in September 2022, please come with an open mind and prepare for last minute changes. As the Covid situation continues to evolve with many still having to self-isolate, there may be ongoing alterations to the programme.
What won’t change though is Shetland in all its woolly glory, which will be here for you to enjoy.
Check your insurance
If you are booking your travel and accommodation now, please make sure you have appropriate insurance to cover you in case the event does not go ahead.
Accommodation
Accommodation availability is limited, we recommend you book somewhere to stay before planning further travel arrangements. Shetland.org have a handy list of websites where you can browse your options.
Virtual SWW
Many of you have supported us during our two previous virtual events. We intend to include online elements for 2022, but these are likely to happen at different times throughout the year. We’ll keep you updated of our plans.
SWW Patron and Hat Pattern 2022
In other news, we are delighted to have a new SWW Patron and hat pattern and will be announcing it around May. Current SWW Patron, Wilma Malcolmson has done a sterling job, flying the flag for Shetland wool for the past two years, and we thank her for all her dedication and hard work, as well as for creating two stunning hat patterns for us, which will no doubt go down in SWW history.
SWW Annual, Volume 8
We plan to launch a new SWW Annual Volume 8 at the end of September, too – so there is still plenty of work going on behind the scenes to promote the very best in Shetland wool and design. Copies of Volume 7 can be bought here.
As always, thank you for your ongoing support and we look forward to sharing more news with you shortly.
