The countdown to Shetland Amenity Trust’s annual Shetland Wool Week (SWW) festival has begun, with the event set to kick off on Sunday 29 September. Now in its fifteenth year, the festival has grown to become one of Shetland’s largest annual events, attracting visitors from around the world who gather to celebrate Shetland wool, heritage, and craftsmanship through a rich programme of workshops, tours, classes, and cultural events.
This year, organisers anticipate nearly 1,000 attendees as the festival returns to pre-Covid numbers. With nearly 400 events scheduled across the isles, Shetland Wool Week offers a broad range of activities, from classes to exhibitions and tours, celebrating the local crofting, textile heritage, and wool industry.
Hazel Sutherland, chief executive of Shetland Amenity Trust said: “SWW is a reflection of the community energy and commitment that has seen this event thrive and grow over the past 15 years. This year we are honoured to have the Doull family as SWW patrons and we are looking forward to celebrating their dedication to the Flock Book and commitment to high-quality wool. A special film, produced by Liz Musser and JJ Jamieson will be premiered at a live-streamed event on Monday evening. The family will also host a lively ‘Sheep House Social’ at their Islesburgh Farm, featuring traditional Shetland music, food, fleeces and lots of fun.
“The SWW team and curator of the event, Donna Smith, have pulled together an extensive and diverse programme for this year’s festival which has a particular emphasis on the beauty of openwork lace knitting and the natural colours of Shetland sheep.
“We are also delighted to be opening our latest exhibition ‘Allover’ this weekend at the Shetland Museum. This is a very special exhibition which celebrates the iconic Fair Isle knitwear of the 1970s and the people who wore it all captured through the lens of photographer Chris Morphet. The exhibition includes a display of 1960s and ‘70s knitwear from the museum’s textile collection: it’s a real treat for both Wool Weekers and the Shetland community, and it will be on display until the end of the year.”
Visitors and locals can look forward to classes led by both local and visiting tutors in Fair Isle knitting, lace, spinning, weaving, dyeing, and machine knitting. Alongside the traditional favourites, organisers have introduced new classes such as crochet, tapestry, knitwear repair, felted wool, tablet weaving, and hat anatomy.
The SWW Hub, located in the Shetland Museum, will serve as the central gathering point for attendees, where they can purchase the highly anticipated SWW Annual – a coveted collection of patterns and articles, featuring both established and emerging designers. Among this year’s contributors are 16-year-old Freya Hutcheson, and Nina Moncrieff, who collaborated with her mother, Alison Rendall, on a special pattern.
The festival will culminate with the SWW Makers’ Market on Saturday 5 October at the Anderson High School, offering attendees the chance to meet local makers and purchase one-of-a-kind Shetland wool creations.
SWW 2024 promises a week of learning, celebration, and community spirit uniting wool enthusiasts of all ages. Tickets are still available for a number of classes and events and there are plenty of drop-in sessions, talks and exhibitions open to all. Visit the SWW Box Office to find out more.
Details of tickets still available can be found on the SWW Little Box Office.
