Newsletter

Issue 1

Autumn 2016

I'm often asked how ShetlandPeerieMakkers came about. Let me explain.

As many of you will know, I and my colleagues at Brough Lodge Trust want to restore

Brough Lodge, on the Shetland island of Fetlar. When we're able to raise sufficient funds,

we'll transform the old house into a centre offering residential courses in, among other

things, Shetland knitting and Shetland music.

However, as we developed these plans, we heard alarm bells. People told us that the

hand-knitting culture that we wanted to sustain was in real danger, partly because the

teaching of knitting in Shetland schools had been discontinued in 2010.

A number of people across Shetland were heroically trying to fill the resulting gap. We

realised that sustaining hand-knitting must also become a priority for the Brough Lodge

Trust. Working with others, we agreed that we'd try to reinstate a comprehensive

programme of tuition for young people; and, of course, it became obvious that the future

profits from Brough Lodge must be ploughed back into the teaching of knitting and,

possibly, other endangered skills.

We've been thrilled and inspired by the backing that people across the world have given to

ShetlandPeerieMakkers. There have been cash donations and warm expressions of support

from many countries, close to home in the UK and farther afield. We've had help from

Australia, the United States, France and Norway, to name just a few. Craft skills are, of

course, a huge part of millions of people's lives, and I think what we're trying to do has

struck a chord.

Here in Shetland, we've been bowled over by the enthusiasm with which more than thirty

volunteers have set about reviving the teaching of knitting. We're also very grateful for the

help we've had from schools and the Council's Education Service.

All of this means that, early next year, we'll be able to cover nearly a quarter of Shetland's

primary schools. Around 2018, we hope to involve all of them, because the sheer positivity

around the project is attractive to the major sponsors we're hoping to attract.

The benefits are clear. Children are enjoying the lessons and have real pride in what they

make. That bodes well for the future of this vital part of Shetland's heritage.

Thanks again to all of you for making ShetlandPeerieMakkers such a success story.

Pierre Cambillard,

Chairman Brough Lodge Trust and ShetlandPeerieMakkers

Pierre Cambillard

Tutor Amanda Pottinger with pupils

at the Whalsay school

The ShetlandPeerieMakkers story

ShetlandPeerieMakkers aims to provide free tuition in Shetland handknitting to children all

over Shetland and has just completed the first of two pilot sessions to develop the

ShetlandPeerieMakkers model and method of tuition for a full island programme. Young

keen knitters already enjoy new skills and sociable knitting, tutors enjoy passing on their

skills. The project is growing fast.

A Task force to steer the project was created in 2014 by Pierre Cambillard of the Brough

Lodge Trust in Fetlar. Although the Trust’s own textile workshops in the restored Lodge in

Fetlar are some years away, their wish to support Shetland’s knitting culture is a priority.

PeerieMakkers complements other community knitting groups, and the parents and

grandparents who have knitting skills to pass on. However, there is a risk that insufficient

numbers of young people will learn to knit and that the knowledge and techniques of

Shetland knitting will be diluted or even lost.

In the Shetland tradition of sharing essential skills within the community, five skilled

volunteer hand-knitters and their assistants teach Shetland hand-knitting skills to the boys

and girls who wish to join PeerieMakkers after-school or lunchtime knitting groups, where

a fun and friendly environment is essential. PeerieMakkers supports the volunteer tutors

through funding their travel to deliver tuition, to buy knitting needles, knitting belts,

notebooks and other equipment. Yarns are provided by Jamiesons of Shetland, Sandness.

With technical guidance from the lead tutor and her selected assistants, each child makes

his or her own choice of colour, pattern and stitch, in the accessories or garments they

want to knit; to wear themselves or gift to family members.

This encourages individuality and a creative approach to a continuing culture.

The schools hosting these groups are in Whalsay, Skeld, Burra, Cunningsburgh and

Lerwick, and by summer 2017 the two year pilot project will have helped over 100 new

knitters and more childrens’ Shetland knitting groups in Unst, Ollaberry and Dunrossness.

The project is currently funded by ShetlandPeerieMakers’ 2015 crowdfunding appeal, with

additional contributions from donors worldwide. Around 30 volunteers: tutors, organisers,

supporters and advisors delivered the project.

Hazel Hughson

Tutor Amanda Pottinger and Pierre Cambillard with pupils at the Whalsay school on

the island of Whalsay

The Whalsay Teaching Method

Whalsay School knitting club was formed in October 2011 by Amanda Pottinger, Anne

Anderson and Linda Shearer. We all worked in the school and put up a poster on the

school notice board asking P5-7 pupils to put down their name if they would be interested

in a knitting club. This resulted in 12 pupils being very keen to start knitting. As the bairns

had lots of after school activities it was decided to run the club, voluntarily, during Monday

lunch break for 30-40 minutes. Luckily we had some knitting needles, belts and double

knitting wool in school but we wanted to keep part of our heritage alive and felt using

Shetland wool was essential. We approached Whalsay School Parent council asking them

to help fund the wool and longer needles. We would like to thank the parent council and

the school management team who have been very supportive. During our early years we

were also linked to Crofting Connections who funded extra knitting belts, needles and

wool.

Our aim was to teach the bairns to knit using the traditional Shetland knitting technique by

using Shetland yarn, a knitting belt and knitting using 3 wires to give their projects a

seamless finish. We have encouraged the bairns put their yarn on two fingers/hands to

ensure the correct tension and it stops the yarn getting twisted. This is the part they don’t

enjoy as it slows them down and we have had varying degrees of success!

The first two years the bairns were given the choice to either knit a headband, hand

warmers or beanie hat. They got to choose their colours and decide which patterns they

would like to use in their projects. We all found this very refreshing as they had no

preconceived ideas about using colour in Fair Isle knitting. As a result, every item they

knitted became a very individualized garment. Once they chose their pattern we

encouraged them to dot out their pattern beginning in the middle and show them how the

symmetry of Fair Isle patterns work. Learning to knit Fair Isle is a slow process and every

knitter works at their own speed in a sociable knitting environment.

We included the Primary 4 bairns in the 2013/14 knitting club as we had smaller class

numbers. Initially they knitted small pincushions as this age group had never had knitting

tuition at school. They used two short needles knitting stocking stitch (knit 1 row, purl one

row) and then added small 3 row borders. This age group need more adult input and we

tried to keep the ratio of 1 adult to 4-5 bairns. We helped build their confidence by sitting

beside them and offering encouragement whilst they learned the basics. Once their

confidence grew they were happy to be left. At the end of the session many had

progressed onto Fair Isle headbands using longer needles and knitting belts.

During summer 2014 we were invited to Fetlar as part of a World Café Community

consultation to gauge interest in providing knitting classes to Shetland children. Pierre

Cambillard, Brough Lodge Trust Chairman, wanted to support getting voluntary knitting

tuition into local communities to help ensure our textile heritage continued into another

generation. Meetings continued over the next year and as a result we became a pilot

project for ShetlandPeerieMakkers in 2015, alongside the Anderson High School drop-in

knitting group, Burra School knitting club, Cunningsburgh School lunchtime knitting club,

and latterly Skeld school knitting group.

This year we have had 13 knitters aged 9-11, including 7 beginners who began by learning

the basics and knitting pincushions, using garter stitch, stocking stitch and also including a

3 row Fair Isle pattern. As part of the ShetlandPeerieMakkers project we have had the

opportunity to build on our resources such as knitting notebooks, makkin belts and folders

for the bairns to keep their instructions and dotted out patterns. Jamison's of Shetland, the

Shetland wool spinners based in Sandness, Shetland, kindly offered to sponsor the yarn for

the whole ShetlandPeerieMakkers project, which has allowed the bairns to choose their

colours of wool and to plan out their garments such as yoke lumbers.

We have strived to keep things light hearted and have fun. We love sitting yarning with

the bairns and their enthusiasm makes it all worthwhile. To see the smile on their face

when they complete a garment is priceless!

Amanda Pottinger Tutor

Items made at the Burra ShetlandPeerieMakkers group which Anne Eunson tutors

Burra

In October 2015 a ShetlandPeerieMakker pilot project was started in my local community

in Burra, to offer Shetland knitting tuition for 8-11-year old children.

This was fitted in as an extra-curricular activity at my local primary school and run as an

after school club. The pupils in the upper primaries were offered one-hour tuition, each

week during the school term.

We had ten pupils who signed up for that first term. This proved to be about the right

number for myself, and a couple of helpers, to work with.

Some of the bairns had done a basic knit stitch before but for the others it was a whole

new experience.

For their first project I decided we would make a small pincushion and within that they

would learn some of the basic stitches i.e. knit, purl, moss stitch, stocking stitch, garter

stitch, a small cable and a row of button holes which would also serve as their first

introduction to lace. To get them off to a quick start on the first day, I had laid up the

loops needed and knitted their sweerie-geng.

The first few weeks were quite intense because the bairns were really all needing 1/1

tuition. Not only were they learning to knit but they also had to try and understand a

knitting chart and get to grips with using a makkin belt, for those who wanted to try. As

the weeks went by and their confidence in their own knitting skills grew, they could relax a

bit and allow their own personalities to come through. This is when it stopped being just a

knitting session and started to be, very much, a fun time as well.

From the word go I have been amazed at their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. They

have turned up each week keen to get on with their knitting and wanting to get to the end

of one project so that they could start on the next. In this short period of time they have

all completed their pincushions and a fair isle phone cover knitted in the round, using three

wires.

Now they are getting interested in what is going on in the knitting scene out with the

Peerie Makkers group and starting to come up with their own ideas of what they want to

make next. Some of the individual projects on the wires just now are headbands and

wristbands adapted from Donna Smith "Baa-ble Hat”, a headband adapted from Ella

Gordon's "Crofthoose Hat", a hat to match a favourite Teddy’s jumper and a lace scarf for

a Great Granny. I think I can safely say that some of them may already have caught the

“Knitting Bug”. Exciting times lie ahead.

For myself and the other adult helpers, this has been such a worthwhile and extremely

rewarding project to be involved with. I do so hope that in the near future we can get

knitting back into all the Primary Schools is Shetland and give every child the chance to

learn this wonderful skill that is such a vital part of their heritage.

Anne Eunson Tutor

Tutor Linda Shearer at Whalsay school with pupils knitting on their Fair Isle garments

Vogue Knitting Live

In January I visited Vogue Knitting Live in New York with Wilma Malcolmson. Wilma is a

ShetlandPeerieMakkers volunteer tutor.

Vogue Knitting Live New York took place over 3 days in January in the Marriott Marquis

hotel, in Times Square. There were many classes dealing with every aspect of knitting,

weaving and a little crochet too. There were lectures, fashion shows and two floors of

sales booths – my favourites were the button stalls as the right button can add so much to

a finished project.

Wilma and I had met June Hemmons Hiatt when she visited Shetland last year. June is the

author of “The Principles of Knitting”. In Shetland, June and I discussed the benefits of

using a knitting belt, something she first used in Edinburgh about 30 years ago. Her son,

Jesse, now makes patented knitting belts in the USA – these are not exact copies of

Shetland belts – the holes are at one end only, come in different sizes, and are more

expensive.

June had a class on using a knitting belt at Vogue Knitting Live where Wilma and I were

volunteer helpers. When June wasn’t teaching she and Jesse had a ‘pop-up’ stall where

they explained what a knitting belt is while Wilma and I demonstrated using them. They

also distributed leaflets giving information about where to buy Shetland made belts. June

gave a short lecture on Shetland during which she and I had a question and answer

session, with prompts from some photos I had with me. The lecture was rounded off by

Donna Smith speaking about her knitting inspiration. Donna, Shetland Wool Week Patron

2015, was in New York at the Shetland Wool Week stand which was very busy – more

about that can be found at http://www.shetland.org/60n/blogs/posts/promote-shetlands-

fiery-start-to-the-year.

The ‘pop-up’ stall and lecture gave opportunities to distribute ShetlandPeerieMakkers

leaflets and answer questions about the project.

In May I did some teaching with a large group on a cruise ship – mostly Americans in the

group. It was good to have some of them ask me questions about it.

Hazel Tindall

Left Wilma Malcolmson, Jesse Hiatt, June Hiatt and Hazel Tindall in New York, January 2016, Thanks to

June Hiatt for providing the photograph.

ShetlandPeerieMakkers

Patrons Below Textile artist Kaffe Fassett

Below Shetland musician Aly Bain

A Big Thank You to Our Patrons, Partner and Sponsors

The Brough Lodge Trust has two Patrons, Aly Bain, the Shetland musician and Kaffe

Fassett, the textile artist. Both are respected around the world for their outstanding

contributions in their respective fields. By offering rewards, they played an important part

in the successful crowd-funding that we undertook between October and December 2015.

Aly also mentioned the project during a cooking challenge – against his long-time musical

partner, Phil Cunningham – prior to a concert at Mareel in Shetland on 4 August 2016. We

are very grateful for their support.

We are delighted to have a continuing partnership with Jamieson’s of Shetland, who, since

ShetlandPeerieMakkers began, have kindly donated the yarn for the pilot project. They will

be joined by more partners in the future as we extend ShetlandPeerieMakkers to every

community in Shetland.

During our crowd-funding appeal, hundreds of donors lent their support and we’re grateful

for the help that continues to flow in through our online donation platform, Just Giving.

Two significant donors were Morrison Construction and the Shetland Guild of Spinners,

Knitters, Weavers and Dyers.

All of us involved in ShetlandPeerieMakkers would like to extend our thanks to everyone

who has helped, in any way, with the project. Without your support, it would not have

been possible for the project to go ahead. There is, of course, a continuing need for

funding and, if you’d like to donate, you can do so on the below link at JustGiving -

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter, too.

Alastair Hamilton

ShetlandPeerieMakkers Partner Jamieson's are our first partner and they have supplied our pilot with Shetland wool for the tutors to

use with the children and young people, which has been much appreciated.

ShetlandPeerieMakkers Sponsor

Examples of Knitwear by Children and Young People

at 2016 shows in Shetland

The below pictures were taken by Hazel Tindall and are an excellent display of knitwear

created by children and young people which were entered in this years shows on mainland

Shetland. The 'shows' take place annually all across the islands where the exhibits are from

the agricultural communities and crafts people as well as produce such as jams,

vegetables, flowers are entered in competition.

Shetland Wool Week 2016 Shetland Wool Week invited ShetlandPeerieMakkers to display their knitting at the Islesburgh Community

Centre, Lerwick. There will be completed garments, samplers and swatches displayed from all the groups

in the pilots 2015/16 - from communities across Shetland including Lerwick, Burra, Skeld, Cunningsburgh

and Whalsay. In the opening ceremony in the Clickimin Leisure Complex, Lerwick some of the

ShetlandPeerieMakkers' knitwear will be included in the fashion show.

If you have the opportunity to attend Shetland Wool Week 2016 events some of the

ShetlandPeerieMakkers groups will be attending workshops, events and socially knitting

during Shetland Wool Week which begins on Saturday 24th September and lasts through till Sunday 2nd

October this year.

In our next newsletter we will update you on how ShetlandPeerieMakkers experienced Shetland Wool

Week and let you know about new groups beginning in different areas of Shetland.

Copyright © 2016 Brough Lodge Trust, All rights reserved.

Reg. Scottish Charity No SC 028 725

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Brough Lodge Trust, St Olaf's Hall, Lerwick, Shetland , United Kingdom ZE1 0FD

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