Shetland Wool Week has grown considerably from it’s beginnings 10 years ago as Oliver Henry, this year’s SWW patron explained at the opening ceremony last week. At a ticketed opening capped at 500 guest, he recalled speaking to just 30 guests at the first ever ceremony.

One week ago today, we were already benefiting from many of the generous Shetland Wool Weekers who have blessed our shores this year, as Shetland Wool Week organisers gave us a table at the opening. We raised over £1000 for the Shetland MRI Scanner Appeal on that night alone, but the impact of Shetland Wool Week on our fundraising started many weeks earlier.

We sold 150 tickets to our MRI Maakers Event, the majority online long before guests from as far afield as Australia and America even arrived here. Our raffle tickets arrived in time for thousands to sell before Wool Week had even officially begun, with so many eager to win Billy O’ Middle Toon – the Burra Bear made out of Harriet’s Hats from all over Shetland. With so many visitors downloading Harriet’s Hat patterns to knit before they got here, it’s difficult to tell exactly how much impact Wool Week had on our fundraising before it officially got underway, but it’s certainly well over £3000.

During the week, we were given space at the Hub in the Shetland Museum & Archives, both before and after our own special event on Thursday. If you include advance ticket and raffle sales we raised in excess of £5700 from that night alone with £1250 of that collected at the event itself.

One of the highlights of many of our guests was this year’s Guizzer Jarl greeting them at the door and later mingling with them for photos. We’re extremely grateful to John Nicolson and his squad for coming and sharing another unique part of Shetland culture with Wool Weekers from around the globe. For us, it provided a rare opportunity to get this lovely photo of three of this year’s prominent local figures. What other time could you get the founder of MRI Maakers, the Guizer Jarl, and the patron of Shetland Wool Week in one shot?

A particularly special night for the many guests from around 10 different countries, who now have a new found love of Reestit Mutton soup and Bannocks. All this and more in the particularly eye catching venue of the Lerwick Town Hall’s main hall.

After such a busy night, the more relaxed day in the wool week hub was a welcome change in pace for the MRI Maakers who helped out, but not entirely sedate. Both of the yarn suppliers featured on our patterns needed more pattern bundles through the day having already been resupplied earlier in the week. There was also a few last minute preparations for the Makers Market, yet more support and donations from Shetland Wool Weekers, and we even recruited another MRI Maaker who had moved to Shetland just days before.

The MRI Maakers have been gearing up to Shetland Wool Week, essentially from it’s very first night, by making a wide variety of items all crafted using Shetland Wool. So while we had already raised more than we’d anticipated, Saturday’s Maker’s Market was expected to give a substantial boost. It certainly didn’t disappoint!

We had learned in the previous days through hearing it over again from many of wool week’s visitors that many, often return visitors, appreciate our local hospitality immensely and welcome the opportunity to give something back by supporting a local cause. Nevertheless, we didn’t expect anything what we experienced on when the Anderson High School opened it’s doors at 11am. Within mere minutes we’d raised over £1000 with the sale of a beautiful lace shawl someone insisted on paying £400 for, and a single donation of £700 from someone who understandably wishes to remain anonymous. The remainder of the staggering £4463.40 taken in total coming from the sale of patterns and items knitted by our 62 volunteer knitters. We had deliberately not posted the many items made by our Fernlea Maakers on the website so we had them to sell, and it’s a good thing we did! Virtually everything made by them and others of the same generation is now gone, accounting for several hundred pounds of the total raised that day.

Once the initial surge died away a little, which took a couple of hours, we had time to chat more with people at our stall. Many asked if there was a way they could donate directly to us later, so I said I would share a link to our GoFundMe page.

We entered Shetland Wool Week having already raised just over £42k, and now just 1 week later our new total is a breathtaking £58,657! While we did receive in total the incredible amount of £3551 from Marie Wallin from her Meadow Book sales, we’re confident that at least a similar amount had been raised in connection with wool week before it began. There was however another surge in pattern downloads totalling around £1000 so far following the release of an interview of Anne Frost by Kristy Glass. Taking everything into account, we can say we have raised at least £15,500 in connection with Shetland Wool Week which is way beyond anything we could have hoped for.

Wool Week has given us much more than that though. We’ve had the opportunity to meet a great many people in person who have been supporting us from afar, including the first person to cast on her Harriet’s Hat in the knit along organised by the Minnesota Knitters Guild. It truly has been an incredible week, tiring, but incredible.

We would like to thank Victoria Tait and the many people at Shetland Wool Week for supporting us and giving us the opportunity to achieve as much as we have this week. Thanks also to the many, many, people who helped in any way to arrange and host such a successful MRI Maakers event. A special mention must to the makers of the soup and home bakes, and the Voe Bakery for supplying the bannocks, we know people have sought out the recipe so they can make them when they get home. Thanks to John Nicolson and the others of his squad and everyone at the Lerwick Town Hall, in particular Billy. Lastly, but most importantly, we must thank the many extremely generous Shetland Wool Weekers of 2019 for supporting us in such an amazing way. Thank you all, so much!

Here’s a gallery of our Shetland Wool Week, hope you’ve all enjoyed it as much as we have.

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Tonight, Jamieson’s of Shetland opened late to host a book launch of a book of designs made from their Spindrift range called Meadow by Marie Wallin. The launch which was timed to coincide with Shetland Wool Week also brings with it a very welcome boost for the Shetland MRI Scanner Appeal.

Marie Wallin made contact with the Billy Middleton quite early on in their fundraising efforts pledging to donate £1 from every copy sold. Since then, she has arranged to include a special feature on the appeal, along with what the MRI Maakers have been doing to raise funds for it.

Unfortunately, Marie wasn’t able to be in Shetland for its debut here herself. However, aside from her designs being made from Jamieson’s of Shetland yarn, she has a close relationship with the Jamieson family, in particular Elaine Jamieson. These ties have existed since before the release of one of Marie’s earlier highly successful books – Shetland.

Elaine and Garry Jamieson give cheque to Harriet and Billy Middleton on behalf of Marie Wallin – Photo by Gordon Siegel

In readiness for the book being available, the Jamieson’s had pre-ordered copies, including those to be shipped to their distributor in the USA. These totalled 3200 copies, and the donation by Marie has already been sent to the Scanner Appeal.

Since Marie couldn’t be here herself, and given the close ties, she asked Elaine and Garry Jamieson to hand over the cheque on her behalf. Harriet Middleton and her son Billy received it at their shop on Commercial Street moments before the doors opened to a long queue of eagerly waiting shoppers.

The cheque for £3200 brings the total raised for the Shetland MRI Scanner Appeal through the MRI Maakers close to £50,000. A milestone which is sure to be surpassed in the coming days with Shetland Wool Week in full swing.

Harriet is overwhelmed by the support she and the MRI Maakers have received, from all over the world saying “Not bad for something that began with a peerie toorie.”

Shetland Wool Week have been very supportive of the project, giving them access to the opening night and a space at the Hub in the Shetland Museum and Archives in Da Gaddery. Through it they have brought together people who have been supporting them from afar. Speaking of the atmosphere, Harriet says, “It’s heart warming to see so many people caring for a cause that will make such a big difference to us here in Shetland. They’ve been genuinely interested and keen to support us and it’s so nice to see some in person who have been following what we’re doing on the internet.”

Billy, who has been behind much of the online presence, feels the same. “It’s quite surreal how much support we’ve had, with so many from so far away. Any time we’ve needed help with anything locally, the community have stepped up and helped. So many people here have a personal reason for being behind the fundraising effort. But what sometimes touches you more is how much help is offered by so many with no particular personal reason to, other than simply being nice people and caring. This initial donation from Marie Wallin is a perfect example and we’re extremely grateful to her for everything she’s done.”

Shetland Wool Week 2019 has arrived, and with it all the buzz you’d expect. It truly has gotten off to a flying start for the MRI Maakers too.

Shetland Wool Week Opening Ceremony

While the opening night is usually reserved for paying guests with only Shetland Wool Week Sponsors having stalls, this year Victoria Tait kindly gave the MRI Maakers a special pass. As you can see from this panoramic picture taken from our table, we were kept busy during every interval and raised £1065 during the evening!

Beyond that, we met in person for the first time several people who have been supporting us from afar which was lovely. We’ll be seeing many again over the rest of the week in less hectic settings.

Monday saw us in the Hub at the Shetland Museum and Archives for the first time, meeting many interested people keen to support us in our quest to raise funds for the Shetland MRI Scanner Appeal. Again, some of these were people who have been supporting us online for some time but until now we hadn’t met.

It was a busy day, but afforded more time for general chat as you can see from this picture as people saw Harriet working on her next design – a versatile cowl.

Over the course of the day, Billy had to restock Jamieson’s of Shetland with more patterns too. That, along with selling raffle tickets, patterns, and a few finished items in the Hub, we raised £1624.

With pattern sales in pdf downloads continuing in the background throughout, this means the total raised by the MRI Maakers so far is now £45,633. We’re incredibly grateful for all the continuing support, in all it’s forms, from all over the world. 62 knitters have contributed to our stock, and our MRI Maakers have done so much more than knit. Yarn stores both within, and out with Shetland have been selling huge numbers of patterns for us. At every turn, whatever we’ve needed, there’s been a community of people stepping up to help us. Thank you!

Here is a list of prizes being drawn during our on off MRI Maakers Wool Week Event at the Lerwick Town Hall. We’re extremely grateful to everyone who has donated a prize, you’ll find their details listed beside them.

Billy O’ Middle Toon is a Burra Bear made entirely out of Harriet’s Hats which were hand knitted by various MRI Maakers around Shetland.

Wendy Inkster very kindly created him for our raffle and we think he’s turned out absolutely fabulous. She’ll be at the Lerwick Town Hall so if the lucky winner is one of our guests, she’ll be able to hand over the prize herself.

Marie Wallin – Meadow – Cover

A signed copy of Marie Wallin’s new book ‘Meadow’ has been donated by Marie herself. The book, which launches on the 1st October, contains designs using Jamieson of Shetland Spindrift yarn.

Marie Wallin is also donating £1 from every book sale to the Shetland MRI Scanner Appeal and has included a feature in the book about the MRI Maakers and the scanner appeal.

This beautiful hand knitted lace shawl has been kindly donated by one of our own MRI Maakers – Marina Robertson. Spanning 4ft, there’s an incredible amount of work that goes into making these with such attention to detail.

A years subscription (4 issues) to either British Fibre Art Magazine or Needle Felt Magazine. The winner will receive a voucher from us to claim their prize.

Issues will be posted to them anywhere in the world!

Woolly Originals have donated this incredible project bag. Retailing at £65 it’s beautifully made, lined and perfect to keep your future projects in.

Woolly Originals have been an avid supporter of what we’re doing from early on highlighting our efforts on social media.

Matching set 1 from the Harriet collection. This Harriet’s Hat and matching Harriet’s Mittens go so well together and will keep the lucky winner warm in the coming winter months.

Shetland Jewellery haven’t just donated this large pendant from their Fara range. They’ve made it especially for us using the MRI colours! The design compliments the crown of Harriet’s Hat so well it was an obvious choice from their collection of fine pieces. After seeing how it turned out, they’ve decided to add it to their range and will be donating 20% of every one sold to the Shetland MRI Scanner appeal.

Matching set 2 from the Harriet Collection. This is a matching Harriet’s Headband and Harriet’s Fingerless glove set.

Fair Isle Knitting Designs from Shetland Knitters Volume 2, released this month, signed by the designers.

Kindly donated by the Shetland Guild of Spinners, Knitters, Weavers and Dyers.

This selection of books has been very kindly donated to us by Mary Randles. We’ll be splitting the 8 books into two prizes of 4.

A signed copy of this DVD by Hazel Tindall and Elizabeth Johnston containing over 3 and a half hours of essential knitting advice.

Signed DVD donated by Hazel Tindall herself. We’re sure it’ll be of great interest containing a step by step guide through the traditional art of Fair Isle Knitting.

Shetland Wool Week have kindly donated a copy of their 2019 Annual. If you have been following Shetland Wool Week on social media you will no doubt have seen many of the exquisite designs within it from a host of very talented designers.

Shetland Wool Week have been extremely supportive and given us a place at their opening night, space at the Hub from Monday to Wednesday, and at the Makers’ Market.

Shetland Amenity Trust has donated a Family Heritage Season Ticket. The ticket can be used at Shetland Amenity Trust sites in the South Mainland including Sumburgh Head Lighthouse & Visitor Centre, Old Scatness Broch and Iron Age Village, and the Crofthouse Museum at Dunrossness.

For more information see here – https://www.shetlandamenity.org/shetland-heritage-season-ticket

Marja from Trollenwol has very kindly donated 2 books, both about knitting with Uradale yarn. One was released earlier this year in March, and the other is being launched during Shetland Wool Week!

Trollenwol have been very supportive already online so you’re likely to have seen them liking and commenting on our posts.

How would you like to go Glamping for a night in one of these fabulous luxury Wigwams?

Thanks to this donation from Barbara Hall, who is herself a keen knitter, one lucky winner will be able to do just that.

You can find out more about the Burravoe Wigwams here – https://www.wigwamholidays.com/burravoe

Gilda Sim, who is one of our regulars at MRI Maakers meetings, has donated these lovely handknitted lace wristlets. They’re made from real Shetland Lace yarn and we’re sure they’ll be much loved by the lucky winner.

Hélène Driesen, AKA Kieranknits, has been incredibly supportive of our efforts and has already raised funds for us by donating some of her work to sell on this site. She has now donated these lovely thrummed mittens as a raffle prize, they’ll be so cosy in the coming winter months.

If you’re looking for something to keep your feet warm this winter, Hélène Driesen has also donated these thrummed slippers to the raffle. Hélène is teaching two classes at this year’s Shetland Wool Week and will be bringing both prizes along with her from the USA.

Harriet being her usual modest self wouldn’t have coined this phrase herself, but from here in Shetland to other places around the world, her patterns raising funds for the Shetland MRI Scanner appeal are being affectionately referred to as ‘The Harriet Collection’.

From the launch of the first pattern – Harriet’s Hat – support from all over the world has been breathtaking and relentless. This coincided with the first ever meeting of the MRI Maakers, who have also achieved so much more than we ever thought possible already with their finished hand knitted items.

At tonight’s meeting, yet more amazing knitted items were handed in making ready for Shetland Wool Week. However as we prepare for our one off MRI Maakers Wool Week Event, Ticket’s available here, they’ve also organised themselves with selling raffle tickets and making home bakes for our guests. Not only will the MRI Maakers be sharing their knitting night with you, they’ll also have made some of the lovely cakes etc. which will be available for you to accompany your teas, coffees, and traditional Shetland Supper.

Hard copies of Harriet’s Gloves and Harriet’s Fingerless Gloves have started going on sale locally, and the Harriet’s Mitten patterns, available online here now, will be launched in hard copy during Shetland Wool Week. Online sales of these have already brought another boost in funds raised for the MRI Scanner appeal, bringing the total raised so far as of tonight up to £40,405.50! It’s an absolutely astounding amount, which includes hard copy sales, pattern downloads, and the finished items all carefully hand knitted for you by our lovely MRI Maakers themselves.

With less than two weeks until Shetland Wool Week officially begins, many visitors have already started to arrive so we’re pleased that our preparations are on track. We’ll be at the opening night in Clickimin on Sunday the 29th September highlighting what our community of knitters have been doing and why. We’ll also be at the Shetland Wool Week Hub on Monday 30th, Tuesday 1st, and Wednesday 2nd October. Tuesday 1st is also the official launch of the Marie Wallin book, Meadow, which contains a feature on the MRI Maakers – £1 of every book sale being donated to the Shetland MRI Scanner appeal. All of that comes ahead of our MRI Maakers event in the Lerwick Town Hall on Thursday 3rd October from 6pm until 9pm. We’re hosting a Bake Sale in our usual meeting venue – the Gilbert Bain Servery – on Friday 4th October from 9am until 2pm so if you fancy a fancy please pop in for some. That brings us up to the Makers Market on Saturday 5th October where you’ll find all of the knitted items available to buy, all proceeds going directly to the scanner appeal.

With Billy heading to the Loch Ness Knit Fest later in October with hard copies of the patterns, the amount raised is sure to rise still further. It truly is overwhelming how much has been achieved by a community of knitters all coming together, not only here in Shetland but all around the world. Thank you!

Back in July we were contacted by Ruth, who knits with a loom and wanted to try making Harriet’s Hat using one. We were interested to see how she got on and said it was fine by us.

Then in August Ruth sent us a picture of her finished hat, made entirely on her loom. As you can see it turned out really well although she explained the crown was quite difficult doing it as per the original pattern. She wanted to make a loom conversion to overcome this so the group she’s connected with, KissLooms knitting and Weaving Club, could have a Loom Along of Harriet’s Hat.

Ruth and the group are keen to support what we’re doing, and the idea is that loom knitters can buy the Harriet’s Hat pattern and if they take part in the Harriet’s Hat Loom Along they’ll get the conversion details explaining how to do it. It’s a whole new area we never expected to find support from, so we’re very grateful and can’t wait to see how they all turn out.

Once the Loom Along has finished, Ruth has asked if we want the conversion for our store, so here’s what we’ve come up with. So that any Loom knitters who want to try it aren’t paying more for the same end result, we’ll make it available free along with a harriet’s hat pattern.

To find out more about the Loom along, and how to take part, head over to KissLooms knitting and Weaving Club and Ruth will be able to help you along.

Today saw the launch of a selection of Harriet’s Glove patterns which have been eagerly awaited by many. We’d like to thank Nancy Hunter and Erin from the Morehouse Farm for testing them. It’s been quite a challenge to get the patterns ready, and we couldn’t have done it without them.

The Harriet’s Glove and Harriet’s Fingerless Glove Patterns bring a range of possibilities. Made to suite the average ladies hand, the turnback cuffs of the fingerless version will fit the full fingered version. Similarly if you prefer the cuff in the Harriet’s Glove pattern, you can swap it onto the fingerless version. For this reason, we also released a Full Finger Conversion for use with the Harriet’s Fingerless Glove pattern. So to get the full range of gloves, you don’t need to buy both patterns at full price. You can buy the Fingerless pattern along with the conversion instead.

Erin has already announced the Mitt Along, starting on the 1st of November, where people from around the world can join and knit one or more of the Fair Isle Knitting designed accessories for ladies hands. And in preparation for the knit/mitt along she has begun taking pre-orders of hard copies. We’ll be sending these over to her in America in October. Erin has spent some considerable time today setting up a section of the Morehouse Farm website specifically for “The Harriet Collection”. This includes all 4 patterns released to date, along with one for mittens which will be available shortly. They will either ship the patterns or make them available for collection at key events locally. You can find out details here – The Harriet Collection –  if you’re in the USA and would prefer hard copies of the collection. Pre-ordering will help us figure out how many we need to send to be sure you don’t miss out.

Follow this link to find out more about the Harriet’s Mitt Along, which includes some new techniques for those who took part in the Harriet’s Hat and Harriet’s Headband KAL earlier. Expect more of the same helpful tips and tutorials that helped you through the Fair Isle head wear.

In the meantime, we’ve Shetland Wool Week to prepare for, including the MRI Maakers Wool Week Special Event, and Billy will be going to the Loch Ness Knit Fest later in October too.

Thanks for everyone’s continued support, wherever in the world you are, it’s truly appreciated.

Earlier this year Sherry Kreb visited Shetland and bought the Harriet’s Hat pattern and a yarn pack. She began knitting it while she was here, and finished it upon her return to Washington.

Sherry then knitted a Harriet’s Hat for a friend, Tami, who loved it so much she donated £100 to the Scanner appeal.

We were able to pass on our appreciation to Tami via Sherry, but we have since learnt Sherry wasn’t finished.

Sherry was asked to be a guest speaker at the North Central Washington Knitters Guild on Wednesday. She made and donated a Harriet’s Hat as a raffle prize, and the ladies were passionate about our cause. They were eager to help out and had a collection which has now been donated directly to the appeal. It came to an incredibly generous £125.50, all from one supporter spreading the word to other charitable knitters.

Pictured here is Sherry herself holding the pattern, beside the lucky winner of the Harriet’s Hat she made.

We would like to pass on our sincere thanks to everyone there in Wenatchee, Washington for their donation, and above all Sherry for telling them all about us and making it possible. Thank you!

Since May this year, when the MRI Maakers first started, and, Harriet’s patterns first went on sale, we’ve had support from all over the world. It has been as heartwarming as it has been breath taking.

The Morehouse Farm, in New York State, which is an enterprise based on Merino Sheep and the wool they create, stepped up after contacting us back in June. Erin from the farm was eager to have a Fair Isle knit along following requests from her group of knitters which she affectionately calls the flock. The timing was perfect because the other worldwide knit along organised by the Minnesota Knitters Guild was due to come to a close shortly before Erin’s one would begin.

However, Erin wanted to support us in another way too. Throughout July, before the Morehouse Farm knit along began, she said she would donate $1 for every skein of 2ply yarn sold.

As you can see from the check Suzanne Hanifl is holding, it came to an incredible $673. Suzanne has been with the flock since the early days of Morehouse Farm, and we’re delighted she could be here to hand over the cheque on behalf of Erin. As you can see, Harriet is holding a cheque for £535, which is the total deposited directly into the Shetland MRI Scanner Appeal account after currency exchange. Kathleen Carolan, centre, was instrumental in starting the scanner appeal so we’re glad she was able to join us in receiving the cheque. This, along with the significant boost in pattern sales resulting from the knit along brings our raised up to £38,400.

It’s not often that we get to express our gratitude to someone from overseas directly, so this was too good an opportunity to pass up. Thankfully there were a few of the MRI Maakers available to come along. Emma and Barbara even managed to come during a break from the A&E department too. Breaks are often interrupted in the casualty department, but not usually for something like this.

Normally, I would be finishing up the post now, but I can’t, not yet. Erin has been one of our test knitters for the glove patterns being released imminently and with mittens to follow shortly she has already committed to having another knit along. She’ll be starting a ‘Mitt along’ in November, featuring the same help, guidance and tutorials we’re now familiar with following the hats and headbands.

The support being provided by Erin and her flock at Morehouse Farm continues in other ways too. Erin has been keen to find ways to make hard copies of our patterns available at some upcoming events in America as well.

However our talking has on occasion ventured into other things, which leads us to a gift sent over with Suzanne. Merino wool is renowned for being incredibly soft and gentle on the skin, which I happened to mention makes it ideal for people with certain conditions, undergoing chemotherapy for example. So Erin surprised us with this huge bundle of Merino Wool, all in the official MRI colours! We’ll be using it to make Harriet’s Hats for donation to the MacMillan Nursing Department in the Gilbert Bain Hospital for their patients to use. Many such patients will have already had MRI scans themselves, so hopefully this will also provide some practical comfort as they undergo their resulting treatment. There’s enough here for 8 full size hats, but we may use some the maternity department can keep for new borns until they’re ready to go home.

It is just one of many acts of kindness to come from Erin and her flock, we truly can’t thank you, along with everyone who has joined you in supporting us, enough. Thank you!