Shetland Wool Week

Last month’s Shetland Wool Week was deemed a great success by organisers. And now a video celebrating the event which celebrates the native sheep and the products which can be created from its fleece has been created by 60 North TV.

At the end of wool week one of the co-ordinators, Shetland Amenity Trust marketing officer Emma Miller told The Shetland Times the event had brought a “wooly wave of enthusiasm” to the isles, adding: “It’s fantastic to see so many folk from all around the world coming here to celebrate something we have on our doorstep.”

The four-minute video captures that mood, the essence of the celebration and exactly why “oo” is so important to the isles. Knitters, traders, crofters, retailers and enthusiasts all feature including visitors from the UK mainland and as far afield as Yukon in Canada.

Mary Bradshaw, from Whitehorse, Yukon, described the event as “completely thrilling”.

While tutor Hazel Tindall talks of “a real buzz around the town, around the whole of Shetland,” during wool week.”

But it’s not just about keeping visitors enthused. Amanda Pottinger, from Whalsay, is shown teaching youngsters how to knit and explains why it is so important to preserve the traditional craft.

“Knitting is part of Shetland’s heritage,” she says. “The same as music is part of our heritage and crofting and fishing. If you let the skills die out you lose them.”

That is a serious message but the last word is left to sound artist Felicity Ford who has written a song about the wool week.

She sings: “Intricate Fair Isle, insanely good lace; But also a deep sense of connection with place.”