What will they stop next?
Councillor Jonathan Wills should know better. He states that the art of Fair Isle knitting is not taught at school.
Well done Jonathan. Most Shetlanders know that the art of Fair Isle knitting would take longer than a few lessons. What the pupils are taught is the basics of knitting; the Fair Isle knitting comes later.
If the lessons are stopped, very little of the pupils are going to take up knitting when they leave school, simply because they have no basic skills.
If knitting is stopped at school level the tradition of Fair Isle knitting as we know it, which is known worldwide, will be lost. The same also applies to traditional Shetland music.
At the moment this is all that Shetland has going for itself worldwide.
What will happen is that the people in the Far East will cash in on the knitting, with “Shetland knitwear made in China” stamped on the collar.
Why are these senior council members hell bent on destroying the image of Shetland? If it were not for wildlife photographer Simon King, Shetland would not have tourism like it is experiencing at the moment.
I dare not think what they are going to stop next, or rather destroy next. In my eyes the majority of the 22 councillors may have some sort of education, but they don’t have an ounce of common sense between them.
Sandy McMillan
South Lochside,
Lerwick.
m goodlad
I got taught Fair Isle when I was at primary school, as did many of my peers. 🙂
Village Books
I absolutely agree – as an artist/knitter, teacher & ex-school board member here in the US. This is foolhardy & short-sighted!