Fair Isle Knitwear – Jumper

Heritage

Sustainable

Traditional

A traditional Fair Isle jumper – crafted on Fair Isle, Shetland

Material

Fiber

Craft

Textiles

General Technique

Other

Specific Technique

Knitting and Finishing

Properties & Qualities

Application

Clothing

Qualities

3D Colourful

Colour

Black Brown Earth-colour Grey White

Sample Information

Date of Creation

March 29th, 2019

Culture & Context

Fair Isle knitting is specific to the island of Fair Isle in Shetland.  It has its own characteristics and differs from other ‘stranded knitting’ which is all too often termed ‘Fair Isle’ knitting.  Despite a decreasing population (less than 45 residents as of May 2023) there are still several small businesses in the isle that produce the genuine article that is made here and can truly be described as ‘Fair Isle’ knitting.

Process & Production

Fair Isle jumper – designed by Triona Thomson for ‘Fair Isle made in Fair Isle’, knitted and finished by Rachel Challoner.The individual pieces – ribs, back, front, 2 x sleeves – are knitted on a hand-frame knitting machine (Silver Reed SK280 and ribbing attachment SRP 60N).The front and back pieces are grafted together, by hand, at the shoulder seams.The sleeves are grafted, by hand, into the arm holes.The side seams and sleeve seams are sewn up, by hand.The neck rib is grafted on, by hand.All the loose ends are checked to be woven in and then cut off.Jumper is washed by hand and ‘dressed’ on a jumper board to the measurements required.Labels are sewn in, by hand.

Credits

Craft Maker

Designed by Triona Thomson, knitted and finished by Rachel Challoner

Library Contributor

Rachel Challoner

Photographer

Rachel Challoner