Day 6 on our Grand Shetland Adventure was all about the yarn. Our first stop of the morning was a visit to Jamieson’s Mill in Sandness. We were taken on a really interesting tour of the factory, starting with the wool in big giant bags, all ready to begin the process of turning it into yarn.
The factory was really noisy with all of the heavy equipment, and we were all given headsets to wear so that we could hear our tour guide. It was really fascinating to see all the machines that take the dirty wool and wash and then dry it.
This is wet wool (aka smelly wool LOL) on the way up the conveyor belt, on it’s way to be dried.
Or is that dyed. Shoot, I can’t remember which came first, but I guess it would make sense to have it dyed while it’s still wet. Anyway, here is the big vat used for dying the wool — this picture could be out of order. ;-D
After it’s dried it’s blown into this little house. At least I think that’s how it happens. This yarn isn’t colored though, so I’m sure I’m wrong. But you get the idea — and it’s fun to see all the different stages of wool.
Oops – maybe shouldn’t have touched that pile!
Time for carding and spinning!
Et Voila – Yarn!
They were packaging a beautiful burnt orange the day we were there — so pretty!
At the end of the tour, there was a small showroom where we could shop. I was so enamored with the beautiful wall of yarn busy shopping and choosing colors that I forgot to take pictures.
After our morning in Sandness, we drove into Lerwick to the “Home of Real Shetland Wool”, Jamieson and Smiths. J&S has all their wool cleaned and spun in Yorkshire England, so their location in Shetland is just to collect and sort the wool before it is shipped to the mill.
The real treasure at J&S is Oliver Henry. Or, as I like to call him, Shetland’s Sean Connery LOL. He’s been a wool man, or probably THE wool man at J&S for 50 years. 50! He’s semi- retired now, but he still does tours. What an absolute treat and honor to have him give us a presentation all about grading and sorting wool — he’s an expert’s expert, having done it all his life. I could have listened to him speak all day — he had such a beautiful Scottish voice!
Only the very finest Shetland wool is used in J&S’s yarns for hand knitting. Fleeces of lesser grades are sorted for other uses.
At the end of the tour, Oliver told us a little about Up Helly Aa. He spoke with such passion about it, you could tell he really loves it!
Of course, there was shopping. There was just no way to resist the lure of authentic Shetland wool, actually purchased in Shetland and it was pointless to resist!
After the J&S tour, we went into Lerwick and were given an hour or two to meander around the streets and harbor until dinner time. Most of the shops were closed by now, but it was still fun to walk around.
It was another night off for Chef Pierre and we dined in the Peerie Shop Cafe. They were opened especially for our group and for dinner we could choose from a few selections that they had for us. I chose Mutton Soup, Salmon, Turnips, Carrots, Salad Greens and Fruit and Cream, which was the perfect dessert.
After dinner, we had a presentation from Ella Gordon. She’s known for her collection of vintage Shetland knits and she brought several to show us. It was really fun to see the variety of colors and patterns.
Normally, it would have seemed like late evening when we returned to Burrastow House, but this was Shetland in the summer and the sun sets so late. These long days and the beautiful simmer dim in the evenings are perfect for a tourist!