Colour has always been at the heart of Shetland knitting, and this Shetland knitting book gives it room to breathe. In Shetland Shades: Stories in Wool, Gudrun Johnston turns the shades of her native islands into a collection of twelve patterns. The shades are drawn from rocky shores, lichen, harvest light and the earthy tones of the landscape. Published by Laine, it is both a personal tribute to Shetland and a rich source of colourwork inspiration.
For knitters who love stranded colourwork, there is plenty to explore. Traditional Fair Isle sits alongside mosaic knitting, marling and colour blocking, so the book reaches well beyond a single technique. Two of the vests are worked in stranded colourwork with steeks, one of them in a Faroese-style design. A stranded colourwork hat offers an approachable way into two-colour knitting.
Vests are the heart of the collection. Gudrun Johnston is known for pairing Shetland tradition with clever, modern shaping, and these eight vest patterns show off that craft. Constructions range from a vest of two identical mosaic pieces joined with tassel ties to a garter-stitch vest, and from a striped buttoned vest to one centred on a traditional Shetland mini hap. Each is designed as a layering piece that works with the rest of a wardrobe.
Between the patterns, personal essays explore Gudrun's creative process, her Shetland knitting heritage and her newfound interest in sewing. The result is a book to knit from and to read, with stories behind every shade.
215 pages, Hardcover
12 patterns: 8 vests, 2 hats and 2 scarves.
