Amazing Shetlands: Part 2

Cathy was truly enjoying the our stay in the cozy mansion that has become the Islesburg House Hostel in Lerwick (voted the best hostel in the world in 2010 and 2012—for good reason). We ended up staying almost two weeks!

At the hostel, we met other knitters: Kirsten and Josephine added a couple more sections to me. Josephine, from Wollongong, Australia, was visiting Shetland on holiday with her husband.

On Friday, the 14th, we decided to finally travel by three buses and two ferries to the farthest north part of Scotland—the island of Unst and the tiny village of Haroldswick where the finest of Shetland lace comes from. On Friday afternoons, the Unst Heritage Center has spinning and knitting demonstrations. While waiting at the bus stop in Lerwick, Cathy met Shuko, another knitter who was visiting Scotland and who had the same plans to visit the Haroldswick knitters. Yay! A traveling companion made for an extra special day.

We got there before the museum opened, so there was time to visit Victoria's Vintage Tea Room where Cathy experienced her first (but not the last!) cream tea—that luscious and rich combination of buttery scones, clotted cream, jam, and a huge pot of tea. Victoria obviously did it up right!

Visiting with Hazel and Dorothy and watching them knit with their knitting belts made for a memorable afternoon. Cathy tried knitting with a knitting belt and was completely befuddled. Hazel tried adding some rows to me using my short needles and was completely befuddled. Cathy re-threaded me onto one of Hazel's needles that would fit into her belt. 

Now watch how adept these women are at knitting!

Hey, wasn't that me in the starring role?

After we all said our "goodbyes," Hazel rushed out. She still had many hours left in the day. It is shearing season and she was going back to help with the shearing. "How many sheep do you have," Cathy asked. 

"Oh, I don't know—maybe about 700," Hazel replied, matter-0f-factly.  

And here is the latest list of my talented contributors. Oh look—see there right at the top, Cathy did add a lacy pattern using the yarn she spun from the hentilagets: 

Don't you just love Catherine's section of purple bling at the bottom?