Dear Knitter,
We are back from our summer holiday and getting ready for autumn with a new patterncard kit. My Faroe design was originally inspired by the little patterns I saw on the garments worn by Faroese fishermen who occasionally came ashore in my home town of Stornoway. The garments they wore featured one small and simple repeated pattern, usually worked in a dark colour on pale background. For my Faroe I created several simple patterns and arranged them in vertical panels; then I reversed the traditional two-colour scheme so that the main (background) is the darker shade and the contrast (pattern) is the pale shade. I designed the garment in the gansey style, knitted in the round with diamond-shaped underarm gussets. Knitted in two colours throughout, the design also features steeks at the armholes and neck shaping and so it is a fun knit with plenty of techniques to keep you interested along the way. It is over thirty years since I first created this design and so I’ve updated the proportions and expanded the size range to include six sizes. You can see the Faroe here worn by Emma with a matching Hirta Hat Set and a dramatic red skirt. You can find the Faroe patterncard kit here and make your own bold or subtle colour choices.
For a very different look Rebecca wears the Faroe with pale denim and a romantic white linen shirt, accessorised with another pair of Hirta Gloves and Ripple Wrap.
A third styling has Yasmin on the lip of the Hebridean machair wearing Faroe with a pair of fishermen's trousers, a Hat Trick Hat, Hirta Gloves and an Oiseabhal Wrap.
The new, Sky Oiseabhal Wrap was made specifically to complement the Faroe, but it is also a perfect foil for any bold seaside colour choices. You can see Yasmin wearing it here with a full St Kilda outfit of Sulaire Spencer, Boreray Cardigan, Eagle Collar, Dùn Cuffs, and Hirta Gloves.
We have been lucky to get out and about on a few photoshoots this summer, and the results are finding their way onto the website, with Emma showing off the Henry VIII full set as well as the Mystic Pullover and Marina Hat Set, and Eve wearing the Roscalie Vest and Henry VIII Gloves and the Polaris in Bogbean.
