Fair Isle sweaters

[Will]

A source for made to order hand knit Fair Isle sweaters.

http://www.shetland-handknits.co.uk

 

[fortworthgal]

I'm coming in a bit late, but I would suggest trying companies that specialize in Scottish clothing and goods. We buy Aran wool sweaters each year, and most of the companies have great annual sales, you can get some bargains. I shop several of the Irish companies, but I would think that the Scottish companies probably work in a similar fashion as many of these companies cater to the same market.

http://www.scottishclothingstore.com

http://scottishknitwear.net/browse/mens-wear/mens-sweaters/fair-isle-sweaters.html?theme=woollens

Orvis sells a Fair Isle style sweater, vest, and coat - but unfortunately only in women's!

 

[TOTTIE]

A source for made to order hand knit Fair Isle sweaters.

oh, beautiful... and breathtakingly expensive.
The women's are such awful shapes, too. But I suspect she'd alter them, for that sort of money!

 

[Alan Eardley]

Shetland knitting

A source for made to order hand knit Fair Isle sweaters.

http://www.shetland-handknits.co.uk

Those are real Shetland-made garments. Others could be called e.g. 'Fair Isle style' or 'patterned after Fair Isle', but never have that epiphet themselves. The difference is stunning when seen 'in the flesh'!

 

[Will]

oh, beautiful... and breathtakingly expensive.
The women's are such awful shapes, too. But I suspect she'd alter them, for that sort of money!

Imagine what they'd cost if the knitter earned more than a dollar an hour!

 

[TOTTIE]

have you seen them knit in that part of the world? I'm not denying it's a lot of labour, but I don't think the rate of pay is that low!

 

[Will]

have you seen them knit in that part of the world? I'm not denying it's a lot of labour, but I don't think the rate of pay is that low!

100 hours is the stated time required for a sweater that costs $200USD. Pay for the wool and something to Ms. Irvine and unless I'm overlooking something you have perhaps $100 left.

Cut the time in half and it's still not very rewarding.

 

[TOTTIE]

Fair enough. I assume they do it to keep the traditions alive, and because knitting is something that can be done while you are living your life, caring for children, or in retirement.

The average sweater on the site is about $300, not $200. (at an exchange rate currently running around $1.80-$1.90 to the £) That's certainly out of the price range of most people I know. You must be a wealthy man!

p.s. in case you think I can resist the charms of this site... I think I'm about to order myself a hat and gloves!

 

[Will]

You are a fortunate lady to live in perhaps the most beautiful small city in the UK.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I picked one up a couple weeks ago at a Brooks Brothers outlet. They had a couple different patterns all made in Scotland, and they were CHEAP, really marked down, I think I paid $29. The catch? They were only available in boy's sizes. But if you wear a size 38 or smaller the larger boy's sizes work perfectly well.

The one I bought is a boy's size "large" and it fits about like a Brooks men's "small" which is my usual size there.

 

[Salv]

There's an interesting article in yesterdays Observer newspaper about an American couple that won a competition to live on Fair Isle.

 

[Will]

The photo is a Fair Isle sweater that was hand knitted in the pattern worn by the Prince of Wales for a portrait sitting in 1922.



More information on where they may be obtained is linked off my blog essay on the provider, at http://asuitablewardrobe.blogspot.com/2007/01/sources-louise-irvine.html

 

[dhermann1]

My own Fair Isle slipover

Well, the Lounge strikes again. I would never have done this if I had never found the Lounge, and I promise you, I'm bragging, not complaining. The several threads on the subject of Fair Isle sweaters got me going again on what I always called "All Creatures Great and Small" sweaters. I've always loved them and coveted one since seeing that great series. To some they're Gumby sweaters, but to me, they're Tristan and Siegfried. I Googled Fair Isle and found a couple of sites that sold them. I settled on this: http://www.thistleandbroom.com.
These folks are dedicated to perpetuating the dying art of Fair Isle sweater knitting on Fair Isle itself. I won't say how much it cost, but it was a bit more than $29.95. But I will have a genuine piece of historic folk art, an art that may not last beyond this generation. It was hand knit by a lady named Helen, (and/or her daughter) over the last couple of months. It's my birthday present to myself. It's on it's way from the Shetland Islands this very minute. I'll post pix of it on me when it arrives, but here are the pix that I received this evening.

 

[Anthony Jordan]

I have this Fair Isle-style sweater, a charity shop find:

It's something of a favourite of mine, especially when worn with grey flannel trousers, a nice bold striped tie and a green Keepers' Tweed jacket.

 

[Alan Eardley]

Notice a characteristic of both of the above pullovers (which are excellent, authentic examples of their type). No label.

An authentic Fair Isle garment is its own label.

Alan

 

[Jovan]

Not a true Fair Isle sweater, but one I think is cool nonetheless.

As with most modern v-necks, it sits a little high for many collars to be worn with a tie, but looks mostly at home with this one.

 

[dhermann1]

Got it!

I just received my Fair Isle pullover at the Post Office this morning. I tore open the mailer as soon as I got it and put on the sweater. It's a little snug about the tummy. I guess I'm a little circumferentially challenged , but the length is just right. I love it! It feels great, and I think it looks great. I may live in it 24/7 for the rest of the winter. Here's a slightly out of focus mirror shot I just took:

I'm of course wearing my Irish tweed cap as well.

 

[Woland]

Looks really grand on you it does!

The knitting technique applied on Fair Isle sweaters am identical to the one of Norway.
But to my eye, the artwork of the Fair Isle is far more attractive than the traditional Norwegian "Lusekofte":

Btw; recently bought "All creatures" on DVD.
The Missus will have to suffer a meetup with Tristan & Sigfried this lovely evening!

 

[dhermann1]

Not exactly Fair

Well, upon further investigation I find that my slipover was not exactly knit on Fair Isle itself. Thistle & Broom sells beautiful authentic hand knit Fair Ilse style sweaters, but they're knit in other islands in the Shetlands, not Fair Isle itself. I seem to have stumbled into something of a kerfuffle here. To get an "authentic" Fair Isle sweater you must get it from Fair Isle Crafts Ltd. My sweater is still absolutely magnificent and I'm very happy with it. And an authentic little old Scottish lady in the Shetland Islands knit it for me.
I must say, if you try to order direct from the Fair Isle Ltd web site you'll get nowhere fast. Thistle & Broom, on the other hand, has a very well designed web site, which enables you to get just what you want.

 

[Alan Eardley]

OK, it's a beautiful example of a Shetland pullover. Fair Isle isn't the only island where knitting is done. The pattern is certainly in the traditional style and the colours glow as they should. You should be proud of it.

Alan

Well, upon further investigation I find that my slipover was not exactly knit on Fair Isle itself. Thistle & Broom sells beautiful authentic hand knit Fair Ilse style sweaters, but they're knit in other islands in the Shetlands, not Fair Isle itself. I seem to have stumbled into something of a kerfuffle here. To get an "authentic" Fair Isle sweater you must get it from Fair Isle Crafts Ltd. My sweater is still absolutely magnificent and I'm very happy with it. And an authentic little old Scottish lady in the Shetland Islands knit it for me.
I must say, if you try to order direct from the Fair Isle Ltd web site you'll get nowhere fast. Thistle & Broom, on the other hand, has a very well designed web site, which enables you to get just what you want.