Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-03-25
Women Of the Shetland Islands
Have Very Delicate
Fingers.
They Never Use Books nor Pat
terms but invent as the
Needles Fly.
A Sea Shell, "a Blossom or the
Frost viii Suggest
Devices.

Tribune One of the most interesting
and picturesque features OF recent
Scotch fair was the Shetland stal-au
airy tent wherein sat four women cm-
ployed in spinning and knitting Their
costume which had been worn by the
pcasanty Of their isles as late as the
first half Of this century, was simple,
becoming, and suited 10 the work ON
which the girls were engaged
The dress consisted Of "a dark blue
skirt cut short above the ankles, loose
jacket OF pink or blue cotton confined
ut the waist and throat by a dark blue
ribbon, a white apron, and a necklace
Of beads The feet were iucascd in
moccasins of mdresscd hide. with the
hair still attached to It, on the head
was worn a icrchief Of gay color, knot
ted over luXmiaut hair one girl was
knitting q lace scarf, another spinning
wool into threads Of spidery hueness
"a third working a cap i'm Fair Isle"
patterns, q fourth was carding wool
The stall was unique as the dress of
its occupants It's framework consisted
of two gigantic whales jaws, which
formed arches on either side over
these We're dIapcd fishing nets of vari-
Gus tints from delicate cream-color to
rich russell and tang (seaweedl brown.
simple but effective harmony of hue
being the result On each side OF the
tent was displayed n shield, bearing
the arms Of the islands, and the motto
"Dispccta est Thule" Among the nets
ANA Glmy laces which curtained the
tent were hung the gay flags Of Den
mark, Norway, and Sweden The
HmltandeIs love to boast Of their de-
scent from, and close alliance with,
/ Scandinavia
In the stan were exhibited shawl
from the famous bundle OF knitted
goods which accompanied Betty Monat,
the witch Of DUnrossness, ON her re-
markahlc voyage in the Columbine. In
a corner lay a kcschie basket of peats,
and ON the other side stood one of the
old-faShioned, picturesque spinning
wheels, which machinery is fast sending
to keep company with the distaif of
vet EARLIER days Around the stall
were hung specimens Of knitting wo,l;
cd in the natural colols peculiar To
shetland sheep, every shade of gray and
brown The browns are called 'moorit, =
the guyS "shaela.'
I'm striking contrast MS rcgapls hue
AMI texture to the work known as
shetland is that of Fair Isle. Simat-
al halfway between the orkney and
Shetland groups Fair Isle is Ike neither
as far as its fol-, are concerned. Il pc
uliar people alien in their ways, for
dm I'm blood Usages long since dis
cardrd in Orkney m shetland flourish
i'm Fair Isle. The people there slill
eNtyIe, dyes from native licheuS aud
wild flowers. They stain the wool IN
brilliant colors and knit it into close
patterns of the most luNmiaut and
harmonious tints
II is known that this peculiar kind of
knitting Moorish i'm Ills lavish richness
of coloring, ArabeSQue in its quaint
inuicar. taccly was taught by ship
wrecked Spanjanls, a remnant of the
Armada which found temporary refuge
ou Iair Isle. The sumo kind of work
is still 20 De- seen in tho south of Spain.
Although the ORIGIN of the Fair Isle
knitting can bee thus traced TO "a direct
source. the fairy lace of the neighboring
islands cannot be- accounted for There
are legends of how il originated Here
are some of them.
4 mermaid, DESTROYS Of visiting the
land to captiyatc Il hshcrlad who had
Won her affections and being uuproyid-
cd with garments suitable for a teIres-
trial expedition, wove the sea foam into
q light and elegant robe, which SO en-
chauted the ISLANDERS that they i'm
mcdiatply proceeded To make such imi
lations OF the sea maids dress as their
more matcHalisnc circumstances per
mitted 80 from the soft white fleece
they cyoved these dlmy textures which
are now So well known and appreciated
Another story is that of a wise wo-
man. who prayed to be given some
great Gift 10y which She might benefit
her country As she prayed, there drop
pea from the fishing gear. suspended
among the cottage raftols, a piece OF
curious seawecd III Tell into her lap
upon the stocking She was knitting
Accustomed To rcGam The smallest tsi-
tus us Indications from the hand 1T
guiding Providence. tlg wise woman
uuu1urcd long over the fragile bic of
uamupS hauGwurk and as Sine did
So She mcous ,iously made a copy Of lis
3.'#t.Nfa frsIrprv fu rHp stocking which