Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-03-23
Women Of the Shetland islands
Have Very Delicate
Fingers.
They Never Use Books nor Pat
terms but Invent as the
Needles Ely.
A Sea Shell, a blossom or the
Frost will Suggest
Devices.

Scotch fair was the Shetland Stall-an
airy tent, wherein sat four women EN-
ployed in spinning and knitting. Their
costume. which had been worn by the
peasantry of their isles as late as the
first half of this century, was simple
becoming, and suited to the work on
which the girls were engaged.
The dress consisted of a dark blue
skirt cut short above the ankles, a loose
jacket of pink or blue cotton, confined
at the waist and throat by dark blue
ribbon, Il white apron, and q necklace
of beads. The feet were incaSed in
mOccasins of undressed hide, with the
hair still attached to it. On the head
was worn a kerchief of gay color, knot
ted over luXuliant hair. One girl was
knitting lace scarf, another spinning
wool into threads of spidery fineness,
third working a cap in Fair Isle
patterns, a fourth was carding wool.
The stall was unique as the dress Of
its occupants. Its framework consisted
of two gigantic whales jaws, which
formed arches on either side. Over
Gus tints, from delicate cream-color to
rich russell and tang (seaweed) brown,
a simple but effective harmony of hue
being the result On each side Of the
tent was displayed a shield, bearing
the arms of the islands, and the motto
'Dispecta est Thule" Among the nets
and filmy laces which cu1tained the
tent were hung the gay flags Of Den
mark, Norway, and Sweden The
Hialtanders love to boast of their de-
scent from, and close alliance with.
Scandinavia.
In the stall were exhibited shawl
from the famous bundle of knitted
goods which accompanied Betty Monat.
the witch Of DunrOSSnesS on her re-
markable voyage in the COlumbine In
a corner lay a keschie (baskeD 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 distaff of
vet Harlier days. Around the stall
were hung specimens of knitting work
ed in the natural coloIs peculiar to
Shetland sheep, every shade of gray and
brown. The browns are called ''moorit, -
the grays ''shaela."
In striking contrast as regards hue
and texture to the work known as
''Shetland'' is that of Fair Isle. Situat-
ed halfway between the Orkney and
Shetland groups Fair Isle is like neither
as far as it's folk are concerned, a pc
crlliar people," alien in their ways, for
eign in blood. Usages long since dis
carded in Orkney an Shetland flourish
in Fair Isle. The people there still
extract dyes from native ichens and
wild flowers. They stain the wool in
brilliant colors and knit it into close
patterns Of the most lu1uliant and
harmonious tints.
It is known that this peculiar kind Of
knitting-Moorish in it's lavish richness
OF cOlOring, ArabeSque in it's quaint
intricate tlacery was taught by ship
wrecked Spaniards, a remnant of the
Armada which found temporary refuge
on Fair Isle. The same kind Of work
is still to be seen in the south of Spain
Although the origin of the Fair Isle
knitting can be thus traced to a direct
source, the fairy lace of the neighbOring
islands cannot be accounted for There
are legends of how it originated Here
are some of them:
A mermaid, DESTROYS of visiting the
land to captivate a fisher-lad who had
won her affections and being unprovid-
ed with garments suitable for terres-
trial expedition, w0ve the sea foam into
light and elegant robe, which so en-
chanted the islanders that they i'm
medlately proceeded to make such imi-
tatiOnS of the sea maids dress as their
more materialistic circumstances per-
nit ed. SO from the soft white fleece
they evoved these filmy 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 by which she might benefit
her country. AS she prayed, there drop
ped from the tiShing-gear, suspended
among the cottage rafters, a piece of
curious Seaweed. 1t fell into her lap
upon the stocking she was knitting.
Accustomed to regard the smallest tri-
f1eS as indications from the hand of
a guiding Providence, the wise woman
pondered long over the fragile bit Of
natures handwork, and as she did
so she uncOnsciOusly made a copy of its
delicate tracery in the stocking, which
had been of close plain knitting. The
lady for whom the stockings were i'll
tended was delighted with the new
and pretty design, which soon became
popular
A third story tells of little lame girl
who could only sit in corner and watch
the busy life Of others. Her helpless
ness evoked the pity of fairy, and one
day, when the cripple sat istlessly ply
ing her thick coarse knitting and watch
ing a spider at work by the window,
the fairy whispered, Copy the spiders
web! Copy the spiders webb The
girl set to work. and thus was invented
one of the most beautiful Of the Shet-
land lace patterns.
The knitters never use books of pat
terms. They invent as they work A
shell upon the seashore, an Alpine bios
som, a branch of seaweed, frost on a
wsndOw-pane. suggest devices. 1t is
quite impossible. for that reason, to pro
cure two lace articles exactly alike.
There was no market for Shetland
fine knitting before the year 1880. The
people converted their wool into blan-
kets, serge. Shirts pet6coats, socks,
bringing the Shetland knitting before
H.
warmth, ightness beauty of the knit