Let's walk.

Let's face it. Shetland is more than just WoolWeek. How much I thoroughly enjoy the talks and workshops about wool, techniques and spinning, knitting etc., I was struck by the beauty of this islands the second I set foot on it, 2 years ago.

First look: Sumburg 

Because I deliver mail 4 times a week, I tend to walk a lot. I do that without any resentment and found there are amazing walks on these islands. Both times, 2012 and 2014, I went to Burra: 

And it was sunny weather and a great walk.
In 2012 there was Hermaness at our feet. Not this time, we spent time at Norwick (Unst).
A short walk on a long beach. I stood on a rock but the waves were quick and I got my feet wet. 

The day before I had chosen to talk a walk on the 'red' island. I had looked on my little map to find a place I hadn't been before. And somewhere I could walk and be back in time for the next workshop.
Muckle Roe. Just take a left at Brae and you'll have to hold on to your seat! 

Brae

Muckle Roe. 

It doesn't 'look' special but it sure was. Wikipedia told me there was a small bridge (there was) and that the island has red rocks. It does. 

 I didn't see that anywhere before. It was a bit more rugged than other parts I've walked. After I had reached the end of the road, parked the car and started walking into the fields, I noticed a sign.

 Hé, I can walk 2km and back ánd be back in time for a workshop in Lerwick.

 Little foot holds to make sure the sheep don't escape.. hahaha. No path. So, decided to walk up to the beach.

 This was amazing! Not a soul in sight. Just cute little bunnies. Nature can be cruel, though. I saw their little white tails hopping. Had I been a hunter, I could have shot them. Luckily for them, I'm not.

Now... Where is the 'path' to the lighthouse? 

 Found a path, and kept on walking. Enjoying the view. It was so quiet. Just as quiet as I had experienced on Sandness 2 years ago..

 This just looks like a nice picture but the beach is a lóng way down...

On the blog by Jan, I had noticed a pile of rocks. I had found 'my own'!! Searched for a nice stone to add to this 'memorial'. And one more hill to climb. Had to use the 'riverbed' for lack of other ways to get up the hill. 

The views kept getting better. Although I did start wondering when the darn lighthouse was going to appear.

And finally... There it was. You see that little white boxy thingy? That's it. I think the expression on my face says it all. The walk was great, but I had expected a bit more... well... like this.

Muckle Flugga...  (Picture by Andy Strangeway).

One can dream, right??
Because I didn't get to it in 2012, I thought that maybe, perhaps, somehow, with a similar name, came a similar lighthouse. Nope. Oh well.
It was a great time spent on my birthday. I did manage to phone my husband, even at that remote location. And got back in time for the workshop.

Back to my little red car and to Lerwick. Dreaming of maybe another trip to another lighthouse...

Taking shape

Het is nog maar een paar weken geleden dat ik blogde over mijn pogingen om te leren spinnen. Ik heb meegedaan met een #spinchat op twitter, erg leerzaam. Ik heb de kunst afgekeken op de spinavond in Leeuwarden en thuis flink geoefend. Ik moest en zou een dun regelmatig draadje spinnen. En ja hoor, het is echt zo. Oefenen helpt.

It's only a few weeks ago I blogged about my attempts wanting to learn how to spin yarn. I've joined the #spinchat on Twitter, very educational. I've watched the ladies on the SpinEvening in Leeuwarden and learned a few tricks. Then went home and practiced a lot. I really wanted to make a thin thread. And yes it's true; practice makes perfect!

Het lukt me zelfs een beetje om langere stukken zo dun te houden. Want in het begin was het chunky en cobweb binnen een paar meter. Het is wel spannend, wanneer hij ophoud met draaien en ik let niet op draait hij zo terug en knapt het draadje.

I even manage now to do this for a bit longer. In the beginning it was chunky and cobweb within a few yards. It's pretty exciting; when the spindle stops turning I have to pay attention before it starts to unwind again and snaps the yarn.

Ondertussen had ik besloten dat ik dit jaar niet meer nieuw garen mocht kopen. Ik heb genoeg, lijkt me (ong. 140km...)
Maar over spinnen is niets afgesproken (met mezelf). Van de week was er een Handwerk Winter markt in ons eigen dorp en daar was het niet alleen ongelooflijk druk, (positief!) maar ook erg interessant. Ik heb IJslandse lontwol gekocht en een kluitje geverfde zijde. 
Ik heb er nog niets mee gedaan, maar mooi is het wel!

In the meantime I had decided to go Cold Sheep (no more yarn this year). I've got plenty already (about 87 miles).
But for spinning nothing was agreed to (by myself). And just this week in my own village was a little Craft Winter Market. It was very busy with people (a good thing) and very interesting. I've bought Icelandic Roving and a bit of dyed Silk.
I haven't used it yet, but it sure is pretty!

Tijdens de #spinchat (op zondagavond rond 19:00) heb ik gevraagd hoe ik nou een 1ply kan maken. Blijkt dat je het garen een schokbad moet geven zodat het een beetje vilt. Ze noemen dat 'Vollen' (ik herhaal wat ik heb gehoord). Op ravelry werd dat bevestigd, dus dat heb ik gedaan met het plukje wat ik had. Van 8gr heb ik 53m gesponnen. En een schokbad gegeven. Twee keer leek me voldoende.

During the #spinchat (sundaynight 19:00 Local time A'dam) I asked if it was possible to make a 1ply thread. The answer was a shock treatment; hot bath, cold bath. They called it 'Fulling' which is a stage before felting. (i'm only repeating what I'm told..) Conformation on Ravelry made me do it twice. I had spun 57yards with 8gr of roving.

En toen werd het leuk!

Then the fun began!

Mijn eerste handgesponnen swatch! Dat is een heerlijk gevoel. Het is een groot proeflapje, dat wel; 15x19cm op nld 3,5mm
My first knit HANDSPUN! That felt really good. It's Shetland roving, only fitting to knit up a (new pattern) Shetland design. This is only 2gr. Pretty big though; 6"x7" on US4.

Ik ga nog niet een héle shawl zelf spinnen, maar dit is een mooie belofte.

I'm not going to spin my own shawl, but this is a very pretty start.

12 times ...

 Scalloway

 Hamnavoe

 West Burra

 West Burra

 Fort Charlotte Lerwick

 St. Ninians Beach

 Sandness

Hermaness

East Burra

 Eshaness

 Unst

 Hamnavoe looking at Foula

Do you like these? I do! So.. my dad is making these pictures into a calender for 2013....
Thanks dad.

Monique on Shetland...

 Luminous Lights at the Böd of Gremista.

 One of the many bays on Shetland

 At Burra

 At the museum admiring the fine knitted lace knit by the lady I'm talking too at the Museum in Lerwick.

 Talking about my lace, I'm showing the Across the Beach at Jamieson & Smith Trunk Show by Kate Davies.

 At Charlotte's in the heart of Lerwick, quite sunny.

At the top of a moor at Hermaness, Unst. Furthest north I've ever been. 

 This cute little car made it possible to go anywhere (Bolt's Carhire).

 Showing my Across the beach shawl to Kate Davies and Cathy.

Talking with Garry at Jamieson's of Shetland, Sandness. Learned a lot!

With Amy holding up my lace shawl The One, so they could see how it looked overall. (Voe)

This is my most loved picture. For the very first time, I'm smiling on a boat! The pills for travel-sickness did their work perfectly. Finally I was able to travel like a normal person. This was the boat from the Mainland to Yell.

Thanks to Amy for allowing me to use her pictures.

WARNING: these will probably be the last pictures you see of me, I'm usually vèry camera shy..

Day 2

De héle zondag hadden we voor onszelf. Waar te gaan op zo'n groot eiland. Het gebreide hek. Het was al beroemd op Facebook. Nu nog vinden. Dus.. op naar Burra, Hamnavoe

The whole sunday to ourself. Where to go on such a wonderful island. The knitted fence. It was already famous on Facebook. We only had to find it. So.. in the car to Burra, Hamnavoe.

Hamnavoe is een hartstikke leuk visserstadje aan de westkust van Burra. We parkeerderen even aan de rand van het dorp om van het uitzicht te genieten, gingen toen naar de haven en hebben werkelijk het HELE dorp door gelopen. Hamnavoe is a wonderful little fishermans village on the westcoast of Burra. We parked by the councilbuilding to take in the view. Then we went to the harbour and started walking the ALL the streets.

 Het was prachtig weer, dus dat was geen straf. Maar het hek was onvindbaar. Eindelijk kwamen we iemand tegen en hebben het gevraagd; het bleek bij het dorpshuis te zijn. Waar we in het begin waren gestopt om van het uitzicht te genieten. Hadden we ons omgedraaid en een stukkie gelopen, dan hadden we het zó gezien! hahaha.
It was bright and sunny so walking about was a treat. But the fence was nowhere to be seen. Finally we ran into someone who wás able to tell us where it was. It was at the viewpoint we stopped the first time. If we would have turned around and turned the corner it would be right there! hahaha

Voor iedereen die het wil weten: het hek heeft 27 herhalingen. Er is gebreid met vissersnet 'garen' en flinke houten breinaalden. Later in de week heb ik de maakster gezien en gesproken en ze had het materiaal mee. Zo konden mensen even proberen hoe het voelde om zo groot te breien.

For everybody that wants to know: the fence has 27 repeats. Fisherman's netting 'yarn' is used and some bulky wooeden knitting needles. Later in the week I had the opportunity to meet the knitter and she had the material with her. That way people can try how it feels to knit that large.

Toen was het tijd om een stukkie te rijden en te lopen. Het is zo ontzèttend mooi daar. We zijn zo ver gereden tot we niet meer konden en zijn gaan wandelen. Gelukkig hadden we goede schoenen aan. Dit is een tombolo; een stukkie strand tussen 2 watergebieden. Later in de week zul je nog een zien. Het is prachtig! Deze had veel stenen en het klonk geweldig; de golven door de kleine steentjes.
We zijn over het hek gestapt en zo de heuvel op gelopen. Helemaal tot de top hebben we het niet gered, maar we zijn een heel eind gekomen. Het gras was kort, de schapen bang en overal kleine schelpen, En toen... de oceaan! Jéétje wat was dat mooi.

Then it was time to do some driving and walking. It is só amazingly pretty over there. We drove till the road ended and went for a walk. Luckily we had our walking shoes on. This is a tombolo, a piece of beach between two bodies of water. Later in the week you'll see another one. The beach has a lot of pebbles and it gives such a lovely sound to hear the water picking them up in the waves and dropping them back to the land.
We stepped over the fence (it's allowed) and went up the hill. Didn't made it to the top, but we came a long way. The grass was short, the sheep afraid and there were little round shells everywhere. And then there was the ocean. My god, it's gorgeous!

Ik was al een fan van de serie Coast van de BBC. De aflevering over Shetland en Orkney heb ik wel 5x bekeken. Nu was ik er écht! Neil (de presentator) vertelde dat je op Shetland nooit verder dan 3 mijl bent van de oceaan. Op het britse vaste land is dat nooit meer dan 70 mijl..

I was a fan of the series Coast by the BBC. I've seen the episode about Shetland and Orkney about 5 times! And now I was thére. Neil (the host) told us that on Shetland you're never more than 3 miles from the ocean. On the British mainland it's never more than 70 miles..

Dag 3: Praten over breien met Kate Davies
Day 3: Talking about knitting with Kate Davies