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Frozen Planet - Guest blog
I am a 28 year old British doctor, employed at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, UK. I used to work at Lerwick Health Care Centre as a medical student some years ago and love Shetland. I recently applied and was successful for a job to work as a Research MD to conduct Human Spaceflight research for the European Space Agency, in Antarctica. The research is aimed towards a future manned mission to Mars. I am currently living at Concordia Station- in the most extreme environment on the continent and in the world- where temperatures drop to minus 80 degrees Celcius, some of the coldest ever experienced on Earth, and in May we will commence a period of 4 months of 24 hour darkness. Adding to that, we are at 3800 metres altitude, breathing only one third the amount of Oxygen that is available in Lerwick, at sea level. Having been left at the beginning of February, 13 of us will be living in isolation until November - where there is no chance of escape or evacuation even in the case of a surgical emergency - we are completely self-sufficient. We are more isolated than the International Space Station. We may as well be living on another planet. Whilst living in Lerwick, I visited the Shetland Museum, where I came across the story that Fair Isle Wool that had been worn by Sir Ernest Shackleton in Antarctica around 100 years ago. Before I left for Antarctica, I contacted Jamieson & Smith Shetland Wool Brokers and was delighted to have been gifted two sweaters, a double lined hat, neckwarmers and mittens made for me to take with me to Antarctica. I am exceedingly grateful to Jamieson & Smith knitter, Sandra, who made me these items. They are very warm and it is reassuring to know that when you go out to conduct science research in the world's most extreme and isolated environment, that you are protected by a part of Shetland, as Shackleton once was. You can find out more about the research and my experiences at: www.AlexanderKumar.com .............................................................................................................................. More from Alex soon - we're treating this as our own little experiment to see just how cosy he stays in our yarn! x
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Alexandra
We came across this Shetland Lace shawl in the V&A's collection. The shawl is thought to have been knitted in Shetland from handspun 1 Ply yarn in 1866 as a replica of the shawl presented to Princess Alexandra of Wales (later Queen Alexandra) on her marriage to the Prince of Wales (Edward VII) in 1863. We thought we'd share, because it's so lovely. And here's a picture of the glamorous Alexandra herself.
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Elliot Atkinson AW2012
Elliot Atkinson's AW2012 collection was presented by Colin McDowell at the Corinthia Hotel during London Fashion Week. The knitwear in the collection was sponsored by Jamieson & Smith, and we're so happy because we love it! See the rest of the collection online at Vogue here and Dazed Digital here. x
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Knit flock
Rams & Yowes Blanket by Kate Davies is now available as a kit. Woop woop. Knit your own 48 rams and 120 yowes. AND you'll have enough Shetland Supreme Jumper Weight to knit the Sheepheid Tam as well, so both patterns come together as a happy little package. x
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Jim Smith 16/5/1925 - 2/2/2012
We are saddened to announce the death of Jim Smith MBE, former co - owner of Jamieson & Smith. Jim passed away peacefully last week at his home Berry Farm, Scalloway, birthplace of Jamieson & Smith. Jim was one of Shetland's leading citizens of all time. He was most famous for his inventions including the first fish gutting machine, for which he received the MBE for service to the fishing industry. He built two aeroplanes at Berry Farm and flew them both, gaining his pilot’s licence. He also invented a turnip harvester and various other agricultural implements, and was a brilliant and respected breeder of Shetland ponies. Despite his exceptional skills, Jim remained a modest, humble person who left an indelible mark on all who met him. He was renowned for his charm and humour. The Smith family started the firm of J&S in the 1930s. They began buying and handling wool at Berry Farm before moving to Lerwick to the current premises in the 1950s. With the exception of a break for the war years, where Jim saw action with the R.A.F in the Far East, he spent most of his life involved in running their farms at Scalloway, Unst ( Uyea Isle ) and Pitmedden Farm, Aberdeenshire, as well as their other businesses - the Scalloway Meat Company, Shetland Marts (where he was a partner) and J & S. Jim and Eva’s ownership of J & S was extremely hands on. Their direct involvement helped to create one of the leading textile companies of its era. Jim’s experience of grading and sorting Real Shetland Wool was passed on directly to myself and the staff at Jamieson & Smith. The same business ethos is carried on to this day. This ethos is based on a profound respect for our suppliers and their wool. Jim's diverse skills are apparent all through J&S, even in the very fabric of our buildings - he took on much of the building work including site clearance, steel works, and concrete flooring for the middle wool store. In the 80s and 90s, when wool markets were at low ebb, Jim and Eva continued to invest in J&S. As the main wool buyers for the islands, this support was crucial for Shetland's wool producers. One could fill pages with stories of Jim’s involvement in J&S - perhaps another time. It is important to note that Jim and Eva still retained an active interest in J&S, despite the company changing ownership in 2005. In fact, just last tuesday - two days before his passing - Jim was enquiring into things at Jamieson & Smith and sharing his advice and experience. We take this opportunity to pass on our sincere condolences to Eva, not only from the staff past and present but also on behalf of all our suppliers, customers and clients. Oliver Henry 8/2/12 Image: Jim Smith o' Berry with one of the planes he built c.1964
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Smells like Up Helly Aa
For days before the galley actually burns, you could swear there's sometimes a whiff of Up Helly Aa in the air. As it got light this morning the smell was definitely there. The Peerie Shop's knitted helmets and Harry's mini Vikings in raging battle hint at what's to come. People peer over and peep out, crowds start to form in unlikely places and then the peerie bodies start to file in. Then there's a rumble and a roar and a sea of glistening helmets makes it's way into town (complete with the ultimate Viking accessory). First David Nicolson's Jarl Squad, followed by the Junior Jarl Squad. The galley, Per Ardua, watches over the festivities. Watch the beautiful Per Ardua being built here, then watch her burn here (we can't wait to see/smell her mast come crashing down in the flames). See a piece on the history of Up Helly Aa here. We'll be back on Thursday because we'll still be dancing tomorrow morning. Until then, three cheers for the smelliest, nosiest, craziest Tuesday in the year. x
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65 years, and into our 66th
In the Jamieson & Smith archives there are piles of notebooks with charted motifs over every page. They were made by Eva Smith of Berry Farm, where J&S first started, and they're brilliant sources of information and inspiration. Below is a picture of Eva that accompanies the introduction to Knit Real Shetland, which we're currently parcelling up to go to a US distributor (more on that shortly). In other news, we're back from our holidays (as of yesterday) and would like to say thankyou for reading our blog, and for supporting Jamieson & Smith in our 65th year. Here's to a brilliant 2012. x
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Toby's Christmas fashion
Toby has been sporting a new winter gansey today in Jamieson & Smith 2 Ply Jumper Weight. He's been so busy posing around that we couldn't get a very good picture, but you get the general idea. x
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