This year’s official hat pattern for Shetland Wool Week is the Croft Hoose hat designed by this year’s patron Ella Gordon (you can download the pattern for free from the Shetland Wool Week website).
I made the hat using yarn from my stash, I have a very large stash of Shetland jumper weight yarn as I have inherited a lot of it and of I have a lot I have bought just because I am passing the shop and I don’t have a particular colour (doesn’t everyone do that?).
The pattern is a very clever way of mixing traditional Fair Isle knitting techniques with a contemporary design. I really enjoyed knitting it as the little hooses grew really fast and beforeIu knew it I was putting the lums (chimneys) on.
Several people have asked over on Instagram and Facebook what colours I have used. Good question! As a lot of my stash is really old, many of the colours and yarn companies don’t exist any more. So I have given the nearest colours for yarn from both Jamieson’s of Shetland and Jamieson and Smith.
Jamieson’s of Shetland:
Shetland Black 101, Ivory 343, Mooskit 106, Thyme 226, Burnt Umbre 1190, Paprika, 261
Jamieson and Smith:
Shetland Black 2005, Off white 202, Fawn 2, Brown FC44, Orange 122, Rust FC38
The only change I made to the pattern was I left out the decrease row just before the crown decreases as I prefer a slouchy beret style hat. I am very pleased with how it turned out and am sure it will get a lot of wear.
The first photo was taken by my good friend Kate, she has spent several weeks in Shetland gathering stories from fishermen. We have had lots of interesting discussions and of course knitting, she is on her way back home to Maine and she will be a huge miss, Bon Voyage Kate!
Here we are knitting at Uyea, which is four miles from the main road at North Roe in Shetland, and is such a beautiful spot. We were fortunate to be able to get a seat in a land rover so it meant we didn’t have to humph the picnic thing on our backs there and back.
It was worldwide knitting in public day, there weren’t a huge number of the public to be seen other than a few other walkers and tourists and lots of sheep! The hat Kate is wearing is her own design based on gannets, I am glad to see she has been inspired while in Shetland!
On a side note, this week I am taking over the Shetland Wool Week Instagram account where I will be sharing some of my inspiration and wool related pictures. Hope to see you there!
Donna Smith Designs 
I love the colors you used in your croft hat! I had forgotten how nice the top of it was – looks like a tree pattern. And your idea of not decreasing for the top does make a fuller cap. I recently made your sheep hat for my granddaughter with a sage green rib, orange sheep with black face and a white and green flecked top. It was quite cute. Great pattern. Thanks!
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Ha, my friend got there before me but I agree I love the colours you used in your hat. And the picture of her granddaughter with that hat is fabulous! Thanks.
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