Shetland beauties

HETLAND HAS long been famous for its fine lace knitting, and the beautiful, gossamer-like shawls produced by the islands’ knitters were highly prized during the reign of Queen Victoria. Often knitted using the finest cobweb-weight Shetland wool, and featuring many delicate and ornamental stitch patterns, such pieces were knitted by the most highly skilled Shetland women and were sold to discerning customers in London and beyond. Perhaps the most famous items produced by the islands’ knitters were the wedding ring shawls, so-called because they were fine and flexible enough to be pulled through