I just ordered Gudren Johnston’s new book – The Shetland Trader – Book One. I first saw mention of it on Brooklyn Tweed, as Jared Flood is responsible for the stunning photography. I won’t post any pictures here, for fear of stepping on someone’s toes, but you have to check them out!
All the designs incorporate an aspect of traditional Shetland lace knitting, as that is where Gudren is from and what inspires her knitting. However, her ability to modernize the traditional patterns is what makes her work truly stunning. And, especially important to me, most of the designs in the book are knit with fingering or laceweight yarn. As I become a more experienced knitter, I truly gravitate towards garments made in lightweight yarn as opposed to worsted weight as the majority of them seem to be. If you look at the yarns I carry here at Forbidden, you can see that I carry this opinion all the way to the bank, so to speak.
The first design that caught my eye and caused me to want to purchase the book is Laar. It’s a beautiful cardigan knit in lace yarn on US3 needles. Which you know means it has amazing drape, even without the 50/50 merino/silk yarn it’s knit in. I just stocked the shop with a crazy-soft lace yarn that’s 70% alpaca, 20% silk, and 10% cashmere. Originally, I purchased the base yarn so I could design a pair of gloves that have been swimming in my head since Thanksgiving in my new Winter Dusk colorway. Now I’m thinking that the Peter Rabbit colorway would make a mighty fine Laar. What say you?
But one design does not warrant a $23 purchase…at least not for me. So then there is Norie, a very cute, slouchy beanie-hat combining lace stripes with garter stitch accents. I think I can dig up some DK weight yarn from the stash for this. If not, I’m sure I could refigure for some Indulge Sport.Plivver uses fingering weight yarn, as well. At this point, I thought, “Are you kidding me?” This book is perfect for me! I could probably knit just about every garment in here! Granted, Plivver won’t fit me until next fall brings handknit weather again, but I just made up a queue yesterday of everything I want to knit, not including baby knits, and I have more than enough to keep me busy until this would fit me again! The lace body combined with the ribbed cowl neck is striking, and I think that drapey Twinkle or super soft Lush would be the perfect yarn to pair with this design!
And then I saw that
I could truly gush forever. But you just have to check it out for yourself.