Oliver Henry Announced As This Year's Shetland Wool Week Patron + Free Beanie Pattern

This year's Shetland Wool Week patron is Oliver Henry, otherwise known as the 'Man of Wool' for his 52 years of work judging, grading, sorting, promoting and researching wool on the island.

Oliver Henry image courtesy of Shetland Wool Week

2019 is Shetland Wool Week's 10th anniversary and Oliver Henry attended this year's announcement at Edinburgh Yarn Festival to launch this year's free hat pattern, 'The Roadside Beanie'.

Henry came up with ideas for the beanie, inspired by his life on Shetland. His colleague Sandra Manson turned the sheep and fishing boats into a pattern.

Says Shetland Wool Week, "Oliver has worked with sheep and wool for over fifty years, so it was clear to them that they would be a big part of his design story. Fishing has also played a big role in his life, especially growing up on the family croft at 'Roadside', in the busy fishing community of Hamnavoe on Burra Isle. Oliver's father and brothers had their own fishing boat and fishing was their livelihood. Unfortunately Oliver suffered from seasickness and could not carry on the family tradition of fisherman crofter, so he turned to Shetland wool for his work and inspiration."

Shetland Wool Week gave out free copies of 'the Roadside Beanie' on their stand at Edinburgh Yarn Festival. Don't worry if you didn't go there - the pattern is also downloadable on their website here.

The dates for this year's Shetland Wool Week are 28th September to 6th October.