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Fair Isle Gloves

Lilac and white £45.00 Sky blue and crimson £45.00 Taupe, lemon and watermelon £45.00 Persimmon and cream £45.00 Chocolate & baby pink £45.00 Ash of Roses pink and cream £45.00 Blue, natural & bittersweet £45.00 French blue and goldenrod £45.00 No dyes, brown and grey £45.00 Taupe and Heathered Pink £45.00 No dyes, brown and white £45.00 No dyes, grey and black £45.00

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First, some outrage to properly frame what we’re up against. The ubiquitous American luxury brand Ralph Lauren is currently, Fall/Winter 2008, offering something they call ’Ana Fairisle’ one-size-fits all for $135 a pair! They are ‘imported’ which is the polite way of expressing they are made in China. Would you rather own a knock-off made in China or authentic hand knit Fair Isle gloves made to order for less than half that price? Jackie’s are gloves that also help preserve this icon of Scotland’s cultural identity and positively impact the local Shetland economy, what benefit are Ralph’s? I hope you wisely choose Jackie Irvine’s or Agnes Bowie’s extraordinary gloves for men or for women.

When Thistle & Broom ran a tiny ad in the Shetland Times back in early 2007 for our Fair Isle Knitting Project it was 'with hope' that we might have some response from the ladies that knit - we did, as well as from their daughters. Mrs. Irvine's daughter got in touch about her Mum's gloves. To be honest we really weren't planning on offering gloves. But then her daughter explained that her Mum used to knit full size Fair Isle jumpers (sweaters) but the weight was too much for her arthritic wrists now. So she knits small garments for her grandchildren and great grandchildren. When I asked that a sample of the gloves be sent, her daughter sent me 16 JPEGs with four pairs in each photo indicating that this was a small sample of the gloves available. Get the idea? A LOT of gloves! We only show twelve pairs at any one time (three all natural, eco-friendly, no dyed combinations) but obviously all of those shown on our gallery page (and more) are available - send us a note to ask about a pair in your favourite colour if you don't see it offered here. Three measurements required – circumference of hand, tip of middle finger to point on your wrist the cuff should hit and the tip of your middle finger to your palm. Your order will usually ship within two weeks of receipt.

Her precise skill is one thing (born in 1926 on Burra Isle, Shetland she's been knitting since the age of 11) but Jackie, described by her daughter as a 'knitoholic', is also gifted with a fantastic eye for colour. Her talents unite to make her authentic hand knit Fair Isle gloves incredibly special. At one time she used bits of leftover yarn from other projects, but her 'nothing goes to waste' sensibility is still evident. You see it immediately when arranging the gloves in a colour wheel - the dominant colour of one pair becomes the accent colour of the next and ever smaller details of the traditional Norwegian Star pattern picked out in flashes of contrasting colour until the last bit of yarn is used.

As with all of the Fair Isle Knitting Project offerings 66% of T&B's retail price goes directly into Jackie Irvine's hands - giving her the ability to buy more yarn and continue her passion for knitting. 8% of the net profit of your purchase serves to benefit Thistle & Broom Scholarship to provide stipends for young Shetland knitters to learn Fair Isle Knitting from their expert hand knitting neighbours to ensure the future of this uniquely Scottish cultural icon.