My good friend Felicity Ford (aka Felix) is as enthusiastic as I am about Shetland and its wool industry. In 2013 (when she was patron of Shetland Wool Week) Felix worked on a number of field recordings for her important project, Listening to Shetland Wool. From the baas of lambs caught on the breeze, to the chink chink of needles swiftly knitting, from the noises made by a beloved spinning wheel to those of a hi-tech shima machine, Felix’s recordings really capture the way that wool is written through the Shetland landscape. Having enjoyed her recordings, I was very excited when she came up with the idea of combining Tom’s photographs and her sounds into a video celebrating Shetland Oo, and I think the result is really wonderful. . . with huge thanks to Felix and courtesy of the KnitSonik YouTube channel here is the video for your enjoyment!
The photos and sounds produced by Tom and Felix in this document include: Jan Robertson baling wool at Jamieson and Smith; Oliver Henry talking about grading and sorting wool at Jamieson and Smith, Ronnie Eunson’s sheep at Uradale; sheep near Nortower lodges, Aithsetter; Elizabeth Johnston handspinning; Hazel Tindall knitting with a belt; Kharis Leggate and Ella Gordon; Ina Irvine handspinning; Auctioneer and crofters at the Shetland Marts; and Shima knitting machines in the Textile Facilitation Unit at Shetland College, UHI.
While she was producing the video, Felix had a conversation with Tom about documenting and representing the work of Shetland wool. They have a really interesting discussion about the documentary and textural qualities of sound and photography, and you can read their conversation here.
Massive thanks to Felix for both the thoughtful interview, and the amazing video. The casebound limited edition of Shetland Oo has now sold out, but we still have plenty of copies of the softbound book in the shop.
KDD & Co 
thank you for sharing. just seeing those fleeces and the fiber, made my fingers ‘itch’ to spin it. l also loved the sound effects which took me back to my childhood in spring time, when we shore our corridale sheep outside Paarl. their wool was not as fine to spin, although l did enjoy spinning it.
LikeLike
Superb! Thank you once again for all you do to provide us the experience of Shetland. One learns to love a place from afar and dream of visiting it one day…
LikeLike
thank you for carrying me so beautifully away to places that i’d like to travel, but am unable to for the moment. your work always transports me! xo
LikeLike
Great video and blog. It’s brought back happy memories of a week spent at Ronnie and Sue’s lodge at Uradale and exploring Shetland mainland. I’ve used the Uradale yarn to knit your designs Kate and now I’m going to head over to your shop to order Oo. Thanks again for sharing.
LikeLike
A brilliant collaboration. Doesn’t the spinning wheel sound like the purring of a cat?
LikeLike
When I was recording the sound with Elizabeth Johnston I said the same afterwards, and I seem to recall that she said “she’s purring like a cat” is a Shetland expression for a wheel that’s spinning smoothly… it really does sound like purring.
LikeLike
fabulous!
Thank you~
LikeLike
Oh my, I do so look forward to your posts!
LikeLike
Hi Kate…great post..you are making such a relevant contribution to the Shetland wool history , the history of the island , and the people ,through your book with Toms photos and always through your knitwear designs…what would we do without you……hugs pat j
LikeLike
Kate, I feel that these blogs brings us together weather it be the act of forming a Knitted stitch, the design of a garment, the or the production or our raw materials. It makes me feel proud to be part of something so much grater than the garment currently on my needles. Huge respect to those farmers who raise the animals that provide our raw materials, the companies large and small who spin and dye and to the local yarn stores who showcase and sell to feed my habit. Respect to those who have gone before us to bring us the traditions we inherit and a whole heated thank you to those like Kate who record and share the knowledge. I am proud to be a hand knitter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
sorry everyone apologies for typos and spelling
LikeLike
What a treat! Thank you, beautiful sounds………can’t imagine being without them!
LikeLike
Just fabulous!
LikeLike
Is itpossible NOT to use paypal as I. have had problems in the past but would still like to order your shetland book .Thank you.
LikeLike
Hi Karen, you can now use any credit or debit card in the shop (with the exception of AmEx)
LikeLike
This was a beautiful film–the sounds were lovely. My guild co-member Susan shared it with me.
LikeLike
This is a wonderful collaboration of extremely tallented people. Through the years I have been able to learn so much from your blog. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLike
Thank you -this is absolutely beautiful. Hearing the sounds of Shetland is amazing. Thank you so much for this, I’ll be thinking of it as I knit.
LikeLike
This is fabulous!
LikeLike
So interesting. I am looking forward to receiving my copy of Shetland Oo! Thank you.
LikeLike
That was so cool!!!! Thanks to you, Tom & Felicity for making Shetland come alive.
LikeLike
Lovely video, with an appropriate title! Especially liked the ‘noir’ photos & the gentle sound of machinery at the end
LikeLike
Such a wonderful idea, you are such inventive and talented people. I too have shared it on my new blog The Textile Curve – I’m doing a foundation in Textiles at the OCA (at the same time as a degree in Design at the OU)! And we have to keep a learning blog to document what we are doing and what we come across. This seemed very à propos. (Sorry, shouldn’t be talking about myself…) I found the recording strangely moving, brought tears to my eyes for some reason…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Could we have a link to your new blog please – sounds interesting.
LikeLike
I’m not sure I’m meant to use Kate’s blog to put links to mine, just google textilecurve! But it’s really not very interesting, I only just started it.
LikeLike
I don’t mind at all – link away!
LikeLiked by 2 people
So beautiful and so interesting, loved every second of this, having grown up on a sheep farm, I can relate to so much of this, but ours was at the opposite end of the country, on the Isle of Wight!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So beautiful. I have posted this on my blog too so that others can enjoy.
LikeLike