# Shetland Sweaters in Edinburgh



## Youngster (Jun 5, 2008)

I've recently moved to Edinburgh and I'd really like to get myself a authentic Scottish Shetland wool sweater. Only problem is, I have no idea where to go. Any help? I need it before I freeze my California ass off!


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## JLAnderson (Jan 17, 2008)

*From a NYTimes article ...*

... back in 1983:
Outside the Shetland Islands, the best buys in Fair Isle sweaters can be found at the Scottish woolens shops that are outlets for Judane knitwear, and that bear the names of the towns in which they are situated: the Oban Woolen Shop, in the ferry port on the west coast north of Glasgow; the Portree Woolen Shop, on the Isle of Skye, and the Pitlochry Woolen Shop, north of Edinburgh. A Shetland Fair Isle in these shops costs about 20 to 25 percent more than it would in Lerwick. 
In Edinburgh, a good selection of Fair Isles may be found at Jenners or Forsyth, both on Princes Street. Men's pullovers with handknit yokes sell for about $40 to $54. In London, shops selling authentic Fair Isles include Scotch House at Knightsbridge (about $33), Simpson (Piccadilly) Ltd. (about $46) or W. Bill of Bond Street, where orders are accepted for sweaters handknit to order in the Shetlands. Customers may specify colors and patterns, at a cost of about $92.

Here's the link to the full story:
https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullp...0C0A965948260&sec=travel&spon=&pagewanted=all

Good luck!


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## Naval Gent (May 12, 2007)

Is there a reason you've rejected the stuff in the 1,000 stores on the Royal Mile and Princes Street? (Pringle, Edinburgh Woolen Mills, etc?) Are you looking for something very specific?

Scott

Edit - On another thread Jamgood mentioned Harley of Scotland. Looks like top drawer stuff. Here are their stockists in Auld Reeky:

Canongate Jerseys, 164-166 Canongate, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, EH8 8DD, Tel: 0131 557 2967
Ragamuffin, 276 Canongate, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, EH8 8AA, Tel: 0131 557 6007
The Woollen Mill, 177-179 High Street, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, EH1 1PD, Tel: 0131 225 8023


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## jamgood (Feb 8, 2006)

You have to be careful even in Edinburgh. World famous Kinloch Anderson www.kinlochanderson.com sells sweaters of Australian wool spun by Hinchcliffe in Yorkshire, but made in China.

Unfortunately,
T.M. Adie, the former maker of Paul Stuart fair isles, folded several years ago. 
Pringle closed its Hawick mill in July of 2008.
Judane folded in 2005.
The same company that owned the Scotch House chain replaced them with Burberry stores in 2002.
I think W. Bill is now strictly a cloth merchant to the trade.

In addition to the Harley stockists, I'd consider emailing these makers and request names of retail stockists of their Shetland sweaters in Edinburgh.

[email protected] (actually in the Shetland isles)

www.jamiesonsofshetland.co.uk (Ben Silver maker, but sweaters are apparently unavailable when going through the link from the U.S. Only a list of yarn stockist in the U.S.)

John Tulloch down in Selkirk used to be based in the Shetlands but moved to the borders and specialized in Shetland knitwear. The web site is now defunct but they may still be in business and supply private labeled knitwear to shops in Edinburgh. I doubt that you would want to go to the trouble of sleuthing this, just a thought.

The Scots knitwear industry has changed rapidly since the turn of the century. Old names fold, newer small operations spring up. The Shetland Knitwear Trades Association has removed its member links www.skta.co.uk


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## Chris H (Oct 30, 2004)

jamgood said:


> John Tulloch down in Selkirk used to be based in the Shetlands but moved to the borders and specialized in Shetland knitwear. The web site is now defunct but they may still be in business and supply private labeled knitwear to shops in Edinburgh. I doubt that you would want to go to the trouble of sleuthing this, just a thought.
> 
> The Scots knitwear industry has changed rapidly since the turn of the century. Old names fold, newer small operations spring up. The Shetland Knitwear Trades Association has removed its member links www.skta.co.uk


My guess would be that John Tulloch is no longer in business.

Last year I picked up a bunch of shetland crew-necks very cheap from Clothing Discount Co., an end-of-range shop in London.

They had a wide range of shetland knitwear in various styles. The labels were John Tulloch, Glen Tor and McAdam.

The shop closed last October, a victim of re-development.


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## fenway (May 2, 2006)

I had bought a ton of sweaters and Barbour things at the Woolenmill in Edimburgh. Very nice people; good service.

Is that still around?


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## Chris H (Oct 30, 2004)

fenway said:


> I had bought a ton of sweaters and Barbour things at the Woolenmill in Edimburgh. Very nice people; good service.
> 
> Is that still around?


Here's a link to their wbsite


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