# Shetland vs. Lambswool sweaters



## longwing (Mar 28, 2005)

Aside from location of origin, what distinguishes a Shetland sweater from an ordinary lambswool sweater. Also, is there such a thing as a V neck shetland?

Thanks.


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## Film_Noir_Buff (Mar 3, 2005)

Easy, shetland is relatively stiff and scratchy and incredibly warm, and lambswool is soft and incredibly warm.

consider alpaca, which is thin and light, soft and warm outdoors/cool indoors if there is heating.

I mostly wear cashmere sweaters and a few alpaca vests, so Harris below is probably more up on the ins and outs of shetland vs lambswool

____________________
Get In Touch With Your Sartorial Chi.


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## n/a (Sep 4, 2002)

The shetlands I prefer (and wear) have a fuzzy, "brushed"--or, in the case of Shaggy Dogs, "double brushed"--appearance. Soft, and, in terms of aesthetics, resulting in a heathered appearance that neither lambswool nor cashmere can match. Eljo's once offered a (McGeorge) double-brushed shetland featuring a sort of donegal pattern. Very unique. If you want a plain stitch without much variation in pattern or colors, then there's no need to bother with shetlands.

Regarding softness: the double-brushed shetlands I own are softer than the lambswool sweaters I've seen and felt. The double-brushedness offers a pillowy buffer that's just plain...well, comfy. The Barbour shetlands are not double brushed and aren't nearly as soft as Shaggy Dogs and Andover Shop shetlands I own.

Finally, you can stretch a lambswool out of original shape. If the stetland is well made of good quality shetland wool, it will, as clothier in Virginia puts it, "yield and return." That is, you stretch it all to hell and it still return to its original shape.

Cheers,
Harris


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## n/a (Sep 4, 2002)

Oh yeah: more bang for the buck. Cashmere and alpaca are what they are, includig expensive. Recently a chum of mine was showing off his cardigan--a combination of cashmere and baby alpaca. He described it as a "steal" for a (mere?!?!) $400. 

A Press Shaggy Dog on sale will set you back around $75.


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## longwing (Mar 28, 2005)

Wow, it's great to get responses from 2 men who know their stuff. Thanks.

Harris, I keep trying to visualize you with a bow tie and crew neck shetland. What I'd give for a picture.

My memory of shetland crews from years ago (college days) is that they were uncomfortably tight around the neck when worn with a button down shirt. Do either the Andover or Press have generous neck holes? Also, are the brushed or double brushed subject to excessive pilling?


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## boatshoes (Aug 21, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by LongWing_
> 
> My memory of shetland crews from years ago (college days) is that they were uncomfortably tight around the neck when worn with a button down shirt. Do either the Andover or Press have generous neck holes? Also, are the brushed or double brushed subject to excessive pilling?


Depends... the Barbour sweaters on STP are a little more resiliently constructed and can creep over the top of the neck of a button down, but if you wear a tie this problem is remedied by the knot of the tie. I find the BB shetlands (which are currently $119 for two - 15% off (or 25% if you have a BB credit card)) have a little more "give". Both are excellent.

Can't say I have any double brushed, but I looked at some of my shetlands that are a few years old and I can't see much pilling... Perhaps I am blind, but I would think it would blend in.


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## n/a (Sep 4, 2002)

This year's Press Shaggy Dogs appear to be expecially "brushed." Big time piling, which I happen to like. The sky blue heather in particular.


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## longwing (Mar 28, 2005)

Just ordered a couple of shetland crews from Ben Silver. They seemed to have nice colors and the largest neck of the ones I saw. Not brushed though.

Thanks for chiming in boatshoes, I've come to enjoy your posts.


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## boatshoes (Aug 21, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by LongWing_
> 
> Just ordered a couple of shetland crews from Ben Silver. They seemed to have nice colors and the largest neck of the ones I saw. Not brushed though.
> 
> Thanks for chiming in boatshoes, I've come to enjoy your posts.


Thank you, sir.

From the picture, these look a lot like the BB Shetlands I have from recent years... if BB doesn't stock one this year, I think I found my yellow sweater!


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## M. Kirk (Aug 11, 2005)

FYI, I was just in Brooks Brothers last night here in Charlotte and they had several shetlands in stock. There was a bright orange and a bright blue that I particularly liked. The sweaters are made in scotland and were priced at two for $118. There is a preferred customer event going on at the moment and if you use a brooks charge card you can pick up two of these for a mere $44.25 each. A pretty tradly price if I must say. Anyway, I am more of a cashmere fan myself but I thought I would pass this along.


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## Horace (Jan 7, 2004)

> quote:_Originally posted by Harris_
> 
> The shetlands I prefer (and wear) have a fuzzy, "brushed"--or, in the case of Shaggy Dogs, "double brushed"--appearance. Soft, and, in terms of aesthetics, resulting in a heathered appearance that neither lambswool nor cashmere can match. Eljo's once offered a (McGeorge) double-brushed shetland featuring a sort of donegal pattern. Very unique. If you want a plain stitch without much variation in pattern or colors, then there's no need to bother with shetlands.
> 
> ...


Harris -- I saw some of the Barbour sweaters in person -- I will order from STP soon even though at $60 a pop I'll have missed the special 20% sale. Can you give us an idea of fit?

I take a 42 suit -- do you reckon an L or XL would be better. I forget what size suit you take but if you can shed light on fit, I'd appreciate it.

Also are the Brooks shetlands at 346 as good as last year? Are they made in Scotland or simply "knit" in scotland and made somewhere else.

Thanks for your insights.

Horace.


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## Horace (Jan 7, 2004)

For bargain shopping trads -- the Made in Scotland shetlands from Bean that were discontinued a few years ago (on sale for $19.99) -- I should've bought 10 of them -- can probably be found on Ebay fairly cheap. I have one that's very nice.


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## n/a (Sep 4, 2002)

> quote:_Originally posted by Horace_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Horace,
tom22 pointed out that this year's Brooks shetlands feel a tad flimsy, and I'm afraid that, upon seeing and feeling a few in the 346 a couple of weeks ago, I'd have to agree.

The Barbour shetlands are fantastic, especially if you don't prioritize an extra brushed surface that results in lots of softness and piling. They're thick and well constructed, if a tad scratchy.

If I were you I'd try the size medium. You could always order a few and send back what doesn't fit.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Harris


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## n/a (Sep 4, 2002)

Horace:

Maybe large is the size for you, now that I think about it.

Cheers,
Harris


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## tom22 (Feb 19, 2004)

JPress has an offering in a heather shade of orange (that description doesn't really do the color justice) that I haven't seen or owned since I was a very young teenager. i think that will be the one I snap at. Unimpressed with Brooks this year. Though I was hoping to replace my favorite burgundy shetland. Maybe next year....


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## tom22 (Feb 19, 2004)

PS if you are a 42 do the Large. In the 80s they were sized by number. oh well.


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## boatshoes (Aug 21, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by tom22_
> 
> PS if you are a 42 do the Large. In the 80s they were sized by number. oh well.


I agree. I'm a 42 and I have the Barbour shetlands in large and am quite satisfied with the fit.


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## freakseam (Mar 5, 2003)

I'll be blunt here. I don't have any Barbour sweaters by which to venture a guess and I'm wondering about quality/value with regards to a lambswool sweater vest @ $US 45 (STP). Thoughts?


Just curious on this:

Is there a particular name for the deeper cut v-neck sweaters? They are not suit vests, nor cardigans, but the depth of the v-cut is similar.

Thanks for your reply.


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## jamgood (Feb 8, 2006)

Real Shetland wool comes from sheep on the Shetland Islands north of mainland Scotland and has unique qualities. Most of what is generically termed "shetland" is not. In the past real shetland would be labeled 100% Shetland Wool (in that order, not Shetland 100% Wool). Most real shetland was processed by Hunter's of Brora, Scotland, but it went out of business a few years ago. The classic trad shop (Andover, etc.) shaggy shetlands were made by Drumohr of Scotland (Robertson Knitwear) and were more expensive because they were knit "in the round" and were seamless, like a sock, and thus less binding. Drumohr also made the classic cabled shetlands. I do not think Drumohr or McGeorge are still in business, but would like to be corrected. Corgi of Wales may make a high quality shetland. Until recent years Polo RL made a version of this seamless shaggy shetland in Hong Kong. I have no experience in doing so, but the real shetland can be purchased directly from the largest manufacturer of genuine shetland sweaters (Judane, maker for many well known brands) in Limerick, Shetland Islands, Scotland...click www.shetlanddirect.co.uk > sweaters > plain crew neck sweater 
also, www.shetland-knitwear.com > classics

jamgood: better quality new clothing, never described as "Amazing", @ 60-90% off retail https://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZjamgoodQQhtZ-!


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## RJman (Nov 11, 2003)

Drumohr has been through odd permutations. It appeared to go out of business for a while but then was purchased or licensed to an Italian knitter named Ciocca. I can't understand the Italian completely but from what I gather Ciocca may have been making Drumohr in Italy. Recently Marinella has bought the rights and relaunched Drumohr as a made-in-Scotland brand. Not sure whether they'll have pushed aside the shaggy dogs in favor of cashmeres for the Italian market.

For anyone interested, Yoox has Drumohr cashmeres at a very good price -- $130 - $150 -- right now. Quality seems good although there's no country of origin label so they may have been made in Italy or in Scotland. My guess is that they were pre-relaunch stock.


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