28 Australian Knitting
Spinning provides an important
source of income for women in
Afghanistan, many of whom have been
left as heads of household by decades
of war. The cashmere industry – and
especially higher-quality knitting-grade
yarn – brings economic development
to a country that desperately needs
alternatives to an opium economy.
Alt Yarn is also offering exquisite
yarns from the Shetland Islands. When
you think of Shetland Island yarn I am
sure like me you imagine intricate lace
work and vibrant Fair Isle colour work.Jamiesons (Shetland) Ltd. purchases
Shetland wool from over 700 of
Shetland’s crofters and farmers, and
spins it into high-quality Shetland wool
products including yarns, knitwear,
blankets and carpets. Shetland wool
is world renowned for its fineness
and warmth. Indigenous Shetland
Sheep graze on the islands’ hills and
beaches eating wild heather and
seaweed. This diet, along with the
not-so-great weather, makes Shetland
wool soft, strong and warm. Shetland
wool is also very diverse: it’s perfect
for hand-knitting both Shetland Lace
and Fair Isle, as well as for knitwear
manufacture and weaving. The wool
is sorted and graded by hand to
make sure that nothing is wasted;
the coarser parts of the fleece are
used in carpets and mats. Jamiesons’
aim is to enhance the profile of the
Shetland wool industry which plays
an important part in sustaining the
Shetland Island’s fragile crofting
economy.
Through the very act of picking
up our needles and lovingly crafting
something beautiful and useful from
such natural, ethical and sustainable
yarns we help support these craft-
based community development
initiatives.Resources
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http://www.manos.com.uy/
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http://www.rockingyak.com
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http://www.fromthemountain.com
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Development Agency:
http://www.iwda.org.au
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http://www.jamiesonsofshetland.co.uk/
r"MU:BSOXXXBMUZBSODPNAbove: Knitters from The Rocking
Yak, Tibetan Plateau
Image supplied by The Rocking Yak
Right: From Yak to Yarn, Tibetan
plateau.