The traditional Shetlands that we all knew over here were very flat & rather scratchy too. The wool would harden somehow with washing. The double-brushed Shaggy Dog version is quite alien to us over here & at first sight my wife thought them very effeminate - too much like a woman's Mohair sweater.

On my return home I found that my new Anderson's Shetland had arrived early & I'll write it up on its own thread later when I have time. It is the real seamless deal with all the proper detailing done in the right wool. £49, hand-framed. I'm very pleased. It is nicely 'flat' & I intend letting it get into the proper state by keeping all fabric conditioners well away from it. We never had those going back. It's nicely soft & 'lofty' and all that just now just as my old sweaters used to be when new, but I know it will age like the old Shetlands used to just by the familiar feel of the wool.

Lambswool sweaters were always softer & more expensive than Shetland and more finely knitted and finished off back in the day over here so for me a Shetland should be a slightly coarse thing, although I do love the Shaggies for their J. Press iconic status.

- Very good to read a Tom post again!

Best -

Jim

Chums,

Count me as someone who likes a true woolly jumper. 

All of this lambswool and cashmere business is fine for lasses,, but I dont see the point in paying more for softness.  If on a beautiful lass,, then that is another matter entirely, no?  As I do not wear a sweater next to my skin,, I could care less if it is the softest hair from the chin of the most coddled yak in mongolia.

Thanks to ol Tom for validating me thesis.

Cheerio.

Alpaca?

Does anyone out there know the story of Wigwam socks? Always seem to be a standard. The last pair I bought was still made in the US of A. The Sports Authority was selling them last year. As warm and as comfy as an old 100% wool sock. OMG!

^ Very nice point about the different grades of Shetlands - Some regard Shetland as being like gossamer & some know it as a hardy & strong many affair - Both are correct.

I'm in the manly camp I think. If camp is the word.

Going back to days that no one here will remember; brings to mind really scratchy wool garments.

Growing up in the WWII era, boys winter clothing was heavy scratchy wool, by definition. One car, driven very little, snow on the ground that precluded riding your bicycle brought out really scratchy wool garments.

No mothers carpooling little darlings. If you wanted to visit your pals in cold weather, you walked or took the bus. Tom's thread brings back to mind garments that were heavy, scratchy, and with the ever present button fly.

Hard as it may be to believe, even in the early 60s kids dressed like this.

In Howard's photo, which looks like the real deal, the kid with his tongue on the frozen pipe probably spent a couple of hours in the ER.

He probably grew up to become a hedge fund manager taking huge risks on obscure financial instruments, and lost his ass, and all of his client's money.

Are hedge funds trad?