Russell, I've been on the look out for a decent shetland for some time. I only seem to find US trad stores online or strange Wicker Man style shetland islands websites where every click takes you further away from what the link name says.

Any tips?

I searched for jamieson after seeing your first picture but could only find the yarns. The Weejun is not ready to knit his own...

I'd echo '66 and go Anderson's.

Thanks 1966

Great source there Russell - did you ever receive it? Any pics?

And I had not idea that the great Westaway & Westaway still existed online. I bought my first black roll neck with ribbed collar and cuffs from there on a tip off from John Simons in 83. From then on I bought scores of jumpers. I remember that there own brand was great and you could aks them for any colour and they would make it for you at no extra cost, then give you a bell when it was ready.

I knew the Spanish had got involved as they always had spanish girls serving too.

^ Yes, i just want to thank you Russ, for your excellent heads up about Andersons.

I very recently received my two shetland sweaters from Andersons and like you say it only took about three weeks or something (less than a month) for me to receive them, subsequent to my online order.

I ordered the Kellisters.These really are very soft and genuinely cosy and comortable sweaters.I`m not just saying that.(Not that i would `just say that` anyhow...).They seem really `luxe` in the similar way that fine cashmere seems, feels and looks really luxe and to me these shetlands really feel and look like special pieces.


I think you were spot-on when you wisely pointed out that that the cut of these crewneck Kellisters (and particularly the neckline) is perfect for a simple ,classic old-school ivy league style shetland.These don`t have that robust, thick (and to my eyes; obtrusive) neckline that another shetland manufacturer of eponymous sweaters produces.

I really like the cut of the Kellisters.These sweaters are quite slim fitting in the arms and body, which i think makes them very flattering and attractive.

I ordered my own sweaters in a size 38.I gave no other instructions. I bought one Kellister in eesit (a light milky fawn colour like malted Horlicks) and one Kellister in ecology pebble (a light milky grey porridge colour) .I think the best thing about the Kellister range is that all the colours are natural (and undyed). I think these natural and indeed neutral coloured sweaters are all the more interesting and indeed versatile for this very fact.To my mind they thus make great stand alone pieces in their own right because they really do seem so special.For me personally i think wearing a bd shirt underneath might possibly in some way detract from the intrinsic beauty of these simple sweaters because these really are special pieces.

If there was perhaps just one thing i might have changed it would have been to specify that i might have liked the body of my sweaters to have been just a tad longer.It`s just that wearing the sweater over time the body of the sweater at the hem seems to ride up just a tad .It`s actually not enough of an issue though for me to necessarily want to order different and more personal size sweaters next time and i expect i`ll just order the same regular size 38`s i ordered before.I just really don`t think that i need to be that picky about this, i suppose.



I think i prefer bd shirts under the finer gauge of cashmere or cotton knit sweaters anyhow but for me i like these shetlands worn on their own or with a plain white Hanes t shirt underneath for a bit of American casualness and sporty ,contrasting interest.The necklines with these Kellisters is also perfect for catching a mere glimpse of  a crewneck white t underneath.These sweaters are genuinely soft and cosy and comfortable enough not to even need to wear a t shirt underneath.

I plan on buying two more medium, neutral and  natural colour Kellisters from Andersons; their warmer darker fawn colour (i forget which colour they call it ) and conversely their more ash ,medium grey colour. I think that these four natural colours in both warm and indeed colder tones would then go very well with the colours of a heck of alot of my ivy league inspired clothing. To me personally the natural, ambiguous and organic un-dyed shetland wool colours that Anderson use to their Kellister range seem to be very flattering and much more so than the other flat, dyed colours that we often see on other shetland jumpers..


I`ve  worn the eesit with a white crewneck cotton t underneath and with tailor tapered Uniqlo Washed Flat Front navy colour chinos , white scuffed JP tennis sneakers and a camel coloured corduroy Buffercoat (navy colour wool shawl collar).

I recently wore the ecology pebble with UniQlo Washed Flat Front , `Light Gray` (bone /stone colour) chinos (tailor tapered), scuffed white JP tennis sneakers and an old very seldom worn Bates the Hatters white linen Newsboy style cap .
I like these unobtrusive natural colour sweaters worn under interesting jackets like my G9`s and my camel coloured and beige/sand coloured corduroy Buffercoats.(I`m waiting on receiving a beige coloured corduroy Buffercoat as i write).


You gotta go for these sweaters...!!! I would definately recommend them.


Thank you very much once again, Russ...


jezza

Last edited by jesmond (2009-03-09 07:01:21)

For what it's worth - From my experience I know that the Andersons will last based on lesser sweaters from the 70's (even) that I have. And my Brother even has some late 60's ones too.

Their lack of refinement is their strength.

Never ends does it? 

I think my point was that real Shetlands are tough. They'll outlive Cashmere.

A tip-off from Johnny Simons in '83.  Those were the days.  I was still stuck up in sunny Manchester, thinking myself the dogs bollocks because I'd scored a £7 USA-made zip-up jacket from Affleck's Palace (when it was still selling old 'Beano' annuals with the spines torn off).  Basic American dressing in those days; whenever possible.