The Shetland Islands

Shetland’s various sheep breeds, alongside natural dyes made from madder and lichens, enabled different colours of wool to be spun, resulting in the region’s iconic colourwork knitting. According to legend, stranded sailors from the Spanish Armada taught people on Fair Isle how to create the horizontal bands of motifs, which the island’s knitting is famed for. It’s perhaps more likely, though, that the island’s proximity to Scandinavia influenced the celebrated style.

Lichens are a source of dye, used to great effect in Fair Isle designs