Shetland Dreams

My crush sophomore year of high school had dark square glasses and always seemed to be wearing a sky-blue Shetland sweater. To this day, I can’t think of him without remembering that expanse of blue wool covering his football-playing chest. In that sweater and those glasses, he was eye-candy and irresistibly attractive. To me, as well as nearly every other girl.

As a knitter, I find there are very few men who want a handknit sweater. Most men today choose microfibers and fleece for warmth but there was a time when all men and boys wore wool sweaters, handknit or otherwise.

For men’s sweaters, my mother and grandmother revered Shetland sweaters. Every fall, we traveled to Manchester, New Hampshire to visit the Pandora Knitting Mill store to shop for Shetland for back-to-school. I still remember the creaky wooden floors of the old mill and the shelves of sweaters wrapped in plastic bags. To go to Pandora was a big deal – the prices and the selection were great. And even though it was a factory shop, there were plenty of older women wearing glasses on chains and wool dresses to help us.

For us girls, we purchased pretty fair isle cardigans or plain cardigans with flat gold buttons to wear with plaid skirts and A-lines. Mom bought the boys simple pullovers in equally “pretty” hues – I especially remember the baby blues, the heathery greys, pale yellow or an occasional  navy. Boys at school almost always wore their Shetland sweaters over conservative button-down shirts which peeked above the crew neck so fetchingly. It was the consummate male uniform of high school.

Even though we shopped at the “source” which to us, was the mill store, real Shetland wool originates from the very remote Shetland Islands in Scotland. Shetland sheep are known for their hard-working wool and the classic sweater with crew neck and saddle shoulders was the gold standard. So sturdy were these marled-colored and hairy garments, the sweaters sometimes outlived their elbows and it wasn’t unusual for a boy in our school to sport his sweater with elbow holes which was considered “cool”. Or perhaps he had an alert mother or grandmother who would apply new suede elbow patches. The fabric and notions stores and every five and dime had these reinforcements for sale.

Some may have felt that Shetland sweaters were scratchy and I suppose they were. But you knew when you wore one, you would be warm and comfortable as well as look good. I remember having the opportunity to rub my cheek against a Shetland-clad boy or two or to feel the prickly arms of said boy or two around me. And I didn’t really mind, did I??

What’s so surprising about Shetland sweaters for men is how often they would be seen in pastels, even pink. But my favorite was blue or soft yellow which looked so handsome with a striped button down. So put-together and right. Many of my favorite Chanel #5 ads in Seventeen sported good-looking teenage boys in Shetland wool.

Today Shetland sweaters are making a comeback and if you are a knitter, Shetland wool can be found in yarn shops that import from The United Kingdom. There are some delectable new colors in tweedy variegated yarns that are quite interesting. I hardly think there is a man today that would wear a yellow or a creamy white plain sweater. But maybe there is a new way to get men into Shetland handknit sweaters again if you’re willing to try.

As for my sweater-clad crush, I’m sure he had a mother that cared about her son’s appearance. His tickly blue sweater has stayed long in my memory. And I know it was tickly because he passed a Coke over my shoulder once and his sleeve briefly brushed against my neck. I still swoon at the memory of it.

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Below are some examples:

And here is Jude’s contribution to the effort: