£ 3,950 / per person
from the 14th to the 21st of June 2027 - Please note that arrival to Fair Isle can be subject to weather delays and your holiday will only start from the day it is possible to arrive on the island by public transport, plane, or ferry. If you are delayed getting in to Fair Isle we will expect you to be able to still stay 7 nights from the day you arrive.
Helen loves to innovate from her Shetland traditional heritage roots to extend the practice and appreciation of Shetland knitting. By using new materials and developing new techniques she has widened its audience and broaden its appreciation. Equally passionate about fair isle and lace knitting, during this holiday she will focus on lace and you will be taken on an exciting journey to begin and extend your Shetland Lace knitting practice.
Helen Robertson is Shetland Wool Week Patron for 2026 and designer of the Birsie Beannie. An experienced Adult Learning and Shetland Wool Week Tutor, Helen has been delivering a wide variety of knitting classes, in person and online, for more than 20 years.
Marie and Helen first met in Fair Isle in 2021 when Helen delivered her Knit Wire Lampshade class to the islanders as part of her Gloril Project. They bonded through their creativity and love for designing, knitting, and the joy of island life.
Helen will share her artistic interpretation of Shetland’s History through her talk ‘Shetland History through a Designer’s Eye’ giving you a sense of how Helen’s Shetland heritage informs her work.
During the week Helen will deliver her Colour Confidence in Shetland Lace Knitting and you will learn Helen’s secrets and tricks for choosing colours by analysing a large range of colour samples to illustrate the techniques. Patterns for old shell and new shell scarves are included and you will develop a new found appreciation and understanding of colour and its application to Shetland Lace and beyond.
Helen has 100% success rate in teaching the tricky but addictive cockleshell lace motif. You will learn to knit it before progressing to begin knitting Helen’s fabulous Cockleshawl!
Helen has been knitting with wire since 2001 and was commissioned by the Shetland Museum and Archives to knit 9 wire Shetland Lace Lampshades and a silver Shetland Lace Bracelet. For the first time Marie’s Fair Isle knitting holidays will include wire knitting! Guided by Helen, you will complete a pair of leaf earrings and a Shetland Lace Bracelet similar to one that is on permanent display in the new Shetland Museum and Archives.
Additionally Marie will teach a half-day machine-knitting class to make a traditional Fair Isle Fisherman’s Kep, along with two hand-finishing classes for invisible seam :mattress stitch and grafting.
Please visit the Knitting Holiday page for full details.
What’s Included :
Introductory group video call to get to know each other and set hopes and expectations.
7 nights in an en-suite shared twin bedroom at the newly rebuilt Fair Isle Bird Observatory Hotel in Fair Isle.
Transport once on island.
All meals: breakfast, light lunch and dinner.
Note that meals are provided on a set menu
Guided visits : Fair Isle Museum, croft visit and a wildlife walk or hike.
28+ hours of tuition covering the Shetland lace workshops as mentioned in the description and an half-day introduction to flat-bed machine knitting.
Materials: all wool and wire needed for your projects
This is a £150 booking fee which will be deducted from your deposit invoice. After November 1st and only once the holiday of your choice reaches its minimum number of participants, we will send you an invoice for a 50% deposit. Payment of this deposit will confirm your booking. Payment can only be made by bank transfer.
If the holiday does not reach the minimum number of participants, 6 knitters, your booking fee will be refunded. If you choose not to proceed with your booking and/or fail to pay the deposit invoice within 7 days, your booking will be cancelled, your spot will be reallocated, and the booking fee will not be refunded. The booking fee is non-refundable, so please only make your booking once you are certain of your decision.
The remaining 50% balance is due 90 days prior to arrival.
The holiday price is based on two knitters sharing a bedroom. Single bookings for shared bedrooms will only be confirmed once a second knitter is booked for the same holiday.
Each booking is for one knitter only. If you’re booking for a knitting friend too, please make a separate purchase for them so we can collect everyone’s details individually, there is a form for you to fill so we can collect all the details we need.
If you would like to bring a non-knitting partner tick this option on the booking form.
Additional options :
* Single occupancy bedroom: £800
* Non-knitter partner: £1,975 ( limited to two spaces per holiday )
Maximum number of knitters : 8
Please make sure you are read and understood our Terms and Conditions, this link will provide you with Standard Information Form on Traveller’s Rights when booking a Package Holiday, feel free to email us any questions : hello@fairislewithmarie.com
£ 3,950 / per person
from the 14th to the 21st of June 2027 - Please note that arrival to Fair Isle can be subject to weather delays and your holiday will only start from the day it is possible to arrive on the island by public transport, plane, or ferry. If you are delayed getting in to Fair Isle we will expect you to be able to still stay 7 nights from the day you arrive.
Helen loves to innovate from her Shetland traditional heritage roots to extend the practice and appreciation of Shetland knitting. By using new materials and developing new techniques she has widened its audience and broaden its appreciation. Equally passionate about fair isle and lace knitting, during this holiday she will focus on lace and you will be taken on an exciting journey to begin and extend your Shetland Lace knitting practice.
Helen Robertson is Shetland Wool Week Patron for 2026 and designer of the Birsie Beannie. An experienced Adult Learning and Shetland Wool Week Tutor, Helen has been delivering a wide variety of knitting classes, in person and online, for more than 20 years.
Marie and Helen first met in Fair Isle in 2021 when Helen delivered her Knit Wire Lampshade class to the islanders as part of her Gloril Project. They bonded through their creativity and love for designing, knitting, and the joy of island life.
Helen will share her artistic interpretation of Shetland’s History through her talk ‘Shetland History through a Designer’s Eye’ giving you a sense of how Helen’s Shetland heritage informs her work.
During the week Helen will deliver her Colour Confidence in Shetland Lace Knitting and you will learn Helen’s secrets and tricks for choosing colours by analysing a large range of colour samples to illustrate the techniques. Patterns for old shell and new shell scarves are included and you will develop a new found appreciation and understanding of colour and its application to Shetland Lace and beyond.
Helen has 100% success rate in teaching the tricky but addictive cockleshell lace motif. You will learn to knit it before progressing to begin knitting Helen’s fabulous Cockleshawl!
Helen has been knitting with wire since 2001 and was commissioned by the Shetland Museum and Archives to knit 9 wire Shetland Lace Lampshades and a silver Shetland Lace Bracelet. For the first time Marie’s Fair Isle knitting holidays will include wire knitting! Guided by Helen, you will complete a pair of leaf earrings and a Shetland Lace Bracelet similar to one that is on permanent display in the new Shetland Museum and Archives.
Additionally Marie will teach a half-day machine-knitting class to make a traditional Fair Isle Fisherman’s Kep, along with two hand-finishing classes for invisible seam :mattress stitch and grafting.
Please visit the Knitting Holiday page for full details.
What’s Included :
Introductory group video call to get to know each other and set hopes and expectations.
7 nights in an en-suite shared twin bedroom at the newly rebuilt Fair Isle Bird Observatory Hotel in Fair Isle.
Transport once on island.
All meals: breakfast, light lunch and dinner.
Note that meals are provided on a set menu
Guided visits : Fair Isle Museum, croft visit and a wildlife walk or hike.
28+ hours of tuition covering the Shetland lace workshops as mentioned in the description and an half-day introduction to flat-bed machine knitting.
Materials: all wool and wire needed for your projects
This is a £150 booking fee which will be deducted from your deposit invoice. After November 1st and only once the holiday of your choice reaches its minimum number of participants, we will send you an invoice for a 50% deposit. Payment of this deposit will confirm your booking. Payment can only be made by bank transfer.
If the holiday does not reach the minimum number of participants, 6 knitters, your booking fee will be refunded. If you choose not to proceed with your booking and/or fail to pay the deposit invoice within 7 days, your booking will be cancelled, your spot will be reallocated, and the booking fee will not be refunded. The booking fee is non-refundable, so please only make your booking once you are certain of your decision.
The remaining 50% balance is due 90 days prior to arrival.
The holiday price is based on two knitters sharing a bedroom. Single bookings for shared bedrooms will only be confirmed once a second knitter is booked for the same holiday.
Each booking is for one knitter only. If you’re booking for a knitting friend too, please make a separate purchase for them so we can collect everyone’s details individually, there is a form for you to fill so we can collect all the details we need.
If you would like to bring a non-knitting partner tick this option on the booking form.
Additional options :
* Single occupancy bedroom: £800
* Non-knitter partner: £1,975 ( limited to two spaces per holiday )
Maximum number of knitters : 8
Please make sure you are read and understood our Terms and Conditions, this link will provide you with Standard Information Form on Traveller’s Rights when booking a Package Holiday, feel free to email us any questions : hello@fairislewithmarie.com
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