Booking open from the 3rd to the 10th of July 2025 - Only 8 spaces available -

Terri and Marie in Fair Isle

17th of September to 24th of September 2025

Since Terri’s visit to Fair Isle in 2023, she and Marie have been dreaming of offering a week of friendship, creativity and traditional knitting to a small group of avid knitters. With the Bird Observatory Hotel’s rebuild completed this spring, that dream can finally take shape. Join a group of eight fellow knitters for seven nights in Fair Isle as we guide you through a classic Fisherman’s kep, or a striking Shetland yoke jumper, drawing inspiration from the island’s rich heritage and wild landscapes.

This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in knitting traditions, and get a taste of the extraordinary life on the island. You will get to experience the craft of Fair Isle knitting at its source. During your time with us, you will knit your souvenirs, reminders of the once in a lifetime trip, while learning new skills along the way from two Fair Isle knitting experts, Terri Laura and Marie Bruhat.

The knitting Tuition

This holiday is designed for intermediate knitters with some experience in colourwork. Beginner tuition will not be provided, so we trust that you will assess your own skill level honestly.

Terri and Marie will deliver 28 hours of workshop during the week, during which we will cover the following topics :  

use of a knitting belt
colourwork designing and knitting
history of traditional Fair Isle patterns
use of the EnvisioKnit software for design
continuous support on your knitting project.

The knitting pattern for your chosen project is included along with Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift yarn.

The Fair Isle Fisherman’s Kep

Designed by Marie, this is her interpretation of the classic Fair Isle fisherman’s kep. Inspired by an 1880s scarf in the Shetland Museum, the pattern offers plenty of freedom to experiment with colour and motifs. You’ll choose your favourite Fair Isle motifs and yarn shades to knit a hat that’s entirely your own. If you’d rather skip knitting the ribbing by hand, Marie can machine-knit the ribs for you on her flat-bed machine.

The Shetland Yoke Jumper

Designed by Terri Laura during her time in Norway, this yet-to-be-published English pattern blends Norwegian influence with Shetland tradition. Previously available only in Norwegian, you'll be among the first to knit it in English.

Your sweater body will be machine-knitted in your chosen size and colour using Jamieson’s of Shetland yarn before the holiday. During your stay, you'll focus on hand-knitting the yoke section with Terri on hand to support every step. Terri will be delighted to help you make the design your own, encouraging you to explore colour choices and motif adaptations for a truly personal piece.

Due to the additional preparation required, this project carries a £150 supplement, which includes custom machine knitting of your sweater body.

What’s included

£ 3,950 / per person

Introductory group video call (1 hour) 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. From the 17th of September to 24th of September 2025.
All meals: breakfast, light lunch and dinner - note that meals are provided on a set menu
Guided cultural visits : Fair Isle Museum, Barkland croft and a wildlife walk or hike
28+ hours of tuition covering Fair Isle knitting and design
Materials: 100% pure Shetland wool for your chosen project
Machine-knitting taster (4 hours) to produce your own Fair Isle loop scarf

Project choices :

Marie’s Fair Isle Fisherman’s kep (option to add machine-knit ribs)

Terri’s Yoke Jumper - £150 extra (the plain body will be prepared in advance and in your size and chosen shade of Jamieson’s of Shetland)

Rachel, Amelia and Hocus Pocus at Barkland Croft

The Fair Isle Bird Observatory

The Bird Observatory Hotel offers full-board accommodation to a high standard on the northeast of the island. All twin rooms feature an en-suite shower and toilet, and come equipped with towels, bed linen and basic toiletries.

Standard occupancy is twin-share, but exclusive use (single occupancy) is available for an additional £800, this is very limited in number.

Meals are provided on a set menu, set time basis, on shared tables between other guests and staff, the perfect opportunities to get to know eachother better. The catering staff will endeavour so far as is reasonably practicable to accommodate special diets such as for example vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free but we require to be notified of this in advance at the time of booking.

Getting to Fair Isle

You will be booked on a flight from Tingwall Airport (near Lerwick), the return fare is approximately £115, with a luggage allowance of 15kg per person, including hand luggage. Simply call the airline and pay for your fare.

Weather can occasionally disrupt transport to and from Fair Isle. To ensure your experience isn’t shortened, we will adjust the start of your holiday to begin when you arrive (up to 2 days' delay). Please keep your schedule flexible by allowing for extra travel days on either side of the trip.

For example: If flights are cancelled on Wednesday the 17th and you arrive on Friday the 19th, your 7-night holiday would run from Friday to Friday.

We have secured dormitory accommodation at Islesburgh Hostel (in Lerwick) for the nights of the 17th and 18th at no extra cost, in case of delays. You are also welcome to make your own arrangements.

In the event that the plane is unable to fly (usually due to weather), you may need to travel by ferry instead on the Thursday, the return fare is around £40. While it’s entirely your choice, please note that the holiday will begin if knitters are arriving to the island, even if you decide not to take the ferry. Unfortunately, we’re not able to offer refunds if you miss the start of the holiday due to opting to wait for a later flight.

If weather prevents departure at the end of the trip and you need to stay longer, additional nights at the Bird Observatory will be charged at their standard bed and breakfast rate of £149 per person per night.

 No additional tuition will be available beyond the 7-day programme.

Booking

If you are interested in the holiday please read our full Terms and Conditions before expressing your interest, promise it’s not boring stuff , just the relevant information regarding this trip!

Bookings open on Thursday, 3 July at 6 pm BST and close on Thursday, 10 July. If fewer than six participants sign up by then, the holiday will be postponed to 2026, and everyone who has booked will have priority when new dates are announced.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, if you want to book, fill out the form below and submit your booking. Once the number of participants has been reached we will send you an invoice to pay for your holiday.

For firm bookings only, please complete and submit the form below to request your place. If you have any questions beforehand, contact us directly at hello@fairislewithmarie.com or hello@terrilaura.co.uk. Once we’ve reached the minimum of six participants, we’ll send you an invoice to confirm your booking.