Luxury fine lace knitting masterclass weekends in Unst - treat yourself!

Belmont House, in association with the Unst Heritage Centre and Unst Partnership, is proud to present:

Two luxury Shetland Fine Lace knitting  masterclass weekends

22-25 October 2015 (Thursday night to Sunday morning)

22-25 January 2016 (pre-Lerwick Up Helly Aa) Friday night to Monday morning

- Stay three nights at beautifully restored 18th Century mansion Belmont House

- Superb dinners and self-service breakfasts  included,  First night sparkling wine and sandwiches reception. 

- Two full morning workshops on fine lace knitting at the Unst Heritage Centre..Full instruction from legendary Unst fine lace knitters and all materials provided. (Please note: you must be a competent knitter to get the best from this course)

- Afternoons free to knit, explore, relax and socialise. Optional guided tours.

- 10 residential places  available at £265  per person

- The Northern Lights ('Da Mirrie Dancers') may be visible!

- Space for two non-residents at £145 per person. This includes two nights' dinner at Belmont.

- There may be limited places on a non-sharing, single-occupancy basis. There will be a supplement of 120 for this.

Transport between Belmont House and  the Heritage Centre will be provided. Collection from the Belmont ferry terminal is possible.

A deposit of £50 is payable on booking. The balance of £215 must be paid two weeks before the event.

Please contact Karen at Belmont House

belmontbookings@btinternet.com, or

+44 (0)7909 966161

Shetland Wool Week holiday group in Unst

A party of visitors in Unst, getting to grips with the techniques of Fine Lace knitting in the world epicentre of the craft, the Unst Heritage Centre at Haroldswick.

This group is enjoying a six-day 'Shetland Wool Holiday' organised by Shetland Wool Week, which takes them all over Shetland and includes masterclasses in both Fair isle and Fine Lace knitting.

A second 'Shetland Wool Holiday' takes place in August and Belmont House in Unst hosts two 'UnstKnit' Fine Lace masterclass weekends in October 2015 and January 2016. Details on the Belmont website soon.

Unst, music, chocolate and whisky...have a listen

As I write I'm in Unst, where the weather is veering between exceptionally lovely and very nice, with moments of Quite Goodness. I have just had lunch at a chocolate manufacturing facility, or at least in the room next door. And very nice it was too! This week's Beatcroft Social on Mixcloud features four Unst-related pieces of music, from spoof power-hair-metal through choral traditionalism to a beautiful piano-led Unst Bridal March (all starts 28 minutes in). And of course whisky. Or in this case, Whiskey.
Spoeaking of which, I hear there is going to be some rather special Unst-related whisky available very soon. Watch this space! And listen online for a tasting.
Lots of other great music on this particular Beatcroft Social (volume 4), I think, from Robin Trower to JJ Cale, King Creosote to Tuff Love. I hope you like it.

The Beatcroft Social Volume 4 (Unst tendency) by Tom Morton's Beatcroft Social on Mixcloud

UnstFest begins! Some pictures from Skaw Beach and the 'Drift' installation.

On arrival at Skaw, Unst

I recommend Drift, a sound sculpture and music installation by Vision Mechanics and Nordland Visual Theatre, in collaboration with UnstFest partly because I'm a sucker for this kind of art-in-the-environment show, partly because some of the images are hauntingly odd and lovely, and partly because the story is so magnificent. On until Monday, but wrap up warm and remember you will have to wear a cape (provided, not flattering). It's free but they suggest a donation of £10. My full review can be found on The Beatcroft Blog, here. http://beatcroft.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/drift-soundscape-and-sculpture-skaw.html

Every Shetlander and Soothmoother should know it: Betty Mouat, 61, sailing from Grutness to Lerwick to sell her knitting in January 1886. The crew of her boat are swept overboard, and Betty, alone and starving in storm after storm, is swept helplessly around the North Sea for a week, until the boat grounds at Lepsøy in Norway, with Betty safe, well and telling her tale for another 30 years. Drift delves beyond the surface narrative to examine what Betty's innermost thoughts may have been, and very haunting, yet uplifting it is. I particularly liked the meditation 'chapel' based on Romans Chapter Eight, Betty's favourite Bible verse: 'No condemnation'.

The drive to Skaw from Norwick is a piece of theatre in its own right, and Skaw itself is truly one of the world's wonders. If you're reading this in That Scotland (Drive to Aberdeen, 14 hour ferry to Shetland, hour's drive to Yell ferry, half hour across Yell, ferry to Unst, drive to top of world, descend to beach at end of world), then you could try to catch Drift in its other locations, St Cyrus and the Isle of Eigg.

For Unst folk, though, it's a must-go, must-see, must-listen. Until Monday.

UnstFest info: http://www.unstfest.org/

More about Drift and Vision Mechanics: http://visionmechanics.org/portfolio/drift/

UnstFest ready to go!

UnstFest hits the road on  Friday 10 July with a host of exciting events. Download the full programme here: 

 http://www.unstfest.org/2015-programme.html