Birsie Beanny - Shetland Wool Week 26 Official Knitting Pattern

*This is a physical copy of the 2026 Shetland Wool Week hat Birsie Beanny knitting pattern and will be posted.* Help celebrate the launch of our 2026 patron, Helen Robertson, and her 'Birsie Beanny' hat pattern! Slouchy Birsie Beanny, designed by this year’s patron, Helen Robertson, brings together the spirit of Shetland Wool Week itself with elements drawn from Helen’s own creative journey over many years of making, designing and sharing her skills. Shetland Wool Week is a truly unique community effort, bringing together makers, designers, voluntary groups and local industry across Shetland. Helen chose to celebrate this collaboration by working the festival name into the text brim of the hat. The lettering creates a wearable souvenir and a conversation starter, carrying the name of Shetland Wool Week out into the world. The patterns in the hat reflect different strands of Helen’s work and inspirations. The lower motif draws from her distinctive silver knitted tiaras, above it, a pattern references one of her favourite Shetland lace traditions, Liss Hols (Lace Holes) - a motif Helen’s Unst granny knitted around the six holed lace edge of her christening shawl - and one that Helen often uses in her silver wire bracelets. A heart motif, adapted from her Mariner’s Compass Hat, sits above, and the crown pattern takes inspiration from the lace Tree of Life. Adding a playful touch are the optional toosks, inspired by the tassels on the Gunnister Man’s purse - an important historic Shetland find - and the technique of our heritage tattit rugs. The toosks give the hat texture and personality; they are also what inspired its name, as birsie means ‘hairy’ in Shetland dialect. The slouchy shape of the hat was inspired by the style worn in Stanley Cursiter’s portrait ‘The Fair Isle Jumper’ (1923).