2026 Shetland Wool Week Birsie Beanny Kit

The official 2026 Shetland Wool Week knitting pattern, the ‘Birsie Beanny’ has been exclusively designed by Helen Robertson as the SWW Patron for 2026.

Slouchy Birsie Beanny 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. 

The patterns within the Birsie Beanny design echo different strands of Helen’s work – from her signature silver knitted tiaras to traditional Shetland lace motifs such as Liss Hols, once used by her Unst granny in her christening shawl. A heart motif from her Mariner’s Compass hat sits alongside a crown inspired by her lace tree of life designs. The slouchy shape of the hat was inspired by the style work in Stanley Cursiter’s portrait ‘The Fair Isle Jumper’ (1923).

Shetland Wool Week is a major community effort bringing together makers, designers, voluntary groups and local industry from across Shetland. Helen chose to celebrate this collaboration by working the festival name into the text brim of the hat. She explained: “I wanted to celebrate and promote the phenomenon that is Shetland Wool Week – the idea being that the hat becomes a wearable souvenir and a conversation starter carrying the name of SWW out into the world.”

Adding a playful touch are the optional toosks, inspired by the tassels on the Gunnister Man’s purse – an important historic local find – and the look of Shetland’s traditional taatit rugs. The toosks give the hat texture and personality; they are also what inspired its name, birsie means ‘hairy’ in Shetland dialect.

The Sea Anemone colourway draws on the vivid colours of marine life, inspired by a photograph by local artist, Sarah Kay.

** Please note that the pattern is not included in the kit, and must be purchased separately here. 

Needles and other notions not included.

Each kit includes 6 balls of Jamieson's of Shetland Spindrift (100% wool | Fingering weight | 114 yds / 105m per 25g).

One each of the following colours:

• 293 Port Wine
• 547 Orchid
• 620 Lilac
• 710 Gentian
• 763 Pacific
• 764 Cloud

Yarn produced on the Shetland Isles.