OK, I admit it...I'm a bit of a snob...I love the traditional colorways and usages of 19th century textiles.  But when it comes to contemporary interpretations, I can be a bit picky.  What Alice Starmore does with Fair Isle and Solveig Hisdal does with Norwegian stranded knitting are exquisite!  And Wilma Malcolmson's designs at Shetland Designer are wonderful!

Martha showing Wilma Malcolmson's sweater designs at Shetland Designer south of Lerwick, Mainland, Shetland

So when Martha sent me the next photo...well, I just wasn't sure.  The original photo was quite dark and I didn't look very closely to it.  After she sent me a note explaining it, I finally understood.

Martha took this photo on a trip to Shetland a few years ago to visit Elizabeth.  The trip happened in the winter, a rather dark time of year to be vacationing that far north.  It also happened to be when the annual Shetland festival Up Helly Aa  took place in Lerwick - Europe's largest fire festival.  While visiting a pub during the festival, she took this photo.  As a knitter, who wouldn't be amused at such a creative use for Fair Isle knitting?

Fair Isle knitted Up Helly Aa outfit