the knitting holiday
Our individually tailored, week-long knitting holidays give you time to explore all things Fair Isle.
We offer a unique opportunity to come to the island to get a taste of the extraordinary life here and learn something of the craft of Fair Isle knitting at its source. During your time with us, you can explore Fair Isle patterns and techniques, looking at the yarns we use, testing out different colour combinations and trying your hand at the flat-bed machine to produce your own piece of knitwear.
machine-knitting
Whatever the level of your ability and experience, we welcome you to spend a week in Fair Isle working with us. With up to 28 hours of tutoring and knitting included in your time with us, we help you delve into the design process, supporting you to produce some Fair Isle knitwear of your own to take home with you. You can choose what you wish to make: maybe a matching scarf and wrist-warmers, perhaps an array of hats as gifts for the family or, for those more advanced, a jumper.
Whilst basic hand-knitting skills are an advantage, no prior experience of machine knitting is required. We are able to teach all you might need to know to gain confidence and feel at ease with simple machine knitting. Modern Fair Isle knitting equally combines hand-finishing with work on the machine, so there will still be plenty to do by hand!
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.
everything else
We like to get to know you a little beforehand—usually we begin with a video call to discuss what is important to you so we can get planning an interesting week to fit with you.
With only a maximum of 2 guests staying with us per week, we devote our full attention to your needs and wishes and do our best to ensure your stay is memorable and rich. No two holidays are the same and we work to customise your stay with us based on what you would like to get from your days with us on Fair Isle.
You might be surprised to discover the diverse knowledge and skills of the people who live in Fair Isle––from artists to ecologists, we have a rich culture on the island The people of Fair Isle look forward to welcoming you. For intrepid souls who are interested, there are always opportunities to get hands-on experience tending the sheep!
what’s included
~ a video or audio consultation before arrival. It’s good to establish your hopes, wishes and expectations for your stay
~ 7 nights accommodation in en-suite shared twin bedroom at the Bird Observatory Hotel in Fair Isle.
~ all meals: breakfast, light lunch, dinner. Meals are provided on a set menu, set time basis. When booking, please let us know of any dietary requirements or allergies.
~ visits to the Fair Isle Museum, lighthouse, and a craftsman’s workroom (tailored to your interests and dependent on availability)
~ a guided walk
We will guarantee:
~ a minimum of 28 hours made up of knitting, tuition and design workshops.
~provision of knitting materials, including100% pure Shetland wool yarn, for the project(s) you will make during your trip.
the weather
Fair Isle is not always the easiest place to access at any time of the year. It is important to understand that journeying to and from the island is weather-dependent. The holiday spans 7 days/nights. However, we allow a window of two weeks to accommodate trials the weather might present. If reaching the island proves challenging, your reservation still covers a 7-night stay from your actual arrival. We do this to provide the maximum flexibility we realistically can for late arrivals due to poor weather. Please confirm your ability to extend your stay if needed.
We strongly advise you to allow flexibility for onward travel plans, considering additional time in Shetland mainland after Fair Isle. Purchasing flexible tickets for departure and exploring travel insurance options are recommended.
We must make clear that refunds are not possible for early departures due to weather delays.
While it may make travel plans more complicated, navigating these challenges is part of the unique experience of visiting the UK’s most remote inhabited island!
price and booking
The price for one person is £3250
To confirm a booking we require 50% deposit, payable at the time of booking.
The remaining 50% balance is due 90 days prior arrival.
The holiday’s price is calculated on the basis of two knitters sharing a bedroom.
Single bookings will only be confirmed once a second knitter is also interested in booking that holiday.
If both knitters need to cancel, the following cancellation charges will be applied:
• 10% of the £3250 holiday price is non-refundable.
• 40% of the £3250 holiday price is refunded if cancelled 90 days prior to the first day of the holiday.
• There is no refund for cancellations within the last 90 days prior to the first day of the holiday.
In special circumstances, and if both knitters want to move the booking we may allow your deposit to be carried over to another suitable date. This will not be possible in the case of individual bookings sharing with someone they don’t know.
Deposits for individual knitters are non-refundable if I am unable to find another knitter to share the booking.
Single Occupancy bedroom is available at an extra cost of £800.
The price for a non-knitter partner is £1,625.
Prior to booking, it is essential that you please read our terms and conditions.
Fair Isle knitting holidays 2026
Dates will be release in the Autumn 2025 - Please subscribe to our mailing list to get advance notice.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to send an email : hello@fairislewithmarie.com
gallery
Explore the gallery and testimonials page to draw inspiration from the remarkable knitting accomplishments and heartfelt words of previous knitters. Witness their journey and discover the impact of Fair Isle with Marie on their knitting experiences.
“My sister and I had a magical time with Marie on Fair Isle. She is a superb host and great teacher. We learnt so much about knitting on a machine and finishing, as well as coming away with a greater understanding about Fair Isle and its culture. Marie's cooking is amazing! I highly recommend booking with Marie - you'll have an amazing time.” Mary H.
