SHETLAND
UP-HELLY-AA
Where:
Lerwick, Shetland
When:
28 January 2025
What’s it all about:
Up-Helly-Aa means ‘the end of the holidays’; it’s a celebration of Shetland history and Norse heritage. Senior and junior festivals take place, with bands, songs and processions. An elected chief, the ‘Guizer Jarl’, leads a squad of Vikings, followed by squads of locals in fancy dress. The day ends with the lighting of over 1,000 torches and the ceremonial burning of a Viking ‘galley’ (longship), marking the return of the light after winter.
For more info:
Find out about this torchlit Viking fire festival at www.uphellyaa.org
JANUARY: UP-HELLY -AA (SHETLAND)
YOU WILL NEED
■ Sirdar Happy Cotton DK (100% cotton, 20g/43m) 2 balls of Sandcastle (773) 1 ball of each:
Beach Hut (750)
Splash (767)
Sorbet (793)
Cookie (777)
Ketchup (790)
Pebble (759)
■ A 2.5mm (US B/1 or C/2) hook
■ A 2mm (US 4 Steel or B/1) hook
■ Stitch marker
■ Toy stuffing
■ 2 black safety eyes, 5mm diameter
■ Black stranded cotton
ABBREVIATIONS
spiked dc
Insert hook in next st 2 rounds below, yrh and pull up a loop to the same height as dc st, yrh and pull through 2 loops on hook third bl Insert hook into the third bl which sits at the back of the htr st, leave the top 2 loops unworked to form a ridge on the RS