What's on at Nielanell
SUN 27 Sept – SAT 3 Oct 2026
We can’t wait to welcome wool weekers back to Hoswick!
At a glance
As ever, we have a few things happening at Nielanell. Most of our events are free.
- Open studio: daily, FREE
- Behind the Scenes at Nielanell: talk & tour (29 Sept, 2 Oct), FREE/ticketed
- Abstracts and Extracts: printmaking workshop (28 Sept), £65
- Shetland Wool Week Makkers Market: Lerwick (3 Oct), FREE
- Makkers’ Drop-in: Sun 4 Oct, the day after SWW ends, FREE
Also in our village
- During SWW, Hoswick Visitor Centre hosts a range of classes and workshops.
- Hoswick Visitor Centre and Café is also open to the public
- There are a cluster of artisan businesses in Hoswick. Do visit our neighbours Shetland Woollen Co and Karlin Anderson Jewellery Design.
- Our pretty pebble beach!
Scroll on for full details including our location (we’re not far from Lerwick).
Open Studio at Nielanell
FREE, unticketed
Nielanell, Hoswick
Daily during SWW:
- Sun 27 Sept: 10am-5pm
- Mon 28 Sept - Sat 3 Oct: 9am-5pm
After SWW:
- Sun 4 Oct: open, times TBC
- Mon 5 - Sat 10 Oct: 10am-4pm
Stop by the Nielanell sweetie shop of colour, texture and pattern to explore our collections of contemporary Shetland knitwear, try on as many things as you like or just hang out on the sofa.
All welcome!
Visitor information
Find out more about visiting the Nielanell studio, including access information. We’ re also open daily before Shetland Wool Week.
Abstracts and Extracts: Printmaking, Fibre, Landscape
WORKSHOP
£65
Hoswick Visitor Centre
- Mon 28 Sept: 1.30-4.30pm SOLD OUT
For many years Niela Nell Kalra, designer at Nielanell, has been using printmaking as part of her knitwear design process.
Several Nielanell collections have print embedded somewhere in their story. Inspired by this link between art and knit, Katie Leask of Nielanell will guide class participants through a variety of paper-based printmaking techniques.
How to book
Book via the Shetland Wool Week box office.
NB As of 21 July the class is sold out. If you’re interested in a cancellation please keep an eye on the Shetland Wool Week Facebook Forum. If you're on Ravelry, there's an SWW thread. We will also try to advertise any cancellations on our social media channels.
Visitor information
Hoswick Visitor Centre is accessible for wheelchair users with ramp access, wide doors, an accessible toilet and a parking space just outside.
Behind the Scenes at Nielanell
TALK & TOUR
FREE, ticketed
Nielanell, Hoswick
Join the Nielanell team on this informal talk and tour and learn about the interesting narratives behind our collections and various of the design and manufacturing processes that take place in our workshops in our rural, Shetland location.
How to book
Book via the Shetland Wool Week box office (search for 'Behind the Scenes at Nielanell').
Visitor information
During this tour we will go into one of our workshops, which has one step up to the door. We'll also be in the studio shop – find out more about visiting, including access information.
Shetland Wool Week Makkers Market
SOCIAL, SHOPPING
FREE, unticketed
Anderson High School, Lerwick
The legendary Makkers Market! We’ll be there with a selection of knitwear.
There are two rooms of stalls to browse – give yourself a bit of time. Have a break from shopping and go upstairs to the café where you’ll find wonderful home bakes, soup, teas and coffees.
This is such a great event and it is a real community effort – and not only on the makers’ stalls. Teachers and pupils at Anderson High bake for the event and serve on the day. Funds raised in the café go towards the school.
Makkers' Drop-in
SOCIAL
FREE, unticketed
Hoswick Visitor Centre
- Sun 4 Oct: 10am - 2.30pm approx (we’ll confirm when bus timetables have been published)
- Teas, coffees, sweet and savoury nibbles
- NB please bring cash. Refreshments will be on an honesty box system
For those still around the day after the official Shetland Wool Week programme ends, we’re hosting our popular Makkers’ Drop-in at Hoswick Visitor Centre.
It’s a lovely, relaxing way to round off the week, do some knitting (…or spinning, or crochet) with friends and enjoy a tea, coffee and some snacks.
Bring your WIP (or just yourself!) to this informal event where Katie of Nielanell and her family host wool weekers, locals and tutors in the interesting surroundings of Hoswick Visitor Centre.
Learn about life in the village the through local history displays – the building used to be Hoswick’s weaving shed – and browse the craft shop (card payments welcome).
Nielanell will be open, too. Our studio shop is just around the corner from the visitor centre.
All welcome.
Hoswick Visitor Centre
Our Hoswick neighbours
- Shetland Woollen Co: lovely, traditional Shetland knitwear made just a few doors down from our studio. Look out for the yoked jumpers and their plain ‘haerie’ (brushed) siblings, which both have a global fanbase.
- Karlin Anderson Jewellery Design: beautifully made jewellery that is worn by Shetlanders, international customers and at least one pop star. Look out for Karlin’s Oppenwark collection, which is inspired by Shetland lace knitting.
- Hoswick Visitor Centre: a great stopping point in the South Mainland. The village’s former weaving shed is now home to local history exhibitions, a craft shop and café (and hosts classes during Shetland Wool Week). The Visitor Centre is accessible for wheelchair users with ramp access, wide doors, an accessible toilet and a parking space just outside.
For a bit more about our creative village, visit our Things to do in Hoswick journal post.
Getting here
Hoswick lies just off the main road that runs between Lerwick and Sumburgh Airport – it's approximately 20 minutes drive from each.
There is plenty of parking in the village (you can usually pull up right outside Nielanell if you need to). There is also an EV charging point in the Visitor Centre car park.
Travelling to Hoswick by public transport
We’re served by the no.6 bus, which runs between Lerwick and Sumburgh.
Lift sharing
Wool weekers often give one another lifts so, if you’re coming to Hoswick, it’s worth asking in advance on the Shetland Wool Week Facebook Forum, on the SWW Ravelry thread– or putting a note up in the SWW hub when you arrive in the islands.
Please do get in touch with us if you’d like any advice on planning your visit.
