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Fair Isle Straw Crafts
Proprietor Stewart Thomson
Quoy Fair Isle,
Shetland
ZE2 9JU
Tel: 01595 760241 or 760276
 These straw-backed chairs are based on a
traditional Fair Isle design, hand-crafted from selected hard-wood timbers and locally
grown and harvested straw. The base is fully paneled and fitted with
twin drawers, all fastened with wooden trenails. The back is made from Shetland
Oats, grown and thrashed on the Isle. It is stitched in a manner particular to Fair Isle,
thus making it unique.
| Chair sizes: |
- Height - 113 cm
- Width (to outer edges) - 52 cm
- Depth (to outer edges) - 43 cm
- Seat Height - 36 cm
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A child's chair |
Similar to, and probably originally based on Orkney chairs, the Fair Isle chairs have been
made on the island since the middle of last
century, and exported since the beginning
of this one. The design is variable,
depending on the skill of the maker, and on
the amount and quality of wood available.
The chairs made today are based on the
chair my grandfather, Jerome Wilson, made
for his bride in 1908, which is still in
daily use.
 The straw is Shetland Oats, which produce a
fine, long stemmed straw, ideal for working
and which grows very well on Fair Isle.
Because it has almost disappeared in
Shetland, I have to thrash enough seed from
my own crop to plant the following year.
Most of the wood is imported, but there are
a few choice timbers washed ashore and
whenever possible I incorporate pieces into
the chairs. Some wood is still available from
ships wrecked in the past, but this is getting
increasingly rare.
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