Hazel Tindall / Shetland Islands

Hazel Tindall grew up in Shetland, surrounded by knitters. She doesn’t remember learning to knit, but she does recall studying the stitches to figure out which was knit and which was purl.

As a teenager, she spent her days hand-knitting Fair Isle yokes for a local business. This taught her a lot about using colours and picking the right patterns. To keep things interesting, she started creating her own patterns, which she often still uses today. While Fair Isle knitting is her first love, Hazel also enjoys knitting lace.

Hazel leads workshops for groups like Arena Travel and Celtic Tours during Shetland Wool Week. She’s also taught at events like Edinburgh Yarn Festival, Loch Ness Knit Fest, and Dornoch Fibre Festival. Hazel loves helping knitters get over their fears, whether it’s cutting their knitting, choosing Fair Isle Colours, or trying out new techniques. She often uses long double-pointed needles and a knitting belt, letting her students join in on the fun too.

The knitters Hazel watched growing up were experts at producing high-quality knitwear quickly, since their families relied on knitting for income. Hazel adopted these skills herself and became the “World’s Fastest Knitter” in 2004. She later defended her title in Minneapolis in 2008.

Knowing that some techniques are better shown on film, Hazel created two knitting DVDs. One focuses on Fair Isle, and the other, made with Elizabeth Johnston, is a collection of useful tips for knitters of all levels. She also writes fun patterns that have been featured in several magazines and books. For more, visit hazeltindall.com