Sheila McGregor

Sheila McGregor is a Scottish fibre artist, author, and historian who published The Complete Book of Traditional Scandinavian Knitting and The Complete Book of Traditional Fair Isle Knitting.

Career
McGregor started working on The Complete Book of Traditional Fair Isle Knitting in the mid-1970s, motivated by her concern over changes to Scottish traditions caused by the oil industry. She travelled to the Shetland Isles and other remote places in Scotland to visit knitters, and studied pieces of historic knitting in private collections and museums across Shetland, elsewhere in Scotland, and in London. In her book, she attempts to debunk many of the romantic stories surrounding the traditions of Shetland knitting, seeking to provide a more accurate history.

She became interested in Scandinavian knitting in 1955 after discovering a jersey in a Copenhagen shop. Despite being a poor student and unable to purchase it, she bought a knitting pattern and recreated the style herself. For her book "The Complete Book of Traditional Scandinavian Knitting," she journeyed to Scandinavia, engaging with local knitters and examining traditional knitted items in various museums and collections. In this book, she illustrates how the Scandinavian tradition is connected to the Shetland Tradition.

The Scotsman said in 1983 that Traditional Knitting "discards many of the myths surrounding this craft ... [and] gives a stimulating insight into the key influences in folk knitting around the world".

In 2014, McGregor donated some of her research to the Shetland Museum. The collection is open to researchers by appointment.

Personal life
McGregor lives in Edinburgh and was Chairman of Council at the Clan Gregor Society.

Published works

 * McGregor, Sheila (1981). The Complete Book of Traditional Fair Isle Knitting London: Batsford. ISBN 978-0713414325
 * McGregor, Sheila (1984). The Complete Book of Traditional Scandinavian Knitting London: Batsford. ISBN 978-0312156381
 * McGregor, Sheila (2003). Traditional Fair Isle Knitting (revised edition of former publication) Dover Publications Inc ISBN 978-0486431079
 * McGregor, Sheila (2004). Traditional Scandinavian Knitting (revised edition of former publication) Dover Publications Inc ISBN 978-0486433004