Summer seems a long way away as we snuggle up for the winter under our Skye Wool blankets. We haven’t forgotten that back in August we promised to write a blog about the annual clip (shearing) and fleece sorting – the essential first step in creating all our local wool products. That wool has now been washed and will move on to be spun soon, so it’s nice to look back at where it all came from.

This year we sorted a record 2300 kilos of fleece. That’s a lot of tweed and throws. Much of our Skye wool comes from the Glendale Estate and nearby Uiginish Farm. We’re also very happy to work with local crofter Adrian, whose sheep graze the hills right outside our gate. You can’t get much more locally sourced than that – and it gives us great satisfaction to know exactly where our wool comes from. We love the fact that we can look out of the window and see our woolly suppliers growing next year’s raw material.

As well as our three main suppliers, we also buy fleeces from about a dozen small producers spread out all over the island.

If you’ve ever tried to clip (shear) a sheep you’ll know it’s a tough and highly skilled job. We’re privileged to be able to watch these guys in action (and it has always been guys, though there must be some female clippers out there), admiring their skill, care and endurance. Somebody once told us it’s like a dance with a sheep. Both sheep and shearer are in constant motion and every movement has been practised thousands of times.

The clip is always so busy it’s tricky to find time to take photos. We did manage a few this summer, though, and hope they capture some of the atmosphere of this important part of the farming – and weaving – year. We’ve made a little video at the end, too.

After the sheep are gathered off the hill they are moved into the fank (handling pen) or shed ready for the clip. The sheep in the pictures below belong to our Glendale neighbour Adrian.

The shearers usually come with a trailer that holds all the shearing equipment. They may have to drive for a couple of hours before their long shearing day begins. On a busy day they might shear 200 or more sheep, and economy of movement is crucial.

Sometimes shearing takes place inside a big shed. This is the Glendale Estate clip.

The shearers aren’t the only ones who have to work quickly. We sort through each fleece personally to select the best wool to be spun into yarn.

Once all the clipping’s done the sheep can enjoy their new fleece-free freedom.

We store the graded wool in the Glendale Estate’s shed before sending it off to be spun into yarn. We don’t have a local spinning mill, so our wool goes off to Yorkshire to be first washed (scoured) and then spun by long-established family firm Lightowlers Yarns. It’s always an exciting moment when our Skye wool arrives back with us on the island.

If you’d like to see what we make with this wonderful yarn take a look at the Skye Wool pages of our online shop. Products made from last year’s Skye Wool are nearly all gone now, but there will be more coming in the spring!

All our Skye Wool has a story behind it – and if you come to Glendale you’ll see much of next year’s fleece grazing in the glen. But this story is a bit special. It’s the tale of the amazing Maisie, who survived and thrived against the odds after she was fostered by our colleague Angie.

Maisie came into Angie’s life in March last year when she was just one day old. She’d been found by a walker on the edge of Loch Mhòr near Neist Point, and her mum was nowhere to be seen. The flock belongs to local farmer Sam, who didn’t think she would survive – one of her ears was flopping down, which is a sign that a lamb is very poorly. But Sam also knew that if anyone could bring this abandoned creature back from the brink it would be his neighbour Angie. For as well as being a talented artist and Skye Weavers needlewoman, Angie has a knack with ailing animals.

Angie took her in, creating a cosy home in the kitchen next to the heater in a re-purposed dog carrier. For the next four weeks she hand-reared Maisie, bottle-feeding her with lamb milk formula until she was strong enough to move out into the garden. “At the beginning it was touch and go whether she would survive,” says Angie. “Looking after a small lamb is pretty exhausting – they have such small stomachs they need feeding about every four hours. So it was a round the clock exercise at first.”

Once Maisie was ready to go outdoors she rapidly gained in strength. She soon became firm friends with the resident chickens as well as Rockie the dog and Alfie the cat. “Maisie loved coming on walks with me and Rockie,” says Angie. “She would happily trot along beside us on our daily rambles up the glen. She soon became part of the animal family and would bound up to greet me outside the door when I came in from work.”

But it was never the intention that Maisie would be a permanent pet, so eventually it was time to move in with the rest of Sam’s flock. A little over-friendliness ensued, however, as earlier this year it became evident that Maisie was going to have a lamb of her own. “Ewes don’t normally have their first lamb until two years old,” says Angie, “so I was very worried about this ‘teenage pregnancy’. However she was so big and healthy by this time that I’m pleased to say both mother and lamb did absolutely fine.” Maisie gave birth in April, and Angie and Sam are making sure that the new lamb is fully integrated into the flock. No names or bottle feeding for this girl!

But Maisie will always be a bit special. And when it came to clipping (shearing) time this summer, Maisie wasn’t going to be just one of the flock – Sam gave her a special taxi ride in his trailer. She repaid the favour by yielding us a cracking 2.2kg of fleece.

So if you buy one of our Skye Wool products next year there may well be a little bit of Maisie’s fleece in your throw, tweed or scarf. If you’d like to know when the new Skye Wool collection arrives, just sign up to our newsletter.

And if you’d like to see what else the talented animal rescuer Angie gets up to, pop down to the Glendale craft market (every Tuesday in the Community Hall) or have a look at her lovely online shop, Art at Eight.

This Valentine’s Day, a romantic getaway will be just a dream for most of us. But one thing’s for sure – when it comes to dream destinations, Skye is top of the list for many loved-up couples. So much so that our island has become something of a mecca for those wanting to tie the knot.

Skye wedding photographer Lynne Kennedy is someone who knows more about this than most. We’re big fans of Lynne’s evocative and intimate photos in stunning settings. So we asked her if she would share with us some of her secrets from behind the lens.

SW: More and more people are choosing Skye as a wedding destination. Why do you think so many couples fall in love with our island?

LK: Skye has always been a romantic and magical place. But social media has undoubtedly played a big part in its recent surge in popularity. On Instagram and Facebook, people see beautiful photographs of couples getting married outside in these epic landscapes, and it has a big impact. There’s another reason too: getting married in Scotland is not difficult, and you can do it pretty much wherever you want. So people who live in countries where the only choices are a church or a government office do find the Scottish option quite refreshing.

SW: You specialise in ‘elopements’. For those of us more accustomed to traditional weddings, what is an elopement exactly?

LK: In years gone by, couples eloped from England to Gretna Green (the first town across the Scottish border) when they were otherwise not allowed to marry. If they were too young or the parents did not approve of the marriage, they did it in secret and ‘eloped’.

These days, while there are many couples who do keep it secret, others just want to keep it small. They do inform their parents or family and just say, ‘Look, we don’t want a big wedding for whatever reason, so we’re going to elope, just the two of us.’

A true elopement is just two people with strangers as witnesses – usually that’s the photographer and perhaps a piper. But sometimes a couple will bring some friends or their parents as witnesses, or they may want their immediate family to be there. So in the wedding industry, we now use the word ‘elopement’ for anything up to around 10 people. After that, when you have say 10 to 20 or 30 people, it would probably be called an intimate wedding. And last year, as a result of Covid, people coined a new term: micro wedding.

Elopements are very intimate. The whole focus is just on you and your partner, and you don’t have to worry about anyone or anything else. You can be 100% present in the moment, with no distractions.

SW: All your work is outdoors. What are the challenges of working in the Scottish weather?

LK: The weather is definitely the biggest challenge of being an elopement photographer and the most used app on my phone is the XC Weather app! On occasion, we have moved a ceremony from morning to afternoon, or vice versa, if the weather isn’t looking great for the planned time. On very rare occasions we’ve moved the ceremony to the day before or after, but that is in extreme circumstances. Most of the time you just have to go with the flow. And if a couple is choosing Skye or the Scottish Highlands in general, they are usually very aware that the weather could turn a little wet and windy.

From a photography point of view, unless it’s seriously torrential rain, you can still shoot. Indeed some slightly rainy and windy shots can be great for adding drama. Another challenge, believe it or not, is full sun. As you are outside, there is no hiding from it and the sun can cause issues with harsh shadows. So I normally prefer to shoot earlier or later in the day – which has the added bonus that there are usually fewer people around. To be honest, if I had to choose one or the other, it would be for an overcast day rather than a sunny day!

SW: You’ve been photographing weddings and elopements for almost 14 years. Any unusual requests in that time?

LK: Nothing too bizarre but I’ve had a cat as a bridesmaid, and lots of dogs as ringbearers. And recently, in Elgol, a lively little horse decided to join in the ceremony!

SW: And finally, do you have a favourite Skye wedding location?

LK: Yes, I do – and it’s somewhere that so far has remained very quiet so I’m not going to say where it is! But to be honest, pretty much everywhere on Skye is going to guarantee a great picture. Sometimes you’ll just be driving along the road from one part of the island to another and the light becomes spectacular. So you get out and do a picture right at the side of the road, and the light at that particular time just makes it a wonderful shot.

Check out Lynne’s beautiful website for more stunning Skye weddings captured on camera. And if you’re planning your own special day, you might just find that our Skye Wedding Shawl comes in handy – wherever you choose to tie the knot!

From front-garden singing to TV life drawing, the current crisis seems to have sparked a (home-based) creative renaissance. And many people have been channelling creative energies into sewing projects. Restricted shopping opportunities give us all another reason for dusting down the sewing machine – whether making something from scratch or giving older items a new lease of life. So this month’s blog is dedicated to … the joys of making and mending.

Getting started
If you’re new to sewing or a bit out of practice, we suggest you don’t leap into creating a tailored jacket straight away! Have a start with something relatively simple that doesn’t need any lining or fitting. A purse, tea cosy, cushion cover – these are all good to begin with and have the bonus of not needing a lot of fabric. And of course we would highly recommend the wonder-fabric, tweed. Here we’re making cushions with Plaited Twill Wine.

There are plenty of instructions online. The BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee has some great little videos, and the Women’s Institute has produced some how-to films specially for lockdown. If you’re nervous about making mistakes why not do a dummy run with a discarded sheet or other old fabric.

Scale it up
Feeling a bit more ambitious? Curtains are one of the most popular things people make with our tweed. They are actually surprisingly easy once you get your head around dealing with so much fabric. They work equally well lined or unlined, and with any kind of heading. For extra warmth you can even use thermal interlining – learn how to in this National Trust video.

We love seeing what other people have created with our fabric. This Skye couple used our herringbone tweed to create thermally lined divider curtains in a draughty house – and also give a new lease of life to some 1970s chairs.

On a practical note in regards to upholstery – we’ve put representative samples of our tweeds through the industry-standard Martindale Abrasion Test and they are all suitable for ‘heavy domestic use’ upholstery. The only one we wouldn’t recommend for upholstery is our Brushed Tweed, as with wear it would lose its brushed finish. The brushed tweeds are a favourite for curtains or soft furnishings such as cushions.

Tweed is a great fabric for clothing projects too. Our fabric lends itself to trousers, jackets, waistcoats and more. Here are some more pictures from our creative customers.

You can find some excellent patterns online. As well as established makes like Burda there are a number of independent pattern makers springing up such as Alice & Co (we think their ‘Copenhagen Coat’ would look great in tweed).

Making it last
Today we are all starting to question our society’s throwaway culture; there’s a definite move towards buying things that will last, and towards sharing and handing down. And for fashion, that means rediscovering the art of mending. You know something has entered the Zeitgeist when Scotland’s design museum, the V&A Dundee, is on to it. Check out their Sewing Box for the Future web page where you can download ‘recipe cards’ on darning and other repair tasks and find out how to customise your own garments. You’ll find some good advice on the Fashion Revolution website too – from how to sew on a button to how to refresh your wardrobe.

Mending has actually become an art form in itself. Witness the new trend for ‘visible mending’ – making rips and mistakes beautiful. Scottish knitwear designer Flora Collingwood-Norris is something of a visible mending guru and runs online tutorials on the subject; here are a couple of her creations.

If you’re feeling inspired why not take a visit to our online shop where you can order samples of all our tweeds. We’re also now selling a pack of three matching tweeds suitable for cushions, so you can mix and match. We hope you enjoy getting creative – and don’t forget to share with us online!

It’s still January. It’s dark and cold outside. We reckon there’s nothing else for it but to curl up by the fire with a cup of tea (or something stronger), under the comforting warmth of a Skye Weavers throw. It’s definitely time, as the Scots say, to ‘coorie in’.

‘Coorie’ is such an evocative word. Traditionally it’s always meant cuddling up or snuggling in but today it’s becoming something of a lifestyle trend – the Scottish equivalent of the Danish Hygge. There’s even a bestselling book on the subject: The Art of Coorie: How to Live Happy The Scottish Way. Intrigued, we tracked down the author, Glasgow-based journalist Gabriella Bennett, to find out more.

SW: So Gabriella, how would you describe the new ‘coorie’?

GB: About two years ago I interviewed an interior designer whose clients had asked him for a ‘coorie’ living room. They wanted the space to be cosy but also reflect Scotland’s textile heritage, using contemporary tweeds and so on. When I put this new usage to other Scottish makers and designers they seemed excited. They, too, wanted to use it to describe their work – rooted in our oldest customs but also updated for modern times. It was clear this new notion of coorie can be applied to the distinct way we do things in Scotland.

In essence, coorie is about learning to live better using what is around you. It’s about drawing comfort from Scotland’s oldest traditions and updating them for modern times. It’s also about looking at how we consume and spend our leisure time, and trying to simplify the processes involved. A coorie way of life practises small, quiet, slow activities by engaging with our surroundings to feel happy.

SW: Your book seems to have struck a chord – it’s a Waterstones bestseller and has already been translated to French and Russian! Why do you think that is?

GB: In a tech-obsessed world it’s easy to forget where we’ve come from – both on a micro and macro level. Learning more about the world on our doorstep, whether historical, natural or otherwise, helps us to figure out our own identities too. Coorie isn’t about spending money; it’s about getting the most out of life by doing the opposite – by drawing energy from landscapes and people.

SW: So how can we all adopt a coorie lifestyle?

GB: There’s no single way of living in Scotland since we’re a nation made up of a diverse bunch of people. But recently there’s been a growing demand to move towards a slower, more considered way of being, one that champions local producers where possible. The health benefits of communing with nature are also something people are tuning into. Climbing Munros, swimming in lochs or just ambling around your local park are all ways to do this. Harvest pine needles to flavour food and drinks, smoke your own food with a DIY smoker, or learn how to knit a Fair Isle sweater. A Scottish wool blanket, my comfiest hiking boots and my wetsuit: a balance of cosy and outdoorsy.

SW: You travelled all over Scotland to research the book. Tell us about some of your favourite coorie moments.

GB: When we did The Art of Coorie photoshoot at the Inshriach estate I stayed in the estate’s big house with friends the night before. There was whisky taken, a wolfhound at our feet, traditional Scottish music on the stereo, a roaring fire … that felt pretty coorie. I also love any moment that involves outdoor swimming. Though I have to say that I think I’ve had my fill of icy wild swims now. Bring on the spring and summer.

SW: What’s next – what’s the future for coorie?

GB: Continuing to practise the coorie code – slowing down, using our hands, getting outside, collaborating with others.

Check out Gabriella’s book for some great inspiration on following the ‘coorie code’ – whether you’re into travel or textiles, food or furnishings. We’ll leave the last word to BBC TV personality Neil Oliver (presenter of ‘Coast’ and ‘A History of Scotland’): ‘Coorie is good for the heart and soul’.

The Isle of Skye is home to a vibrant creative community of artists, designers and makers, and we love to collaborate when we can. So we were delighted when we were invited to take part in a joint textile art and weaving exhibition at Aros, the cultural centre in Skye’s capital Portree.

All four of us taking part are very different, but share a passion for weaving and deep connection to the landscape around us. To celebrate the opening of the exhibition on 4 March, we asked those taking part to give us an insight into their working methods and inspiration.

Maggie Williams is a hand weaver who lives and works on a windswept croft at Ellishadder, on Skye’s stunning north-east coast. “I take my inspiration from my surroundings,” says Maggie. “The play of light on inky seas, the ever-changing weather, lichen encrusted rock, the delicate tapestry of wildflowers on machair, undulating lines of ancient lazy beds, or the stark beauty of the rugged landscape – all these influences can be found in my designs.”

Maggie weaves on a 16 shaft dobby loom using high quality natural fibres, predominantly merino and lambswool. She adds: “By using traditional time-honoured skills and craftsmanship, I aim to create timeless, heirloom quality pieces, produced in a sustainable and ethically responsible manner.” As well as weaving Maggie runs the Ellishadder Gallery and Tearoom, where you can find her work alongside that of other Skye artists and makers.

Chris Leighton started weaving almost by accident. “I began when I inherited a loom and some wool,” he explains. “I was drawn to tapestry weaving, and now use this method in all my work. I’ve taken ideas from Turkish rugs and kilims, and later from weaving I saw in Bulgaria which led me to new techniques.” He adds: “I’ve also been involved in a quilting group that meets regularly in Portree. That inspired me to interpret patchwork into weaving with additional embellishments and by adapting the warp.”

Chris weaves using a rigid heddle loom. ‘It’s versatile, easy to dress and portable,” he says. “It’s quite old and has become warped – no pun intended – but I’ve got quite used to it so I’ll be sticking with it for the foreseeable future.”

Caroline Dear is an artist who trained as an architect. Living in Skye since 1986, she has exhibited internationally and received numerous awards. “I like responding to particular landscapes and habitats, and make work which highlights our changing relationship with the natural world,” says Caroline. “I am interested in structures made using plants and traditional techniques. I use simple early techniques such as rope making and looping to create cloth like pieces. I am excited by the transformation of, say, grass, from thin small loose stems into a loose flexible structure with an individual character, strength and atmosphere.”

You can see a gallery of Caroline’s work and find out more on her website.

For us at Skye Weavers, the land and landscape are both a source of inspiration and raw material. From seashore to mountain top, the colours and textures of our surroundings all make their way into our designs. We’re particularly proud of our Skye Wool range, which is made entirely from wool from local farmers and crofters. Whether it’s throws or scarves, baby blankets or lengths of tweed, we hope that those who buy our woven products will take with them a tangible connection to our very special island.

We weave on a bicycle pedal-powered loom in a small weaving shed next to our old croft house. We use a double-width Bonas-Griffith rapier loom, similar to those used by Harris Tweed weavers but adapted by us to create a wider range of fabrics. Find out about the journey from sheep to tweed on our story page.

The exhibition continues until 29 March and is free to enter. To find out about many of the other artists and creatives on Skye visit the Art Skye website.

While the rest of us were taking down the Christmas tree and planning our Veganuary menus (you weren’t?), the country’s dedicated style-setters had other things on their mind. Because the first week of January is also London Fashion Week Men’s – the bi-annual menswear showcase that reveals what’s going to be hot next season.

And the big news – caps are on the catwalk. One leading label presented an entire collection inspired by Peaky Blinders, the cult BBC drama about peaked flat-cap wearing gangsters. Style-watchers at GQ report that David Beckham, no less, is a big flat cap fan. And as British Fashion Council ambassadorial president, Beckham should know a thing or two. We’re sure he would love our own version of the classic eight-piece design, made naturally from 100% pure new wool Skye Weavers tweed.

Our own caps are sewn for us by traditional British company Olney Headwear. The firm has been making hats and caps for more than 100 years and is owned by the fourth generation of the Olney family. They are based in the Bedfordshire town of Luton, the centre of UK hat making for nearly three centuries. Making headwear is a skilled and specialised business, and we wanted to choose the very best professionals to work with. We were really impressed by Olney’s craftsmanship and eye for detail when we went to visit them.

All this got us looking into the history of the cap. We call ours a baker boy but the eight-piece is known by various other monikers including the newsboy, paperboy, cheese-cutter, Gatsby, Irish and cabbie cap, as well as the peaky blinder. The cap might be a modern classic but it’s been around for hundreds of years. It’s said that caps derived from the Scots bonnets and the flat caps worn by Irish farmers in the 14th century. Mass immigration to North America in the 19th and early 20th centuries helped popularise the cap in the USA. In Britain it became part of the working man’s uniform but was also adopted by the aristocracy for hunting and shooting on their country estates. And it seems the cap also came in handy in the days before motorcycle helmets!

In our more gender fluid age, our tweed caps are great for both men and women. Fully lined with a curved peak brim, they’re available in Moss Check or Silver Birch. Check them out in our online shop.