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Think of Scotland and what do you think of? Whisky? Bagpipes? Highland cows? We certainly have our fair share of iconic symbols, sometimes bordering on the cliché. But one stands out above them all: tartan.

Thousands of tartan designs exist, with more and more added each year to the official Scottish Register of Tartans. Some of these are clan tartans, others general tartan patterns. We don’t weave clan tartans ourselves but we have developed our own patterns – such as the Glendale Check Tweed – and this summer we decided to start working on a new one. It’s given us a great excuse to delve into tartan’s fascinating history.

Tartan’s chequered history

So what is tartan? Basically it’s a cloth that’s woven in alternating coloured bands in warp and weft, creating a checked pattern called a ‘sett’. At its most basic the pattern is just two colours, as in the Rob Roy or Buffalo check which uses just red and black. But tartans can also be very complex.

Archaeologists found Scotland’s oldest surviving tartan in Falkirk, stuffed in an old jar of Roman coins. Dating to about AD 230, it’s made from undyed wool from brown and white sheep. At this time people would also have used plant and insect dyes.

Fast forward to the 16th century and the typical Highlander costume was a ‘plaid’ – a versatile piece of patterned woollen cloth that could be used both as a garment and as bedding. This outfit became synonymous with the Highland clan warrior. After the Jacobite defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the British government banned tartan for over 30 years.

The exception to this ban was in the military. The new British Highland Regiments helped fuel tartan’s growing popularity. This erupted into full-blown ‘tartanmania’ following King George IV’s visit to Edinburgh in 1822, when Sir Walter Scott organised a Highland-themed pageant. Books full of romantic images, too, fired people’s imaginations. These illustrations from RR McIan’s ‘The Clans of the Scottish Highlands’ sum up the general mood.

The tartan craze continued through the 19th century. Queen Victoria was a big fan: she and Prince Albert decorated their new Highland residence at Balmoral in floor to ceiling tartan. And as Scotland became a popular destination for Victorian tourists, tartan began to appear on everything from snuff boxes to shortbread tins. It was the birth of the tartan souvenir  – and where would we be without that today?

Clan tartans

The concept of a ‘clan tartan’ is actually relatively new. Traditionally, different patterns would have been popular in different areas but they weren’t necessarily specific to one clan. Commercial tartan weavers, though, found that it was a good marketing technique to give patterns a clan name. Two brothers, the ‘Sobieski Stuarts’, were also influential. Their 1842 book, ‘Vestiarium Scotium’, claimed to be a 16th century encyclopedia of clan tartans. Shame they were being somewhat economical with the truth.

Since Victorian times a whole etiquette has developed around tartan-wearing. The array of patterns can be bewildering, too. Most clan tartans have different colour palette variants: Ancient, Modern, Hunting, Dress and Weathered. The Scottish Tartans Authority has a wealth of information about the ins and outs of tartan wearing. However, we like the advice given by the Scottish Register of Tartans: ‘There are no laws about which tartan you may wear, just traditions, so choose a design that you like and wear it with pride!’

Our tartan designs

We’ve designed our new tartan for use in lightweight wraps rather than tweed fabric. We started by working on the dimensions of the stripes that form the sett, trying out lots of different options on the computer. Once we’d settled on a design, we looked through our inspiration gallery of photos we take when we’re out walking. We decided to weave the pattern in three different colourways, all of them closely connected to Skye.

We’re currently weaving the wraps and they’ll be ready for Christmas – sign up to the newsletter to know when they hit the online shop.

Meanwhile if you’re interested in the symbols of Scotland and how they came about there’s a wonderful exhibition at Edinburgh’s National Museum of Scotland. Wild and Majestic: Romantic Visions of Scotland is on until 10 November – don’t miss!

This year has marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Bauhaus. The groundbreaking art and design school lasted less than two decades but its influence was immense. Among the many exhibitions and events marking the centenary, it’s been particularly good to see a focus on the achievements of the textiles workshop. We’ve even been inspired to push the boundaries ourselves with our own Bauhaus-influenced design. More on that later.

We were lucky enough to visit two inspirational exhibitions as part of the centenary celebrations: Anni Albers at Tate Modern, London; and Bauhaus: Textiles & Graphics at the Chemnitz Kunstsammlungen (Art Collections) in Germany.

Anni Albers (1899-1994) was initially a reluctant weaver, and joined the textiles workshop only because it was one of the few options for women at that time. But she went on to embrace the medium enthusiastically, applying ideas from modern art to create innovative ‘pictorial weavings’, wall hangings and textiles. Moving to the USA in 1933, she taught at the experimental Black Mountain College and wrote extensively about weaving and design.

In the exhibition, we loved her abstract geometric patterns, her bold use of colour in surprising combinations, and the way she combines different textures and materials. As weavers we found it especially interesting to see how her ideas developed from sketches to finished product.

During the Bauhaus centenary year it’s been satisfying to see female artists start to get the recognition they deserve. The exhibition at Chemnitz Kunstsammlungen focused especially on the achievements of the textile workshop, largely the preserve of women, which became one of the Bauhaus’s most successful workshops. It was a privilege to get up close to wall hangings, rugs and other textiles by distinguished artists such as Benita Koch-Otte, Otti Berger and Gertrud Arndt.

Back in the workshop on Skye, we started on our own Bauhaus-inspired experiments. Working on the small sample loom we played around with different geometric patterns and textures. For us the challenge (which we enjoy!) is to not only come up with a beautiful design but to translate it into something that can be made into a physical reality on our equipment. For example, much of Anni Albers’s work is hand manipulated, whereas we need to create a pattern that can be woven on a 16 pick repeat. (Our dream is to get a dobby for our looms, which would allow much longer repeats.) That means we have to put any weave structure variations into the warp, and colour variations in the weft. Weaving these scarves was somewhat nerve-wracking because we didn’t know if our experiments would be successful: we were particularly worried about the warp tensions. However the different textures came out really strongly and we’re delighted with the result.

Here is a short video of us weaving the scarves.

There’s still lots going on for the Bauhaus Centenary – find out more on the Bauhaus100 website. If like us you’ve been inspired by Anni Albers, you’ll enjoy this short film from Tate Modern: ‘How to Weave Like Anni Albers’.

Spring is a time of new beginnings. A time to dust away winter cobwebs, open the windows – and freshen up the furnishings.

While a well-known Swedish furniture store once told us to ‘chuck out the chintz’, we don’t want to throw everything out each year. Not least because it goes against our philosophy of having things that are long lasting. So how can you give your home a makeover without costing the earth?

For this month’s blog we’re taking a peek inside two of Skye’s most stylish home interiors. We asked the creative brains behind them about their inspiration and design tips.

The Black Shed

Blair Hunter-Davies is a designer, photographer and stylist with an impressive portfolio in both interiors and fashion. We’re lucky to have collaborated with her over many years. We love her fresh, contemporary interior design style, exemplified in the architect-designed holiday house that she created on her Skye croft: The Black Shed.

How would you describe your design approach?

I love clean, cool lines and I’m a great believer in the less is more mantra. I like to stick to a palette of neutrals for the basics, but it’s important to avoid being too bland. I use accessories to inject a pop of colour and personality – and it’s a great way to keep things looking fresh.

Minimising impact on the environment is really important for me, too. The Black Shed is very ‘eco’ inspired, but in a subtle way. For the Black Shed we chose vintage furniture and even a recycled WC cistern – it’s a way of not buying new things unnecessarily. The wooden walls mean we won’t need to keep redecorating, too, making them very low maintenance. When sourcing objects I always take care to avoid plastic materials as well.

What are your top design tips?

Choose the best quality natural materials you can afford, and use them as your core ‘palette’. But don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Experiment with different colours and textures, vintage pieces, found objects – mix and match to find your own style. Seek out functional, tactile furnishings that you will enjoy and cherish for a long time.

 

The Spoons

On Skye’s north-east coast, Marie Lewis runs The Spoons – a luxury self-catering in a private wing of her loch side home. Trained as an artist and now working as a producer for Skye arts promoters SEALL, Marie brings style and creative flair to everything she does.

How would you describe your design approach?

I like to use a neutral background to showcase fabrics and artworks that reflect the textures, light and colours around us.

At The Spoons we tried to create a cosy, comfortable ‘home from home’ imbued with the essence of Skye. We wanted a light filled space where, on a good day, you can open it up and let the sunshine pour in, but likewise when it is blowing a gale you can batten down the hatches and coorie up inside by the fire. I love to mix new and vintage: it creates character and I think this gives a familiarity to a room, making you feel at home and comfortable. I want our guests to feel that the space is beautiful but not intimidating.

What are your top design tips?

I think it’s important to spend time in a room before you make any final decisions – to observe the light and colour and the changing seasons and not rush out and buy everything at once. When planning a room I tend to choose one object or painting or a sample of fabric, and I use that one thing to inform how the interior evolves.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make your space cosy and interesting. We are avid collectors of rejected chairs and sofas that most folk would see as only fit for the bin! It’s also very special if a piece tells a story – we found some 1930s cinema chairs in a reclamation yard and it turned out they are from the cinema in Campbeltown where my dad went to watch films as a boy.

Being aware of texture and colour in choosing your fabrics and objects is really important. We chose to mix up floral Liberty fabrics with Skye Weavers and Johnstons of Elgin tweed and the result is stunning. The vibrancy of the prints and the texture of the tweeds work so well together and bring the outside in – reflecting the surrounding hillside, water and sky. 

Living on Skye, surrounded by nature it was important for us to be informed by this and so we have used the natural landscape as our source of inspiration for our palette.

 
Feeling inspired? Why not visit our online shop to see our range of home furnishings, as well as tweeds to create your own upholstery projects.

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.

There’s lots we love about our work at Skye Weavers. But one of the most satisfying things must be when a roll of tweed comes back from the finishers. Especially when it’s a new design.

So it was very exciting to take delivery of three new tweeds this week – more on that later. It got us talking about what makes tweed so special. It’s warm, natural and hardwearing of course, as well as extremely versatile. But what is tweed exactly?

A bit of tweed history

Collins Dictionary defines tweed simply as ‘a thick woollen cloth, often woven from different coloured threads’. It’s said that the name originates in a 19th century misunderstanding. A manufacturer in the Scottish Borders sent some samples of ‘tweel’ (Scots for twill) fabric to a London merchant, who mis-read the word as ‘tweed’. Perhaps he was thinking of the River Tweed – but whatever the reason, a fortuitous rebranding was born.

People in the Scottish islands had been weaving woollen fabric at home for their own use for centuries. But it was much further south, in the Borders, that the tweed manufacturing industry developed during the 18th century Industrial Revolution. The English well-to-do started to discover this hardwearing fabric on their hunting trips to Scotland. And when in 1848 Prince Albert designed a tweed exclusively for the Royal family’s Balmoral Estate, the fashion really took off. Aristocratic estate owners began designing their own ‘Estate tweeds’, often introducing blended colours for camouflage.

The most famous of all tweeds is of course Harris Tweed. The iconic cloth originated in the mid-19th century after Harris landowner Lady Dunmore had her family tartan made in tweed by local weavers. Recognising its potential she helped promote it in London, where it became much sought after. In 1909 the Board of Trade granted Harris Tweed protected status to save it from imitations and ensure consistent standards. The cloth’s authenticity is today guaranteed by the Harris Tweed Authority, established in 1993 by Act of Parliament, which ensures that only genuine Harris Tweed can be stamped with the distinctive Orb trademark.

Today there are around 170 Harris Tweed weavers, who work in their own homes across the Outer Hebrides. They use manually powered looms, either the treadle-powered Hattersley or the more modern double-width pedal-powered Bonas-Griffith. Together they produce over a million metres of cloth a year. At Skye Weavers we use Bonas-Griffith looms too, but we don’t produce tweed in quite that quantity!

Tweed with a twist

We also differ from Harris Tweed weavers in that we’ve modified our looms so that, besides tweed, we can weave scarves, throws, shawls and different types of cloth. We love to experiment and push our equipment – and our imagination – to the limits.

For our new tweed we’ve taken two of our favourite patterns, windowpane and diamond twill, and introduced some punchy new colours. While we love natural shades and earthy tweeds, it’s great sometimes to have a more vibrant palette. For the diamond twill we used a bright pink and turquoise weft (horizontal) yarn with specks of other colours.

In coming weeks we’ll be making these tweeds into soft furnishings, accessories and garments – watch this space. Meanwhile you can buy it by the metre for your own projects. Just as we’re inspired to invent new patterns we hope our tweeds will inspire you too. We love to hear what people have made with our tweed. Share your ideas and designs with us on Facebook and Instagram – and don’t forget to tag us @skyeweavers.

Visit our online shop to check out our current range of tweeds.