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Davy who works for Schofield, our finishers in Galashiels, often refers to the smaller weavers – of which we are definitely one – as ‘Outlanders’. He is probably unaware that for us, there is a closer connection with the TV series than one might think.

When we first moved to Skye a few years ago we were struggling to get to grips with not just our newly purchased bicycle powered loom but also the many other aspects of running a business. Soon after setting up our website and listing a few items in our shop we received a call from someone representing Outlander Productions requesting information about one of our throws. At that point we had not heard of either the books or the TV version of Outlander.

After sending some samples to someone based in Glasgow, we were delighted to receive an order for three throws. We wondered idly what they could possibly be used for and were curious as to why they wanted the fringes cut off. On asking around we began to hear from people that Outlander was an extremely popular series of books, and that the TV series that was being made could have a big impact on tourism in Scotland. The rest, as they say, is history.

Of course once Outlander became available to watch we were intrigued to see what use our throws had been put to. With a keen eye we closely examined the first series, especially all the various textiles that were used in the production, but could see no sign whatsoever of our throws. Disappointed but perhaps not too surprised, we came to the conclusion that they had not found a suitable scene for them.

Having accepted that they were stored in some post-production hangar we started to watch the second series purely for our own entertainment. For the truly dedicated followers of the series, the scene where dead bodies are bought ashore from a smallpox ravaged ship will be familiar. We let out a whoop of joy and surprise when we saw a dead body being covered up with a familiar looking throw. OK it was dark and perhaps not quite the setting we had hoped for, but for us it was still a moment of significance. For those wishing to check up on our brief moment of fame, we make our appearance in Series Two, Episode One, ‘Through a Glass, Darkly’. Keep your eyes peeled about 50 minutes in.

The throws will never be repeated as the warp was a combination of many colours left over from previous projects. And it was such a long time ago we don’t even have a picture to show you. But as we welcome Series 5 and the familiar theme tune hits our screens once more, we’d like to think that our new ‘Over the Sea’ throws are a fitting acknowledgement of our moment of primetime TV fame.

You can buy our Over the Sea throw and lots of other lovely woven items now in our online shop. If you’re intrigued to have a peek at Outlander Series 5 and don’t subscribe to the right channels, here’s a wee trailer.

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’.

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.