Ele and I just got back from the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, where we have spent 4 days demonstrating Crofting Crafts in the rural skills marquee in the countryside arena at the Show. We worked alongside the Galgael Trust. This will be our third year demonstrating at the show. It was great fun but … read more…
This August we are putting on a new course, our 5 day natural dyeing and hand spinning retreat. Natural Dyeing with botanical dyes Participants can spend 2 days in the woods natural dyeing with botanical dyes. We will forage for dye plants and make dyes outside over fires the traditional way. Over two days we … read more…
I have been on my travels over the Easter holidays and I found myself up in beautiful Durness, which is famous for its stunning beaches, including one of my favorites – Balnakiel, as well as it’s craft village. The craft village is the perfect respite from windy or wet weather as it has cafes and … read more…
There are a few places left on next Saturdays’s and Sunday’s felting course; April 22nd-23rd. Come and join us for a lovely weekend of craft. We use our own naturally dyed fleece on our courses, which give beautiful shades of natural colour. Enjoy making a stunning wall hanging inspired by the landscapes around you, as … read more…
Tonight I have been making simple willow circles to take into my daughter’s school tomorrow, so they can have a go at willow weaving. We thought we might try and make simple platters with them. The school has cut green willow which we are going to use for the weaving, but I made the circles … read more…
Fleece to Needle Felt craft week May 20th-27th 2017 Next year we have Fi Oberon joining us in May to teach on one of our courses. Fi will be teaching two days of needle felting at the end of the course. The first half of the week will be spent mostly outdoors; watching a hand-shearing … read more…
We have a wet felting weekend running at the end of this month. Participants will get a chance to learn wet felting and needle felting techniques. We use our own as well as local fleece, which we naturally dye using plant dyes, this makes our courses quite special and unique as most felters use pre-dyed … read more…
We spent a wonderful August bank holiday weekend demonstrating prehistoric cookery techniques at the Thrumpster archaeological festival. Caithness is a wild and wonderful part of the Highlands, so it was quite an adventure camping there for three nights with my family. We spent the first day demonstrating simple cookery techniques to school groups. We made … read more…
Our new craft retreat is running towards the end of September (24th-October 1st). The retreat will combine craft, walking and optional yoga. Guests can enjoy days foraging for dye plants and making natural dye outdoors over fires, eco printing, as well as creating a felted wall hanging inspired by the stunning landscapes around us. We … read more…
I have always found focusing on art and craft has been a brilliant way for me to unwind, concentrating on a project relaxes me and helps me to de-stress; it doesn’t really matter what it is..carding fleece, washing fleece, spinning, wet felting, needle felting or sewing, they all clear my mind. Some of them because … read more…
