Hope all our Blog Friends had a happy Christmas!

Here is Tuppy our ram celebrating in the only way he knows how - a mouthful of hay.



 

And, here is the first picture of my "new" loom from Uist.  Well, bits of it laid out on the floor.  Spent a jolly few hours the other day scraping layers of wool bits off some of the parts.  Sorry the pic is a bit blurry, my hand must have been shaking with the excitement!

 

 

Also, I see that Bramble got in on the act.

 

 

This is my latest warp - a girly pink Harris Tweed one.  Not my favourite colour, but it will be going for doggy coats so no doubt it will look very cute. 

 

We're all looking forward to a good 2013 here at Scalpay Linen.  With the new loom starting to take shape, lambing in April, some more teaching on the horizon, a new season to look forward to and of course the endless speculation as to whether Gandalf is really wearing our linen (it certainly looks like it to us), it could be that 12 months just won't be enough to cram in what we have planned!

 

If anyone is hoping to visit our workshop during the season, we will be open April to September but I will post dates when we know we will not be around. 

 

I am also hoping to be able to organise spinning classes for anyone who might be thinking of handspinning as a way of supplementing their income.  It will probably be in the Stornoway area and probably in the springtime.  So if you're interested, please let me know.

 

 

 

 



     Ever wondered what a cloud in a basket would look like?  Well, here's one!  I managed to catch it as it was going over Scalpay....

 

 

Actually, it's carded mohair from Driftwater Weaves gorgeous Angora goat, Ludi.  Almost too nice to spin, but needs must.  Mohair is so nice, but goodness it does get everywhere. If CSI ever had to come to our house to carry out an investigation, the finger of suspicion would undoubtedly point to a goat!

 

 

Great News for Crofters, Weavers and Knitters

     Well, part of the reason I have been so mouse-quiet over the past few weeks is that I have been holding my breath because the powers that be (Leader) have been deciding the future funding for the very exciting Uist Woollen Mill project.  I am here today, rather puffed out, to joyfully announce that the funding has been granted and that it's FULL STEAM AHEAD!  As far as I know all the funding is in place, we began with a taster training course for wool-work a couple of weeks ago which was over-subscribed and great fun for us all; the machinery has been sourced and is waiting to be moved, and now the funding for the building is confirmed. 

     So it's celebration time just now and a chance to thank our funding sourcer Dana for all her hard work, tenacity and determination over the past few years, also to Mary for her great input to the project and all the committee past and present who kept the faith and kept pushing forward regardless.  We love you all!
     Haven't got a picture of what the mill will look like yet, but for now here is a picture of a token sheep and lamb -

...because, when all is considered, this is what it's all about.

Now I'm going to lie down in a darkened room for a while with a wet flannel over my eyes because the excitement is getting to me and there is a risk that I might go over the top.  And we don't want that!

Quack Olympic Hopes!

Q.  What could be more exciting than the arrival of the Olympic flame on the Isle of Lewis next month? 
A.  The arrival of the GB Junior Synchronised Swimming Team on Croft 37 this morning!
Aren't they cute?  They are all wearing the same uniform, so that's a good start.
Their trainer, Mrs Duck is keeping a close eye on their freestyle!

What makes a summer?

According to the old saying - "One Swallow Doesn't Make a Summer".  This little chap zoomed into the loomshed this morning at speed and nearly knocked himself out on the window.  Don't know who was more surprised, me or the swallow.

I do hope there is another one around so we will get summer this year.  This morning was very nice but now it's raining again.



Having never seen a swallow at such close range before I was just amazed at it's beautiful iridescent plumage.  After he had had a bit of a sit down to recover, we said goodbye and he winged it over the hills.  However, later on he was back sitting on the phone wires nearby.  Hope Mrs Swallow isn't going to keep him waiting too long!

Clerkenwell Design Week

Clerkenwell Design Week starts tomorrow!  This year Scottish Textiles with Weber Shandwick are taking a selection of interior textiles all manufactured in Scotland.  Though we won't be there in person, Scalpay Linen will be exhibiting a small range of our cloth - some of it so new that this is the first time it's been allowed out on it's own!

Scalpay Community Shop

Great News!  Buth Scalpaigh, the Scalpay Community Shop will be opening for business at 1 pm today.    The cafe will open on Monday, but for now, here's a preview of the Scalpay Linen curtains which we designed and wove specially for this very special project.

The door curtain is above, and the window curtains are below.  We are very pleased with the results.  Thanks to Karen for colour selection, to Ann for her sewing skills, David for the photography and to Harris Tweed Hebrides, Shawbost, for finishing the cloth for us in super-quick time.

The shop is going to be a great asset to the community  and I, for one, will be using it regularly!