Good morning! I thought you might like to see a short film Tom shot at Malin Head last week. I really hope you like it! One of our hopes for this year’s club was to be able to introduce you to the Scottish landscape which inspired my collection – and with that aim Tom has… Read More
We were in Ireland last week, to see our new tweed yarn being spun by our friends at Donegal Yarns (much more of which soon!). It’s been a while since we were in Ireland, and it was lovely to revisit a few of our favourite spots, including Malin Head. It has changed a wee bit… Read More
I’ve been thinking about pleats for a little while now. The heat-set pleats that have been a familiar feature of Issey Miyake’s “Pleats Please” brand . . . (Issy Miyake, “Pleats, Please” in Dazed & Confused June 2012, image via Style Bubble) . . . now seem, in attenuated form, to be everywhere on the… Read More
Woolfest is just a fortnight away! I am pleased to say I am mostly prepared (hoping to hear about the whereabouts of the last of my stock today, fingers crossed). I’ve produced two new designs to launch as kits at the event (with yarn and project bags), and sent the patterns off to my printers… Read More
I’ve just returned from a lovely weekend in Dublin, where I was teaching a workshop at one of my very favourite yarny places, This is Knit. The shop has recently moved into new premises in the Powerscourt centre. I always feel welcome at This is Knit. Upstairs, on the mezzanine, there is a great teaching… Read More
I am designing a few things at the moment with a yarn that is new to me. I really like this yarn – and surely the best way to find out some more about it was to visit the place where it is made? So, on Friday, Mel and I took a trip to Donegal.… Read More
I last saw Errigal eight months ago , when you may remember I had a bit of a time getting up and down the chuffer. It is a truly spectacular mountain — just as spectacular from the aerial perspective I saw it from earlier today. As this photo might suggest, Mel and I have spent… Read More
I am increasingly enjoying photographing wild plants and flowers – and spent quite a bit of time doing this while on holiday in Ireland. I particularly like the matt grey-green tones of coastal plants like sea holly (above) or frosted orache (below) I also love the humble sheeps-bit, whose purplish-blues and pinks are really quite… Read More
I rather enjoyed being a tourist in Ireland. Here are some of the touristy highlights . . . and a few lowlights of our trip. Best local produce Without a doubt, the culinary highlight was the wild smoked salmon at the Connemara smokehouse. The lowlight was Irish beer, or rather, the singular lack thereof. As… Read More
Errigal dominates the landscape of North-West Donegal. Everywhere you look, it is there. In the photo above, it is the fuzzy triangle at centre right, while, in the one below (taken from Horn Head), you can see its distinctive scree slopes catching the evening sun. I was reminded of the Hebrides in many parts of… Read More
Hiya. I am Bruce. When the humans go away, I get to live in this box with them. Living in the box means that I can go exploring. This is good. But they still don’t let me at the delicious smoky things. This is bad. I eat meats, so why can I not eat these… Read More
Projects are completed, bags packed, and the wazzwagon has been pimped up with new tinted windows. Tom, Bruce, and I are off across the Irish Sea, and will be away for a wee while. Thanks for your interest in Textisles! I won’t have internet access while I’m in Ireland, so please bear that in mind… Read More
