Last week I was in a bookshop in Glasgow, perusing the outdoor bookshelves, and became absorbed in a tome about the West Highland Way. “Is this you getting ready, then?” asked a friendly assistant, assuming I was preparing myself for a 96 mile walk. “No,” I replied, “I actually walked the West Highland Way back… Read More
One thing you can say about knitting: it really makes you think about the many different processes that producing textiles involve. For example, prior to becoming an obsessive knitter, I had never really considered blocking a woollen garment (with water or with steam) . . . . . . nor had I understood what a… 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
Tom has been teaching himself to work with a drone camera, in preparation for a really exciting project (which I’ll tell you more about another time), and I’ve been rather enjoying the results of his practice. It is very interesting seeing our familiar landscape from new angles. I’ve found myself thinking a lot about how… Read More
Hello! It’s a beautiful day here today – fog has been hanging thickly since dawn at low levels, but in places where the sun burns through there is the most incredible golden light. It is also unusually still and crisp. We took Bruce out for one of our favourite walks, and Tom shot some photographs… Read More
A few of you have enquired, in the past, about Tom’s photographs, and the possibility of having them printed. I’m pleased to say that Tom has now set up an online gallery where you can view and purchase high-quality prints of many of the images he’s taken. In the gallery you’ll find several of the… Read More
Yesterday Tom and I took a drive down the road to West Kilbride. Known as Craft Town Scotland, the thriving main street hosts the studios of talented local artists, designers and craftspeople, such as my friends and compatriots Lillith (Old Maiden Aunt) and Ange (Weftblown). Jane Hunter’s studio is there too, and this was the… Read More
Good morning! I’m feeling festive today and have released a new pattern – the 101st that I’ve designed and published. Its name is Hat 101, and appropriately, it is a sort of sampler of many of the things I enjoy about making and designing hats. Hat 101 involves simple, rhythmic two-colour knitting and small, interconnected… Read More
Lochs — and the opportunities they provide for walking through all seasons of the year — are certainly one of the best things about living here in the west of Scotland. We have recently been exploring more of our local lochs due in part to a on-off obsession of mine with tracing the provenance and… Read More
The weather really was glorious today. So, leaving Tom liaising with our printer, and muttering about gutters and crop marks, I decided to take the afternoon off. I took a camera and headed out to Loch Lomond with Bruce and walked for a few hours. This was just what was needed to blow away the… Read More
The October weather continues to amaze. I think the landscape where we live perhaps looks its very best on a golden Autumn day. This is the morning view from our house, across the small loch which sits just behind us to the south. The loch supports an abundance of wildlife and is full of trout,… Read More
High summer in Scotland. Days of rain, and days of grey, and weird, unseasonably chilly days, and then the occasional jewel comes along. A day of warm sunshine and breezes when, after work, we pick chard or courgettes from the garden, lament the woeful state of the tomatoes, and sit outside to eat with swallows… Read More
