Introducing SARK

All about our brand new book!

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twenty titles

It’s the launch day of our twentieth book!

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virtual viewing

Kilbride Bay by me, Tom Barr, from my Light by the Sea exhibition Hello, it’s Tom here. This week I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s been happening with digital / virtual exhibitions, and I thought I’d spend today’s post talking about some of the ways in which galleries and museums, large and small, have…

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light by the sea

“the times of dreamy quietude, when beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean’s skin” Herman Melville, Moby Dick Hello everyone, it’s Tom here. In today’s post I’m excited to tell you more about my latest body of work, which also comprises my first solo exhibition – Light by the Sea. (Otter Ferry) Like…

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returning light

Hello, it’s Tom here. The light has been returning and the days are gradually getting longer and I thought I’d pop in to let you know some news about my new exhibition, and to show you some of the photographs I’ve taken during the first few weeks of 2020. In January we often see a…

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warm thanks

Well, the book is out, and today Warm Hands is being shipped to knitters all over the world. I do hope you’ve enjoyed our introduction to the project and each of its talented designers in the posts we’ve put together over the past couple of weeks. In a project like this, which involves so many…

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Ootlier 2: Range

Hello – this is Tom today rather than Kate – I’m here to tell you about Ootlier 2, which has just been published today. I enjoy many different kinds of photography, and my Ootlier zines give me the opportunity to explore my ideas and practice in different ways. Last year you may remember that I…

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Elizabeth’s hands

We’ve just heard that one of Tom’s photographs has been shortlisted in this year’s EEF Manufacturing Photo Competition! The theme of the competition this year is “Made by Britain, Loved by the World” and surely few manufactured products speak better to that theme than Shetland wool? A fibre raised and processed in a particular locale;…

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infrared

Hiya, it is I, Bruce. Today I am here to tell you about Tom’s latest obsession, which is a thing called Infrared. A few weeks ago, Tom acquired a camera from one of his favourite photographers, a man named David Clapp. Now this Clapp takes interesting photos and Tom was very excited to experiment with…

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Islay colourwork

Good morning! We’ve now reached the half-way point in the Inspired by Islay club and I thought I’d catch up here by showing you the last three patterns I’ve designed. The collection has been created in four groups of three (each of which features a different style of knitting, and is inspired by a different…

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Shetland Oo: making a book

Hello – it’s Tom here – for a change. Kate is busy working on her Islay project, and I’m taking a break today from shipping out orders. I wanted to say thanks so much for your interest in our Shetland Oo book. Apart from being my first major project as a photographer, Oo is the…

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sound and vision

My good friend Felicity Ford (aka Felix) is as enthusiastic as I am about Shetland and its wool industry. In 2013 (when she was patron of Shetland Wool Week) Felix worked on a number of field recordings for her important project, Listening to Shetland Wool. From the baas of lambs caught on the breeze, to…

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The Inspired by Islay club

The Inspired by Islay club is now open for pre-order! I’m really excited to finally be able to share this project, which has occupied the majority of my knitting and designing year thus far. If you have been wondering about the distinct lack of knitting content around here recently, it is because all of the…

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our current projects

Thanks so much for your feedback on yesterday’s poll! I found the results really interesting and illuminating, but also somewhat troubling, as I wasn’t completely sure that all respondents had a full sense of what Shetland Oo is actually about. We are currently working on two projects. The first, Shetland Oo, marks an interesting departure for us as…

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Lives in oo

So this is the new project we are working on which has (until today) been very much under wraps! It has been on our minds for some time now for Tom to pursue a project exploring the documentary photography he particularly enjoys. . . and what better subject than a place we dearly love, and…

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Harewood Hap

Today’s hap is a symphony in intarsia from inventive designer, Bristol Ivy. Bristol is interviewed today over on Jen’s blog, where you can read more about her creative ethos, and why you don’t need to be intimidated by intarsia. Bristol’s Harewood hap is one of the designs in this collection that made me gasp when…

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