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A podcast for people who love knitting, Dorset Buttons, creativity & Scotland, especially the Highlands & Islands.
Welcome to the 21st episode of my podcast – Post Edinburgh Yarn Festival.
Thank you for listening again or welcome if you are a first time listener.
The banner outside the Corn Exchange!
Last episode was the Pre Edinburgh Yarn Festival so this is the Post Edinburgh Yarn Festival episode!
Yes it’s all over.
All that preparation, planning, excitement, online conversations, arranging meet ups, researching exhibitors has given way to studying new purchases, casting on new projects with newly acquired stash and for me lots of recovering.
What a show! The most exhausting show I’ve ever done. I loved it so much and this episode covers a bit about the festival, although it was all a bit of a blur. And we return to Shilasdair to chat to Kirsty how they found exhibiting at their first yarn festival, Make:Wool.
This year my TJFrog Staff, Geraint wore his kilt! It is Welsh plaid not Scottish tartan. And he even allowed people to take photos of him and selfies with him too!
We were in the Baron’s Cafe as part of the Wool Research Station in association with The Woolist. It was wonderful to meet so many people who ventured to our area because they love 100% wool products. Thank you to everyone who came to see us & all our fellow exhibitors!
It always makes me very happy to meet people who have made Dorset Buttons. This is Natalie Anderson who made a beautiful Dorset Button Brooch for her Stephen West Doodler Shawl.
And Heather from Rowan Tree Travel has added a lovely Dorset Button to her newly finished Grainee Jacket designed by Di Gilpin.
I chat about my purchases which were very modest, a shawl kit from Myak and the John Arbon Textiles Annual. And I picked up a copy of the Shetland Wool Week Hat pattern.
Onda D’amore by Justyna Lorkowska – it’s nearly finished!
I went to Make:Wool on Sunday and talk about who I managed to say hello to, my purchases and a gorgeous gift from Katie Green.
Simon & Kirsty the new owners of Shilasdair at their first yarn festival!
Katie Green’s pop up shop
Katie gifted me this gorgeous wooden brooch of the Dorset Horn made from solid beech wood by Fay of
My yarn purchase at Make:Wool from Julie of Black Isle Yarns
You may be aware of the conversations that have taken place on social media earlier this year about diversity and inclusivity in the knitting world. Jo and Mica organised a free talk which I attended, entitled “Diversity and Inclusion in the Fibre Space – where do we go from here?” and the recording of this is now on the Edinburgh Yarn Festival Website. I reflect on why it was important to me to attend and the key thing I took away from it is actions even if that is in our own quiet way, in our own networks, in our own communities, in the way we are able to make positive long lasting changes.
Edinburgh Yarn Festival and Make:Wool were over all too soon. We stayed over in Edinburgh for a couple of extra days where I interviewed a couple of my suppliers and I’m excited to bring you those interviews over the next couple of months.
This episode ends with a catch up with Kirsty after their first show as the owners of Shilasdair. We chat about what changes they have made at their property Glenview and look ahead to the opening of the yarn shop.
The breakfast room in their B&B. I love that orange wall & the painted branch hanging from the ceiling with the painted keys.
I love Kirsty’s creativity – the limpet wall in reception!
Since I interviewed Kirsty I went back on their opening day, Easter Sunday and here is the new Shilasdar wool shop!
And I had to buy something! This is their 4ply Blue Faced Leicester and Shetland mix destined to be a shawl.
Next month the podcast will get back on track with schedule and format.
Til next time . . .
Music – the music is:
One Frog For a Prince, by Ron Patton & licensed from Melody Loops.
Bye for now.
