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A podcast for people who love knitting, Dorset Buttons, creativity & Scotland, especially the Highlands & Islands.
Welcome to the 25th episode of my podcast – People & Places
Thank you for listening again or welcome if you are a first time listener.
The Weather
So far winter is treating us well with a lot of dry weather and wonderful colourful skies both morning and night.
The snow has disappeared off the mountain tops although with temperatures forecast for below freezing this weekend I think we will see a return of snow in some areas.
Making
Other than making some card Christmas decorations for a local community centre and cafe I haven’t caught up on any of my own personal makings this month. The shoulder is still playing up so when I am making the focus is on work products.
I give you an update on the fundraising for the Shetland Peerie Makkers which I talked about last time.
And I talk about the workshops I did during Shetland Wool Week for my own personal development.
These included The Gunnister Man with Helen Robertson where we learnt about the finding of The Gunnister Man in Shetland back in 1951, peat bog bodies, composition of peat bogs and the tool, the Tuskhar used to cut peat slabs or bricks.
Information sign about The Gunnister Man
The stone marking the spot where the Gunnister Man was found.
One of the exhibits at the Tangwick Haa Museum
Peat slab pile drying
The Tuskhar used to extract peat slabs from the ground.
The second workshop I did was with Hadewych Van Der Were where we learnt about a technique developed by Ebba Astrup back in the early 1900s when she was running an orphanage in Norway. The technique uses garter stitch, slip stitches, different colours and motifs and this is my swatch!
The final workshop I did was with Neila who is based in Hoswick in Shetland. The workshop entitled, Design – The Difficult Part, focused on getting all those ideas in our head out into a design. A fantastic workshop to challenge the mind and approach to design with the day spent making, creating and talking. Not a knitting needle or yarn in sight! I hope one day to be able to bring all the ideas on my A3 sheet of paper into a knitted accessory.
Dorset Buttons
While I was at Loch Ness Knit Fest I was interviewed by Anne Frost of the audio podcast I Thought I Knew How. If you’d like to hear me be the interviewee rather than the interviewer for a change, then have a listen in!
https://ithoughtiknewhow.familypodcasts.com/episode-020-tania-ashton-jones-and-loch-ness-knit-fest/
The Christmas Craft Fair season is now upon us and this is where my focus is as well as ensuring stock is kept up in the online shop.
I chat about my first Christmas Craft Fair at Skeabost Country House Hotel which was a new event to the island and not an area where I’d exhibited before. There was a great selection of exhibitors and these are just a handful of what was on offer.
I have 2 more Christmas Craft Fairs lined up: Plockton High School on Sat 30 Nov and Seamus Bar at Sligachan Hotel on Sun 8 Dec.
I’ve been stocking up Dorset Button Stitch Markers and Dorset Buttons Earrings in the online shop as these have been very popular recently. The latest addition are some Dorset Button Stitch Markers made using Merino Sock Yarn from My Mama Knits which is UV Reactive!
Local Lowdown
This month I talk about the SEALL Festival of Small Halls that is currently taking place across the island.
This is a short promotional You Tube Video made from the first time it was held in 2018.
Across The Bridge
Recorded back in June I bring you an interview with Julie of Black Isle Yarns. This is a business which is very much centred around people and place. Julie and I have met at various yarn festivals over the past couple of years or so and it was lovely to be able to interview her and find out more about how her business started and the process behind her products.
Black Isle Countryside View – hills, fields & the sea – very green & undulating.
Photo courtesy of Julie Rutter, Black Isle Yarns
A dog walk in a Black Isle woodland with the sea in the background.
Photo courtesy of Julie Rutter, Black Isle Yarns
Shetland DK hand dyed by Julie using meadowsweet, rustic & rhubarb.
Photo courtesy of Julie Rutter, Black Isle Yarns
Julie’s stand next to mine at Loch Ness Knit Fest
Julie’s website is: https://blackisleyarns.co.uk
And social media you will find Julie at:
Instagram & Facebook: @blackisleyarns
That’s it for now. Many thanks for listening in. I will be back at the end of December.
Til next time . . .
Music – the music is:
One Frog For a Prince, by Ron Patton & licensed from Melody Loops.
Bye for now.
