Yarn - The Journal of Scottish Yarns: Issue 2

Yarn - The Journal of Scottish Yarns is a bi-annual journal focusing on community, history, culture, and creativity of textiles in Scotland. This new publication is colorful and offers an insightful view of all things yarn related, making connections and joining threads.

• Promote Scottish textiles culture and community by telling the stories - past and present - of the fibers, skills, artisans and industries that make up its fabric 
• Support your creativity through a range of creative projects you can make yourself; from beginner to advanced level

Contents of Issue 2 -

Articles:

• Di Gilpin: a retrospective on the career - so far - of knitwear designer and Scottish textile advocate
• King Charles III is patron of The Princes Trust which seeks to preserve heritage crafts including knitting. This article looks at one of their programmes, Knitwise, which culminated in an installation in the arboreteum of Dumfries House in Ayrshire
• The origins of Tartan: commemorating the 200^th anniversary of Gorge IV visit to Edinburgh in 1822
• The Silly Sheep Fibre Company: story of yarn from a croft on Shetland and their adventures with several sheep breeds
• Jennie Howes, SkyBluePink Designs: evolution of a life in crafting from learning as a child through to operating a shop in Berwick-upon-Tweed, teaching crafts and selling handspun yarn
• Black Isle Yarns: story of a small yarn producer who gathers fleece from smallholdings on the Black Isle and hand dyes the spun yarn using natural plant dyes
• Woven Identities: Tartan meets Koru by Maori artist Mitchell Manuel: an exploration cultural heritage and symbolism inspired by Scottish ancestry, based on the autumn exhibition at the Smith Gallery in Stirling
• A view of New Zealand from emigrating Scots via the Diaspora Tapestry

Patterns:

  Knitting:

• Dullieach yoked jumper by Lucy Hague using The Birlinn Yarn Company
• Aggie the Highland Cow intarsia jumper and cushion cover by Sylvia Watts-Cherry using Di Gilpin Lalland
• Portmoak Moss beanie hat by Louise Mossom using Jamiesons of Shetland Spindrift
• Moness large rectangular shawl by Maddie Harvey using The Silly Sheep Fibre Company’s laceweight yarn
• Bemersyde triangular shawl by Samira Hill using Cookston Crafts/Ripples Craft yarn
• Harris the Highlan Cow toy by Kirsten Bedigan using Jamieson & Smith Jumperweight

  Crochet:

• Eildon Woods yoked jumper by Samira Hill using Black Isle Yarns Auchen yarn
• Droman jumper by Merrian Holland using Jamieson’s of Shetland DK
• Dunkeld slipper socks by Marta Mitchell using New Lanark Spinning Aran weight

  Rainbow Ram Embroidery sampler by Susie Finlayson, based on sheep head motif on inside cover, illustration by Mandy Tait/Natty Maid