An t-Eilean Sgitheanach / yarn!
I’m back at Ardnamurchan highschool after a two day tour of the Isle of Skye ( An t-Eilean Sgitheanach in Gaelic).
Immediately after getting off the ferry, Pamela and I visited a magical knitwear shop called Ragamuffin . Apparently it was started independently by a student and a knitting machine and has turned into a retail space for the original designer and other smallish scale designers of woolen / linen garments. I did pick up a thing or two - although I didn’t have a spare $400 to drop on a sweater.
The photo above was taken that afternoon after lunch in Portree (the island’s biggest town). Morag Anna, a Raasay native and Gaidhlig Development Officer of the Highland Council spent the afternoon giving me a whirlwind tour of the island. I can’t begin to expain the sceenery - its the kind of thing you have to see to understand. That picture is from the Waternish area - the northern tip of Skye - which was also the location of …
Shilasdair, the Skye yarn company! Here I picked up a big order of their naturally dyed wool yarn - which I’ve spent the better part of today winding from hanks into balls (an arduous process without a ball winder). I got a tour of their dyeing studio and garden, but missed out on a visit with the dyer/designer, who was away on holiday.
The three small balls of yarn are from the shop of a handspinner in Broadford. It felt a bit insulting to be buying Rowan yarn from a handspinner, but she just didn’t seem to have the colours I was looking for. The other cones were donated by a woman in Glenuig who used to sell machine knit sweaters. As it turns out, I’ll only have about a week and a half to actually produce my exhibition pieces with this yarn. I’m already getting flashbacks to knitting furiously at 2AM trying to meet past knitting deadlines - although they’re probably the most pleasant type of deadline to have.
The rest of my time on Skye was spent at Sabhal Mor Ostaig - the Gaighlig university I’ll be spending a year at in September. I got a full tour of the campus, met their artists in residence, met some current students, and had an hour long interview / assessment of my Gaidhlig ability (which went quite well). Now its back to work. Updates on what all of this yarn is to become coming soon.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Paul thinks you would make a good photographer. I think you are an all round artsy-fartsy type.(an old slang term that we use around here to describe someone with an interest in all forms of arts and crafts) You will do well in what ever you choose. Have fun!!
Judy
June 19th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Oh the yarn! Oh the shops!! Oh the designs!!! Wow.
June 19th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I’m surprised your not still at the Ragamuffin store. How did Pamela get you out of there? Seriously though the shop and the yarns look gorgeous- I know you must be enjoying yourself. Good luck with those deadlines, sometimes its the only way to get something done- speaking from experience. Take Care
June 19th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
it’s good to know that you passed a thorough Gaelic inspection. i’m sure they are looking forward to seeing you in september at Sabhal Mor Ostaig.
you will, no doubt, do wonderfully with your exhibition pieces.