Are there weavers in Orkney?? Knitters?
Posted: Friday, 23 February 2007 |
During the summers of 2002 and 2003 I spent a month with the Benedictine Nuns of "Our Lady of the Rock Priory" on Shaw Island, Washington State. They are SO cool! This is their website if you are curious to see photos: (You have to click on links to see photos)
http://www.rockisland.com/~mhildegard/
They raise sheep and llamas as well as Kerry and Highland kye. And they spin and weave!! This is where I first became interested in weaving, knitting and crochet.
After my first visit I purchased a small child's loom so I could give this weaving stuff a try. I was living in a wee cabin in Alaska so I did not want to buy a big loom - plus, why make such an investment when you don't even know what you are doing?? It is a very simple loom so even though I enjoyed weaving I did not gain any real weaving experience. This is a photo of what it looks like:
My mom taught me basic knitting back when I was a helicopter mechanic in the Navy. I was knitting one evening when a bunch of burly aircrewmen asked me what I was doing. I showed them how to knit and soon had all of these manly-men knitting away! It was quite a site. I've since forgotten everything about knitting.
I purchased a book that teaches how to braid wool rugs but I need more hands-on instruction since I'm not much of a book learner. It's a great book though, titled, "The Shepherd's Rug." I'd love to invest in some Shetland sheep so that I could braid rugs - but I don't want to ask Erlend if we can by Shetlands until I know how to acctually do the craft!! Back home in America I can find dozens of places that teach weaving, rug braiding, knitting etc. But what about here in Orkney??
The one big setback is my bad ankle - it keeps me from being able to drive. And Erlend is very busy so he can't be driving me around much!! So normally I'd get out and look around - and have a life hahaha!!
http://www.rockisland.com/~mhildegard/
They raise sheep and llamas as well as Kerry and Highland kye. And they spin and weave!! This is where I first became interested in weaving, knitting and crochet.
After my first visit I purchased a small child's loom so I could give this weaving stuff a try. I was living in a wee cabin in Alaska so I did not want to buy a big loom - plus, why make such an investment when you don't even know what you are doing?? It is a very simple loom so even though I enjoyed weaving I did not gain any real weaving experience. This is a photo of what it looks like:
My mom taught me basic knitting back when I was a helicopter mechanic in the Navy. I was knitting one evening when a bunch of burly aircrewmen asked me what I was doing. I showed them how to knit and soon had all of these manly-men knitting away! It was quite a site. I've since forgotten everything about knitting.
I purchased a book that teaches how to braid wool rugs but I need more hands-on instruction since I'm not much of a book learner. It's a great book though, titled, "The Shepherd's Rug." I'd love to invest in some Shetland sheep so that I could braid rugs - but I don't want to ask Erlend if we can by Shetlands until I know how to acctually do the craft!! Back home in America I can find dozens of places that teach weaving, rug braiding, knitting etc. But what about here in Orkney??
The one big setback is my bad ankle - it keeps me from being able to drive. And Erlend is very busy so he can't be driving me around much!! So normally I'd get out and look around - and have a life hahaha!!
Comments
You could ask at Orkney College. Have you been to Leila Thomson's gallery at Hoxa? I think she does courses - but it wouldn't be for nothing. There are one or two weavers who exhibit from time to time. The Waterfront Gallery is having an open exhibition soon, and you never know what may appear.
Flying Cat from looming large
And....if you want to know about knitting, where better than the SWRI.
Flying Cat from frantically purrling
Good luck wi` your weaving Moo, I spin on both a spindle and wheel, for weaving I use a replication o` a Viking warp weighted loom which I had made for reenactments we used tae dae, and now use mainly just for me ain use. It`s a big heavy brute o` a loom but mak`s a great deal o` cloth. Have ye ever tried your hand at mak`ing rag rugs?
Hermit from Sanday
At this point in time all I've tried my hand at is that peedie child's loom. I would love to braid (plait?) rugs and weave on a grown-up's loom some day!! Sounds like you've got it figured out!!!! You should post some pics of your wicked- sounding Viking loom!!
Michellechoza from Mainland Orkney
So...I traded my quiet cabin in the Alaskan woods for the howling winds of Orkney and life on a farm. 
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