Orkney Textiles and Artists

Between taking photos and wandering around neolithic remains we found time to visit and chat to some of the local artists. We had the chance to admire Pam Farmer's photographs at Appie's Tea Rooms and enjoyed locally produced food, worth the trip down the bumpy lane to get there.
Stopped off at the Woolshed and Had a very enjoyable time chatting to the owner ( sadly I failed to get her name and the web address seems to belong to a builders contractor and funeral director! however I have found a link here if you are interested. The small shop/workshop sold handspun/knitted and woven items, a selection of handfelted bags and washed and carded North Ronalsdsay fleece. I even got to spin on her Louet spinning wheel to see how it compared with the Ashford.
Hoxa Tapestry Gallery features the work of Leila Thomson, Large scale tapestries that can be seen here.
In Stromness, we came accross Ros Bryant who is also a tapestry weaver and lovely to chat to. Her work is on a smaller scale that Leila with more texture and less vivid colours which we both preferred.

Of course I took a drop spindle with me and spun up a storm with this shetland (shades of brown) and Merino ( cream with silk? not sure what the other fibre is but it feels nice)



For those who are feeling the Autumn chill, I leave you with the peat fire used to distill whisky at Highland Park distillery.



And for those who can here the wind howling ( I know I can at the moment ) I give you a Norwegian Sailing ship in Kirkwall harbour.




Breaking away from the holiday theme, I have some stitching to do this weekend and we will be visiting the Nottingham Goosefair tomorrow which is a travelling funfair that sets up every year making it possible the biggest fair in the country however this honour sometimes goes to the equally large Hull fair.

Have a great weekend everbody and thank you for all your kind comments on my photographs :-)