The SWI Tapestry at Castle Fraser

I'm no stranger to a make-along, especially it seems when it comes to crochet.

Back in 2015, I made the Spice of Life Crochet Along Blanket as a way to learn new stitches and keep to a schedule as the pattern was released in six weekly instalments.  It was being made by hundreds of crocheters at the same time around the world, supporting each other, sharing progress pictures and cheering each other on.  A real motivator!

Last summer I took on the challenge of my first mystery crochet along run by The Crochet Project and made The Skimming Stones Shawl for similar reasons : a desire to further my skills in a supportive crafting environment but this time with the added fun challenge that I didn't know what the finished design would look like!   I subsequently gifted my shawl to my friend Helen of Ripples Crafts (above) as a booth sample as it's crocheted entirely from her hand dyed yarns.

So when I heard that a collaborative craft project by local branches of the Scottish Women's Institute for the National Trust for Scotland was looking for volunteers, I put my hand up straight away.  I couldn't attend the inaugural meeting at Castle Fraser last May but I popped along soon afterwards to pick up my supplies.

I was given a picture of the bell tower at Castle Fraser, a printed canvas and some tapestry wool.  I didn't see any of the other designs, meet any of the people behind the concept or any of the other participants or even  know what the finished piece was going to look like.  This was a going to be a make-along for one!

The castle itself is an impressive tower house, situated near Kemnay in Aberdeenshire only a dozen or so miles from where I live.  It's a wonderful place to visit, both inside and out, as there are beautiful gardens and woodland walks, as well as a wonderful tearoom.  Parts of the castle date back to the 1450's and I've highlighted the bell tower above.

Anyway - back to the tapestry canvas and wool -  maybe I should mention I've never done this before?

I made a long stitch picture from a kit of Lake Hayes as my husband and I travelled round New Zealand - but that was in 1992 (and he was still my boyfriend).

Undaunted by my rookie level ability, and bolstered by tips from experienced tapestry makers at my local weekly knit group, I worked steadily away and gradually filled the canvas with colour, managing to complete it by the September deadline.  I've turned my progress photos into a wee movie - do listen with the sound on as the accompanying track I randomly chose speeds up towards the end, rather like my stitching itself!  (you might have to click the play icon twice)

If the movie won't play for you for any reason, I've included a progress collage below.



Tah dah!  Here's my finished panel, just before I sent it back to Castle Fraser last autumn.

Asking how the project arose, I learned that the SWI was invited to make a wall hanging for the National Trust after a successful exhibition to mark the SWI centenary in 2017 was staged at Castle Fraser.  There are already two other community tapestries at the castle, the concept of Catriona Skene.  The first was completed by National Trust colleagues and local friends and depicts points of interest from the gardens, the estate and the castle over a series of four panels, two of which are pictured below.  The following year, local schools participated in the stained glass window design (shown on the right) featuring flora and fauna on the estate.  It's hoped these might be displayed permanently in The Gatehouse in future.

Earlier this month I received an invitation to Castle Fraser to see the finished SWI tapestry along with others from the Aberdeenshire Federation of SWI who'd been involved with the project.  Ladies from the following Aberdeenshire Scottish Women's Institutes took part : Logie Durno, Balgownie, Esslemont,  Auchnagatt, Glass, Daviot, Monymusk and  Kildrummy as well as myself from Oldmeldrum SWI.  Other groups expressed an interest too including Tullynessle & Forbes SWI.

Designed for the National Trust by Katy Gordon, and put together by seamstress Jane Balme, the SWI panel celebrates the completion of exterior works to the castle 400 years ago.

Here I am, all smiles, as I get to see the finished design for the first time.

Two similar panels of each of the four corner designs had been made by SWI ladies, one for the wall hanging and one framed and placed on a window ledge in the room.   Here's my piece in its frame.

I'm pleased that my contribution fits into its new home and can be enjoyed there for years to come.

And as far as make-alongs go, I'm sure it won't be long til I'm embarking on another - though I might try to find out what I'm letting myself in for first next time!

Foo's yer doos?

I do love a collaborative craft project, enjoying the gratifying feeling that a small effort on my part can create an impressive result once all the individual contributions come together.  When I read about the Birds By Hand Project organised by The Net Loft, a yarn and craft shop in Cordova, Alaska, I knew I wanted to make a bird for them.

But why on earth did I choose a pigeon?

Pigeons hold a special place in one of the everyday phrases common in the North East of Scotland where I live.   When you meet a friend, you might ask 'Foos yer doos?'  A 'doo' is Scots for a pigeon, its home being a dovecote or 'doocot' hereabouts.  So the enquirer is asking after the health of your pigeons.  The reply, supposing all is well, is 'aye peckin' meaning they're eating fine thanks.

None of this presupposes anyone actually owns pigeons, or knows anything of their eating habits.  It's just one of those quirks of the Doric dialect which means that, even after living in rural Aberdeenshire for more than a quarter of a century, I can still have no idea what locals like my husband are actually saying!

When I saw the rather cute 'cushie doo' on the front cover of Sue Stratford's Knitted Aviary book, which I'd borrowed from my local library, I knew that was the pattern I wanted to knit.  A rifle through the yarn cupboard revealed suitable colours, all in Scottish yarns, which seemed appropriate for a birdie travelling overseas to be part of a global gathering.



So, to the knitting itself - this was a quick and easy project thanks to Sue's clear knitting instructions.  I knitted all the pieces, seamed and stuffed the body, sewed on the tail, wings, beak and feet before adding eyes made from white felt and black beads which really brought my pigeon to life!

I've placed all my chosen wool onto the map of Scotland to show that the yarns come from all over the country.

The body is knitted from New Leaf Yarns where the alpacas graze near Edinburgh and the light grey silky wings are Dye Ninja from nearby Livingstone, striped with darker Gongcrafts my most northerly choice dyed in Caithness.  Gorgeous green dyed by Cookston Crafts near me in Aberdeenshire adorns the neck together with soft naturally coloured purple from Skye based Shilasdair Yarns.  The cream stitches which join the beak to the head is from Kincraig Fabrics in Dornoch and The Border Tart beautifully dyed the salmon mini skein I used to knit the feet about as far south in Scotland as you can go!

I also needed a bit of sparkle for the pigeon's iridescent neck which I found in my embroidery box in this cheerfully named Happy Bag.

I was certainly happy with how my pigeon turned out!  

Pigeons travelling a distance are usually carrier pigeons so I knitted him a wee bag from a precious scrap of Ripples Crafts yarn, another favourite Scottish hand dyer of mine. 

 After completing the comprehensive registration form, I was ready to pop him in the post.  Yes - him - the registration form required my bird to have a name (and I don't think they meant the scientific pigeon family name Columbidae).  As I was gazing at my knitted birdie in the same way as a mum gazes at her as yet unnamed newborn, my husband suggested Doogal and I thought it was perfect!

Doogal arrived in Alaska by airmail in just a few days and in time for the 2019 Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival.  The extensive programme of events to celebrate the annual migration includes a wonderful display at the Copper River Gallery of birds made by hand - and now it includes a Doric inspired pigeon from Aberdeenshire knitted entirely from Scottish wool.

Foo's yer doos, people of Cordova?  I hope they're aye peckin'!