Peats, Thatch and Hair

This entry should be called 'look closely' as the stitching done last week was worthy of sticking your nose close up and taking in the subtle details.  Valerie had stitched Ruth the ministers daughters dress. She has stitched a harbour scene in greys and whites and from a distance it looks like the folds in the fabric but when you focus it becomes clear.

Dorothy has completed the groups logo. She used chain stitch, back stitch, whipped stem stitch and the Wick stitch to show a herring in the letter C, a needle as the letter T and a satin stitch letter A to show Caithness Textile Artists.  She also completed the hair on the ministers daughter Ruth and son James.





Ella has started the thatch roof of the long croft house. She has heavily researched the colours, the layout and the texture of thatch roofs and is using a long split stitch and a open stem stitch. This is in several colours as thatch has lighter top layers as the sun bleaches it.

In the panel the children are holding up peat to the teacher. Peat was the main fuel for Caithness as there are no coal mines or major woodland in the county and more expensive to be imported. Peat would be cut using a special tool and is hard back breaking work.

Catherine had in 2 rectangles of peat and told us that one was dry and hard and the other a bit damp and was called 'douwphy'. They would be broken up to put into the fire using the heel of a foot and then they became a clod.

She said that when her father cut the peats they would be laid flat on the bank. Then they when they were nearly dry they were lifted and put into a herring bone pattern on their edge and had to face the hill Morven which is in the south of the county. This would enable the wind to blow through the peats and dry it out ready for burning. 

Ella said it was the same with the Stooks when they were cut and arranged in facing south to dry out.

Wick Stitch

The first three side panels have been drawn.

The bottom right square has to be our logo and identifier for Caithness Textile Artists. Dorothy is stitching it using a Wick Stitch which she demonstrated to Louise. It has a herring and a needle.

The panel on the right depicts Duncansby Stacks which are sea stacks to the very north east of the county.  The panel below it depicts a typical Caithness harbour of the time.

Shirley was researching the stitches and colours for the Stacks.

It was agreed that the time spent doing research was very important to get the stitcher's mind set in the right place and to make sure that the stitches reflect the object being worked on.


Ella and Louise agreed that the project has been really good to find out the finer points of the history of Caithness.

Dorothy & Valerie discuss the Quaker Stitch.

James & Visitors

Meet James. He is the Ministers son. His jacket is being stitched by Celia with a Battlement couching stitch. The group decided on the colours of the tweed style jacket.

The group had visitors this week who admired and discussed the history of the garments. It was encouraging to show the tapestry and see people be enthralled by the enormity of the panel. 

This is a photo of Laidhay Croft Museum which has thatched roof in the style of the time. Ella has stitched the brickwork and wanted to agree on the colours for the thatch.

The group also discussed and agreed what was to go in the side panels. Valerie would take the panel home to draw them on. I am going to tease you and not tell you what we decided but leave them until you see them come on line. Sorry.