Monday 27 May 2013

Chimneys and Peats

The school has walls, roof and chimney now. Catherine and Louise spent approx 15 hours Quaker stitching the building walls and chimney.





 Louise has been taking a few more photos of chimneys in Caithness and tried to echo the roof.







Catherine stitched the Peats. The children had to pay to go to school and sometimes they would be able to pay with Peat. This would have been in the open fire in the school room and the smell of the peat would have been lovely.









Friday 10 May 2013

Dorie came to visit

The group met up with Dorie Wilkie the head embroiderer of the project. She came up to Thurso and we met at the Pentland Hotel along with another 2 groups from the area.  The tea and scones were lovely.

She took up a completed panel and the group fell upon it with wonder. I won't put up photos as I've not asked permission of the stitchers but direct you instead to the Great Scottish Tapestry Facebook Page where you can go view without being a member of Facebook. There have been some more completed panels this week which are well worth going to look at.

It gave our group some inspiration on how to stitch on our panel. Also Dorie was a wealth of suggestions and experience. We asked her what she liked about our panel and what areas she would improve which we've taken on board.


Shirley had completed her top corner which is the Duncansby Stacks from the very tip of the North East coast of Scotland. We liked how the colours subtly reflected the fisherwoman on the bottom corner. 

Joan has completed James the ministers son's trousers.

Ella finished the thatch on the long house. She used long laid couching in various layers and colours.
The blackboard has been sewn and the desk outline defined.

The panel as of 6 May 2013.


Louise has been taking note of chimneys around the county for the school chimney.