Shetland wool

Big news this week in the wool world, is that Shetland wool has secured protected designation of origin (POD) status.
Like Champagne, Camembert cheese and Cornish clotted cream; native Shetland wool has now made it on to the list of EU protected products.
This means that buying anything labelled 'native Shetland wool' guarantees that it is just that.
Interestingly this is the first non-food item from the UK to be given this status.
As the temperature drops towards winter, I have been making use of my Shetland wool pows, and my goodness they are warm! I suppose any sheep up in Shetland needs to ensure that they have a very hardy fleece, all the better for keeping my hands cosy.
Ps) These photos are from our trip to Shetland back in 2009.

Booze in cross stitch form...

I have been busy working on a cross stitch, although I can't share it just yet. But I can give you a sneak peak. Anyone fancy some gin?
Or how about some Buckfast?
No, not in the mood for drinking. Why not clean the kitchen instead?
All will be revealed shortly. In other crafting news, I have had a disagreement with the washing machine. Or rather, my super action hero fingerless mittens have, after I accidentally put them in the washer. They have become rather felted, and are only capable of warming a finger, rather than my whole hand. So I am making some more, using some lovely Jamieson's Shetland Soft, that I brought in Lerwick, back on my holidays a couple of years ago.
Now, to keep these clear of the washing machine!

Shetland trip

I have just got back from a wonderful trip to Shetland. The scenery was absolutely stunning, the weather gorgeous & it was full of inspiration for future work. There was lots going on in Lerwick with Johnsmas Foy, flavour of Shetland and the Bergen to Shetland boat race.

Shetland is rich in arts & crafts, I treated myself to a beautiful Fair Isle bag from Shana handbags and brought some lovely gifts from Oily Muggie and some pure Shetland wool from Jamieson's. Saw some great textile prints from PhatSheep Textiles and some intricate felt work from Spindrift Crafts. I also managed to bring home some fishing net debris collected from the beach, which might just come in handy one day!

We managed to do a couple of things in Aberdeen before getting the overnight ferry, including having lunch in MUSA. In MUSA there was an exhibition of art touched by silk, which included some amazing mixed media work by Kirsty Aitken. We also popped along to Peacock Visual Arts where there was a collection of playful spring lamb screenprints by David Blyth.

Am now back home in Glasgow, with a little dose of Shetlag!