Applied Arts Scotland

Moray, Scotland, United Kingdom

57°40’46.398” N, 2°57’24.422” W

Weaving woollen cloth has been an essential part of Scottish life for centuries, evolving from handwoven domestic production of the 17th century to mechanised mass production during the Industrial Revolution. Classic cheviots, rustic homespun-style tweeds, robust Estate tweeds, as well as the finest woollen cloths remain a staple of the Scottish textile industry. They provide warmth, protection, style, and comfort, while also reflecting craftsmanship, provenance, and individuality amidst a world of mass production. While pockets of mechanised production developed in the Highlands and north east of Scotland, thousands flocked to the newly established mass production mills in the lowlands.

Claiming to be the oldest firm of loom makers in the world, Geo Hattersley and Sons developed the Hattersley Domestic loom in parallel with a whole range of sophisticated specialist textile machinery. Originally developed for export to the colonies in the late 19th Century, the Hattersley Domestic is a compact, semi-automated foot-treadle loom. While evolutions in textile manufacturing grew at a higher pace with the advances in water, steam and coal power, the Hattersley Domestic ensured pockets of production remained in remote rural settings where individuals and communities could continue to produce commercial cloth and remain on the land.

Cloth holds deep meaning for humans and has a tradition of connecting people to places and communities through colour and pattern. In a world of mass production and homogenised culture there are those who appreciate craftsmanship, provenance and individuality. The Moray Firth region in Scotland has a rich history of domestic and commercial textile production, ranging from knitted ganseys for fishermen to the finest cashmere for export.

Scotland has a rich and distinct heritage of woven woollen cloth. The Moray Firth region, characterised by its sea, serves as a constant source of inspiration for the weaver’s cloth, reflecting the changing moods of the sea through gentle twills and choppy herringbones. The region also boasts a history of textile production, including the Marshalls factory in Buckie, where women made fishing nets on pedal-powered weaving looms.

The heart of the Moray Firth region is the sea, who’s changing moods (colour, energy and character) are a daily reminder of the undulating challenges and joys of life and making, as well as a constant source of inspiration for gentle twills and choppy herringbones. The Moray Firth region has a long history of both domestic and commercial production of wool and textiles from the complex knitted ganseys for the fishermen to the blankets of the district mills and the finest cashmere for exporting around the world. Less well known perhaps is the Marshalls factory in Buckie where women made fishing nets on pedal-powered weaving looms, so a mini-micro mill at a fishing harbour is perhaps not as incongruous as it might seem.

Author: Samantha Goates

References:

Bremner, David. The Industries of Scotland. Manufacture of Fishing-Nets. In The Industries of Scotland, their Rise, Progress and Present Condition. United Kingdom, Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, 1869. Accessed March 1st, 2024. https://www.electricscotland.com/history/industrial/industry13a.htm

To learn more about this initiative or artisan:

https://www.instagram.com/woveninthebone/ http://www.woveninthebone.com/