The days are short, the weather is more windy and wet than sunny and sparkly with frost. The Wintry months can put our happy outlook to the test. I have found it a challenge over the years to enjoy this season. I have learnt to love it – by embracing the differences in all the seasons. To look closer. I AM lucky, I live in Scotland and the landscape gets particularly dramatic in the Winter season. Nevertheless what I want to share with you today is the little snippets of good, wisps of beauty and dollops of power that life me up at the worst times. A few of my favourite seasonal images with so ..read more

I was lucky enough to book the Tinhous at Glenequiech very last minute on Sunday night. I have four children and therefore don’t stay away very often so decided to grab this opportunity to work away from home for a few days. Not weaving! The loom stayed at home. Although it felt very much like getting away from it all the Tinhous did have Wifi so I was able to get onto my lap top. I took some lovely videos and photos too. This little house has just the one bedroom with a deliciously comfortable bed. It had an amazing bathroom with a shower and then the kitchen and sitting room were t ..read more

Why Story Plaids? I came up with the idea of Story Plaid Shawls at the end of 2021. I collaborated with Gretchen over on Instagram to create a shawl that would weave together all the aspects of her life. Her delight of the outdoors with the love she has for her family, marrying it with a ‘skein’ of folklore too. We enjoyed working on this artistic idea so much that I decided to pursue the idea of adding stories onto the textiles I make. I always weave with the landscape in mind. It inspires me and I make the pieces to remind me of the places I have been but to also be worn in the places they ..read more

The power of red It isn’t a surprise, when you see red berries clinging to dark branches, that there is much folklore linked to them. At this time of year (Autumn) they draw the eye as the abundance of summer recedes. The colour is striking – whether it be a warning or a talisman. In Scotland you will spot bright red berries on Rowan trees. They offer protection especially when grown near homes. Then spot the deeper burgundy-blue red berries on the Elder tree that has a protective female power associated with it. Both trees demand respect but are benevolent in their power. Watch out for Inst ..read more

Now we’ve hit Meteorological Autumn, the mornings are chilly and the leaves are turning hues of gold and rust. I thought it was a good time for a catch up. I took the Summer away from connecting via the website, social media and email but Autumn is here and there’s is plenty to catch up on. Colours that blend with the Heather I spent an afternoon out in Glen Prosen recently whilst all the heather was out. It was beautiful and seeing hills carpeted with this abundant and vibrant plant is never less than breath-taking. Pictured here are some of the warm brown Jeanie Dean’s Story Plaids and the ..read more

My inspiration comes from the Scottish landscape. I love wandering the hill tops, the loch sides. The high cliffs with crashing waves below and alongside powerful rivers sourced from mountain tops. It isn’t just about colours and textures, it is also the stories that these places hold. There are others that find ways to bring my own feelings into description. Incredible authors, poets, naturalists and the rich history of oral story telling too. Sir Walter Scott is one such person from history that managed to conjure Scotland within the stories he wrote. Kristy Ashton & Richard Jackson fr ..read more

2023 has felt like the year I have struggled to get going with pretty much everything I have tried to achieve. It has felt like too many sad things, bad things have been happening. If you have followed me for a while you might know that I have two pets; a dog and a cat that often popped up in F&H posts and photos. One of those joys of having a studio at home means I can enjoy their company. As a mum to four children and a military wife for the last 20 years my pets have kept me sane in many lonely and difficult times. Sadly I lost my tabby cat Abbie of nearly 21 years at the very beginning ..read more

One of my favourite sights is the far off view of misty clouds clinging to the high hill tops of the Angus Glens. I can see them from my house. As soon as I see the tendrils creeping along the rugged outlines of the Glens I feel drawn towards them. Even when driving through the Cairngorm National Park or into the Highlands I feel my heart lift as I see a misty outlook! There is something other worldly about Scotland and mist. I don’t think I am alone in enjoying this aspect of the wild landscape. Creating the design – the Mist Story Plaids I chose soft grey colours for this set of Story Plai ..read more

Hello! It has been a while since I’ve explained what Feather & Hay is all about and a little more about how I came to be a hand weaver and start this business – creating the F&H textile. The above photo was taken by Kristy Ashton who I met soon after I moved to Scotland. I won a competition to get my photograph taken in the Highlands and I enjoyed every minute because being outdoors in this landscape fills me with inspiration and a longing to capture its beauty and mood in textiles. But I must step back a few years to explain why I started hand weaving. I began weaving in 2014 My firs ..read more

Some of the oldest wild history comes from the forests and woodlands of Scotland. Birch trees, Scots Pine trees, Juniper & Holly date back to as early as 7000BC. In those times forests were more abundant than human populations. There are tales of early Druids lighting Scots Pine bonfires at the Winter Solstice, to celebrate the passing of the seasons and drawing the sun back to warm the earth. Glades of Scots Pines would be decorated with shiny objects to represent a divine light. Holly, pre-Victorian times was seen as the ‘Christmas’ tree with its leaves and berries reflecting light and ..read more