Ginger Twist Studio

If you have been reading my blog for some time you know that when I travel anywhere I always visit the local yarn store if I can.  I can happily say that I was able to visit Ginger Twist Studio when I was in Edinburgh. 

This yarn store was a small, inviting place with a good variety of yarn.  The friendly owner, Jessica James, was there and happily answered answered any questions I had.  On display were the actual knitted pattern samples by the infamous Scottish native Ysolda Teague.  It is quite a thrill to be able to see the pattern knitted up in person when you have only ever been able to admire it on Ravelry.  Here are a few of her lovely samples:

Chickadee

Wee Carson, Wee Leisel and Wee Chickadee

Ginger Twist yarn was the owner's own line of locally hand dyed yarn.  The colours were just beautiful.

Ginger Twist Yarn

After much debate I came away with this beauty:  Splendor, a fingering yarn that is 50% merino and 50% silk.  A beautiful combination of blues and purples.

Ginger Twist Splendor

The other kind of yarn I had heard a lot about was Bluefaced Leicester, a drapey and lustrous yarn. (See this article which explains the difference between merino and BFL)  Ginger Twist Studio carried West Yorkshire Spinners yarn and I ended up buying three beautiful DK skeins that are 100% Bluefaced Leicester.  I regret not buying a couple more skeins because this yarn is absolutely gorgeous and I would have loved to knit it into a cardigan.

West Yorkshire Spinners yarn:  100% Bluefaced Leicester

While travelling throughout the Highlands of Scotland sheep of all kinds were always out in the fields.  It was a thrilling sight for me, I have to admit.  I even visited a sheep farm and got to help shear a sheep.  I was going to add a photo of this momentous occasion but the photos my husband took of me were far from complimentary, as I was bent over the sheep.  You will just have to take my word for it : )

These collies were directing traffic

Everywhere we went in the Highlands sheep were in the distance

I wish I had more time to find stores that sold other yarn but the locations and shops we visited were sadly lacking in this area.  

Now to find some patterns for my yarn from Scotland....

The Great Tapestry of Scotland

We just returned from a family trip to Scotland and my family and I agree that this was the best trip we have ever taken.  Scotland was more beautiful than I had imagined.  We started our trip in Edinburgh, travelled through the Highlands as far as the Isle of Skye, and then ended up in Glasgow, before we reluctantly returned home. (There was even some sheep shearing involved!)   In my next blog I will post some pictures of the trip but in this one I wanted to write about The Great Tapestry of Scotland which is currently on display at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.  These 160 tapestry panels are freeze frames of the history of Scotland and were hand stitched by over one thousand volunteer stitchers, each one sharing a passion for Scottish history.  Each panel took over 400 hours and measures either 100 x 100 cm or 100 x 50cm.  To see them in person was amazing as the amount of detail in each panel was so impressive.  Of course I have to show you the pictures of the ones involving knitting!

Panel #126 Fair Isle Knitting

Panel #115 Shetland Knitters

And how about this one:

Panel #73

I have to admit I visited this free display more than once as it was so incredible.  This unique way of telling the story of a Scotland's history is one I will not soon forget.