Moray Firth Gansey Project

This project is being part-financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and by the Scottish Government and The European Community Rural Aberdeenshire, Highland and Moray LEADER 2007 – 2013 Programmes.

Saturday 19 June

10.00 Norman Kennedy: Spinning masterclass (Community Centre)

11.00 Extravagansey: Talk by Deb Gillanders, gansey enthusiast (Timespan)

11.00 Introduction to knitting (Community Centre)

1.00 Edith Rattray: Gansey knitting masterclass (Bridge Hotel)

2.00 Talk by Paul Crooks, Halifax Spinning Mill: Making the Yarn (Timespan)

3.00 Norman Kennedy: Waulking the cloth - come and join in a traditional tweed waulking session (Community Centre)

Helmsdale
Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 June 2010

This event is supported by a grant from the Highland Council’s Highland Culture Fund.

It is presented in association with the Highland Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers.

All-weekend Activities at the Community Centre

Come and Try - Activities for children

Different activities over the week-end, inc. knitting with giant needles, weaving, spinning and more

Display and sales

Including gansey wool and needles, dyes, rovings

Gansey Exhibition and Information Point (Community Centre)

Bring (or wear) your old ganseys, and see how the patterns compare to ganseys from other parts of Scotland. The Gansey Project needs your help to identify different patterns from around the Moray Firth, and to gather pictures and stories about the people that knitted and wore them.

We are grateful for support from Timespan. Timespan’s current exhibition is Meet Your Maker, which aims: “to develop new audiences for Scottish craft by emphasising the unique and personal qualities of craft”

Sunday 20 June

10.00 Norman Kennedy: flax spinning talk and demonstration (Community Centre)

11.00 Edith Rattray: Gansey knitting masterclass (Community Centre)

2.00 Norman Kennedy: Textiles and traditions (Timespan)

2.00 Spinning from the point demonstration / workshop (Community Centre)

Venues:

Timespan is in Dunrobin Street on the south side of Helmsdale; the Community Centre and the Bridge Hotel are within a few minutes walk.