Weaving our blankets at Knockando Weaving Mill

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Our blankets are hand woven at Knockando Wool Mill in Speyside which is one of the last remaining district wool mills in the UK. They are woven on a double warp so that they have a thick and bouncy feel to them, which adds texture,weight and warmth. We designed these blankets to showcase the natural undyed wool colours of this native breed of sheep, but have added in the coloured stripes at the ends of the blanket to reflect the colours of the seaweeds that we find on our beaches and are eaten by the sheep.
When trading was vibrant between the UK and Canada, many blankets left on ships crewed by Orcadians which would be traded with the Hudson’s Bay company in exchange for furs. These blankets had coloured stripes woven into them to give them value when being traded.

Many communities had their own local district woollen mill, but the majority of these disappeared between the two World Wars.
The Wool mill uses the original textile machinery, fully restored to a working condition, to maintain the mill’s traditions of spinning and weaving that have been passed down through generations of families since 1784.

Now Hugh Jones weaves the blankets that we sell from our sheep’s yarn on these old looms so that we can help to keep these skills going in Scotland and to produce a fully Scottish product.
You can visit the mill at; www.knockandowoolmill.org.uk