Knitting for Iona Craft Shop
July has been a busy month for our team of makers, who received a box of gorgeous Iona Wool at the start of June. The wool, spun from the Craft Shop’s flock of sheep, arrived in Aran weight which is perfect for chunky knitting on the machine and by hand. Over the years Iona Craft Shop have added colours which include Postbox Red, Lichen Yellow, Sea Green and their new shade Fired Clay. We also held a small quantity of 4ply wool in our workshop from a previous order. This wool was blended together to knit the speckled coloured hats. Each mixed colour hat is unique, as the yarn is knitted in a random formation.
The hats are almost ready to send to Iona, where they are sold exclusively in Iona Craft Shop and on their website.
Exploring Scotland
Sgòr Gaoith, Cairngorms
The weather in Scotland has been all over the shop this past month but we have been fortunate to spot a couple of windows to get out and explore. Setting off from Achlean in the Cairngorms, Mr Wonky & I rode our bikes up to Sgòr Gaoith. The landscape on the way up was stunning and we were rewarded with views for miles at the top. This route is accessible for walking with a clear path from the car park. There are plenty of options to add on extra summits, have a look at Visit Cairngorms for routes. We rode a circle loop, with some hiking on the way up and varied natural terrain on the descent.
Escape Route, Pitlochry
On the drive home, we stopped into Escape Route in Pitlochry. Kieran has developed his business over the years to include the bike shop, workshop, coffee shop and outdoor pizza oven with courtyard dining.
It was nice to see the custom hats we knit on display in the bike shop alongside some cute bike themed pictures. Escape Route is open daily, stop in to pick up your bike essential and do not leave without trying the coffee and cake, we highly recommend it!
Eildon Hills, Scottish Borders
Last weekend we took off from our house and enjoyed a local loop up to the Eildon Hills. This is a beautiful spot in the Scottish Borders for a walk or a pedal, with clear routes to follow. The trail can include all three hills or skirt around the base to enjoy the views across the region. If you want to explore this area, have a look at Scotland Starts Here to see the main routes.
Tempest Brewery, Tweedbank
After a day in the hills, we recommend a pit stop at Tempest Brewery in Tweedbank. Tempest have a stylish tap room on site with a cosy fire in the middle. Taste their locally produced range of beers and book on a tour to see how they make it. With names like ‘Purple Burglar Alarm’ and ‘Muscle Memory’ their branding is highly appealing.
In the tap room shop & online, you can buy beers and branded merch, with some of it made by us! We are super proud of the custom hats we knitted for Tempest Brewery. They are available in 5 colours which are loosely based on specific beers. A beer and a bobble hat, we think it makes a great gift for the beer drinker in your life, maybe that is you?
Welcome to Team Wonky!
Last month we welcomed Lousie Balaguer into our team, via the Graduate Career Advance Scotland (GCAS) programme. Louise is originally from France and has lived in Scotland for 6 years. She recently graduated from Aberdeen University with MA (Hons) English – Film and Visual Culture (1st Class).
Having a passion for all things creative, Louise has experience working with props and costume in film and theatre. Her six month placement with Team Wonky will enable her to build up her digital media experience as well as learning transferable skills for textiles.
HAT SALE!
As we head into August we are starting to update our online shop with some new fibres, designs and colours. In the meantime, pop back on Saturday morning, 5th August, as I am launching a HAT SALE! We have some surplus stock from this years events, which includes random colours and patterns that we have been testing. All of the hats are unique, ready to post and sold at a reduced price. There are also headbands and neck warmers going into the sale. This is a good time to kit yourself out before the seasons change.
THANK YOU!
Thanks for joining us for the monthly update. We hope you have a good August and we’ll update again at the start of September.
Alison aka Chief Wonky 🙂
