In my workshop I create the majority of my crafts. When my daughter Tijkla moved out it 2014, the original plan was to use her room as a guest bedroom. But it quickly became the store for bin bags with sheep fleeces, boxes of fabric, preserves jars and beer bottles – which then required perilous stacking to make room for visiting guests.
Last summer, with a gradually expanding collection of yarn and the introduction of my knitting machine we realised guests would be more comfortable on a sofa bed in the family room. And this opened up the opertunity for me to finally have a dedicated workshop. I love having my own space, surrounded by my yarn, fleece, fabric and equipment.
My sewing desk
I have a weakness for yarn. Although I splurged at Jamieson’s last summer, I also cannot resit charity shop bargains. I love sitting in my workshop next to my overflowing shelves with cones of yarn (A). On my desk sits my Huqvarna 990S sewing machine (B), a sturdy work horse from the mid-1980s. It weighs a tonne with its steel casing and heavy motor. But that doesn’t matter as I don’t need to cary it anywhere. I also have easy access to my Bernina 334D locker (C), a recent 2nd hand bargain that I’m still trying to get to grips with. Also within easy reach are my iPad, which I use for listening to podcasts and audio books, and my bright SAD lamp to boost energy level on dark winter days.
My knitting machine
I used to think knitting machines were a daft token of the 1970s, and mainly associated them with acrylic wool in gastly colours. But after playing with a machine a few summers ago on Foula, I decided to explore further and bought my Brother KH891. Over the last year I’ve been taking weekly classes in Westerhailles with a friendly group of enthusiasts. Some of them have decades of experience to share, and together we play with punch cards, learn endless possibities to finish things off, and come to grips with machine maintenance. Siting at my knitting machine I have a great view of my garden and our green roof over the kitchen.
My loom
My Glimakra Ideal 8 shaft loom sit dominantly in the middle of the room. It entered our home a few years ago, but was only warped recently. Inspired by our visit to Global Yell this summer, I’m determined to get the hang of the basics in the coming months. I have some nice easy tea towel patterns, so hopefully I’ll have something to report before long!
My spinning wheel
What a fool I was! When we prepared our move from The Netherlands to Scotland I sold my grandmothers Louet spinning wheel. I had learned to spin on it when I was a teenager, it had had been gathering dust in the attic for years. However it didn’t take long before we were all collecting plucks of wool during walks, and the girls were keen to see how you spin yarn. So in the end I bought a replacement, which I’ve been using with much joy ever since!
My fabric cabinet
Another treasure trove, filled with fabric we’ve collected over the years. During our first trip to Harris I stocked up on remnants of Tweed at the Lewis Loom Centre, and although I’ve made multiple skirts and blazers I still have a little pile. I collect vintage 60s and 70s hand printed fabrics from the Dutch fabric printing studio Paapje. I have a great haul of silk which we bought
from an eccentric fabric merchant in Jerusalem. My husband came back from Tokyo last year with a suitcase full of Japanese cottons. And my mother-in-law still digs up metres of fabric collected by her mother during travel to India and Scotland in the 1960s. Recently I discovered the factory shop at Scottish Linen in Kirkcaldy, and couldn’t restrain myself…
I love your website! I live in Nottingham and converted our small front and back gardens into growing spaces using urban permaculture to maximise vertical and horizontal growing spaces, including 4 green roofs in the back garden. I am also an urban forager and use my skills to teach people with wellbeing issues how to identify edible foods on their doorstep and to make them into delicious preserves, vinegars, syrups, drinks and meals,