Ancient Fibre, New Connections

Dear Friends,

With continued thanks to those collaborating in Scotland and beyond, its harvest time...

Flax Futures

the exceptional potential of Scotland's ancient fibre crop

The Tower at Dr Neils Garden, Duddingston, Edinburgh
Exhibition and Events, Tues 6 to Sun 11 September 10am - 4pm

Drop in to our latest touring exhibition, which includes new work in linen by handloom weaver Susie Redman, featured in our lead image. With exhibits, guest creative encounters, and demonstrations, we're exploring where next for this fibre crop, at the root of new connections, home and away: growing textiles, improving soil health, enhancing biodiversity, innovating new materials and perhaps centrally, building local resilience. Details via Eventbrite here.

Think Global, Grow Local 

volume 3 of our International roundtable series

Journeys in Design Zoom Room, October

We're bringing further international perspectives to Scotland in October with volume 3 of this seasonal round table series on design and material culture. Contributions are due from the worlds of farming, material innovation, education and product development. Check out our speakers to date available in our Creative Encounters playlist on Journeys in Design YouTube.

#flaxScotland

Flax patches growing across the country

By including #flaxScotland in your posts, together we have created a new national storyline of flax enthusiasts. As in former years, Journeys in Design sent out flax seed to some new growers but many more already growing flax this year responded to our call out for shared pics and stories. Read more here.

Also part of this initiative has been a series of Flax Chats, which like our latest exhibition, takes the global message to a local audience. Our Resource Pack for local flax chats is in development with partners in Scotland and beyond.

A Regional Fibre Network for Scotland

Local fibres and local dyes @fibreshed_Scotland

Truly excited to update on latest moves to develop a regional fibre network in Scotland, cultivating wool, flax and dye systems that support our soil, protect our planet and build local resilience, Instageam @fibreshed_scotland

Like many others around the world, we've been inspired by the Fibreshed Movement in California, and with huge thanks to our mentors in USA and UK, Fibreshed Scotland is ready for launch. This is an open network of farmers, textile producers, artisans, educationalists and enthusiasts. Further details on how to engage coming soon and meantime, you can read more here.

Soil to Soil with Rebecca Burgess

connecting the dots in the lifecycle of clothing and material culture

Rather than a book of the month, we're posting this link to a key podcast featuring Rebecca Burgess, founder and executive director of Fibreshed. The journey begins with her early efforts linking farmers and artisans to create a 'locally grown wardrobe', spreading out to link communities worldwide with her shared vision, now towards our own Fibreshed Scotland.

Millies on Tour

a month of cultural connection in Newtownards, N.Ireland

Reflections, Ards Art Centre, Conway Square 
Exhibition and Events as part of August Craft NI, Creative Peninsula 

Our Making Millie project is a multi-layered tribute to the working women of the textile industry, in Scotland and beyond. Finishing this week, their most recent showing further enhances the cultural links enabled by Journeys in Design between Scotland and N.Ireland since 2018. It was an honour to be invited to contribute to Reflections by MaP Textiles Group, alongside the work of Linen Millie designer Sue Shields. Read more here.

You can receive notifications about events by following our dedicated Eventbrite page here . All our Journeys in Design are updated across our social media: follow us via your favourite using the buttons below.

With best wishes from all the team,

John

John Ennis, Curator Producer, 
Journeys in Design