Highland Threads Launch

Nicola Henderson and Helen Avenell from Museums and Heritage Highlands introduced the exhibition and discussed how the project evolved, the process of collaboration and the benefits of working in partnership with museums across the Highlands.

There were also many guest speakers talking about the costumes, the stories and how the project will support Highland heritage. 

Groam House

2021 George Bain Memorial Lecture

Translating Pictish Key Patterns into Cable-Knitting

Knitting designer Lucy Hague discusses the design challenges encountered when translating Pictish-style key patterns into cable-knitting. This talk focuses on the stranded colour-work key pattern jumper designed by George Bain and Lucy’s reconstruction of this design into cable-knitting.

Glencoe Museum,
Dornoch History Links

Rebecca Olds in conversation with Catriona Davidson and Lynne Mahoney

Rebecca Olds,a dress historian specialising in the cut and construction of women’s clothing during the “long 18th century”, will take us on a journey as we explore the stories of two Spitalfields dresses now housed at two Highland Museums, Glencoe and Historylinks, Dornoch. Rebecca will give an ‘illustrated talk’ telling us what we know and what we still hope to find out.

West Highland Museum

Barbara Morrison’s Beetle Wing Dress: A story of 19th century Highland emigration

Jo Watson, a postgraduate student at the University of the Highlands and Islands, has been researching the beautiful Beetle Wing Dress and the life of its owner Barbara Morrison. In this event, Jo will lead an informal discussion with Vanessa Martin (Curator, West Highland Museum), Kenna Libes (postgraduate student at Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, and expert on beetle wing dresses), Dr Jim MacPherson (senior lecturer in History at UHI) and Cath Jones (great, great grand-daughter of Barbara Morrison) in which they will explore the story of this outstanding dress and the life of Barbara.

Gairloch Museum
Highland Folk Museum
Wick Heritage Museum

Esther Rutter in conversation with Dr Karen Buchanan

Join knitting historian and author Esther Rutter for a 45-minute exploration of the important role knitting has played in the cultural and economic life of the Highlands, drawing on knitwear from the collections of Gairloch Museum, Wick Heritage Museum and the Highland Folk Museum.

Covering everything from ganseys to Gairloch stockings, if you’re interested in knitting and its history then this talk is not to be missed. Part of the John O’Groats Book Festival.

Heritage as a creative future 

As the crucible of narratives, the creative and heritage industries collate extremely vibrant examples of stories defining our communities. Let’s explore how elected objects of our history can inspire the creation and stimulate a sustainable, unique and engaged relationship between the communities as users and the products as stories. Let’s look beyond a siloed vision of heritage as an inspiration for the creative industries

Dr Aude Le Guennec in conversation with
Dr George Jaramillo, Dr Lynne Hocking-Mennie, Aural Textiles https://www.auraltextiles.com
Nicola Henderson and Helen Avenell, Highland Threads

This was a series of 5 interactive webinars taking a look at how heritage can be used as a resource for branding, design and communication in the creative industries which were developed by XpoNorth Heritage.