Giúthsach – Story Plaid: The Pine Forest
This hand woven plaid shares the story of a Scottish Pine Forest, for those that love deep greens and a connection to a mysterious and earthy past.
Giúthsach – (Gaelic) meaning ‘Pine Forest’
Each piece from the Forest Story Plaids creates its own statement. A story embellished and stitched on each shawl. There are only four in the collection. Giúthsach – Story Plaid being the first.
Product Information
Fibres – 100% Merino Lambswool Yarn from British mills, with hand spun inlayed yarns of mixed natural fibres such as Shetland and Merino wools.
Dimensions – 91cm x 250cm (+/- 5%)
Design – a hand woven Twill plaid pattern with hand felted and hand stitched embellishments, inlayed hand spun yarns.
Giúthsach – Story Plaid: The Pine Forest
£440.00Out of stock
The Giúthsach – Story Plaid – The Story (design & inspiration)
The Forest Story Plaids are a celebration of evergreen. The rich, unwavering green that stands out against the sharp line of granite plateaus. The distinctive pointing tree tops decorating hills and valleys. The inspiration begins at a distance, where mist floats ethereally above a deep, dark forest. The plaid design is a criss cross of deep greens, mixed with a vibrant earth green with notes of a forest floor’s abundance: rust, browns and lighter soft green. Finally charcoal brings the dark core of the forest into the design.
The embellishments are a motif. Each shawl has its own unique motif using British fibres I have felted and stitched a pattern that will follow the contours of the body when worn.
The motif shares a story of earlier times. Of swirling mist, pine cones, bark patterns and a nod towards those that would have lived alongside the Caledonian Forest in a time before technology and fast paced living. Symbology is everywhere in Scotland – in its folklore and early people (such as the Picts): each motif brings nuances of this to the design.
The Making
I love traditional patterns and believe their classic look will transcend seasons. The plaid is synonymous to Scotland and the designs are rooted in this pattern. I believe in creating one off textiles that reflect the wearer or owner of each piece. The stories are unique and will not be re-created.
Scotland radiates magic, it is why we often feel connected to it from afar. Each Story Plaid is a piece of textile art that illustrates this. The embellishments may be hand stitched, hand felted or threaded with hand spun art yarns that I spin myself. These are added directly to the fabric whilst it is being woven on the loom. The tensioned fabric is the perfect surface to work from.
The designs are made using gentle techniques that hark back to slower times. Using a loom in my Scottish studio, it is powered by hands and feet not electricity. I use natural fibres and yarns that come from British, Scottish & Irish mills, chosen for quality and sustainability. Each step is carefully considered so that the textile is made to the very highest of standards. A hand woven textile has life and personality and, if looked after, will look beautiful for many years ahead.
Use the Story Plaid as a blanket or throw, wrap around as wearable art or hang them as a piece of art in their own right.