Straw Crafts Club Update

We’re into the fourth week of our winter evening craft sessions using oat straw, and it’s been really encouraging to see the groups progressing their skills in the endangered basketry techniques of kishie making, knotted straw (Fair Isle) and coiled stitched straw.

Fair Isle chairmaker, Eve Eunson is leading the sessions together with museum curator Ian Tait and Deepa Shah from Hymhus, the basket making group in Bigton.

There are around seven participants in each of the three groups and all are making baskets but in different shapes and forms.

It’s been a lengthy (and messy!) process but now the groups are moving beyond the tricky stages of the project and getting into the rhythm and flow of making the baskets. The kishie baskets are well underway, and next week the group will be starting to finish up their work. Handles will soon be added to the coiled stitched straw baskets and the knotted straw group are continuing with their baskets from a square wooden base.

It’s been a fun, sociable series of evenings and by the very nature of them being collaborative sessions it’s meant that people have been able to ask plenty of questions and bounce ideas off one another.

Eve emphasised: “There are very few straw crafts’ experts out there so it’s vital that these skills and knowledge are passed on so that more people can learn and keep the techniques going. I’m delighted that there has been such a positive response to the classes, and we hope to do more in the future.”

We’ll share photos of the finished baskets in the next couple of weeks.

???? Photos by Jordan Clark

Captions:

  • Close up of the coiled stitched straw basket base
  • A birds eye view of the three different types of basketry techniques taking place in the museum auditorium: kishie making, knotted straw (Fair Isle), and coiled stitched straw
  • Close up of a kishie
  • Twisting the straw into simmens for kishie making
  • Ian Tait who is running the kishie workshops, explaining how to sort the oat straw
Straw Crafts Club Update View Full Size
Straw Crafts Club Update View Full Size
Straw Crafts Club Update View Full Size
Straw Crafts Club Update View Full Size
Straw Crafts Club Update View Full Size

Related Posts

Research project commissioned to encourage locals to grow more aets!

Shetland Amenity Trust has commissioned a research project with two local straw makers to understand more about the growing of ...

Read more

‘Logical Confusion’, a retrospective exhibition of Mike McDonnell opens at the Shetland Museum

An ambitious new exhibition dedicated to the artistry of well-known local artist Mike McDonnell opened this weekend at the Shetland ...

Read more

New poetry book - ‘Love in Human Herts’

‘Love in Human Herts’, a new publication celebrating Vagaland’s finest poetry has been launched today by the Shetland Amenity ...

Read more

Film celebrating the achievements of Johnnie Notions launched by Shetland Museum and Archives

A new film which brings to life the incredible story of 18th century inoculation pioneer and Shetland crofter Johnnie Notions has been ...

Read more

Keep a look out for Skeklers this Halloween

We had a great time at our recent Skeklers Hat workshop with local artist Eve Eunson in preparation for Halloween.

Read more

Pre-school Activity Mornings

Bring your little explorers to the Shetland Museum & Archives for our heritage-filled fun sessions, designed especially for under 5's ...

Read more

National Poetry Day

To celebrate National Poetry Day we asked assistant archivist (and poet) Mark Smith to uncover a hidden gem from the archives. This ...

Read more

October Holiday Workshops

Join us this October Holidays for heritage inspired workshops and some spooky Halloween fun! From witchcraft to skeklers and faas ...

Read more

Treasure Trove Comes to Shetland

Members of the public are invited to come along with their ‘treasures’ and meet experts from Scotland’s Treasure Trove Unit ...

Read more

Bold exhibition featuring photography by legendary Diane Arbus opens at Shetland Museum and Archives

A new display of powerful and iconic photographs by Diane Arbus, one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century, opened ...

Read more

Shetland Museum and Archives Launches New Online Archive Catalogue

A new online Archives catalogue has been launched today (Tuesday 8 August) at the Shetland Museum and Archives.

Read more

CLOSED: Friday 12 noon - Sunday 12 noon

Shetland Museum and Archives will be closed from 12 noon on Friday 21 July until 12 noon on Sunday 23 July, due to a private ...

Read more

A celebration of Shetland’s maritime heritage at the museum

Shetland’s maritime heritage will be at the heart of Shetland Museum and Archives’ summer programme, with a series of themed ...

Read more

Preparing for the herring – photos from the archives

George Gen and Sarah Mackintosh, members of our Visitor Experience team have pulled together a selection of photos from our online ...

Read more

Online Survey: Have your say on our learning and outreach activities

From exhibitions and workshops to family activities and evening talk, we would love to hear your thoughts on our current offering and ...

Read more