I subscribe to VAV weaving magazine and a couple of issues back they published several articles about Scottish tweeds. The timing of this issue could not have been better as I was waist-deep in planning a three week journey to the highlands of Scotland with me mum. As much as I would’ve liked, I could not squeeze Lewis and Harris into our itinerary. The Isle of Skye, however, was another matter. This was exciting because of all the tweeds photographed for the VAV articles, I fell in love with the photo of a single tweed swatch. Actually not only the photo, but I fell in love with the swatch. I just HAD to get this yardage, or even a wee sample. This glorious swatch was created by Andrea and Roger of Skye Weavers. Holy warp, I could visit them! They weave in a small cottage up in the northwest bit of Skye.
Suddenly I had this Idea bubbling in my head: I’ve a beautiful Cheviot fleece from WA state that I could dye using natural dyes. I could spin fine singles. Cheviot is a Scottish breed of sheep! And I could create my own yardage…not exactly the Skye design because that is theirs…..but I could produce my own, very similar fabric.
I think I’ve finished pounding out the design using a combination of I-weaveit and Fiberworks. I feel a bit cross eyed now, but I’m fairly certain I’ve a design that I like. Each weft pick will be a different color, involving 5 colors. Gulp. I may fiddle this down to four colors…a bit more manageable.
Magpie Dye Studio 
Or you could expand to six weft colors – why not? Six isn’t much worse than 2 or 3, once you get the rhythm down and have somewhere handy to place the shuttles not in use. And I like the new look!
I don’t have enough shuttles for six and I like the look I’m getting with four! The new look is sparse….I’m kind of busy right now….only spending X amount of time per day on this…