Orkney Science Festival

Description

Island Sheep and Island Futures
In an age of technology, wool is back – taking advantage of that very technology to open up new products and new markets for yarn spun from traditional breeds of sheep. Visitors from islands along the old Norse sea-routes have come to Orkney to show what they are doing and find out about Orkney’s own developments.

Spread out over three rooms in the Old Library in Laing Street, showing the different types of yarn and the techniques of knitting and weaving the various patterns.

The event allowed the viewer to discover at first hand about the revival of patterned sweaters in Faroe, and see a cloak woven in Norse style from the fleece of North Atlantic sheep and hear how knitting is providing skilled jobs for young people in the Aran Islands and Rathlin, and about the role of computer-aided design and manufacture in Ireland.

Also on display were Orkney weavers and designers are using the wool from North Ronaldsay and Boreray sheep. You can see wool from the North Ronaldsay spinning mill with its brand label A Yarn from North Ronaldsay, with a range of high-quality yarns, batts, rovings and felt.

The exhibition also included needle-felted and handwoven work from Helen Galland of Woolly Wally & Rinansay Weavings and hear about her plans for upholstery which will use all the material from the mill.

A range of interesting designs by Hilary Grant is producing blankets and bed-throws in Birsay, in a small factory setting, with finishing in traditional ways.

It’s a unique opportunity to hear about the qualities of the wool from native sheep and see the new directions into which it is developing.

Organised by the North Ronaldsay Trust and supported by the OIC Nordic Atlantic Fund

Period	4 Sept 2025
Event type	Exhibition
Location	Kirkwall , United KingdomShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International