Skye
Alisdair Davidson
Alisdair Davidson is a basketmaker who spent several years in the 1990’s researching baskets in Scotland and has helped us considerably with the research for this project. Originally from Kilbarchan, he worked as a toolmaker in Glasgow before moving …Continue reading “Alisdair Davidson”
What we know about Mudags/Muirlags
This is another basket which has a whole variety of names. They include muirlag, murlag, crealagh, craidhleag or mudag. Dwelly’s lists ‘craidhleag’ as an egg shaped basket for balls of worsted. And it has the mudag as a wool …Continue reading “What we know about Mudags/Muirlags”
Skye Museum of Island Life, Kilmuir
By Stephanie Bunn While Jon and I were on Skye, Caroline Dear invited us to her studio, where her work revealed a profoundly impressive exploration of the potentials of heather, hair moss and other materials. She also recounted several local stories, including one …Continue reading “Skye Museum of Island Life, Kilmuir”
Making a mudag
Funny how life sometimes gives us second chances. I was asked by the Highland Folk Museum to make them a mudag a few years ago. I thought it unlikely I would make another but then about a month ago Sheila …Continue reading “Making a mudag”
What we know about hen baskets
‘Brigitte Bardot’ basket by Donald Crawford, Ard Fern This design is a very widely used and known, and there is some evidence that its origins are Scottish. The design went across the Atlantic with Ulster-Scots immigrants, who continued to use …Continue reading “What we know about hen baskets”
What we know about back and pony creels of the Highlands and Islands
In the Highlands and Islands creels enabled people and ponies to carry peat, seaweed, potatoes and other produce across rough ground that wheeled carts were not able to access. Usually made of willow, but sometimes with heather, they were made …Continue reading “What we know about back and pony creels of the Highlands and Islands”
