The Beginnings of the St Kilda Tweed Project

It was during my first visit to St Kilda, around fifteen years ago, that the seed of this project was planted. Standing outside the small stone cottage where the island’s “parliament” once met each morning to assign the day’s work to every able-bodied man, I felt an unexpected pull — a desire to one day return and stay on the island for a longer period. That quiet moment marked the very beginning of what would slowly become the St Kilda Tweed Project.

For many years, the idea lay dormant. Then, during a visit to friends in Scotland last year, a remarkable series of coincidences began to unfold — as if something was urging the project back to life. Within a matter of months, everything seemed to fall into place. I found detailed information about the original St Kilda tweed, acquired a loom similar to those once used on the island, learned to weave, and sourced rare Soay and Boreray fleeces to be spun into yarn by the Border Mill in Duns.

And, most excitingly, the National Trust for Scotland granted me permission to live on St Kilda for four weeks in 2027 — to weave tweed there once again, for the first time in nearly a century.

Even now, I can hardly believe how this long-shelved idea has taken on such life and momentum. Perhaps there’s something deeper at play — a memory echoing from long ago, nudging me toward this unlikely path?

Whatever the reason, I can’t wait to return to St Kilda in 2027 and see where this journey leads.