Today I made the two-and-a-half-hour drive from Buchlyvie to Fort William, travelling through the awe-inspiring Glen Coe, to see Vanessa, the curator of the West Highland Museum, and examine one of the last surviving pieces of St Kilda tweed woven on the island in 1930.

This was one of the highest priorities of my trip. Until now I had only ever seen this remarkable piece in photographs, but nothing could compare to standing in front of it and studying it with my own eyes.

The visit proved invaluable. By carefully examining the cloth I was able to learn so much about the way it was woven—from the beautifully executed selvedges to the character of the hand-spun warp and weft yarns. I could finally appreciate its true texture and handle, which, as expected, is considerably rougher than the tweed I have woven using much softer Corriedale wool.

One of the photographs shows my own tweed jacket alongside the original St Kilda tweed. The comparison highlights the differences in appearance, texture and finish, and reinforces just how distinctive the original cloth really is.

Every visit, every conversation and every discovery brings me one step closer to my goal of weaving authentic St Kilda tweed on the island itself in 2027. Days like today remind me why this project has become such a passion.