Heartlands - Garnets
BY THE HEARTLANDS STITCHERS
Garnet Journey StoneImage provided by The Heartlands Stitchers
Iain's garnet rockImage provided by The Heartlands Stitchers
Iain, of the Heartlands StitchersImage provided by The Heartlands Stitchers
TELLING THE STORY OF THE HEARTLANDS PANEL
Iain lives in Pitlochry. He says:
I just retired at the back end of last year as manager of the Atholl Centre conference centre where I had been working for the last 15 years. I came to work in the town at the age of 21.
The first item I remember making was a mat made at primary school when I was about 6 years old. It has been in continuous use even since and have always enjoyed the colours. The second item I made was a little dinosaur when I was about 8 years old. My mother was a great creative person and encouraged all 4 of us children to learn how to sew, knit, make and mend. She and my Dad were keen to help us understand and appreciate the creative world, and God the Creator of this wonderful world we live in, so we learned about animal, birds, flowers, insects, rocks and fossils, these last too I avidly collected.
The garnet stone which I found somewhere in the Highlands has been in my possession for many years and I always enjoyed wetting the semi-precious gem stones as I brings out the ruby colour from the rest of the mica-schist stone
Many thanks to the Heartland Stitchers, and to Iain, for sharing with us this incredible story behind their panel, created as part of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.
READ MORE STORIES FROM THE TAPESTRY OF THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS
Prior to the beginning of the stitching of each tapestry panel, each stitcher of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands was tasked with telling their interpretation of the 'Spirit of the Highlands and Islands' within a blank outline of a stone. The possibilities were truly endless - is it represented in the land? The people? A historical site? A favourite memory?
In any case, each journey stone represents the connection between each individual stitcher, their story, and their own sense, or 'spirit', of place. Discover more of the stories behind the journey stones of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands here.