Textile Links with Paisley

By Nanette Muir

A journey stone homage to welcoming new people into the communities of the Highlands
Image provided by Nanette Muir

In my 30 years+ on Skye I have met and got to know many interesting people from all over the UK who have made the island their home. I was born in Paisley and indeed previous generations of my family were all from Paisley, some involved in shawl manufacturing, hence the iconic Paisley motif on my journey stone. It symbolises how Skye, and the Highlands in general, have welcomed people from elsewhere to live and work here after many years of depopulation.

Taking their rich Gaelic culture with them, those who left found work in the Central Belt of Scotland, including Paisley, while others left the country altogether. As a textile conservator in my early professional life, with a continuing interest in textiles and local history, I have much enjoyed meeting and working with the other stitchers involved in this project.

Many thanks to Nanette Muir for sharing with us the story behind her journey stone, created as part of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.

WHAT IS A JOURNEY STONE?

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.