A Wildflower Meadow, Woven by Hand

Wildflower meadow by the sea.

In the Autumn of 2025 I made a new tapestry for Harvest contemporary craft fair in Edinburgh, which took place at the City Arts Centre.

Harvest was run and organised by Craft Scotland and took place in October 2025. I knew I wanted to make something that felt rooted in the season, but also in the place where I work. The finished piece was inspired by a wildflower meadow, not a perfect one, but the kind where colours overlap, disappear, and reappear as the plants move through the year.

Collecting dye materials from the garden

All of the wool for the tapestry was dyed with plants from the studio garden. That part of the process started months earlier, gathering and dyeing in small batches, not always knowing exactly how the colours would turn out. Some were soft and muted, others stronger than expected. I decided to use them as they were.

Plant dyed wool

The weaving itself was a mix of complex floor loom work and tapestry techniques. Instead of using a shuttle, the colours were placed by hand, building the surface slowly and deliberately. It’s a slower way of working, but it allowed me to respond as I went, adjusting colour, density, and shape as the piece grew.

Weaving in progress

I liked the way the tapestry changed over time. From a distance it reads as a whole, but up close you can see individual decisions, small shifts, places where I stopped and changed direction.

Details of the final design

I wanted to share this piece because it says a lot about how I work: starting with what’s available, paying attention, and allowing the making process to shape the final result.

More Details on ‘Susurration’ Artwork