In The Studio with DYE, WEAVE AND PLEAT
Upcoming Artist in Residence
DYE • WEAVE • PLEAT is the collective expression of three textile traditions in Scotland; natural dyeing, hand weaving and hand stitched kiltmaking.
This collaboration of three craft studios showcases their heritage techniques in modern conjunction, to present the work of each
maker within a capsule collection of kilts.
Each of the three studios specialise in hand skills that are individually recognised as endangered heritage crafts. Collectively they embody the tradition of kiltmaking as it originally was; using plants from the land to dye locally grown yarn, regionally processed and woven into cloth that was hand stitched into a garment that is synonymous with Scotland.
For this contemporary exploration they have reshuffled the sequence in which those skills are used, championing Scottish materials and methods that defy the conventional process, but uphold the hand stitched skills that define the tradition.
The kilts refer to specific beaches across Scotland, using both materials and forms that evoke these coastal sites in the depths of frosts during winter 24/25.
The collaboration is ongoing and extending, to incorporate additional craftspeople in adjacent disciplines. For LCW we are joined by jeweller Kristin Beeler, based in Dundee, who has created the kilt pin accessories as a response to the landscapes portrayed in each piece.
Acme Atelier
Acme Atelier is the bespoke kiltmaking studio led by Andrea Chappell, where traditional hand stitched techniques are expressed in contemporary designs, often in combination with custom handprinted textiles. Each kilt is a unique commission that embodies the story of a person, place or event within a wearable work of art, created from hand pleated, hand printed and hand stitched textile construction.
Cavan Jayne McPerson
Cavan Jayne McPerson specialises in artisan dye techniques and natural/low impact colour application for fashion and textiles. Cavan works holistically to showcase the environmental benefits of natural dyes within the current fashion system, from farm to factory, using contemporary applications in many forms across yarn, piece and garment. Her bespoke service offers palette creation, sampling and production for a diverse spectrum of projects from her Scottish dye studio and in collaboration with industrial facilities.
Vevar
Vevar was established in 2020, as the first hand weaving mill in Glasgow’s east end in over a century. The studio is internationally recognised by fashion houses, artists and cultural institutions for its contemporary take on Scottish tradition. Their eye on both the history and future of Scottish textiles is testimony to the passion and ambition of its founders Christopher McEvoy and Chantal Allen.
Kristin Beeler
Kristin Beeler studies the relationship between jewellery, landscape and empathy as Research faculty at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, Scotland. Kilt pins are studies, carving mother of pearl to (impossibly) capture wind and landscape patterns. Carving is a deliberate process requiring a kind of listening to the material and response to the kilt landscape.
