We first heard about Tangled Galashiels (Scotland) from our good friend Jo Avery. Originally launched in 2023 by co-founders Samira Hill and Naomi Hodgson, the festival provides a beautiful and creative space designed to meet the needs of fiber enthusiasts across the UK and beyond. While boasting a heavier lean on the fiber arts, the festival also incorporates textiles & sewing in a gloriously organic way.
We’re intrigued and excited to learn more and can’t help but delight in the opportunity to merge two remarkable ends of this wildly creative industry. So many of us experience the world of craft in a variety of different ways. From felting to knitting, weaving to spinning, macrame to crochet, sewing to embroidery… Tangled Galashiels brings it all to one incredible space, inviting collaboration, inspiration, and innovation.
Jo will be there, offering instruction on her wildly popular Dream Birds patterns and she’ll also present Aurifilosophy, Aurifil’s education program designed to illuminate attendees on the wonders and practical applications of our many thread varieties. It’s an amazing way to participate by proxy and we’re eager to hear all about it after this weekend!
In preparation for the full event on Friday, 5/31 & Saturday, 6/1, we’re thrilled to share a quick interview with one of the events co-founders, Samira Hill. To learn more about the event, buy tickets, or to peruse available workshops, be sure to visit the event site via the button below. For a sneak peek into the event’s background, head HERE.
Hi Samira! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. We understand that you’re in the throes of final preparation for the Tangled Galashiels at the end of this month and we’re so eager to learn more. To dive right in, we’d love for you to share a bit about how this event first came together?
In late 2019, the established, Scottish Borders based St Abbs Wool Festival ceased trading, and Naomi and I, as well as a lot of Borders based crafters, felt that we had lost our local festival. Naomi, who was the owner of Unwind Yarns in Galashiels and I then looked at bringing something similar back to the Borders, but located in Galashiels, closer to us. Galashiels had just undergone some major developments (The Borders Railway, the Great Tapestry of Scotland), and we were keen to support the evolution of the town.
What about your background drew you to create a community event such as this one and what does the event mean to you?
My background as an archaeologist, then professional knitting and crochet teacher, designer and technical editor would not make me look like the perfect candidate for the job! I guess the combination of drive, practical skills, and willingness to work hard and overcome challenges must counterbalance the lack of formal training. Community is at the heart of Tangled Galashiels in every aspects: from the idea at the beginning to provide the local crafting community with an event for crafters to buy good quality products from independent makers, to providing more exposure and bringing people to the town. Two of the festival’s three venues are fully dedicated to local crafting communities, with the Fleece Market run by Birkhill House CIC, the Edinburgh and Tweed Guilds of Spinners, Dyers and Weavers, the Knitting and Crochet Guild, The Borders Railway Tapestry etc… Locally based Eribe Knitwear and students of the Galashiels Based Heriot Watt School of Textile and Design are also dedicating their own time and effort into putting up exhibitions and interact with the crafting community. The main caterer of the event, Café Recharge, is a non-for-profit, pay-what-you-can CIC committed to combat food waste and bridge the gap between waste and food poverty, and the smaller hot drinks and sweet treats corner is provided by the Galashiels Scouts.
Do you find that attendees come from all over, or is the population largely focused on Scotland?
Whilst a lot of ticket holders come from all corners of Scotland, we see a lot of people coming from various parts of the UK, notably northern England. We do see some overseas travelers though, some of them coming all the way from Australia!
What types of workshops and activities are available?
The workshops available cover a variety of fibre crafts: felting landscapes, Tweed wrapping brooches, and hand applique beautiful bird motifs! For those who do not have enough time or did not get a spot in the workshops, there will also be free fun and relax crafting activities in our “craftivism” space, in collaboration with SOHTIS (Survivors of Human Trafficking In Scotland). This is a great opportunity to use your crafting skills and support a great charity!
What can we expect to find when walking through the vendor hall?
The vendors hall will offer stalls from independent crafters from the Scottish Borders and beyond; it is a fibre festival, so all fibrecrafts are represented: you will find wool, fleeces, yarns, spinning equipment, weaving equipment, woven items, felted items, embroidery, tapestry, Macrame, knitting and crochet patterns, accessories and kits, hand sewn Tweed garments, accessories and gifts… and the list goes on!
While the event is largely focused on fiber art, there are bits and pieces of sewing thrown in – where do you see the crafts of fiber art & sewing/quilting intersecting?
I see textiles very much on the par with fibres, as it is another platform for so many different crafts. I am personally particularly interested in the use of fabric and its role in the resurgence of recycled / upcycled and regenerative, sustainable crafts, alongside fibres. I also enjoy embroidery and working with thread, and skills crossover between working with fibres, and working with fabric and threads.
We’re finding more and more crossover these days, with a growing number of remarkable fiber artists making waves in the textile industry, through illustration, sculpture, and more. Are there particular makers who have made a particular impact in your mind?
Yes, and it is fascinating! From Kaffe Fasset’s colourwork versatility in various crafts, to Di Gilpin bringing knitwear skills to the fashion industry, for me the worlds of textiles and fibres just constantly flow in and out of each other, in the most intriguing ways.
One of our favorite crossover artists, Jo Avery, is an educator this year at Tangled Galashiels, instructing on her wildly popular Dream Birds Appliqué. What drew you to bring Jo on as an event educator?
I am not a quilter, but even I had heard of Jo! I teach in various wool and fabric outlets, and so I am aware of some of the wonderful textile and quilting artists locally or Scotland based. Jo actually came to Tangled last year, and she was very supportive of the event. We always try to offer workshops that are a little different, so the Dreams Bird Appliqué fitted perfectly! We are so honored that she will be launching one of her Birds at Tangled!
How were you first introduced to her work?
I had seen some of Jo’s Aurifil kits in my local fabric shop, and I would see some of her designs pop up on social media. I was not aware then that she lived in Scotland, nor that she used to live in the Borders in the past!
You are also a fairly prolific knitter, pattern designer, and educator – we’d love to hear more about the work that you are doing.
Thank you. I love what I do! I teach knitting and crochet classes around the Scottish Borders and at various events in Scotland, as well as online teaching for Rowan Connect. I will be teaching at Shetland Wool Week for the first time in October, which I am very much looking forward to. When I am not teaching, I work as a knitting and crochet pattern writer, checker and technical editor for the Journal of Scottish Yarns, the Shetland Wool Week Annual, Quail Studio and for other independent designers. And when I am not teaching or tech editing, I design knitting and crochet garments and accessories as Eildon Hills Designs that are self-published, or commissioned by various publications and magazines.
How long have you been working within the remarkable world of fiber art?
I learned to knit with my mother when I was about 7-8 years old, then did not pursue any crafts until I was a few years into Uni and a flat mate introduced me to knitting, properly this time…! As a professional field archaeologist, I was always on the move, so knitting became a great traveling companion! I taught myself everything I needed using books I found in charity shops. Then around 15 years ago, I wanted to be able to make 3D objects and add borders to my knitting, so I taught myself to crochet. I think the reason I changed career and became a knitting and crochet teacher is that I wish there had been someone to teach me all these techniques when I was learning; learning on your own is hard and takes time, this way people do not have to take the harder road. I have now been teaching professionally for over ten years.
For our readers who might be new to knitting or crochet, do you have any hot tips for beginners? Achievable patterns? Preferred wools? Go-to needles? We’d love to soak up some education!
If you are new to the craft, one main rule: keep it simple, keep it fun! Do not be afraid of mistakes, and do not add stress to your life by being frustrated or perfectionist, these things take time, practice makes perfect, remember we craft because it brings us joy and relaxation…
Patterns: Go for simple accessories with little shaping to start with, and as you get more practice and more confident, continue learning and exploring various techniques.
Wool: I love so many different wools for various reasons, but if I had to pick just one, I guess it would be BFL (Blue Faced Leicester): it is commonly produced in the UK, has beautiful texture, softness and natural shine.
Needles: cicular needles! I am always on the move, and I like tools I can use to do everything. Although I teach lots of techniques, when knitting for myself I use circular needles to knit flat, in the round, and even socks and small circumferences using the Magic Loop technique.
What comes next after Tangled Galashiels?
A small break, a few design commissions for various publications over the summer, more tech editing work, and starting preparations on the next Tangled Galashiels, on 30th-31st May 2025!