My husband and I have a thing about Scotland. Actually, he does and I’m getting that way after years of visiting with him. While Scotland as a whole is a great place, Glasgow where he was a Visiting Researcher, and the Isle of Skye, where his father took him hiking growing up, have made a lasting impression. So every year or so we go back.

The Isle of Skye is a lovely place and we like to stay at a climber’s hotel, called the Sligachan, which is nestled in the Cuillins where we do most of our hiking. However last year we missed booking it (needs advance booking for high season) and ended up in Broadford. While the hotel smelled reminiscent of an elephant enclosure, there was very good espresso and cheese board (two of our life staples) at café called Beinn na Callich and excellent seafood at the Harbour Restaurant (El Puerta)—both can be reached on foot.

Across from the seafood place is a tiny little road leading down to the water, which hosts a few artisan shops. One of them is a fabulous wool shop called Handspinner Having Fun.

Since I’m drowning in wool, I tried very hard to avoid the place and rightfully so because they have so much lovely wool (and silk), it is nearly impossible to leave empty handed. As the name implies, they spin and buy wool locally. For instance their Hebridean Wool is from sheep within 2 miles of the shop. I picked up some Blue Faced Leicester dk in a faded denim blue to create a warm, yet lightweight sweater Nick would be able to wear year-round, as opposed to his Orcas Isle Sweater which would sustain him in a Nor’easter.

Nick’s sweater is coming along, albeit slowly, which is why my last blog mentioned I can really only do one major project a year. It would help if I were a bit more monogamous in my knitting, but big projects make me antsy for the feeling that comes with finishing. My goal is complete it so Nick can wear it into the shop when we visit next month. If that’s going to happen I need to get on it! At this rate I’ll be knitting it right up to the door.

I’ll be sure, in May when I visit, to take pictures of the shop.