Anna MacNeil

Anna Macneil is a Grandmother and Granddaughter small family team working in the Highland & Island of Scotland. Together they design and make a wide variety of products, using Harris Tweed, featuring designs which are inspired by the history, wildlife and landscape of Scotland. 

Everything is designed and made by Ruth and her Granddaughter Rachael. 

Everything starts life as scribbles and sketches on paper. The function of each item they make is as important as the aesthetics. Linings, fastenings, finishing techniques are all carefully thought out and tested. Their hats are designed to keep your head warm - and to not blow off in the wind! 

Their products employ a type of embroidered decoration called appliqué. This involves cutting intricate shapes of fabric and laying them on top of the main fabric before securing them in place using their embroidery machines and sewing machines. 

All the decorative buttons are also hand made mostly by themselves. Most are made using polymer clay blended and shaped to co-ordinate with the tweed and embroidery. Occasionally some are fused glass and these are made at a stained glass studio on the other side of Inverness.

Ruth weaves her own tweed and has a traditional Hattersley loom in the purpose-built loom shed beside The Workshop.  You are welcome to call in, and whenever possible they are be happy to give you a demonstration of weaving in progress.

They do not use outworkers, so they can guarantee quality. Every item is individually made and hand finished by themselves, in their studio in Kirkhill, Inverness.