Kieran Beattie
An award-winning Aberdeen seamstress has been chosen to represent Scotland’s quilt makers at a national knitting event when it comes north of the border for the first time.
Thousands of enthusiasts from across Britain are expected to attend the Knitting and Stitching show at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh from April 28 to May 1.
And among those representing Scotland’s anticipated 600 knitting and stitching representatives is Hanne Asbey from Westhill, who has been sewing beautiful quilts for the past 30 years.
Mrs Asbey will showcase Scotland’s expansive quilting culture, as well helping to spread the word of the country’s works of dressmaking, embroidery, home furnishing, felt making, tapestry, knitting and crochet to visitors from across the UK.
The 69-year-old said she thought it was a stitch-up when she first heard the news, but felt proud to have been chosen to represent her country.
Mrs Asbey, who has set up quilting events across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, the Highlands and even Stornoway added: “I’ve been quilting for many years, and I’ve been a member of the British Quilters guild for many years as well.
“So I am actually very honoured that I have been asked to represent the around 600 members of the guild in Scotland, especially because I’m originally Norwegian.
“It’s a great opportunity and it’s going to be a real challenge, but I can’t wait to show the rest of the UK what Scotland’s quilters have to offer.”
Mrs Asbey said she hopes the Edinburgh event will bring in similar numbers to large knitting and stitching events in England.
She added: “This is the first time they have held it in Scotland. When they hold similar festivals in Birmingham every August they have about 30,000 people coming to the door, so we might get something like that if we’re lucky.
“It’s not just for people in the sewing industry. There will be all sorts of people coming in, there will be lots of things to see and things to buy, and of course a lot of inspiration for everybody who comes along.”
For more information and to buy tickets for the show, visit www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/edinburgh or call 01473 321872