The Workshop and Loft Gallery in St Margaret's Hope offers high quality Orcadian knitwear and crafts for sale, and exhibits work from local and Scottish artists.

We are a craft producers co-operative that was set up more than forty years ago for the purpose of selling the work of a group of local craft workers. Since then we have grown and diversified to include the Loft Gallery above the shop and to sell a wider range of goods from local and Scottish makers.

Our unique knitwear is hand-knitted using beautiful soft-coloured yarns in patterns reflecting the sea and the island way of life. The range includes jumpers, jackets, scarves, hats and mitts. It is produced using Shetland Wool and luxury Italian yarns made from merino, cashmere and alpaca fibres.

Complementing our own knitwear are garments from other island producers. These include Quernstone, Iulia Viorela Fisher, Ann Mackie and Hume Sweet Hume from Orkney and Margaret Hamilton from Shetland. The range of textiles on sale in the Workshop includes Isle of Auskerry throws, rugs, knitting kits and yarn; a range of products from Castaway Crafts, Island Design bags and purses and scarves and purses from Mary Smith. Our range of textiles includes cushions from Fiona Firth and hand knitted socks from Susan Reeves.

We have hand-made pottery too, from Fursbreck Pottery (The Harray Potter), Robin Palmer based in Kirkwall Orkney, Susan Walls from Burray in Orkney and stunning wood-fired pieces from John Christie at Blackhills Pottery near Elgin.

Orkney's jewellers are represented with pieces from Sheila Fleet, Alison Moore, Karen Duncan, Orkney Bracelets, Hestia Jewellery and Bakau Beads.

Visual arts too are available. Prints by Louise Scott, Bert Simpson, Sharyn Crossley, and Edwin Rendall are complemented by cards from many artists and photographers. During the season the Loft Gallery mounts exhibitions of work by local and Scottish artists. The Gallery is much sought-after by artists who appreciate its intimate, light-filled setting for their newest work.

As well as the work mentioned from some of our foremost crafts people you will find lots of pieces we think you will like as much as we do, so come to visit us in Front Road, St Margaret's Hope end enjoy browsing all we have to offer.

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