A GALASHIELS designer says she is excited about taking part in a new festival that celebrates craft in Scotland.

Craft Week Scotland will run between November 9-15, as the craft sector aims to soften the blow of the coronavirus pandemic.

Flora Collingwood-Norris, a luxury knitwear designer based in Galashiels, is taking part in the festival that will consist of a mix of digital and in-person events encouraging people to shop for design-led contemporary crafts.

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She said: “Craft Week Scotland is a fantastic opportunity to explore the diverse range of design and craft in Scotland and I’m very excited to take part.”

COVID-19 continues to have a major impact on many industries across the nation.

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Photo: The Eildon scarf inspired by hills in the Borders (Credit: Rose and Julien Ltd)

However, Ms Collingwood-Norris will be releasing a new digital mending guide focusing on cuffs and edges during Craft Week Scotland to help people with their crafts from home.

“Lockdown has definitely changed my business this year: a lot of the wholesale side of my business has been cancelled, largely due to the lack of tourism in Scotland, and the pop-up events I reply on in the run up to Christmas aren’t happening,” she said.

“However, I offer a bespoke visible mending service to help people keep their knitwear for longer, and this side of the business has grown as I’ve launched digital mending guides and kits so people can learn from home.”

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Ms Collingwood-Norris, who makes pieces in her studio and others in a local mill, now has customers in 31 countries around the world thanks to her mending guides.

She says lockdown “forced me to slow down a bit”, allowing her to be more creative with her work.

“I’ve looked to my local landscape for inspiration, and have created some new scarves inspired by the colours I see on my daily walks around Galashiels – varying greens, heathery tones, yellow gorse and lichens have all inspired me this year,” she added.