The Cabrach Tapestry: A Stitch in Time for Our Community

In February 2025, The Cabrach Trust proudly launched a project that has captured hearts, hands, and imaginations far and wide — The Cabrach Tapestry. This remarkable initiative set out to stitch the rich culture, history, and heritage of The Cabrach into seven large tapestry panels. What began as a bold idea quickly became a movement of creativity and connection.

It soon became clear that the appetite to take part was enormous. So many people wished to lend a needle and thread that we introduced smaller panels, ensuring everyone could be included. These smaller pieces will be stitched together, forming a vibrant mosaic of personal contributions that reflect the shared spirit of this community-led, intergenerational project.

Steered by Sam Dowdall, Community and Development Manager at The Cabrach Trust, and guided by the expertise of Susie Findlayson, renowned for her work on the Great Scottish Tapestry, the project has grown into something far greater than fabric and thread. It has become a story of people. Stitchers, some seasoned experts but many brand new to embroidery, gathered regularly to plan, learn, and stitch. Each brought their own style, their own touch, and their own story.

A Story of Community Led Engagement

Over 40 dedicated stitchers have been involved, with well over 1,000 people contributing “a stitch or two.” The panels have travelled into schools, libraries, and community spaces, making appearances at events like the Keith Show and the Glenfiddich Open Day and Shetland Wool Week. Along the way, they’ve attracted attention from near and far — a testament to how deeply the story of The Cabrach resonates.

But beyond the panels themselves lies something even more powerful: regeneration. The project has brought energy, conversation, and renewed life into The Cabrach, a place long marked by depopulation and quiet decline. Stitch by stitch, friendships have been forged, stories have been shared, and a buzz has returned to this remarkable rural community.

One of the most moving stories comes from an 82-year-old participant, recently widowed and looking for something in the days after her husband’s passing, who chose to stitch the iconic Grouse Inn, a building close to her heart because her father built the dance hall there. She reflected:

“I have learned a lot since joining the project and have tried many different ways of doing things, for example the tiles on the roof of the Inn, it took a long time to work them but well worth it in the long run. I have enjoyed every minute of it, also meeting at the Cabrach on the Saturdays with such lovely people all interested in embroidery. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity at such a time in my life.”

This spirit of joy, discovery, and belonging runs through every thread of The Cabrach Tapestry. It is more than artwork; it is community, memory, and legacy woven together.

The Cabrach Tapestry Launch Weekend

We are thrilled to announce that The Cabrach Tapestry will officially launch at an invited event, before going on public display on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November between 10.30am and 4pm in The North Steading at The Cabrach Distillery.

Join us in celebrating this extraordinary achievement — a testament to what happens when people come together with passion, purpose, and creativity. The Cabrach Tapestry is not just about the past; it is stitching a brighter, more connected future for us all.