Blog

This week we put the spotlight is on our most luxurious, cosy, 100% Merino Mull Cape. The Mull Cape has been a central part of our collection for many years and has endured as one of our most popular pieces, particularly with locals and others from the cooler climates looking for a warm winter shawl […]

For this week of our Made in Scotland blog series, we are featuring the beautiful, contemporary designs of Fluke Jewellery in Orkney. Inspired by a love of nature, their collection is quite simply magical. We have loved learning more about this small team of talented makers and can’t wait to visit them in person. Can […]

Specially designed for the feminine figure, the Marcia Pullover has a lustrous roll neck, waist length in the body with slightly longer sleeves which are great when bunched up your forearm. We knit them in our favourite soft spun 100% Donegal Merino wool, full of lovely flecks and tonnes of character. A truly stunning addition [...]

A new addition to our collection this week, the Marcia Tunic! The Marcia Tunic Pullover has a lustrous roll neck, below hip length in the body with slightly longer sleeves which are great when bunched up your forearm. A longer version of the Marcia, the Marcia Tunic will keep you cosy all through the Autumn [...]

The Mosaic Jacket is a beautiful warm wool garment, knitted in gorgeous colour-ways. A Classic piece from our 80’s collection that we have redesigned and brought back to life, the Mosaic has become quickly one of our shop favourites. The name comes from the tile shaped pattern detail in this Jacket. It is a flashback [...]

This month as part of our Made in Scotland series we talked to a designer working from a peaceful corner of the west highlands. We love the woven leather textiles handmade by Iseabal, which she uses to create her gorgeous bags. Each one is a beautiful example of quality materials and stunning craftsmanship. Can you […]

The Skye Jacket is a perfect Autumn to Winter wool Jacket, knitted in luxurious Donegal Merino Wool. This chunky Jacket is not too heavy as the Merino gives it incredible warmth without too much weight. The Skye Jacket is a superb addition to the collection bringing some winter warmth to our range while still carrying [...]

We love accessorising our garments with complementing Snoods, infinity scarfs that we make in a range of vibrant colours and different weights. The Orkney Snood has fast established itself at the centre of our store collection and delighted shoppers have been walking out wearing them all year round. The linen and cotton Orkney Snood is certainly [...]

The Montrose jacket takes the shape of our classic Brora Jacket and updates it with the new 4 colour sailors knot we have been using for a few seasons now. Still knitted in silk & linen for a lovely lightweight fabric, we have emblazoned the knotwork with an outline. Picked out in sharp contrast with […]

This week, as part of our Made in Scotland Blog series, we are so excited to feature Ortak Jewellery in Orkney. Each piece is hand-crafted in Orkney and sent out to owners all over the world. They are well known for their excellent craftsmanship and inspired designs. Browse their website, Facebook and Instagram for more [...]

This weeks spotlight is on another of our long standing classic styles here at Bill Baber. The Raku has always been one of our favourite garments, especially for exploring beautiful colour combinations (did we mention we love colour) and you can always find it at the workshop in an abundance of unique colours! The Raku […]

If you haven’t been paying close attention, the UK left the EU and we are all dealing with a raft of changes to the trading relationship with our European pals. As many of you will know when buying and selling between the UK and Europe there are new VAT and Duty regulations in place which […]

This week the spotlight is on the Knot Top, one of our classic garments and a variation of the Dot Top. The bold Celtic Knot pattern is a firm favourite in our collection and instantly connects you to our Scottish roots. Short in the body, with overlong sleeves designed to fold back at the cuff. [...]

This is part of our Meet the Maker blog series which we started with the talented J Boult Designs last year as a way of highlighting some of the amazing small businesses in Scotland and sharing their stories with you! This month’s spotlight is on Great Glen Charcuterie, who make ethically sourced venison salami, chorizo, […]

Tulip Tops feature a striking Celtic motif in a bold neck piece, knitted in a stiff jacquard technique to make it stand proud or to fold back and reveal the contrasting colour on the rear of the fabric. Loose fitting, each one is knitted with silk & linen making it ideal for the Autumn/Winter seasons. […]

We are highlighting the Kelp Top, one of our longest standing designs here at Bill Baber Knitwear and popular year after year, especially in the Spring & Summer months. The Kelp is aptly named, its a loose flowing body with a lovely delicate lace detail around the hem. The narrow fitting sleeves are made to […]

Based out of a small home studio on the beautiful Burra Isle, one of the many islands that make up the archipelago that is Shetland, are the family team that are Burra Bears: The Original Shetland Teddy Bear. When we first saw the Burra Bears, we fell completely in love with them. They have even […]

  This week we are featuring one of our Jackets. An elegant simple shape, with lots of delicate details, The Milly Jacket is a three quarter length style featuring a bold Celtic motif at the shoulder and subtle detailing around the cuff and hemline. We knit them in either a silk & linen or merino […]

The Pico Top stands out from the range with its contemporary styling. We use the beautiful lightweight linen and cotton yarn to great effect in this simple and elegant garment. A lace effect at the cuff and hem give the Pico a delicate styling and highlights the history of the yarn we use to make […]

On the 28th of June, a beautiful midsummer day here in Scotland, Bill and Helen travelled down to the borders for a photoshoot with the very talented Julien Borghino of Rose & Juilen and model Hanna. It was a wonderful day and we are so excited to be sharing some of our newest designs with [...]

The Dot Top is one of the longest lasting designs we carry in the shop and has been a popular choice with customers over the years, especially those who love our colour combinations and recognisable designs. The Dot Tops are knitted in Linen and Cotton, and are available in a huge variety of colour combinations […]

During the last year, we teamed up with J Boult Designs to start a Made in Scotland Blog series as a way of supporting other smaller makers in Scotland during this difficult time. Along the way, we discovered so many amazing small business and artisan makers that we were excited to share. Find our ever [...]

We’ve joined forces with the talented folks at J Boult Designs to highlight even more businesses who are designing and creating in Scotland, just like us! This is part of our Meet the Maker blog series. This month’s spotlight is on Whisky Frames, a small business based in Rosewell Midlothian, just outside Edinburgh that makes […]

The Crail is a fairly new style, inspired by the the stunning flecked Donegal yarns we use in combination with the vibrant linen yarn. We created this collection to celebrate the beautiful fabric this combination of texture and tones could create. We love the texture and look of this yarn so much, we have used […]

The 100% Merino Wool Crew neck is an essential in any wardrobe and ours are extra special. Knitted exclusively in Edinburgh, using a soft spun merino wool packed with colour and character. Another of our staff favourites, we find ourselves wearing these around the workshop often in the cooler months as they are smart and [...]

A beautiful feminine tunic, the Sally Dress is one of our absolute favourites and most endearingly popular. We carry them in a range of sizes in store and some of our regulars have two or three each! If you have ever been into our shop or met us at a trade show, this style will […]

Here is the chat we had with the brilliant JBoult Designs last month as part of their ‘Meet the Maker’ series. J Boult are a small Scottish business that make ‘handmade, shooting themed gifts from up-cycled materials including antler, fired bullets, shotgun cartridges and reclaimed wood’. We want to thank the folks at J Boult […]

Now that the days are getting warmer and it really is starting to feel like summer is coming, it seems like a good time to highlight one of our Long Sleeved Linen Tops. The Long Ivy, a popular warm weather garment (though made in seasonal colourways and worn all year round), this elegant piece is [...]

We absolutely love this week’s small business, The Crafty Kit Company, and can’t resist trying a few of the felting craft kits ourselves. We love all things wool and making beautiful tactile things with our hands is such a joy! The felt birds have got to be our favourites, or maybe the hedgehog cross-stitch! Their […]

Next we are highlighting the Wallace Shawl, by far one of the most popular pieces in our collection over the last 10 years. The Wallace shawl is a one size fits most poncho style, it features a 3 colour Celtic knot and blends silk, linen & cotton. We carry  it in a large number of […]

This week’s spotlight is on a very special garment, the Linen Cape: a spring and summer essential. A single colour version of our cape knitted in the fantastic linen and cotton yarn was so well received that we won the NACTA Product of the year in January 2020 which we were delighted with!   The garment […]

This week, in conjunction with our friends at J Boult Designs, we take a look at the wonderful craftsmanship of Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers. Nestled into the Edinburgh Old Town, they have been trading in handmade kilts and highlandwear since April 2009.   Like ourselves they are a proud member of the Artisans of Edinburgh, a […]

This is the first in a series of blogs looking in depth at some of our most popular styles. We wanted to share how some of our garments came to be and the stories behind them. We also showcase a few of our favourite colours from the website, links to the colour swatches and videos […]

We’ve joined forces with the talented folks at J. Boult Designs to highlight even more businesses who are designing and creating in Scotland, just like us! This is part of our Made in Scotland blog series and you can find the rest of the posts here. This month’s spotlight is on Caroline Wolfe Murray who creates wonderful homewares […]

As the appetite to shop locally and support local businesses grows, we’re taking part in the first-ever Made in UK Day on Tuesday 9 March 2021!   We are an artisan craft business and produce our entire collection under our own roof. From yarn selection, through knitting and hand finishing we strive for the highest levels […]

We’ve joined forces with the wonderful Jamie and India at J. Boult Designs to reach more businesses who are designing and creating in Scotland for our Made in Scotland blog series. This month’s spotlight is on Knightingale Crafts which is owned and run by Jamie, who is based in Fife. Jamie makes beautiful wooden decorative pieces inspired […]

One of the things we always do at this time of year is fill the house with the evocative aroma of mulled wine! You can always make a mulled apple juice as an alcohol free alternative. This mulled wine is more extravagant than most, it is the Scandinavian-style Glögg version which has a good bit […]

⛄️ Made in Scotland Christmas Gift Guide! ⛄️   Today is the final part of our gift guide and we’re finishing up with presents for him. Time to treat the men in your life to something special from Scotland this holiday season.   We would love to hear your suggestions in the comments of other […]

⛄️ Made in Scotland Christmas Gift Guide! ⛄️     Today we’re focusing on unique gifts. Find inspiration from fabulous small producers in Scotland and hopefully get some ideas for that someone who is a little hard to buy for…   ⭐️ A Nordic Gnomes Needle Felting Kit from The Crafty Kit Company for £12. […]

⛄️ Made in Scotland Christmas Gift Guide! ⛄️ Yum yum. There are plenty of delicious treats in todays Gift Guide made by small artisan producers in Scotland. My mouth is watering just writing this! ⭐️ Warming Winterspice Hot Chocolate made by Chocolate Tree for £5.95. A comforting drink featuring all the spices of the season […]

⛄️ Made in Scotland Christmas Gift Guide! ⛄️ This week we’re focusing on your shopping list as the holiday season approaches. In these tough times we wanted to talk about companies that make their items right here in Scotland. You can make a real difference to a lot of these small businesses by considering their […]

Get these dates in your diary everyone! We recommend ordering early to ensure you get your parcels in plenty of time! Yes it’s that time of year again! Get your Knitwear gift orders to us by these dates: Internationally: Monday 1st December UK & Ireland: Friday 11th December Remember our free shipping offer is still available at […]

The lovely Rebecca has turned her hand to pumpkin knitting this autumn and was kind enough to share her process with us. We would love to see your pumpkins – please do share them with us! 1. Knit a rectangle roughly 28cm wide and 20cm tall in a rib structure that has 8 sections – […]

We are so proud to make all of our knitwear in Scotland & in 2020 we wanted to celebrate some of the other fabulous businesses out there who do the same. After a Covid related hiatus we are back with this series & hope to help you find other talented makers in Scotland in this […]

Its been a long time coming, but here they are. Gift Vouchers from Bill Baber Knitwear are available online now. We have them in three varieties to suit your budget and ambitions! £20, £50 and £100. You can of course mix and match to add up to whatever total you like, and if you have […]

Dear friends, As we look ahead to a post Covid19 world, we hope this blog post finds you in fine fettle. Helen and I have been coming in every day since the UK entered lockdown back in late March, and have been very busy indeed doing back-shop things, designing new styles and working through all […]

Hi all, just wanted to share a quick video tour of the Studio. this was filmed in May 2020 under lock down conditions in Edinburgh, so not much going on and no one was there, but at least you can have a good look around! Tour of the Studio May 2020

Sizes at Bill Baber Knitwear http://https://youtu.be/1wLQt9D-KcI Sizes at Bill Baber Knitwear   The most commonly asked questions we have here at Bill Baber Knitwear all relate to sizing, and these are also the hardest questions to answer! So we thought it was about time we went into a little more detail to try to explain [...]

First we should cover the type of knitter we are. We are not hand knitters, there isn’t a room full of folk busily clicking away with knitting needles in front of a transistor radio. That is the type of knitting most people can picture when they imagine how knitwear is produced. That is not us. […]

Lockdown officially began here in the UK in the last weeks of March, but we had already been dealing with some of the effects of Covid19 on the business for a few weeks prior to that. All in it’s been 2 months of change here and we wanted to share a little bit more of […]

We make all of our beautiful knitwear in Scotland & wanted to celebrate some of the other businesses that do the same. Our second featured business in this Made in Scotland series is J Boult Designs based in the Morvern peninsula in the Scottish Highlands on the West Coast of Scotland. Situated near Oban & the Isle of Mull, […]

We are very proud members of NACTA: the North American Celtic Trade Association who support the sale & promotion of Celtic products in North America. This year at Showcase Ireland in Dublin, Nacta held their annual awards ceremony to recognise awareness & supply of popular & appropriate products to the North American Market. These awards […]

We are so proud to make all of our knitwear in Scotland & in 2020 we wanted to celebrate some of the other fabulous businesses out there who do the same. Our first featured business in this Made in Scotland series is Barrhead Leather, based in the West of Scotland near Glasgow. Barrhead Leather make […]

  Edinburgh’s Christmas has begun! I’ve been visiting the market at the heart of Edinburgh for years now. I’ve been on work Christmas nights out, spent time there with teenagers, had a very memorable magical grown up Christmas Eve &, more recently, visited frequently with young children in tow. There really is something for everyone […]

Please welcome a new colour to our collection: Biscotti! Based on our popular Oat colour, Biscotti introduces more chocolatey, burnt biscuit hues. It’s a light and warm colour with autumnal earthy tones. The perfect colour to pair with cream, oat or ecru for a natural and relaxed style. Inspiration can strike from anywhere & in […]

It can be hard to plan a trip to Edinburgh – how do you narrow down all the amazing sights, shops and tastes to your perfect trip?! Well we are here to help! We think the Grassmarket area in Edinburgh’s Old Town is one of the best spots to visit. And we should know, our […]

To mark the release of a select collection of Brooches online this Autumn, we thought we would share a behind the scenes look at Maggie Lord and her work at Skaramanda Brooches. If you’ve followed us on social media or been into our Edinburgh Grassmarket workshop you’ll have seen these gorgeous resin brooches which we […]

  While visitors  are never short of things to do in Edinburgh, we are often asked in our Edinburgh Grassmarket workshop if there’s a place where visitors can meet a Highland Cow! These fluffy and shaggy looking beasts are an icon of Scotland and your trip to Edinburgh might not be complete without seeing one. […]

  Bill Baber Knitwear has a new neighbour in the Edinburgh Grassmarket: the fabulous Edinburgh Natural Skincare company have moved in to a new location on Victoria Street and we couldn’t be happier to see them here! They make a 100% natural skincare range that uses only the purest of ingredients. We are big fans […]

We love to refresh our collection and launch new styles and colours. We hope you’ll love these new additions and changes to our range as much as we do! First up is our vintage inspired Petal Argyll jumper. Back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s we used to produce a range of Petal Jackets […]

If you've been shopping in the Grassmarket in the Old Town of Edinburgh then you'll have walked past Demijohn on Victoria Street. You probably noticed the large glass bottles displayed around the walls, full of different coloured liquids. These are demijohn bottles and they are holding an array of cordials, liqueurs, spirits, wines, oils and [...]

Recently Jack went north to Kinross to visit Todd & Duncan, the world's finest producer of cashmere. We knows it's the world's finest, because Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh also visited Todd & Duncan back in the 1960's. Luckily, not on the same day as us or they'd have been confused about [...]

We talk a lot about being a family business here at Bill Baber Knitwear as it makes a big difference to us to be able to work together. While Jack, the second generation of knitters, joined the team 10 years ago, Bill and Helen have been a husband and wife team since the very beginning. […]

Every year Bill Baber Knitwear launches its new collection at a series of Trade Shows. These are business to business events hosted in a variety of showrooms, exhibitions halls and hotels around the world. In 2019 we will attend Scotland’s Trade Fair in Glasgow, Showcase Ireland in Dublin, MODA in Birmingham and the Celtic Showcase […]

Edinburgh’s Christmas is coming to town from 16th November till 5th January 2019. With so much to offer, now is definitely the time to start planning your Edinburgh Christmas experience – and here is a list of some of our favourite attractions this year.  Silent Light This year, Edinburgh’s Christmas is headlined by Silent Light, one of […]

Ever wondered how we go about creating so many beautiful colourways here at Bill Baber Knitwear? Well, we thought we would take you behind the scenes at the Studio and show you how its done. Three or four times a year we pack up our finest styles and strongest colours and travel off to a [...]

Our guide to Grassmarket and Old Town Christmas Shopping! There are so many brilliant shops, cafes and pubs in and around the Grassmarket it is hard to narrow it down, but this is our pick of 7 favourites! If you have any others, please let us know. Armchair Books, 72-74 West Port Describing themselves as ‘very […]

Where are you based and what is your business?   I am a one woman run small business working out of a garden workshop in Marchmont. I design, make and sell stoneware pottery and contemporary ceramic jewellery. My pottery is all wheel thrown and ranges from minimal tableware to expressive vases. My jewellery is hand […]

This year we are proud to have been selected to be part of Small Business 100! Each year businesses are selected throughout the UK, so it’s a great honour to be a part of it. Small Business Saturday UK is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, which highlights small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ […]

  It’s that time of year again!   Please order early to avoid any disappointment and feel free to get in contact if you have any questions. If you’re hoping to have packages sent outside of the UK for Christmas then we recommend placing your order before Friday December 7th. Within the UK & Ireland we […]

      Of course we don’t want to be bossy and tell everyone how to go shopping- that’s a personal thing and we all shop in a different way depending on what we’re doing – skiving off work, filling in time between appointments, waiting the for kids to come out of Dancebase, Christmas browsing […]

  We were lucky enough to have all three of Bill's nieces come and help us at the Workshop over the summer. Mina has been with us this last week, learning to use the machines and modelling a few of her favourite garments. We asked her a few questions about her future plans and what [...]

  Katie, of Maggie Casey’s Celtic Treasure, visited us at our Workshop during the summer. We gave her a tour of our shop and the Edinburgh Old Town over a beautiful sunny weekend! We are familiar with Katie via social media as she is the go-to model for the Maggie Casey’s store! Maggie Casey’s is […]

Some people are surprised to learn that Cashmere yarn comes in fact from a very special breed of hardy mountain-dwelling goat! The Cashmere is made from the fleecy under layer of the goats coat which is carefully teased out with a comb. During the cooler weather, the goats fleece grows, protecting the animal from the [...]

Linen has been cultivated from Flax for at least five Millennia. Linen weaving can be seen in the ancient egyptian paintings dating back to 3,000BC. In fact it was a finely spun line yarn cloth which was used to wrap mummies. It has been a cool and comfortable fabric to wear in the middle east [...]

  👠 – There are so many interesting independent shops to explore in Edinburgh, Helen chooses ‘ Joe Cool’ as a favourite. Joe Cool has been running since 1978 and stocks a unique colourful collection of jewellery and accessories. ‘CHI‘ on the Bruntsfield high street is another shop Helen can’t resist popping into whenever she passes, the ladies […]

The decorative interlaced patterns that we recognise today as Celtic Knots had their golden age during the Roman empire.  Traces of Celtic art can be found to date many hundreds of years before the Romans and the designs have spread far across Europe from Ireland to Turkey. Today few aspects of Celtic culture are more evident than the Celtic Knot designs, thought […]

    For the past 40 years of the business, we have used natural fibres to create our garments and wool has always been a favourite. Wool has a range of desirable properties which make it a valuable material for many different purposes. Not only is it soft and comforting, but clever too! 🐑  Temperature […]

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A bright Spring Green linen called Edenderry gets the spotlight. This limey green can be found in the trim of the Atlantic Brora and other garments in the Atlantic colourway. We spent a day with videographer Julien Borghino to create some lovely short clips of the workshop.

🌞 Beltane (the anglicised name for the Gaelic May Day festival) is historically observed throughout Ireland (Lá Bealtaine) and Scotland. It falls on the 1st of May, about halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. The Beltane festival is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and is associated with many events in […]

We are busy preparing garments for the Celtic Shows trade show in Secaucus this April! Take a look at the website for a full list of exhibitors. We are so excited to showcase some of our new styles along with many classics. This year we will be taking with us a collection of Donegal Wool […]

  We have had a late frost here in Edinburgh, but the season is pushing on and in the city of festivals, our calendars are always full! The Edinburgh Trad Fest kicks off on the 26th of April – Sunday 6th of May, celebrating folk arts including storytelling and music.  For a full programme of […]

We have started to incorporate more of the beautiful wool from Donegal Yarns into our collection. All production is carried out at the traditional wool spinning mill in Kilnar, taking the wool from its raw state, right through to dying and spinning, leaving it with a beautiful multi- coloured tweed like fleck. The history of […]

Bill and Helen went off to Milan last month to source new yarns ( again ! ) The Filo show is held in a palatial hotel on the Corsa di Magenta in the heart of Roman Mediolanum, a beautiful part of the city. Helen was in her element looking carefully over all the show boards […]

  A fantastic day out in Edinburgh, we cant wait for it to come back around again  – maybe later this year! 250 attendees watched a stunning fashion show featuring local Edinburgh businesses and were entertained by a great wee speech by Gok himself! We will let you know as soon as we hear about […]

Its that’s time of year again!   Jack & Helen will be at Embassy suites, Secaucus, New Jersey between April 21st and 25th.   This is a wholesale show designed to introduce boutique retailers to our collection. as the time of writing we have over 100 stores worldwide who carry hand picked collections of our […]