St Andrews Day

On St Andrew’s Day, we celebrate Scotland’s rich heritage and the legend that led that to the creation of the distinctive Saltire flag! The Scottish Flag Trust says that the Saltire is the oldest flag in Europe and the Commonwealth – that’s well worth celebrating isn’t it?

Legend tells us that in 832 AD, Angus mac Fergus, King of Alba, led the Picts and a group of allied Scots into battle against the Angles and Saxons led by King Athelstan of England. On the morning of the battle, clouds formed a white saltire cross against the blue sky – the same cross on which St Andrew was martyred. Angus vowed that if they won, Andrew would become the patron saint of Scotland. The Scots were victorious, and ever since, St Andrew’s Cross has been our national flag. Now celebrated on November 30th, it’s a day of traditional food, music, and gathering – a perfect time to wrap up warm in wool and celebrate our enduring culture.

Here at Bill Baber we love to celebrate St Andrew’s Day with, what else, colour! Through the colours that define our landscape, we’re inspired to create beautiful knitwear in natural fibres. Today, we honour our patron saint by crafting pieces that capture Scotland’s soul – the deep blue of the Saltire against winter skies, the misty greys of dawn over the Forth, the rich purples of wild thistle, and the warm neutral of the sandstone that built the Edinburgh New Town. We like to feel we’re continuing a tradition as old as the legend of St Andrew himself. Each stitch connects us to generations of Scottish makers who came before, crafting our future from threads of the past.

If you’d like to find out more about St Andrews Day and the great work the Scottish Flag Trust does then make sure to check out their website which also includes a fab gift option for the proud Scot in your life – a Sponsor the Flag present!