About Us: Welcome

Skirts & Tales is an inter-generational project working with a group of young children and a 16+ youth group who are not currently in any form of education, employment or training. 

Part of the menu for this year's Aberdeen International Youth Festival, our project idea is to work with the young children and a storyteller to create a Port-themed tale, which will then be used to inspire the fabrication of willow based costumes for the parade, loosely based on a contemporary and theatrical representation of traditional fisher women. The 16+ group will be involved in incorporating the themes of the story into the costumes, and all involved parties will then be brought together on the day of the parade to celebrate their involvement and achievements.

Skirts & Tales is a project lead by members of Team Cultivate. The team was established in April 2012 by Arts Development to benefit from being involved in the AIYF 40th anniversary PORT parade, which we participated in by creating large and impressive-looking willow horses and performing with them as part of the parade. 

This year, the team has been challenged to build on their learning from last year by developing and delivering their very own project. After several months of research and planning, the team have created the Skirts & Tales project. We have maintained the ideas of last year by using the Port theme and the medium of willow structures, and we want to create large and impressive willow dresses which will have a few tricks up their sleeves (or rather, under their bustles!!). We also aim to go a step further in our development by reaching out to new audiences and passing on the skills we have learned to others.

Willow Hoop Skirts: A Step-by-Step Guide

Have you ever wanted to know how to make a willow hoop skirt like this one??

Well, today the Skirts & Tales team are here to show you how!! Keep reading for our special step-by-step guide on how you too can begin to create your very own giant skirt!

Today's lesson: The Frame

Step 1:  Draw out your ideas

 Step 2: Gather materials

Step 3: Start weaving

Step 4: Measure

Step 5: Do some more weaving

Things might start to get a little tricky, but persevere!

Step 5: Measure again

Step 6: Bend weaved sections into circles like these ones:

Step 7: Arrange circles, and tie together

Step 8: HAVE A DRESS!

That will collapse:

Is portable:

And is good for...whatever this is...

See? Easy!

Now you try!!

This blog post was brought to you by Skirts & Tales. For more on the project, see the links on the right. Don't forget to leave us a comment below!