Among the Lambs and Looms: Life on Bonnytoun
Summer is quietly creeping in here at Bonnytoun. The kind that doesn’t shout—but tiptoes in gently, wrapped in soft breezes, longer days, and the low hum of contented sheep in the fields.
Lambing season has come and gone, and all our new arrivals are finally here—one hundred and twenty beautiful lambs in a kaleidoscope of natural fleece. Their colours, from inky blacks to warm moorits, silvery greys and whites, will shape the palette of our future yarns. It’s always a joy to imagine the wool they’ll grow into, and the pieces they’ll one day become.
Lambing is one of those things that asks everything of you. For six full weeks, I stayed rooted to the farm—on call night and day—keeping watch, helping any poor wee soul that needed an extra hand in their first few days of life, and marvelling as new arrivals took their first steps. We have been so lucky this year to have help from the brilliant Marie des Fleurs, who joined us on the farm for a month-long internship during her studies in Paris. She brought with her bright eyes, careful hands, and an infectious enthusiasm for every part of the process. What a gift.
Of course, lambing isn’t only out in the fields. There’s the quieter side too—logging each birth, noting markings, and registering them with the Shetland Sheep Society to maintain our pedigree flock. Most of that is done fireside, with a steaming cup of tea and a pen in hand. It’s gentle, grounding work—the sort that keeps you close to the heart of it all.
Meanwhile, the Woolery has been buzzing. Easter Saturday brought new faces through the doors, and in the weeks since, we’ve had the joy of welcoming dear kindreds, including Carola Flockhart an old friend visiting from Australia (Maker & Smith and IOTA) , Uthra Rajgopal, curator of all things textiles. Time spent with her was easy and rich—one of those beautiful meetings where everything just clicks: shared values, shared spirit.
We’ve been touched to see so many visitors leave with a piece of Future Vintage in hand. Our Vintage 23/24 pieces have all but sold out now—just in time for something new.
Our Vintage 24/25 collection is now nearly complete, and it’s one I’m especially proud of. New shapes, new silhouettes, and a jumper that I know I’ll be living in all season long. Deep at the neck and sleeve, it's made for slow mornings and cool evenings. We’ll share more very soon, but for now let’s just say—it’s shaping up beautifully.
Our homewares too, have been finding homes of their own. While some customers have travelled just across the courtyard from Grow Wild, others come from a little farther afield—a set of Cocoon Puzzle seat pads are soon headed for the States, others for England. It never stops being thrilling, seeing pieces born here on the farm make their way out into the world.
Next up? Shearing. The flock is already beginning to shed their winter coats in the warmth, and we’ll be rolling up our sleeves to begin the work of collecting their fleece. It’s one of those tasks that takes a village—lots of hands, patience, and a deep respect for the sheep themselves. We’ll share more soon, but it’s always a joy to watch that first fleece hit the floor, knowing it’s just the start of another beautiful cycle.
So here’s to the cusp of summer—slow, steady, and full of promise. The fields are buzzing, the sheep are settled, and the Woolery is quietly humming with what’s to come.
With warmth and wool,
Lindsay x
