Reet Wyatt
Reet Wyatt is a textile artist and artisan, based in the old textile town of Langholm in Southern Scotland. The colours and landscapes of her home are a particular inspiration to her art, particularly the rich tartans of traditional Scottish textiles and the array of natural colours in her surroundings.
Reet's art is inspired by her childhood in Estonia: a little country with a rich textile heritage. Reet grew up in Estonia during the time of Soviet occupation, and from that time she was inspired to make nicer clothes than the shops could offer, despite limitations. This need developed into a passion for reusing and repurposing materials.
Reet works in different techniques, often combining them to create something truly unique. She is also a qualified textiles teacher, holding workshops with special emphasis on reuse and repurpose.
Reet's Pieces for Forgotten Fleece Tales
Reet is working on a woolly coat, which repurposes waste materials from the Drove Weavers fabric mill in Langholm, rescued by Creation Mill. The lining of the coat is made from 100% wool fabric which would otherwise have been thrown away, while the top layer is created by hand-weaving mohair salvages together, creating a very colourful patchwork-like surface. The result is a functional piece of fashion art, which dares viewers to be seen, to be colourful, and to consider how they can give old materials new life.
Reet is also providing a Nordic-inspired wall hanging, known as a Rya. This is created by knotting long strands of wool into the crocheted weave to create a shaggy, organic texture. The piece is made entirely from selvedge waste from the Drove Weavers mill, creating a soft, cosy piece of traditionally-inspired artwork which works both as natural insulation for a room and an inspiring decorative piece.