VISITORS to Paisley’s renowned Weave Festival can learn the skills and techniques which made the town famous through a programme of interactive workshops.

The annual Sma’ Shot Day celebration, one of the world’s oldest worker festivals, will take place on Saturday, July 7, and will include the Weave Festival for a second year running, offering an enhanced programme of cultural events.

And Weavers in Residence, Shielagh Tacey and Heather Shields, will run demonstrations throughout the afternoon.

The pair will tell visitors all about Sma’ Shot and demonstrate the famous stitch on various weaving looms. Plus, there will be a chance for participants to have a go themselves.

Shielagh said: “As part of our weaving residence in Paisley, Heather and I have been researching the term Sma’ Shot. It is such an important part of Paisley’s weaving heritage and yet not many people actually understand what it is or looks like.

“This Sma’ Shot Day and Weave Festival will be based at the Sma’ Shot Cottages, alongside their fantastic volunteers, demonstrating what a woven Sma’ Shot is and what it looks like using various looms.”

Sma’ Shot was the name given to the thread used by the makers of Paisley shawls and the Sma’ Shot Day came about as a result of a political battle between the weavers and their employers, when factory owners refused to pay for the thread.

The weavers could ill afford to pay for the thread themselves and, after a prolonged dispute, they won their case, and the day commemorates this victory.

Carrying on the town’s tradition of making, there will be a series of free design and craft workshops taking place in Paisley Town Hall and Paisley Abbey on the day covering everything from bookbinding and artwork to paper craft.

Visitors can also look forward to a raft of music, poetry and spoken word performances at the Dooslan Stane Stage or take part in the popular tea dance at the town hall.

To find out more about the event including the full line-up visit www.paisley.is