MYB Textiles

We had a fantastic visit this morning with Morton Young and Borland, a Scottish Lace and Madras manufacturer based in Newmilns, in the Irvine Valley in Ayrshire! To say that we enjoyed this visit is an understatement, we were inspired by the depth of knowledge and creativity of the members of the design team we met, Margo and Hazel, who were very friendly and generous with their time, and we were thrilled to see the looms and operations of a working mill. What was wonderful to see was that they have a traditional product, but have been able to maintain viability in the modern world by making necessary changes, without compromising the beauty and integrity of their product.

The design process is fascinating –  Margo took some time to explain how the charted image she processes on her computer becomes programming information on punched card which would effect the physical processes of the weaving on the loom. I think  anyone with an interest in early computers would probably find this and the use of any jacquard loom of great interest.

They have a really wide range of beautiful products and it was really interesting to see lace and madras being used in a really dynamic way. It’s certainly opened my eyes up to the possibilities of these fabrics, which are sometimes regarded as being a bit kitch and frothy.

Frankly, I was gobsmacked with what I saw, and am revising my attitude about lace!