This panel celebrates Sma’ shot day and the Sma’ shot cottages in Paisley. The Sma’ shot is a thread used in weaving but it was not visible on the final shawls. Because it was not visible, the Weavers did not get paid for it.
Finally in 1856, an agreement was reached to pay the Weavers for the Sma’ shot. The Weavers traditional holiday Saturday was just after this so it was renamed Sma’ Shot Day and there was a parade with the Charleston Drum calling all the weavers to join.
Sma’ Shot day was revived in 1986 and continues every year on the first Saturday in July. The Sma’ Shot name lives on in the Sma’ Shot cottages, where you can visit a traditional weavers cottage and see how the weavers lived and worked.
This panel was stitched by the volunteers at the Sma’ Shot Cottages in Paisley
