This month marks the launch of the 2025 Evelyn Baxter Programme, the SWI's flagship learning pathway, with its first classes rolling out across Scotland. The programme, named after esteemed SWI member and craft advocate Evelyn Baxter, offers hands-on learning experiences that honour the spirit of traditional skills and community sharing.
Each year, SWI members are selected as Evelyn Baxter Scholars, trained in a featured craft chosen by the Skills & Events committee. This year’s focus is on macramé – the art of decorative knotting – with a record four scholars set to tour Federations across Scotland, leading local workshops and inspiring members with their knowledge.
The programme has seen resounding success in recent years, with previous courses in Basic Dressmaking and Temari Ball Crafting attracting enthusiastic participation. It continues to promote intergenerational learning and support SWI’s mission to preserve heritage skills while fostering personal growth.
For more information, contact your Federation Secretary or email: hello@theswi.org.uk.
About Evelyn BaxterBorn in Upper Largo, Fife, “Miss Evie” was a pioneering ornithologist, conservationist, and dedicated SWI member. Evelyn played a pivotal role in what was then the Scottish Women's Rural Institutes, becoming one of its early leaders and a driving force behind its educational and cultural initiatives. She held many positions, including Federation Chair for Fife (three times between 1925 and 1943), Handicraft Convenor on the Central Council, and was a regular speaker and judge across Scotland. Her passion for traditional crafts led to the establishment of the Evelyn Baxter Scholarship, launched two years after her death, which continues to train and support craft scholars each year. Through this, Baxter helped preserve Scottish heritage and empowered women through education and creativity.
Evelyn also co-founded the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, and contributed to wartime efforts across both World Wars, earning an MBE in 1945. Her passion for traditional crafts led to a love of handcrafted baskets and her collection is now in the National Museum of Scotland.