Tweed Handbag Making Workshop on the Canongate Edinburgh

The Canongate: the lower Royal Mile

The Royal Mile runs downhill from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and its lower half is the Canongate. For centuries this was a separate burgh, founded by the canons of Holyrood Abbey, which gave the street its name, and it only joined the city in 1856. Its tall stone tenements, narrow closes and quieter pace still feel different from the busy upper Royal Mile around St Giles' Cathedral.

Landmarks along the street include the Canongate Tolbooth of 1591 with its clock tower and turrets, and the Canongate Kirk, whose graveyard holds the graves of famous Edinburgh figures. The workshop studio sits right on this historic street, so the class fits naturally into a walk down the Royal Mile. If you are wondering what to do in Edinburgh Old Town beyond museums and castles, this is a memorable hands-on stop.

Scottish tweed: a cloth from the islands

Tweed is a rugged woollen cloth born in Scotland, made to keep farmers, shepherds and fishermen warm and dry in the wind and rain. The finest and best-known tweed is woven by hand by island weavers in their own workshops in the Outer Hebrides, from wool dyed and spun on the islands. Its colours reflect the landscape: heather purple, bracken brown, moss green, sea blue and the grey of island stone.

A popular story says the name tweed came from a merchant misreading tweel, the Scots word for twill, as the River Tweed. Whatever its origin, the cloth became a symbol of Scottish craftsmanship, worn on country estates and in city tailoring alike. In this workshop you work directly with this handwoven fabric, so you learn to recognise its herringbone and check patterns and its soft, hard-wearing texture.

The workshop: designing and building your mini satchel

The session begins with choosing your components. You pick the body colour of the bag, then the tweed cloth for the lid, the front straps, the handle and the long shoulder strap. Be as bold or as classic as you like: every bag leaves the studio different. The finished mini satchel measures about 20.5 cm long, 14 cm high and 9 cm wide, big enough for a phone, keys and a small wallet.

Once you have chosen, the instructor takes the group through each stage of assembly with a set of simple hand tools, helping anyone who needs it. No previous experience is required and there is no sewing. At the end you can show off your creation and take it away. If you fall in love with the craft, upgrades to larger bag styles and extra components can be paid for in the studio.

After the class: exploring the Canongate and Holyrood

With the class finished in an hour and a half, you are perfectly placed to continue down the Royal Mile. A few minutes' walk leads to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official royal residence in Scotland, the ruins of Holyrood Abbey and the modern Scottish Parliament building. Behind them rises Holyrood Park, where a path climbs Arthur's Seat, an extinct volcano with views over the whole city.

Walking uphill instead brings you past the Canongate Kirk and the Museum of Edinburgh to the busier upper Royal Mile, St Giles' Cathedral and finally Edinburgh Castle. Book a morning class to spend the afternoon exploring, or an afternoon session as a relaxing break between sightseeing. Your handmade satchel will carry your phone and map for the rest of the day.