Craft Scotland present a round-up of craft related events taking place in Edinburgh during the festivals season.

Each August Edinburgh is abuzz as visitors from around the world head to Scotland’s Capital for the annual festival season. Visits to the city can experience the best of theatre, music, dance, comedy, debate, art, food, drink and more – including craft.

The month kicks off with the annual Coburg House Art Studios Festival Open Weekend in Leith, giving visitors the chance to meet makers and purchase work in the newly-expanded Coburg House Art Studios and Gallery. 

The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street features “A Sense of Place - New Jewellery from Northern Lands” – specially designed jewellery by sixteen contemporary makers from Northern Europe. 

Also on at the NMS is "Catherine the Great: An Enlightened Empress", a major exhibition featuring numerous historic items of craft from the reign of Catherine the Great.

The nearby Dovecot Studios celebrate their centenary year with a host of events, including "Weaving The Century: Tapestry from Dovecot Studios 1912-2012", the first major exhibition of tapestry in Scotland for over 20 years. 

Thomson's Tower provides the beautiful setting for Octagon 2012, an exhibition from Scotland’s emerging artistic talent. 

At St Mary's Cathedral you can see The Battle of Prestonpans Tapestry, a tribute to the Jacobite rising of 1745 led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, made by 200 volunteer embroiderers. 

In the New Town, The Open Eye Gallery shows new works by Gilly Langton, who combines colour with crisp matt silver. The Adam Pottery will feature their 22nd annual Fringe exhibition “Clay 2012,” giving visitors the chance to see makers at work and purchase ceramics. 

As well as a range of craft and design shops in the city, a few special shopping events are taking place during the festival. Dazzle@Dovecot brings together 54 contemporary jewellery designers from all over the world working in a variety of materials including paper, wood, precious metals and plastics.  Princes Street, the annual West End Fair from 3D/2D presents 100 makers, designers and artists, while on Castle Street the Fair Trade on The Fringe provides a showcase for Fair Trade and Ethically sourced products. 

This year, there are two special performances at the fringe which feature craft. Horse and Bamboo theatre present Angus: Weaver of Grass, at the Scottish Storytelling Centre - a tale of illness, lost traditions and magical hats of grass. Dovecot Studios host “A Tapestry of Many Threads,” a dramatised production from Alexander McCall Smith and composer Tom Cunningham celebrating a century of vibrant and colourful Dovecot tapestries.

Find full details and directions for the above events and many more on our special Edinburgh Festivals craft map:

View Edinburgh Festivals 2012 Craft Trail in a larger map

Find out more about the Edinburgh Festivals 

If you are running or participating in a craft related event during Edinburgh’s festival season not featured here, please email the details to hello@craftscotland.org.