The motif on my Flower of Scotland Bag & Beret was inspired by the thistle flowers that I see growing around my home in the Scottish countryside. The thistle has been the national emblem of Scotland since the reign of Alexander III, during the 13th century. According to legend, an invading Norse army was trying to sneak up on a Scottish army’s camp at night. Whilst doing so, one barefoot Norseman stepped upon a thistle, and his shouts of pain alerted the Scots to the presence of the Norse invaders.