Crocheted Coral workshops

I'm trying to get a few more samples of crocheted coral done before the first workshop tomorrow. But despite several cups of tea, hat, layers, my hands are still cold and don't want to crochet! Maybe its just pre-workshop nerves....

Here's the latest list of workshops I'm going to:

19th November 11.30am - 12.30pm
An informal crocheting session with the Macroom Purlies, Macroom Library, Cork

24th November 10.30am - 12pm
How to do Hyperbolic Crochet, The Match Box, Market Street, Listowel, Co.Kerry.

6th December 2009, 11.00am - 5.00pm
Demonstration and information on crocheting for the Irish Reef at the Tralee Christmas Craft Fair, Fels Point Hotel, Tralee, Co. Kerry


I've also to take a trip down to Cork on Saturday to drop off my piece for the Cork Textiles Network exhibition which starts on Monday, in the Cork School of Music. So, what am I still doing online? avoiding work it seems....

New Patterns Up!

I have put The Curly Whirly, and the Eco Dishcloth patterns up. You can find them on Stitchlily's Stuff

A big thank you to all my pattern testers!!

Bad Internet and more Coral

My Internet connection is crap in the evenings. It's so slow, its painful. The only time it works at a reasonable speed is in the mornings. But the little man doesn't like me sitting at the laptop so everything I am doing online at the moment is rushed. Well, thanks to The Irish Hyperbolic Crocheted Coral Reef, everything in my life is rushed! Not thinking ahead, I gave a big bag of coral to the Science Gallery already, glad to get rid of it, but now I'm doing some demos, I need to make more samples!! Panic crocheting. The plan is to try get as much info out there before Xmas, so people can sit at their leisure over the holidays and crochet coral.

I've a few gigs lined up. On the 19th November I'm in Macroom Library, Co. Cork, meeting the Macroom Purlies. On 6th December, I will be at the Tralee Christmas Craft Fair with Mairead Sharry. It's going to be a Crochet Coral Reef recruitment stand, we'll be doing demo's, and giving out patterns. The Fair is in the Fels Point Hotel, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

It's all free and very informal, so anyone in the area, come along. WEneed all the crochet we can get.

New Pattern...

A friend of mine called round the other day, and you know, in politeness said, "what have you been up to"?. I told her all about the Irish Hyperbolic Crocheted Coral Reef, and she just groaned. Not that again. She'd heard enough about it last year. But I said, I've spent the last week writing up a new pattern. Ta DA!!! And she burst out laughing.
-"What the ..... is it"?
-"It's a Curly Whirly for the Irish Reef".
"Why don't you design something useful?"
"Why? There's enough useful stuff out there, why make more.....".

Painters, they are all the same, no appreciation for the fibre things in life. Took me ages to write out this pattern, to make all the test samples. Now I just need some willing victims to test it out for me. Any takers?

Presenting The Curly Whirly

Not hyperbolic, but there was a lot of math involved in writing up this pattern!! Margaret Wertheim had said in the workshop, to try and think vertical, while making coral for the Irish Reef. So I made these. I plan on decorating them with a bit of fluffy, or maybe some mini-hyperbolics to add to the top. In the pattern I have written up the theory behind the twist, so I'm hoping folk will adapt it for themselves.

Here's a few samples of different shapes you can make

Cliona's Crocheted Bag

A good friend of mine, was getting married in Turkey over Halloween and I wanted to make her something special as a present. The plan was to make her something combining Irish and Turkish Crochet. So, she could impress the older generation of her new Turkish in-laws....

Oya, or so a type of Turkish Crochet is known, is beautiful, generally freeform with no patterns. Do a search on Flickr or Etsy, and you will see some amazing pieces of jewelery, lacing for shawls, and bags. I spent a few weeks thinking about what to make and decided on a bag. There is a tradition to pin little ribbons and mints on the brides dress, which any Irish bride would be horrified at, so I though I'd make her a little bag to put any mints in. Of course, I gave myself very little time, and had to rush it in the end. And a new type of crochet was just not possible. So I decided to stick to Irish and find a pattern. I found a pattern for a very cute Victorian Bag. Now it's supposed to be a thread holder, but I thought if I just tightened up the hole, it would be a cute bag. This is it...

Of course, me being me, the pattern thing didn't work out, I got lost by Row 11, so I decided to improvise, and just made up a bag myself. This is what I made...

I was actually quite nervous giving it to her, because I didn't want her to think she had to use it, if she found it a bit well, old fashioned, or didn't match the dress. Well, I am happy to say, I just saw the wedding photos, and she actually used it at the wedding.... Phew!!

The Knitting and Stitching Show 09

What a crazy few weeks it has been. I am almost glad it's raining today, so I have an excuse to just sit at home...

I was due to catch the morning train to Dublin on Wednesday, so on Tuesday I did a little search in the charity shop for a book to bring. For some reason I'm luckier with finding books that I like in the charity shop than in the library. I don't know why that is. Maybe the scavenger in me, likes a good bargain. I know you shouldn't judge a book by the cover, but you do, don't you. I tend to go for the publishers first, then the cover. I know I'm safe with certain publishers, like Penguin and Faber and Faber. I saw the ff logo on a nice dark cover, the title was Mauve, I though interesting...read the back and gasped. It was about William Perkin, an aspiring chemist, who discovered the first artificial dye, mauve at the age of 18. Not only did it make him the richest chemist in Britain, but it changed the world.

My friends and family know I harp on (especially after a few pints) about textiles being the beginning of everything, civilization, commerce, world economy, etc. I have the notion that whoever is the current leader of textiles is the current leader of the world. Look through history, and you will see a direct link between ruling powers of the time, the Romans, Genghis Khan, Ancient Chinese dynasties, the USA, Modern China, etc, etc..., and the textiles favored.

But now, I have proof in this small, unassuming book, that the invention of artificial dye, changed the world, in an amazing, yet a bit scary, way. I had brought lots of yarn with me with the intention of crocheting lots of coral on the way up and back, and didn't get a lot done. I couldn't put this book down. If you are into any kind of textile history, artificial or otherwise, into chemistry, the history of chemistry, read this book. I am not exaggerating, the invention of mauve created a new world, the first every direct association of chemistry and industry, leading to the discovery of bacteria, cures for illnesses, such as chemotherapy, even the discovery of DNA. Simon Garfild, thank you for writing this book! (Would make another very interesting exhibition in the Science Gallery!!)

Okay, so back to my trip... Got to Dublin, then went down to the Science Gallery for a meeting with Anja and Lynn, organisers of the up and coming Irish Crocheted Reef. It works out that our deadline is 4 months. Not that much time, so another plea, if you can crochet, please have ago. Anything, even one small piece of coral can make a difference.. Keep an eye out for an updated Science Gallery website with all the relevant info...

After the meeting went across Trinity to the Douglas Hyde, and caught a small exhibition of Japanese CountryTextiles from C18th/C19th. Interesting fabrics and stitches, but you sometimes wonder whether the peasants who wore these patched up and rough sewn garments would have believed many years in the future,they would be exhibited in a gallery. I don't think my child would appreciate me leaving him rags as inheritance saying,in the future they will be worth something...

Thursday was a very very busy day at the Knitting and Stitching Show. Where I bumped into old friends rarely seen, and new friends, fellow Ravelrs. I didn't get to the Ravelry meeting, but since I had told everyone where would be, a few people came up to say hello. Thank You, was lovely to meet you!!

The Cork Textiles Network stand was very busy,and we sold some pictures and lots of postcards. A good day all round. I didn't get to see much at the show.Probably because every time I took a break and went for a wander, I'd bump into someone and stay chatting. That's what the show means for me anyway. I don't got there to shop. I bought a few things, postcards, I always buy a few of those, especially from the graduates, a beautiful book of drawings, etches and prints by Ernst Haeckel , a 2010 calendar from the Weavers, Spinners, Dyers group and surprise, surprise a crochet hook. A Tunisian crochet hook,(which I am glad to say the The Yarn Room stocks now!!). I did get to make a Morsbag. Great idea, great stand, make your own shopping bag for free. Started in the UK by a lady sick of plastic bags.

Another train trip back home, I have barely unpacked my bag at home, as it's Halloween. So we made some spiders and ghosts to decorate the windows, and got our facepaints ready...We're all exhausted from sweets and generally spooky excitement. It's nice to be home, and be able to chill for a few days, well, chill while crocheting coral.