Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Boon Tea Room, Shroud, Clones Lace and Prudance Mapstone......

I feel like I am at confession, it has been so long since my last blog post. And I am sorry this is going to be a wordy one, I've lots of exciting news I want to get off my chest, and then crawl back into my hole and do some work...

Boon Tea Room

I spent several nights and days crocheting like a mad woman, because I though I didn't have enough of a display for the Cork Workshop. And finally, well half sorted out my plastic midden, got going on the Toxic Reef part of the project.





And I have to say a big big big thank you to the folk of Cork Contemporary Projects, for letting me take over, make a mess, and waffle yarnie science stuff ALL DAY. I don't think they knew what they were letting themselves in for...Literally all day, I officially started talking at 11am and the next thing it was 5.30pm. I only had time for half a cup of tea during the whole day!! So a big thank you for a lovely venue, fantastic time! I also have to say thanks so much to Jan who travelled with me from Tralee, helping me with my bags, and mmm fun travelling on the train back home. I feel like this is my award speech..a big thank you to everyone who turned up, from Ravelry, from The Cork Textiles Network, and well, anyone else.. It really was a crazy busy day...

It really took the steam out of me, and I have been catching up with housework and computer stuff since then. I swore no more Coral Reef workshops, but there is always time for one more... So the next one is in The lovely Phoenix Restaurant and Farmhouse, Shanahill East, Castlemaine, Co Kerry on February 10th from 7.30pm onwards. This was organised by the lovely Jan, who I thought had heard and seen enough of me on Saturday, but it seems not...

Shroud International Textile Festival 2010

OK so that's the Cork news out of the way.. Well the Cork Coral Stuff out of the way. My other Cork news involves my all-time favourite textile group, The Cork Textile Network!! This year they have linked up with The Shroud International Textile Festival, in May 2010, and my humble piece has been selected to show at the festival !! I am absolutely thrilled. I have no decent photos of it yet, but I'll try and get one...Here's a rough one, of it unframed. It's called "There is geometry in the humming of strings, there is music in the spacing of spheres".Well, the theme of the original exhibition was music, but I had to get a bit of crochet and geometry in there...



The Cassandra Hand School of Lace, Clones, Co. Monaghan

I attended the Clones Lace workshop last year, and had a ball. I was trying to figure out about babysitters and stuff, whether I could make it again this year, when I got an email from the lovely Maire who runs and teaches the course. She wants me to give a little talk on Freeform Crochet. Now as far as I'm concerned, the ladies who attend the course are at their peak, experts at not only crochet, crochet lace, but freeform. Irish Crochet Lace is widely considered to be origin of freeform crochet. And Maire is widely seen as the worlds expert at Clones Lace, and they want me to give a talk!! Well, purely as an excuse to go,, I am going to have to go now.. What an honour. Not only because it is the birthplace of Freeform Crochet, it is also the 20th Anniversary of the running of this course. I don't think my amigurumi Sackgirls and carrots are going to cut the mustard, going to have to come up with something a little special before next June!!

Lastly, Prudence Mapstone

Crochet is the first textile craft that I ever did, and the first I fell in love with, then there was weaving, dyeing, batik, felting, printing, patterns, design, etc, etc, and now it seems I have gone back full circle. It seems to be all crochet these days. As if the beacon couldn't get any bigger, along comes Prudence Mapstone. Well, she is coming to Mayo, next October for a 2 Day workshop. The Queen of Freeform herself, is coming to Mayo, yea, down the road from the folks(babysitters, ssh , haven't asked them yet, have to book them for the Clones Lace workshop first...), and there was only 5 places.. Well, 4 after I ranted off an email to Cheryl who runs Essence of Mulranny, OHMYGODOHMYGOD kind of email, and then a lot less as I contacted everyone crochet-minded that I knew..

And its only January. What the hell else can happen!!

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5 comments:

Bionic Laura said...

Wow you've been busy! Sounds like you're having a great crochet time. The workshops sound like great fun. I'm looking forward to hearing about all the cool things you've lined up for the year.

Kerryfelter said...

Oh my God, Prudence Mapstone is awesome! I have been staggering my way to work like hers. I am just completing my second freestyle crochet coat (which I then felt), but WHOA is she fantastic. I particularly like her use of colour. I took a workshop up in Mulranny last year--dare I ask how much she will cost for the workshop????

Stitchlily said...

people actually read that long winded ramble...You deserve a award!!

Kerryfelter, the workshop is €180, not including accomodation. Sat and Sun, with and intro on Fri eve. It is part of a tour, only 5 places free for non-tour people. I know of 3 gone already, so if you are thinking of it, put your name down ASAP. There will be a waiting list incase anyone drops out, or extra places are made. €50 deposit for now, so not too bad on the pocket...
Like the sound of your coat..

Kerryfelter said...

I just emailed Cheryl and asked her to save me a place--maybe we can carpool up??? I went up by bus last time and it took almost twelve hours. I swore I would never go up again. But I think Prudence has enough pull to change my mind...

Coat is cream and black vertical stripes. I did a short freestyle crochet jacket in red green and charcoal gray that turned out well. By the time I finish the new coat it will be too warm to wear it!!

Stitchlily said...

I'll be travelling with a toddler, and detouring to drop him off at grannys (babysitter), so I could be gone for a week. Cant just dump child and leave again, have to be somewhat sociable with the folks! Duno how that would suit you... Email me stitchlilyATgmailDOTcom