Bráisléad

Made a few bracelets for a friend for her birthday. I made her a few pinkish ones, then went and made lots more...Handy emergency presents!

I've put the instructions up on Stitchlily's Stuff

Belated Halloween Post...and Bring back the Paper-Chain this Christmas!

We were the last on our road to put Halloween decorations, and the last to take them down. (finally got it together yesterday). Another point, is we were the only ones to put up only hand-made decorations.

Everyone else had the same plastic/glow-in-the-dark tat from China. I didn't buy any, because I dont believe in buying all that crap. It's not just the money, I'm not being a miser. It's well, the 2nd reason, what better projects to do with the kids on a rainy day!

For me as a kid, that was the whole thing about celebrations. Spending days up your eyeballs in paint, glue and glitter... So, anyway, here's some of the stuff we made, now safely stowed for next year, and now it's time to get going on the Christmas decorations.

Having a chat with a friend, we were talking about the ole days, the days of the paper chain. The days of cutting and stitching, tears and repairs. It's about creating memories for your kids. Kids are so confined these days, because of our fears, safetly from cars, strangers, etc... We dont realise they dont have that sense of being kids that we had. So, I'm saying for the sake of giving kids happy memories, this most memerable of Christmasses (the Christmas the IMF came), don't buy the plastic tat from China, bring back the paper-chain this Christmas.

Pan Celtic Festival 2011

Whenever people ask me what am I up to, I can't think of anything to say. But I know I have been up to something as I suffer from fiddlyitus, I am always up to something. But lately, it's been more a case of thinking. I've been doing a lot of thinking. And yes, it involves thinking of yarnie things, day-dreaming about possible yarnie projects, (and how to take over the world, of course).

So, what have I been thinking about? Well, for once one of my schemes/projects has come into fruition. I was chatting to the lovely Máire Treanor at the last Clones Lace workshop, about a possible trip to Brittany in the Spring to do crochet lace workshops. I love Brittany, having spent a month there, years ago, (drinking cider, dancing at Fez Noz, and generally having a ball). This book has sparked it off for me...

Available on Amazon

And also Maire has just re-printed her wonderful book

Breton Lace and Irish Lace are interlinked. Though technique, nuns, common historical disasters (famine) and general Celticness...So, when I hear the Pan Celtic Festival was going to be in Dingle again in 2011, I contacted the committee about doing a possible textile event, (I think I scared them with my enthusiasm)... Long story, several emails later, we have official approval!!

Here's what’s planned so far:

(a) an exhibition of lacework from the Celtic countries,

(b) a talk on the history of lacework and

(c) a demonstration of the national styles of lacework.

If anyone has intrinsic knowledge of lacemaking in Celtic countries get in touch! Otherwise you can just join up here for a chat:

Ravelry http://tinyurl.com/23k85ep

The poor underused Woolly Way Forum: http://tinyurl.com/2cm6smh

Dingle Stitchling Group!

For some reason, whenever I type out stitching, it comes out as stitchling. Every time, without fail, I have to go back and re-spell it. But today I'll gladly say stitchling, because in less than an hour, is the inaugural meeting of a new Dingle Stitching Group in The Goat Street Cafe.

The Goat Street Cafe
Mondays: 10am - 12pm

Tadhg needs a new hat, so I finally will get it together to sit down and make it for him. I'll be bringing a few spare hooks/neeedles and yarn, for anyone that comes along and fancies joining in..

OOPS!

Got my dates wrong, meeting starts next week, 8th November! Phew, gives me time to actually think about what to make rather than throwing a few balls of yarn in a bag...