Just a quick note to say I'm off to Electric Picnic tomorrow. I'll be taking part, once again, in Greencrafts, Craft Village, delivering workshops to kids and adults in making Yarn Mandalas, or Ojo de Dios (God's Eyes), as they are sometimes known. I first came across these many years ago, in a book about Mexican Weaving. They were little offerings, good luck charms, very similar to our own St. Bridget's Cross. I loved making them. Such beauty with just a few pieces of yarn and sticks.
I thought they were a Mexican tradition until I came across a picture, very similar in a book, Irish Folk Ways by E. Estyn Evans. In this book, was a photo of types of St. Bridget's Cross, including a God's Eye made out of reeds. The image below is an example of a typical cross, made every year at Imbolc, the 1st of February, in Ireland.
But there is known examples of a Gods Eye being made in Ireland, though less common. These are made in exactly the same way as yarn but with reeds instead. See below:
Made from sticks and yarn, they can be simple enough for kids to make them, or they can be quite complex as the example below shows. I will be giving drop-in workshops in making yarn Ojo de Dios, throughout the day over the weekend of the festival in the Greencrafts area. And will be also doing demos in making these beautiful Complex Oja's.
As usual the Greencrafts are is off-the-grid, so I will be very low-tech for the rest of the week. Normal contact will resume, from next Tuesday, 8th September 2015. If the weather holds, I hope to have a load of lovely photos!!
More info here:
http://www.electricpicnic.ie/news/join-greencrafts-weekend-full-craft-making
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