WORKSHOP: Transition Towns, Tralee, Co. Kerry

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transition Village at Tralee Food Festival in Tralee Town Square Saturday 19^th September 2015

  

WORKSHOP:

Only just unpacking from the Electric Picnic (pictures to follow!) and I'm plugging my next workshop. I'll be doing simple yarn workshops at the Transition Village at the inaugural Tralee Food Festival, suitable for kids and adults alike!

"It will be a buzzing hub of activity with local food, cooking demonstrations, information on sustainable living and community resilience, children's activities and picnic tables to hang out and chat."

Workshop: Electric Picnic 2015, Co. Laois

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.

DESIGN & MAKE: Feile na Bealtaine

 

Every year I take part in our local Arts Festival, Feile na Bealtaine. Everything from installations, workshops, exhibit, etc. This year, I was asked to help the school my son goes to, to design and make a series of costumes and props for their participation in the Feile Parade. Naturally, since I love parades, and its my son's school, I gladly took part. The theme this year was games, and the school chose 'Cowboys and Indians'.

Art Jam! look, think, talk, draw

Workshop

As part of the An Gor exhibition, I'll be hosting a kids art workshop, Art Jam.

Workshop: An Introduction to Social Media (Stitchlily Style)

An Introduction to Social Media (Stitchlily Style)

7th March 2014

Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa College of Further Education, Cork

On the weekend of March 7-9th a fantastic 3 day festival of textiles is running. The annual Cork Textiles Network Conference is jampacked with goodies this year, from talks, symposiums, workshops, to exhibitions (and exhibition opening!). As part of the conference I'll be running a workshop, 'An Introduction to Social Media'. 

Lá le Bríde

Coffee morning and Bridget Cross making in aid of Irish Seed Savers Association

Each year on Lá le Bríde, I make St. Bridget's crosses. I've blogged on The Woolly Way blog previously about Lá le Bríde, and of course blogged here on this blog. Its one of my favourite old Irish traditions, and I always have a cross in my house for luck. Of course, what I love even better, is making crosses with other people. So this year I'll be at a coffee morning fundraiser and making crosses organised by Transition Towns Corca Dhuibhne in aid of the Irish Seed Savers Association.

Making Tomorrow, CTN Textile Conference, Cork

On March 8th, I'm giving a workshop at MAKING TOMORROW, this years CTN Textile Conference

 'An Introduction to Social Media'.

XXIV Mostra do Encaixe de Camariñas, Spain

I've just accepted an invitation to attend XXIV Mostra do Encaixe de Camariñas, a 4 day festival of Lace in Northern Spain this Easter.

Electric Picnic 2013

Its that time of the year again, ELECTRIC PICNIC time!!

The festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and I'm celebrating my 5th year of working at it. As with previous years, I'll be setting up shop in the Greencrafts area.

Knotted, Crocheted, Cut and Spun

Well, what an incredible workshop! I am genuinely surprised by the turn-out at last Thursdays workshop in Dingle Library. It was fantastic! A real mix of gender, age, skills and expertise.

Workshop on Knotmaking and Crochet Lace Plarn, Dingle

Next Thursday, 25th July, 5-8pm, I'll be hosting a workshop in the Dingle Library, on crocheting lace with plarn, recycled plastic. Alongside me, there will be a local fisherman, demonstrating knotmaking techniques. This workshop is the first, of what I hope will be a series of workshops, as part of MÓIDE+, a public art project in Dingle.  

MÓIDE+ is a Tidy Towns initiative supported by Údarás na Gaeltachta, NEKD and Leader. A cross-organisation, cross-craft, ambitious project to re-claim some of Dingles derelict buildings, and turn them into works of art.

Fís Chorca Dhuibhne and the Plarn Workshop

It's been all go since I got back from Italy, because Feile na Bealtaine takes place, this coming weekend! I've been busy out making props for the parade, and also for Fís Chorca Dhuibhne. An incredible project brought to you by Transition Towns Corca Dhuibhne. 

We have, basically, taken over a derelict building, and with the help of over 50 local artists, poets, gardeners and general fantastic hardworkers, transformed the inside of the building! More info below...

I'll be doing a Plarn workshop on Friday, 2nd May, at 3pm, part of Fís Chorca Dhuibhne.

In this workshop, I'll be showing how to recycle those horrible plastic bags, turning them from rubbish, to yarn. For the past 3 years, I have been hoarding nearly every plastic bag that has come into my house, and am now about to embark on an ambitious plarn lace project. For those of you who can crochet, I'll be showing how to make Irish Crochet Lace from plarn. This workshop is free.

Fís/Imagine Corca Dhuibhne 

Post Dingle Harvest Picnic with the Kerry Bicycle Festival!

Incredible! That is the only way to describe the day that was the Dingle Harvest Picnic. We had sunshine, kids on bikes, chilled out parents, workshops, talks, and SUNSHINE!! Its amazing what a sunny day does to Irish people these days. It was almost overwhelming, to be able to organise something outdoors, and not have it cancelled or moved because of bad weather...We had an escorted cycle around the marina and town before heading up to the town park for a day of fun and frolics. Talks, workshops, music, and even the match (Del-boy style, a TV on top of a van!)

Electric Picnic 2011 and other stuff

I haven't been online much this Summer, not blogging, not even tweeting. The main reason was I wasn't in the mood, I felt like I had nothing happy and exciting to contribute so I kept stum. As much as I enjoyed the Body and Soul Festival, I felt exhausted, and drained after it, I was even thinking of backing out of the Electric Picnic. I think I went through a mini midlife craft crisis. So after a lot of soul-searching I came to the conclusion am I fecking mad?

Lámhdhéanta - The first in a series of handmade crafts workshops in Dingle, Co Kerry

Last chance to book into:

Lámhdhéanta
Saturday, September 25th 11-4pm

Aiseanna na hOige,
Cappa,
Dingle

€65 for the day, including a fine, handmade lunch & materials

Electric Picnic 2010

It's almost time for Electric Picnic 2010!

Here's the plan again:

• Sit ‘n Stitch Workshops: From 12pm - 4pm, there is crochet and knitting workshops
• Loop ‘n Lounge Sessions! From 4pm - 6pm, there is an open stitching session, bring your own stitching to work on, practise your stitches, get hints and tips, or help make squares for Pink Creative Textile Auction blankets.
  

I'll be bringing lots of needles, hooks, yarn, books, and cushions. The weather is going to be fantastic, so come down say hello, hang out, make a few squares for Pink Creative Textile Auction...

The Cassandra Hand Summer School of Lace

Just back from a whirlwind week-long trek around Ireland, taking in Mayo, Monaghan and Galway. The trip started as a torturous 6-odd hour long drive to Mayo, with a toddler that refused to sleep. So, as you can imagine lots of singing, and well, singing... And coffee stops for me.

Cork Textiles Network Workshop

Detail of Hand and Machine Embroidered Sample

Just a brief about the Cork Textiles Network Conference Colour and Form in Textiles.

There was talks from 3 very different textile artists, Connections with Colour with Ruth Issett, Process and Form with Angela O'Kelly, and Flights of Discovery with Nicola Henley.

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.

Autumn Ends...

It's cold enough to feel like winter at the moment. It's the 2nd of December, and between floods, storms and the flu, its been a tough few weeks. My first workshop got postponed because of the bad weather, so here are the revised workshop listings.

3rd December 11.30am - 12.30pm Macroom Purlies, Macroom Library, Cork
4th December 10am - 12pm The Crafty Knitand Stitchers, The Crafty Alley, Killarney
6th December , 11.00am - 5.00pm Tralee Christmas Craft Fair, Fels Point Hotel, Tralee

We had a great crochet session at The Matchbox, in Listowel last week. The ladies were very impressive in their skills and their ideas for uses of coral! I am going to try to make something a bit festive for the stand at the Christmas Craft Fair, I just hope I have time to do it... I've no photos of anything, because the battery went in my camera, and I haven't been able to find the charger, for what feels like months now... Everything feels like chaos, but hopefully after this weekend, I can catch up on the simple things, making hats, scarves, and gloves for the cold weather!!