XXIV Mostra do Encaixe de Camarinas

Souvenirs from Galicia; shells, bones, bobbins, fans and posters

(Day 1 of my 10 Week Blog a Week Challenge)

I spent the weekend, trying to think of what I could blog about today, and I realised I never put any pics up of the trip to Spain! I was so busy when I returned home, it went clean out of my head. So here's a (very rough), little slide show of photos of the XXIV Mostra do Encaixe de Camariñas. I had a wonderful time, was treated royally by the organisers, and was so well looked after by my friend, La Reina de Lace, published author and incredible teacher,  Marina Regueiro, that I could have stayed forever.

XXIV Mostra do Encaixe de Camariñas

Its 5.30am, I should be fast asleep, but instead I'm up doing last minute computer stuff, updating blogs, sending emails, printing info leaflets, boarding passes etc, etc. The next 3 weeks are crazy hectic, and I'll barely get the chance to sit down, let alone blog!

Post Kenmare Lace Festival!

Had a cracking time at the Kenmare Lace Festival! Met up with some lovely lace makers, some I knew already, some I never met before. Above is a pic of my bobbin lace, made in a workshop taught by amazing lacemaker Ann Keller. I am now fascinated with bobbin lace, especially with the use of metallic threads in bobbin lace. Oh, all nice and shiny! I know Textile Support in Italy runs these kind of courses. I wonder...

Kenmare Lace Festival

I'm off on another mini road trip. This time to the lovely town of Kenmare in South Kerry, where the first Kenmare Lace Festival is being held.

Post Valentia Festival!

Only a Kerry island can offer what Valentia Isle Festival offered. The most fantastic location, facing the Atlantic, with distant view of the Skellig islands. Its one of my favourite things about Kerry. So much sky! Getting to spend a few days sitting out in sunshine, watching fluffy clouds roll by.

Post Picnic Blog Post

I've a backlog of posts to get through, a few lovely projects I've been working on over the past month. So I'm going to do a quickie post on the Picnic.

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.

Road Trip: Kilmacduagh, Co. Galway

I haven't posted about any road trips in a while. Mainly because I haven't been doing as much traveling this year, (between school and a few car breakdowns!). When I'm traveling, I like to have breaks at nice spots, usually heritage sites.

Venice! (Italy Part IV)

Rapallo! (Italy Part III)

Ancient Map of Northern Italy, (with rough indications of towns)

I haven’t really talked about the different kinds of laces I saw yet. Who would have thought there were so many types! We have, here in Ireland, a number of laces, eg Carrickmacross, Kenmare, Youghal etc.  All needlepoint laces, and one crochet lace. Yet the dominant lace abroad, both in the symposium, the museums and with the people I met was bobbin lace. Until now, I have heard about bobbin lace, I even bought some bobbins in an auction a few months back, but I’ve never seen it in action. Now I can say I most definitely have. I can’t get over how popular it is! In fact, Angharad said it was one of the reasons she was delighted both myself and Emer could travel over, because along with Guillermo and his tatting, we were the only ones who were not talking about bobbin lace. I think I was the only person there who has never tried bobbin lace. I’m intrigued!!

Gandino! (Italy, Part II)

 Ancient Map of Northern Italy, (with rough indications of towns)

After four days of intense talks, chats, chats and talks in the Palazzo del Broletto in Pavia, it was time to say goodbye to the majority of the presenters and attendees of the symposium, and get excited about the 4 days of textile road trips ahead.

Italy! (Part 1)

I’m going to have to split my Italy trip into at least 2 parts. One blog post would be very long and rambling, (as if this one isnt!). Also. for me, there were distinct parts. The 1st part being the Symposium itself, and the 2nd (and possibly 3rd!) part, the excursions afterwards to Gandino, Rapallo and Venice.

Ciao!

The flights are booked, the boarding passes are printed... 

The presentation is prepared, and the workshop, has been worked on...

so, its Ciao!, Arriverderci!, Salve! which apart from pizza, pasta and Prosecco, is the extent of my Italian.

I'm off to a Doily Free Zone to chat lace, more lace, and different types of lace, and to visit lace museums...LACE HEAVEN!

Prepare yourself to be Lace-bombed on my return...

Little road trip round Ireland with the child

As soon as the Retro Romp was over, I decided to take a break, a road trip with the child, and I thought I'd just post up a few pics of our travels. I love travelling round Ireland, its such a beautiful little country. There is so much to see, so much history, yup, I can be quite the tourist. It always amazes me how little Irish people travel round their own country. We seem to be better at travelling the globe then visiting our own heritage sites. I am lucky my 5 year old has the travel bug too, and is great (well... great-ish) in the car for long distances. I decided to make this his hols, doing things, going places the child would like, rather than what I wanted to do. So no visits to bookshops, shops, visits to museums he wouldn’t like, and lots of just sitting round with family and friends in the evening.

 This is the famous autograph tree 

First stop the lovely Kinvara, Co. Galway for 2 nights.This included a trip to the beautiful Coole Park with its famous beech autograph tree. If you have never been, then shame on you. It is a wonderful place. Just a minute off the Galway Limerick road, if you are passing, take a few mins to stop.  Not only is it a beautiful place to walk, have coffee, it is so full of history, its incredible to think of the men and women who strolled round this park in the past, and were inspired by its beauty.

I won’t go into the history of Coole Park, you can read all about it here http://www.coolepark.ie/. Suffice to say, its pretty darn amazing to still be able to see the markings of Lady Gregory, Yeats, Shaw, Synge, and more.

Second stop was Westport, Co. Mayo, for a few days, to the folks house. We chilled, ate loads, watched the rain and the Olympics. My folks have the most beautiful garden, and I always come back with lots of pics of some of its beautiful flowers. The colours of which are just amazing! We did catch a few mins of one lovely early music session in McGings,, a jazz band that plays the last Saturday of the month (I think). The trumpet player and singer is possibly in his 80's, and still has it.

Then, with a little break in the weather, got to walk a bit on the Greenway. A bloody fantastic venture by Mayo County Council!  42km of a cycle track around the most beautiful parts of Mayo. We didn't have our bikes, so just walked a bit, and then the child ran around the skateboard track, while I did a little mini session on the outdoor gym. This outdoor gym idea is fantastic, and I wish we could get one here in Dingle. The folks were very quick to point out that Westport was voted best place to live in Ireland, Dingle being only about 15th...(They don’t actually know where Dingle came in, but liked teasing me about it.)

Next we went to Dublin City Centre. I have wanted to go to Dublin for ages. I chat to a good few Dub stitching tweeters and I’m always saying I’ll visit and never do. But, as I said this was the childs trip, and he needed pleasing...

Originally I’d planned a day in the zoo, but the days were a bit dodgy weather wise. So we visited The Ark, Imagonosity, National Museum, and the Natural History Museum. All of which I highly recommend. The child loved each one equally. And a quickie trip to Dun Laoighaire, I sneaked in the one thing I wanted to do: visit the newly opened Maritime Museum. Lovely little museum, and interesting for kids, including a huge light from the lighthouse, a sword from the founder of the Argentinean Navy, and lots of models of boats.

Then down to Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow for another 2 nights, to visit a friend. Chat, eat, watch movies and be ignored by the children who were all happily playing. Bliss!

Then finally home with a carload of laundry, 3 little ash trees and lots of cuttings from my ma. And I had a lovely surprise when I got home. An avocado plant! Years of sticking avocado stones in pots finally paid off.  This baby is growing fast! I've just had to repot it. I've now just stuck a few plum seeds in, you never know....

Body and Soul Festival 2012

So, my social media skills have been a disaster lately. Sporadically on Facebook and Twitter, barely blogging, its all been far too hectic!

So, a few quick posts over the next week, about what I've been doing. Last weekend, I was crafting at the Body and Soul Festival with the wonderful Nic and Marie of Greencrafts. I know I'm (totally) biased, but the Greencrafts area is always my favourite area of the festival. So, many wonderful, talented crafters. a joy everytime to work beside, especially in times of need; wind, rain, marquees blowing over, broken coffeepots... With pizza and spuds straight out of clay ovens... Heaven!

The Body and Soul Festival 2011

OK, its about time I put some pics up of the festival. I've just about recovered. After 2 days of sunshine most of my camping gear is cleaned and dry, and I'm feeling a bit more restful. I don't have many pics of the festival itself. It was a busy weekend, (albeit a bit stressful with regards to my crappy marquee and the crazy weather). Its going to take a few posts, so first of all I'll just deal with my stand, and the stuff I made for it.

GREENCRAFTS

There were only 6 of us in the Greencrafts area, but it was lovely none the less. We had a beautiful setting just on the edge of the woods, and even had our own mini acoustic stage to look at!

Greencrafts

I had a very definite picture in my head about the space I wanted to create, but unfortunately it didn't come out exactly as I planned. I wanted it to look kind of circusy, but in a homemade kinda way. Instead it came out as crazy ole granny kinda space, but sure, it was cheap and cheerful!!

Firstly I made a load of lining. I realised how crap Ireland is for sourcing and buying festival/party stuff. I couldn't find anyone in Ireland who stocked marquee lining, yet in the UK you can get all kinds of fire-proofed lining, in a range of colours and themes. (Anyone looking for a business idea out there? I reckon this could be a good one). So, I spent the best part of a week ripping up old sheets and duvets from the charity shop, and sewing them into panels. I lined the whole inside of the marquee and the roof with these panels.

Next I made some doily discoballs. I've blogged before about the prototype. I made a few of these, but unfortunately I had to squish them a bit to fit them in the car, so I had to blow up more balloons inside them and leave them in, Sure it added a bit more colour! (I will post the pattern for these soon!)

My mushrooms made a regular appearance, and this time I added in a few fabric windmills. (Again, will post tutorial soon!)

I brought my spinning wheel along, because the plan was to just sit, chill and spin, as part of my demonstrations. I haven't had a lot of time to spin lately, and I was using it as an excuse. There is something so primal about the spinning wheel, that makes everyone, male or female, stop and want a closer look. Its like having a great big stop sign outside the marquee!! I even had a great chat with 2 young lads about the spinning jenny and the Industrial Revolution. That kinda thing makes my day. I love history and especially textile history, so it be able to sit at a festival, spin and talk history, well, it is kinda special.

I don't usually get it together to sell much at these festivals. To me they are more about promoting craft, textiles and trying to get people to have a go. But I tried to make some festive stuff, to sell this year, because between insurance, petrol, and other expenses, its getting tougher each year. I made a load of flowers, as brooches, clips and hairbands. I am a total Japophile, yes it sounds rude, but I just love Japanese arts and crafts, their aesthetics, their clothes, gardens, etc, etc. So, when I was looking to make flowers to sell, it had to be kanzashi.

Making Kanzashi

I love these flowers. They are a little bit fiddly to make, like fabric origami, but the result is beautiful. The proper Kanzashi use silk and rice glue, but instead I used scrap fabric and sewed them together. But I'm delighted to have sold a few, gives me the excuse to make more!

Since I was selling fabric flowers I decided to do a fabric flower workshop. Not Kanzashi, but a simple folded flower with scrap fabric and a bit of netting. They are easy to make, and everyone who made one, seemed happy. Here's a pic of my good friend Aideen, who was my rock at the festival (when the wind was blowing hard, the rain falling, the field flooding, who made me breakfast each day). I don't usually get the chance to have a break during the day, but she did a few workshops for me, so I could go for a wander.

I also want to say a big thanks to Conor, our handy-man for the weekend!

I have posted a good few pics on Flickr, and as I said, it will take a few posts to cover all the activities of the past month. Its been hectic! New tutorials, patterns, and more news, but that'll have to wait until day.

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.

Sea, Sand and Cabin Crochet

It's been a crazy month, I have moved house and caught up with lots of old friends (more than my kidneys and liver really approve of). I'm not going into detail, but it's suffice to say, I haven't been up to much stitchery over the past month. I have some news, some fun, some well, disappointing. My Yarnaholics Programme is going well, (but I'll admit I did fall off the wagon once), have even come up with another rule, but, well, that's another blog post...

So, I have completely given into the call of the sea, and have moved back to the fishing port I loved for many years. So, in keeping with traditional/granny buzz I seem to be on at the moment, teacosy's and what not, and my fascination with all things boats, the only project I have worked on for the past while is Canal Cabin Crochet. Possibly the longest I have ever spent on making one item, one pattern. And although I did get into it at the end, for most of it, I found it downright torture.

A few months back I came across Canal Cabin Crochet, the tradition of crocheting edgings and trimmings for barges and narrow boats. I have never done filet crochet, nor had any immediate plans to, (too much pattern following for me), but the pattern for a little net curtain for a porthole of a barge, was just too much to resist. I got a few lovely patterns from Elizabeth Byrant of www.englishcrafts.co.uk. I don't have a boat, probably never will, and didn't have any round windows, so I started to make the traditional lace edging. As I said earlier, torture. It's only about 15 lines of a pattern, repeated ad nauseam until the desired length. I had to re-write the pattern into my own language, and even then, after doing a yard or so, I still couldn't remember it. Filet crochet is tough! Then to top it all off, I decided to move house, and had to add another dozen or so inches to make it fit the new house. The patterns were well written, had nice charts , I am just so crap at patterns! I know I say it all the time. Thought by the end, when I did get the hand of remembering the pattern, I did begin to enjoy the making of the piece. Well, it's finished, it's in the kitchen window of my new house, and this is what it looks like.

Pictures aren't great, but it took me long enought to hang it up, not taking it down to get a better pic!! I actually could get into this filet crochet thing. There are such lovely patterns out there, just have to plan on not moving house while making another piece.But, you'll never guess what my new house has, a round bathroom window, so guess the next project could be a circular net-curtain after all..

More Hyperbolic'ness....

The People's Reef - Made by the People of Ireland

I have spent the past few days thinning down my mass of Crocheted Coral Reef photos to 38 I can't live without. (You can see them here on Flickr, in their own special folder Crocheted Coral Reef Exhibition).

I have to say I am still recovering from the buzz of the exhibition, and the sheer excitement it has given me both working on the project and meeting such wonderful people. I first came across Crocheted Coral over 2 years ago, and have been pretty obsessive about it since. I have always been a timid crocheter, afraid to tell people what I really did, what I have made, and what I wanted to make, and it's working on this project that really gave me the confidence, (and the excuse!), to become the stitcher I am today. I feel Ireland has finally caught up to the potential of textiles, the kind I have wanted to see, to hear about, and, basically, to talk about. Because anyone who has met me, knows I can talk about it!!

These are the models that started it all. The original models by Dr. Dainia Tainina, the Holy Grail of Hyperbolic Geometry. I almost felt like bowing in front of them. They opened up a world of possibilities not just in scientific terms, I won't even pretend to understand it all, but in the opening up of the possibilities of textiles, of its usefulness, and resourcefulness. And I honestly felt awe when I stood in front of them.


It's because of the Coral Reef exhibition I also got to meet with one lovely lady, Mitsuko Tonouchi, a fellow member of the Freeform Guild, and woman of astonishing textile skills. I have been reading her blog on and off for a few years, so it was amazing to meet her in person. I have always been very partial to Japaneses idea's and textiles; amigurumi, kumihimo, shibori, sashiko, I even have a book on Wabi Sabi and Japanese gardening!! So, it was interesting to hear how she had an affinity with Ireland and has always wanted to travel here. We both agreed that there are strong, well, something, hard to describe, to put into words, aesthetics?, between Ireland and Japan.

We had a lovely day, went to see the Book of Kells in Trinity College, which I had never actually seen before, but was always intending to, then the National Museum of Archaeology, and finally a few lovely hours in The Science Gallery, where we oohed and aahed over the Crocheted Coral Reef.

She even brought me a lovely present which I was not expecting. A tea towel and a handkerchief which, Mitsuko, is not going to be used but hung on the wall!!
ありがとうございます (I hope I got that right)

St. Patricks Day Parade, Dingle 2010

Tadhg

The Marching bands and stuff...

It's an Irish Parade, you gotta have trucks, tractors and boats!!

Our favourite - Bugsy Malone!!