There are some incredible textures along the cliffs in County Clare - so much to photograph and to draw.  So . . .  the Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally has come and gone - it was very busy and had some very beautiful exhibitions, some of which will be coming to the show in Dublin this week.  The day after the show in London my best mate Claudia and I caught the ferry over to Rosslare. It was a long drive, but worth it. We stayed over night in Waterford and traveled over to West Clare the next day. I wanted Claudia to see the house I am buying in Kilbaha before we exchanged contracts. Claudia agrees the house is wonderful, though a bit remote. But that is part of it's charm. I will have to get used to allowing extra time for travel. We had a few days to have a wander around the area. I love the weather here - you really do have 4 seasons in one day. I just love the light, and there are 30 minutes more daylight every day here on the West Coast. I just love it. I

Viv and Kevin. Starting our time in Dublin with a full Irish breakfast. Apologies for the delay in writing this post life has been a tad - hectic! I had a lovely time in Ireland. Laura and I shared a house in Donnybrook with Viv and Kevin from Art Van Go. We were there to do The Knitting and Stitching Show in Dublin. This is the second time that Vilene have a stand at this show, and after having such a good time last year we knew what we were in for . . .   Laura on the stand, halfway through setting up the stand.   It is great fun working with Laura at the shows - we do have a laugh together, we work hard too, of course!!! The Dublin show is not as busy as the other two in the UK, but it has a fabulous atmosphere and great charm. Some of the stand holders are the same but there are many more from Ireland. There was lots to see and many friends to catch up with. I always enjoy looking at the graduates showcase. There is always interesting and intriguing work to

A slice of Mary's particularly delicious lemon cake. Alison arriving with a box of lemon drizzle cake and banana and toffee muffins. Rachael arrived with a box of Rice Krispie cakes and Mellisa brought in a box of dairy free chocolates. Session 5 of Experimental Textiles looks at Constructed Textiles. Knit, weave and felt. We also look at working in 3D. But first we look at the homework . . .  I am currently teaching two groups of Experimental Textiles. One on Thursday and Friday. The other on Saturday and Sunday. The course is taught over nine months, from June to March, one two day session per month. This post shows a mixture of images from both groups. This was just a small part of Kate's homework - she created several fabulous pieces. A ripped up painted still life, reassembled and decorated with hand stitch.  . . . Another from Jane . . .   . .  a detail . . . Marlilyn missed the 4th session but created her own still life and executed