The National College of Art and Design of Dublin. The Knitting and Stitching Show in Dublin was a splendid affair. I was expecting a very quiet show as the whole population of Ireland is roughly equivalent to that of Birmingham, but I was wrong. We were very busy, obviously not as busy as Ally Pally - but a very healthy turnout. It was great to meet so many interested visitors. There were some different different stands at this show, not all the exhibits from the U.K shows travel to Dublin - I thought I would highlight a few of them over the next few posts.   The stand I most enjoyed was the National College of Art and Design of Dublin. The work was outstanding - particularly innovative. Also very colourful. www.ncad.ie           I think you will agree the work has energy and great imagination. I really loved it. The Irish graduates put on an exciting show - I will post about them next . . . . x x x

    Finnegan's of Dalkey.  I had a brilliant time staying with my cousin Emer in Blackrock, Dublin. She was a very generous hostess and we had great fun together.  My first evening was spent in Finnegan's in Dalkey. A very beautiful pub - VERY high Victoriana. It was a fabulous evening, just watching everyone enjoying themselves. We visited several of the local sights - my favourite being Powerscourt House and Gardens. www.powerscourt.ie I couldn't walk all that far as my knee is rather uncomfortable after my twisting incident at the Rugby club in Redditch a couple of weekends ago. I saw enough to know I want to go back - what a remarkable place. Powerscourt House. The statues, pots and stairs on the main terrace are very beautiful . . . .   There are several stunning water features, along with all manner of Japanese gardens, walled gardens, woodland walks and all the usual attractions you would expect from a top visitors centre.

The is 'Bet Noire' by Mary - just fabulous. This post is about the homework from the constructed textiles weekend of my Experimental Textiles course. The idea was to use either, knit, weave or felt to construct a three dimensional sample. I was so pleased with what they produced I thought the work deserved it's own post. Lovely felt bowls made in the washing machine around balls. Mary really enjoyed stitching into the felt . . .  . . .  and more of Mary's beautiful stitch . . .  Kat had fun working into her paper collage from the previous weekend. Barbara made the fabulous vessel - she has part felted it, then she will be stitching into it and felting it again. Val created some exquisite textures with stitch on this divine little bowl . .     . . . and more on this faerie like sample . .    This is one of Babara's woven samples . .   . . and some of her stunning felted knitting . .  Just gorgeo

Transfer printed polyester satin. The weekend saw me teaching the 6th weekend of Experimental Textiles at The Old Needleworks in Redditch. The weekend was a colour fest. On the Saturday we used procion dyes to colour natural fabrics and on Sunday we used disperse dyes (transfer paints) to colour synthetic fabric. The whole point of the course is to develop the students confidence in themselves and all the basic skills so they can work independently.  As a textile artist it is very important to know how to colour your own fabrics, be they natural or synthetic. This is one very important way to help your work look different to everyone elses. The group already know how to create original designs and make printing blocks of their own designs. The girls dying natural fabrics in plastic bags.      Bags of colourful opportunity.  I will be able to show you what the girls produced from their fabrics after the next session in mid November. The fabrics needed