Kiri Cottage was visited by another lovely family from Florida, visiting Belfast, the North Coast and Ards Peninsula. I was very fortunate to meet them at my workshop as part of their peninsula travels with tour guide Lizzie Charley.
It was lovely to meet Bobby and Hal this afternoon, over for a visit to Northern Ireland from Tampa Florida.
We swapped tales of Linenopolis and our linen ancestry for stories of growing pineapples in back gardens, and how to tell if they are ripe (by getting down on the ground and smelling the base of the pineapple – smells sweet and pineappley when ripe!).
We spent some interesting time in my workshop and I hope they went home to Florida with fond memories of the Ards Peninsula.
I have been preparing the workshop for a group of American visitors later this afternoon. I have laid out the machinery I use to prepare wool for spinning to demonstrate to them and thought I would share a video of this, as well as some items ‘I made earlier!’
Kiri Cottage hosted a lovely peg loom workshop this afternoon.
This was arranged as a surprise birthday party and we had some good fun with these very creative ladies.
Kiri Cottage Crafts Club was hosted by Jen today at her premises. We made Dorset Buttons from rings, wool and threads.
I’m just back from a few days in the Isle of Man with my sister. We visited the lovely Pink Seaweed Gallery in Ramsey.
The owner showed us the contents of some old suitcases that she had been given, following the sad passing of their owner.
I ran a Nalbinding workshop at Turnip House on Saturday and had 6 talented and enthusiastic students.
All picked up the technique really quickly, and between tea, coffee and Turnip House special soup, scones and cake we made great progress.
One lovely lady took her project home and finished it, and now has a nalbinded ear warmer for walking her dogs in the cold weather.
Kiri Cottage Crafts is partnering with Turnip House to offer a Nalbinding with lunch workshop. This is a form of early Scandinavian knitting, often associated with the vikings.
Limited to 6 participants. Book now!
I’m away for a couple of days in Winchester for a wee holiday, and of course I found a craft workshop to go to!
It was about making a copper bowl, at The Colour Factory in Winchester.
Today I spun some of my own hand-dyed wool. This was dyed using Kraftcolour Landscape dye in both Teal and Fern.
This afternoon I took part in a Dorset Button workshop at the Craft Room, Newtownards, with Karen, Sharon, Sarah and Ethna.
Here is a brand new Nalbinding workshop at Kiri Cottage Crafts. This is a form of early Scandinavian knitting, often associated with the vikings. This is Oslo stitch, one of many Nalbinding stitches.
I’ve been working on two art batts today, created on my Brother Drum Carder.
I’m looking forward to spinning these later today.
These are a mixture of wool, bamboo, tencel, recycled sari silk and trilobal for a bit of sparkle. Pretty!
I have recently completed a couple of commissions. One for two pet sheep (spun and dyed) and one for alpacas.
Great fun today with two lovely ladies, Ciara and Joanne. They came for a therapeutic, social, craft day, and both learned to spin. And we developed knitting skills in the afternoon, mastering plain, purl and rib.
This was a visit to Cockle Row Cottages this afternoon for another soda bread making demo.
I shared the cottage with Santa and one of his elves. There were also two visiting alpacas and a lovely group of flautists playing Christmas songs.
The soda bread was very popular with visitors and I hope to be back again very soon.
Merry Christmas to all at Cockle Row Cottages!
Hats off to Clive from from Welig Heritage Crafts, Portaferry, as he guided four of us through the process of weaving a hare from willow.
We did some Christmas crafting this morning at Barrhall Residential Home when the residents created some lovely tree decorations.
Such creative people! Merry Christmas to all the residents and staff of Barr Hall!
I ran my final craft session of the year with the Portavogie Seniors Club this week. We made some simple ribbon Christmas wreaths.
It never ceases to amaze me how many creative people there are, and how everyone sees a project in a different way. I provided an example (one I made earlier…), and a box full of material strips, ribbons, charms and wooden Christmas decorations on each table, and off everyone went to create their own wreath.
I’d say this was a very successful session and I wish all of the seniors a very Merry Christmas!
The very creative ladies and gentleman of Ballywalter Seniors Club made a herd of alpacas at their meeting last Monday.
Armed with felt, beads, ribbon and a rainbow of embroidery threads, they stitched their way through the session, most not even stopping to have their tea and sandwiches (well, until the pineapple delights arrived…).
Great, enthusiastic bunch – thank you all for an entertaining afternoon!
I hosted a donkey harness weaving workshop for Finnigan Tools.
Paddy has engineered a unique, sustainable and welfare focussed method of making harness for donkeys, and we were privileged to learn the method and make some parts for the harness here at Kiri Cottage Crafts on the Ards Peninsula. They will be sent out to his working partner in Africa.
Ards and North Down Tourism made a video about Kiri Cottage Crafts. I love how it has turned out.
We meet Christine Casey, owner of Kiri Cottage Crafts and a traditional hand spinner and weaver who is keeping the skills alive which have flourished here for generations. Produced with the support of Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund, over this series the Virtual Visit team are going to be tracing the legacy of Ulster-Scots settlers in this area and giving you a guided “in-person” virtual tour of the local heritage, history, stories and culture, accompanied by a local tour guide. The series has been shot using a 360° camera.
Christine was extremely welcoming and provided delicious homemade scones and cake, as well as tea and coffee. We started off with weaving outside, using all natural materials, this was very interesting and fun.
Here is a blast from the past! This is one of my all-time favourite commissions – creating a one-of-a-kind jersey for the lovely Martin – owner of the Southern Ireland Dulux dog.
