Slieve League, a Knitfield exclusive

To paint one's own yarn is a dream. To paint a Donegal with multiple contrast neps or burrs is a technicolour dream.
To create Slieve League we mixed two base fleece tones of grey and green. The result being a grey flattering on skin tone and Donegal in character.
The neps represented the highlights of a Donegal landscape, the alternating skies, the heather, the rich dark autumn foliage and the strong mosses that grow on Slieve league's rocks.
The result is unique to us in all the world! A classic grey with originality in the fleck tones.

In the beginning ..Nora's wall we call this

 The choice is infinite, so it's all about the edit and a bit like mixing perfume!

It starts with play and a focus on what you're after.

 It's lovely how Slieve League integrates with

 it's birth environment !

 and how it reflects

an Irish sky even on a sky less day! Yes there is a sky behind the yarn in the image.

our first studio ready- to -wear design is underway in Slieve League. It's called the Bricin cardi and named after a saint from the region (c. 590-650). The inspiration came from a locally written poem (below). Bricin also means a small fish in gaelige.

A small and limited edition amount of Slieve League (100% Donegal spun wool) is available to pre-order online at edelmacbride.com

A little about the inspiration........Sliabh Liag (Irish for the grey mountains)

thanks to www.focuspocus.com for this image

Slieve League has been inspiring a local population since the Celts and before with it's majestic cliffs sheltering this Donegal peninula from the wild atlantic. Now a highlight for visitors on the 'Wild Atlantic Way' route, from Donegal to Kerry 

The Donegal heather and fern frame the stark cliffs that at 601 metres (1972 ft) are the highest in europe! Locally the area is know as Bunglas.

Our exclusive yarn colour in 100% spun in Donegal wool was inspired by a visit (or many!) to this Donegal wonder…

Slieve League

Voluptuous Mountain

At the foot of God

Laid out like a Gaelic Queen

In a trousseau of whimsical mist,

Glimpses of ultramarine,

Grated on by gentle sheep.

Snapped at by the sea,

By grappling arms of little farms ensnared,

Slieve League,

Colmcille’s highway

Dropping holy wells,

That lie with doleful eyes,

Hear the footprints of another saint,

Bricín now patronized,

Today as on that ancient scene,

Tomorrow you will ever be,

A noble part of nature’s chart defined

Slieve League.

The poet was inspired by Slieve League and prefers to stay anonymous!

© 2014 Edel MacBride

We hope you join us on the journey of knitting and crocheting a little of our Slieve league wool. Maybe even take a walk on this wild side of Donegal, in your creation!

Edel @knitfield 2014

A bit of Irish crochet history comes to Knitfield

Knitfield was excited to view this lovely collection almost by chance !
Aoife signed up for our 'Crochet by Design' course enthusiastically but a tad unsure. The reason being that while she could knit, crochet had evaded her in the past and as she is left handed, she half blamed that!
Well, following a bit of visual challenge on week one (crocheting left handed means going clockwise rather than anti-clockwise with the stitches, although some left handed folks find it good to work as if right handed), there was no stopping her...hats, hats, hats and flowers and ......

On week three Aoife mentioned 'tops' made by her grandmother for her mother. She was interested in perhaps bringing out the whiteness of one in particular but didn't want to use a strong solution of any kind and was seeking advise. At the last class Aoife brought her grandmothers collection of work to our delighted eyes.
Julia McCarthy of Cappaghmore, Co. Limerick had a speciality, the pineapple stitch! as the tops were crocheted in a good quality mercerised cotton they have worn well, held their shape and the classic styling means they haven't dated. Aoife confessed to having a crochet dress as a child that she may not have been so keen on, but what lovely heirloom pieces these Chanelesque hand crochet tee shapes make.

Very spring 2014 this sherbet lemon is pineapple at it's best. we like the attention to detail at the hemline too.

This lovely little crown or shell crochet stitch is crisp and graphic enough to be Mr Kane!

We were honoured to bring crochet skills to the granddaughter of Julia McCarthy and another generation of who knows what masterpieces to come ?

Aoife sports her 'rose' completed on week four of 'Crochet by Design' by Edel MacBride and Knitfield.

for more information on this excellent crochet and design course including dates visit the website or http://facebook.com/knitfield