Knitting & Stitching Show RDS as you learn to Cable without Cable Needles

Knitting & Stitching Show RDS - Knitfield Kits flying around the World

Knitfield Patterns & Kits went on tour with Knitwear Designer Edel MacBride and this time it was off to the Knitting & Stitching Show in the RDS, Dublin. 
The Knitting & Stitching client seeks beautiful yarns and contemporary exclusive patterns. The Rita Cardigan sold in a variety of shades from denim to burgandy, and as popular as ever were our Paint Wool Collar & Snood Kits. 
The Veronica Poncho Kit created a huge buzz as the season's must have fashion look & for the little ones the Rosa Cardigan Kit was in demand.
 It was Knitfield's Jack N Jill Cardigan which knits in one piece that was heading off to Massachusetts, Texas, New Zealand, Kildare, Tipperary, Galway and of course back to Donegal, most of these were going to be knitted for grandchildren, nieces, nephews and quite a few babies who are due to arrive in the New Year.

Art & Design Student Anna Duffy with Edel MacBride @ Knitting & Stitching Show RDS

Knitfield Donegal Yarns in demand

It wasn't just Kits that were dashing off around the world, our beautiful Knitfield Donegal Yarns were sought after, with such an arrange of beautiful colours in the Donegal Tweed Yarn it was no surprise that you had to take our colour packs home.  Our Donegal spun merino yarn was popular and the Donegal wool Hanks brought great memories to those who used to have to wind the yarn for their mothers. As always our Exclusive Sliabh Liag Yarn which was designed by Edel was a great talking point. 

Aran Cabling without Cable Needles Workshop with Edel

Edel MacBride centre Cabling without Cable Needles @ the Learning Curve Workshops

Edel had a Workshop each day in Aran Cabling without Cable Needles. Many Aran Knitters in particular never use a Cable needle, even for a Cross over of four or five stitches at once. A few Edel MacBride techniques are employed to assist in the speedier method of knitting cables. In the workshop the class all used Sliabh Liag Exclusive Knitfield Yarn. Everyone succeeded !!!! Now practice makes perfect and thank you for joining the class.

Sundays busy workshop in Aran Cabling without Cable Needles with Edel

We loved the view of the Amazing stand belonging to Liz Spillane across from our workshop at the Learning Curve Workshop, you can view the beautiful felt backdrop by Liz in the above photo.

Horst Couture - The Darker Side of Felt

Meeting like minded people each day was so inspirational as the staff at Edel MacBride stand A2 had the opportunity to discuss Knitting & Crochet Patterns with talented individuals all with a love of beautiful yarns & designs. The atmosphere of creation throughout the exhibition was exhilarating not only at our own stand but as we took an opportunity to look around the exhibitors. Beside us was Horst Couture from Ohio who discovered felt making to have countless possibilities. The Darker side of felt collection was an Autumnal feast of amazing vibrant reds, greens and ochres.

The Darker Side of Felt 

Renate Keeping - Ripeness & Age Exhibition 

Renate Keeping - Ripeness and Age, an wonderful exhibition beside us caught our hearts especially the storybook written about herself and her husband Charles as the characters Knittle & Threadle for their own children. An inspiring story and to add to the magic the book on display was the only one belonging to the family hence it was under lock and key.  read more: The Keeping Gallery

Renate Keeping - Knittle & Threadle

New Beginnings @ the Design & Crafts Council Exhibition by Bernie Murphy

Bernie Murphy, a finalist in our Knitfield Sliabh Liag Textile Competition was also a selected textile artist in the Design & crafts Council of Ireland Exhibition called Entwined Memories.
"New Beginnings, threads of life....celebrating my life and career in the manufacturing industry in Donegal. Shadows of that experience ensued a creative journey to recognition of the enormous impact of cessation."

New Beginnings By Bernie Murphy

New Beginnings by Bernie Murphy

Knitting Passion @ Edel MacBride stand at the Knitting & Stitching Show RDS

Back at A2 Bronagh Connolly Knits & discusses techniques with our fashion Intern Anna Duffy who is helping out on the very busy Saturday. Bronagh is using Symphonie Wooden Needles from Knitpro, they are her personal favourite. She's knitting using Knitfield Apple Donegal Tweed Yarn available online edelmacbride.com  

Bronagh Connolly using symphonie wooden needles from knitpro having a creative break at stand A2, Knitfied @ Knitting & Stitching RDS 2014



Fran Ryan visits the stand. Fran taught Edel to machine Knit when she was a student at Limerick School of Art & Design. Frans knitting centre was a fashion students go to zone and Edel knit things to sell at the shop too. Fran moved to Dingle, Co Kerry founding Dingle Linens and is a regular at exhibitions with her beautiful work.

Emma gets to take it all apart until next year.

Edel does her share from set up to show close on Sunday night!

and it's back to the hills of Donegal

It was a pleasure to meet all the new faces as well as  Knitfield friends from previous shows. We look forward to hearing from you all with pictures of your new projects completed, you can share images on facebook and twitter

Favourite Tweets during the Show

 

DKC‏@TheDKC

Enjoyed my chat with Eden from Knit field about her new COLLECTION...

 

bernie holmes-kelly‏@firstlove17

@Knitfield @KnitStitchRDS @edelspirit Dressed up Crochet hope to visit tomorrow love love crochet

 

Faye Dinsmore‏@fayedinsmore

@edelspirit popped in to the RDS to see Edel's lovely creations!

Thanks all for visiting us and thanks to the http://www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/dublin/ for all their hard work - see you next year!

Thank you Discount offer

 Enjoy 15% discount valid until 30th November.  Using the code: knitfield which applies to all Knitfield Yarns, Kits & Edel MacBride Designer Knitwear.

A League of Textile Craft - Sliabh Liag competition entries

Join our celebration evening and prize giving at the White House garden October 23rd at 7pm
Vintage tea with homemade cakes will be served, while you can gasp in admiration at the well crafted entries and exchange textile tips! besides, a few surprises if we know an 'Edel' event.....for tickets text 085 7032764 or e mail info@edelmacbride.com

The idea this Summer for a textile competition based on our exclusive Sliabh Liag inspired Donegal wool was enthusiastically received.
Having designed and spun the yarn in Donegal, Edel thought it could be inspiring to set a competitive challenge. Entries were sought in June with finished work submitted in September.
The brief was left open to your own imagination with the basic requirements of using at least 50% Sliabh liag yarn and that the design was your original idea and work.
Prizes include vouchers for Knitfield yarns and classes, with the opportunity to have winning exhibits professionally styled and photographed. The main prize is for a 'judged' winner with an online competition being open to vote for favourites.

The great diversity of product created was wonderful and the quality of craftsmanship excellent. Of course this makes for more difficult judging, but hopefully for entrants it gave the impetus to bring something into being that might never have happened otherwise.

Enjoy these creations.

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What a treat!

For now we won't comment on each piece but safe to say you're a romantic and glamorous lot with the capes and handbags. Strong traditional skills coming through too, well done!

A very big THANK YOU to everyone represented here.

Soon we'll have a date in October for our Sliabh Liag gathering and prize giving.

Thank you for trusting us with your precious work.

The same 'letter' will correspond with your entry for all judging. However you are very welcome to tag, share, promote or brag about your piece in anyway. Upload other images if you have them to our Knitfield page on facebook.

And whatever happens rest assured your grandmothers would be very proud to see such skilled work kept very alive by You.

Join the 'most likes wins' comp on our Knitfield page on facebook and follow our Twitter updates

All pieces photographed at Knitfield September 2014.

Copyright of the creators c 2014

Images copyright of Knitfield 2014 

Dunboyne Castle Hotel workshop with Edel

The knitting needles and hooks of Knitfield and Edel were invited a little further afield this Spring.
The historic location of Dunboyne Castle Hotel, in the picturesque village of Dunboyne in Co Meath called for some knit with style action!
The castle team set to planning, promoting and printing ahead of the theatre style demonstration workshop planned for April 13th.

Edel wears sky eve hood and is ready to knit with a cone of slieve league grey wool exclusively designed by Edel for Knitfield

With a Dunboyne speaker and workshop line up this year to date that included Gaye Byrne and Neven Maguire, it was time to get the best yarns ready and the best dress pressed!

The keys to our Art ! We could crochet with this one on the grand front entrance door ?

After an early start it was time to check the final slides for the introduction. Edel is looking right at home here!

A guest should always be brought in by the front door, on their first visit, so an old irish etiquette goes. 

This includes all the yarn and supplies for the demo too we reckoned.

Time to work the room. What a wonderful audience. Lots of early arrival enthusiasm and great questions. Most attendees could both knit and crochet and some had interests in entrelac and broomstick crochet which is undergoing a revival. 

Indeed Edel was learning a thing or two.

It's great when friends encourage each other into handcraft as these ladies did.

Thank you for bringing your work along. Entrelac in crochet or knit has great possibilities and is fun to 'build'

The little Knitfield boots kept an eye on proceedings.

Indeed inspiration was everywhere. While the drawing room was great for the busy event we did fall a little in love with the library. This pretty ceramic chandelier held great colour chart possibilities !

It was a busy weekend with two weddings at the castle, yet that didn't stop us from swishing on the 

Downton stairwell and looking heavenwards for more inspiration.

If flora and fauna is more your inspirational kick off point, the grounds are wonderful for a dreamy dander or to sneak outside with the knitting. While we had lovely food and service in The Ivy dining room, the ivy in the garden woodlands was every bit as enchanting.

The end

For now

We hope to be back. This lovely gothic door stands lost amid trees in the garden. A nod to the textured history of Dunboyne stretching back a thousand years to the Normans. Many yarns of it's own hidden here.

Thank you if you attended the workshop. It was great to have such a like minded get together. The interest in perfecting finish and technique was heartening indeed, no rush jobs! Thank you if you purchased a 'KNITFIELD' kit or pattern on the day. We are happy to accommodate any follow up requests via the email below or at the Convoy studio number  074 9147508.

To book an inspirational workshop with Edel MacBride or for details on this years events email Knitfield1@gmail.com

Thank you to the team at Dunboyne and to the press which gave the event great mention.