Berni returned to Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery tonight to help everyone acquire some additional sewing skills. French seams, bound seams, bias binding.....phew that's a lot of extra skills acquired in one evening of enjoyable sewing. It may look like just a wee bag, but you should see the finish these ladies achieved after only 2 classes! These machines may have been lurking in cupboards unused for a while.....but they're being put through their paces now!
We are delighted to welcome crochet tutor, Anne Quinn to Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery. And today was a busy morning as beginner's learned how to hold the hook, feed the yarn, create a foundation chain stitch and double crochet. With these skills we started our first project: a mobile phone cover. Wasting no time Anne showed us how to create our first flower motif. And even a quick run through picot stitch (which we will cover in more detail in another lesson).
We were hooked!
Anne brought along a number of examples to show us.
And showed us some alternative possibilities for crochet....using coloured wires and a selection of beads these necklaces can be created.
Anne had a beautiful christening robe, bonnet and shawl as well as these little booties, rosary bead set and an example of lace-making.
Anne Quinn's crochet class will take place at Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery every Wednesday for the next 5 weeks from 10.30 to 12.30 starting on 29th February. The course costs €75 (includes a hook and a ball of wool). The course will take you from beginner to intermediate level and you will complete a number of projects along the way. Come and join us for a relaxed morning learning new skills! Phone 087 6193870 to book your place.
Where do all the missing socks go? It seems they come to life at the hands of the creative children of Claregalway Educate Together National School! This invasion of snuggly sock animals in the 3rd/4th classroom was the result of a recent sewing workshop at the school.
Well done to all the children for creating such a characterful bunch of snuggly sock animals!
Here are just some of the wonderful felted flowers created by the participants at the Saturday afternoon workshop at Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery.
Here the participants are beginning to build up layers of marino wool in different colours.
Smiles all around at the end of a busy workshop making snuggly sock animals on Saturday!
Take one sock....and learn how to cut it to shape.
Take a needle and thread...and learn how to sew a running stitch.
Take some stuffing to fill the head and body...
Watch your snuggly sock animal come to life!
Mairéad Sharry's latest children's book is now available at Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery. A wonderful story suitable for readers of all ages with fabric collage illustrations.
A Saturday morning workshop on Saturday 25th February from 10.30 to 12.30 (€17) for children of 8yrs and over. Make your own snuggly pet sock-animal!
Print-making with Norah Brennan. Just one of the 'Crafty Kids' workshops available at Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery.
Applied Leaving Certificate students together with their art teacher Ms. Martin held an exhibition of Art and Craft at Presentation College Headford on Thursday 26th January 2012.
Transition Year Students also exhibited a wonderful selection of hairpins and brooches produced by their newly established company 'Layla Pearl' - fabulously Kitsch vintage-inspired handmade accessories. See www.laylapearl.weebly.com or follow them on twitter @layla_pearl.
Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery displayed a selection of items including Chirpy Bird brooches by Joanna McGlynn, Butterfly, Bird, Fish and Flower brooches by Grace Light, 'I love Galway' buttons by Berni McCabe, hand-thrown pottery by Helen Griffin, hand-built ceramics by Living Ginger Designs, crochet hairbands by Josephine Fahy, handmade natural soaps by Dr. K. Soaps, painted glassware by Denise Hogan, illustrated children's books by Mairéad Sharry and more.
The event was well attended by staff and pupils of the college who were also treated to a wonderful selection of baked treats and snacks prepared by the nine ALC2 pupils.
Ever wanted to learn how to make a patchwork quilt? Every Tuesday evening from 18.30 to 20.30 and Friday mornings from 10.30 to 12.30 we have Beginner's Patchwork Classes...choose whichever time suits you best (16 Euro per class).
One of the great things about the classroom space at Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery is seeing it put to good use by the local community. Every Tuesday morning from 10.30 to 12.30 there's an open invitation to all local crafters to bring along a current project and share ideas and chat over a cuppa. This week we had some knitting, crochet and patchwork around the table. And newcomer Noreen brought along some lovely crochet books and showed this crochet case she recently made to hold crochet hooks. All very inspiring. Why not join us next Tuesday?
We have a wonderful mix of colourful felt accessories by Kathrina Hughes at Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery. Kathrina is a registered craftsperson with Crafts Council of Ireland and also a member of Feltmakers Ireland.
In this week's beginner's class on Tuesday at 18.30-20.30 at Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery we will look at a technique to make 2 x half-square triangles at a time. 12 of these can be put together with 4 plain squares to make a variety of star blocks. The technique is suitable for machine or hand-sewing.
Whatever project you are currently working on (knitting, crochet, patchwork or other craft-work) bring it along to Tuesday's 'Crafty Morning' at Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery. Perhaps you have a new technique to share or perhaps you are wondering what you are going to do next? This is a free drop-in session providing the community with a chance to use the classroom space and share ideas.
New brown and cream glazed pottery soup-cups from Roger Harley of Absolutely Pottery, Westport.
Framed fine-art prints by Galway artist Mary Geeleher.
'Feather' a new range of pale green glazed pottery by Roger Harley of Absolutely Pottery, Westport.
Fantastic new selection of 100% cotton 'Fat Quarters' for patchwork from Rags for Linda, Oughterard, Co. Galway.
A full class at Le Grá Craft Studio and Gallery with Agnieszka Rupnik. This was such a popular class and we have others on our waiting list for the next one. We hope to get Aga back soon in January 2012.....so ring 087 6183870 as soon as possible to add your name to the waiting list.
Aga brought along some of her own beautiful feltwork like this jacket to show us the potential of felting.
Hands at work, rolling the flowers to give them shape.
And here's a bunch of colourful flowers made by participants!