[NFB-Blind-Crafters] Craft stuff I saw in Ireland

[mother27dragon at gmail.com]

That sounds cool!

 

 

From: NFB-Blind-Crafters <nfb-blind-crafters-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf
Of Tracy Carcione via NFB-Blind-Crafters
Sent: Monday, November 4, 2024 8:30 AM
To: 'List for Blind Crafters and Artists' <nfb-blind-crafters at nfbnet.org>
Cc: carcione at access.net
Subject: [NFB-Blind-Crafters] Craft stuff I saw in Ireland

 

Sadly, I didn't find any yarn in Ireland, and I didn't even find any
sweaters.  I guess we weren't really in the souvenir-shopping areas, except
maybe the first stop on our tour, where I didn't know the shoppers among us
and couldn't find anyone to walk around with me.  

But we did get a tour of the Avoca woolen mill, which was very interesting.
They weave beautiful blankets and shawls out of Irish wool.  At the
beginning of the tour, they had samples laid out made from the different
wools they use, and it could feel the differences.  Some were thick and
sturdy, and others were softer.  Some they wash out the lanolin, and others
they leave it.  Washing it out makes the fabric softer, but leaving it makes
it shed water.  

A person gave a demo of how they used to weave before weaving machines were
created.  All the fabrics have colorwork, so the big loom has 4 pedals. He
threw the shuttle through the threads with his right hand, pulled the
threads with his left, and moved the appropriate pedals with his feet to
make the pattern come out.  He did it all fast too, maybe throwing the
shuttle every second.  It seemed like quite the workout.  When he was done
he showed me the shuttle.  It was pointed on one end, about as big around as
my arm above the elbow, maybe as long as my arm, and shaped a bit like a
boat.  It was heavy, too.  The loom was very tall, too.  I touched one of
the levers attached to a pedal, and it went up at least as high as my head.
The whole thing was very cool, but it must have been hard work to do all
day. 

Then we went into the room with the big weaving machines swishing away.  I
think they all get set up by hand, which takes 4 hours, and then they turn
out fabric fast.  Every thread has a dropper attached to it.  If a thread
breaks, the dropper drops and the machine stops, then someone fixes he
problem by hand.  When a machine comes to the end of a piece, say a blanket,
it stops weaving for a few inches.  Later the fabric goes into a cutting
machine that cuts in the woven spaces, then a fringing machine that twists
the end threads into fringe.  

It was all very interesting, and really made me appreciate all the work that
goes into quality woven stuff.  

Our guide said they used to use dyes from plants grown in a nearby garden,
and were looking into using plant-based dyes again.  Natural dyes are not as
consistent as synthetic.  I would have loved to know more about the garden,
though. 

 

We also went to a silver manufacturer, but didn't have time to take their
tour.  I'm sure I would have learned a lot.  But I did score a beautiful
bracelet. 

 

Another thing I saw I'd like to know how to do was building with stone.  I
know there's an art to it.  You have to put the right stones together and
stack them properly, or the wall or building falls down.  Do it right, and
the building lasts for centuries. 

I also felt the edge of a thatched roof, big bundles of straw or reeds maybe
8 inches thick, and slanted down so water runs off.

 

And that was really it, craft-wise.

Tracy

 

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