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

[Ericka]

How was the weather? I’ve heard it’s kind of dreary all the time. You had quite some cool experiences! Touching that, that’s something amazing! And that stuff lasts a long time apparently.

Did you eat anything considered Irish while you were there? I’m assuming that Irish soda bread really isn’t specific to Ireland. Maybe ale bread? I do like Guinness but I don’t drink it too often.


Ericka Nelson
KD9VBX

> On Nov 4, 2024, at 9:31 AM, Tracy Carcione via NFB-Blind-Crafters <nfb-blind-crafters at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 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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