It’s that time of year again and the Sweater Weather Knit and Stitch Social is being held on Saturday 1st November at La Caverna Restaurant
We are having a knitwear fashion show for those who want to show off their sweater along with any accessories like cowls, hats, mittens, scarves etc.
AND we have a fashion illustrator and live event artist joining us as a special guest.
Louise Boughton who has extensive experience doing live illustrations at fashion shows and events in Ireland and abroad will be doing illustrations during our “Knitwear on the Catwalk”.
We had a great start to the 2025/26 season of the monthly Knit and Stitch Social on September 4th at @la caverna. It was a fun and happy afternoon. The new set up of smaller tables was well received so we will continue with that.
As many of you know, the monthly Knit and Stitch Social is held on the first Saturday of each month.
We have booked for the rest of this year to give everyone certainty.
The next three Socials will be held on: Saturday 4th October, Saturday 1st November and the Knitmas party will be Saturday 6th December.
Tickets are available to purchase now for Saturday 4th October.
Looking for something to do this February Bank Holiday weekend?
Have you just started crocheting/ handstitchery/knitting? Looking to be part of a crafting/maker community? Then this social is for you. It’s a chance for people of all ages and skill levels to chat over a lovely meal while connecting with like minded people.
Organised by @themurphyleaf and I, as your host, February’s Knit & Stitch Social takes place on Saturday 1st February from 1-4pm at @la_caverna_restaurant.
Looking forward to welcoming newcomers and regulars.
Monday 13th January was the launch of our Meet the Makers Supper Club. When Greg initially thought of the idea of a weeknight meet up as a result of comments made from the craft community that some folks would not be able make it to our monthly Knit and Stitch Social on a Saturday.
So the Supper Club was born to encompass not only knitters and crocheters but also to include all domains of the craft community.
Greg reached out to Shannon at La Caverna, and a menu with 3 meat and 3 vegetarian/ vegan options was created.
6 of us, an intimate number, enjoying the lovely meal at La Caverna. We were not only knitters. We were crocheters, dollmakers, dressmakers, knitting instructor, sewists, patchwork quilters, yarnshop owner…. we were a creative and talented group of Makers.
I am delighted to announce there we will be doing it again!
The Meet the Maker social event is a trial to see if there’s interest in a monthly evening dinner social that welcomes all makers whether it’s crochet, embroidery, knitting, paper crafting, sewing etc. It’s a chance for those who prefer an evening for meeting up with like minded makers.
Greg and I are organising this trial supper club at La Caverna Restaurant to socialise over a lovely dinner of your choice from a select menu at a very good price. The supper club is not for profit. The amount you pay is simply to cover the cost of your meal plus gratuity and sum up fee.
If you attend the monthly Saturday knitting socials, you will know what to expect. If you are new and have any questions, please feel free to write to us at:
Join me with your latest knit or crochet project at our November Knit & Stitch Social.
If you love Sweater Weather as much as we do, bring along your favourite warm and cosy FOs to exhibit at our Sweater Weather Trunk Show. Each person who brings an FO to exhibit will be entered into the prize draw. Details to be posted next week. It’s a great way to show off your makes in real life.
Enjoy this fabulous opportunity to meet and chat with knitters, crocheters and other yarn lovers in our own exclusive room at La Caverna.
Your admission includes choice of main course from the brunch menu.
Brunch Menu
There’s also a vegan option as well.
Vegan Menu
Drinks not included, La Caverna will be offering their selection of beer, cocktails, wine, coffee/tea for individual purchase.
Date: Saturday 2nd November 2024 Time: 13:00 – 16:00 Venue: La Caverna, 12 Fownes St., Dublin 2
Please note this is a social event and not a workshop.
I am extremely fortunate to be able to use the Mezzanine of the IFI Cafe Bar once a month. As it is in the city centre, this is an excellent venue for knitters and crocheters to meet.
Although I am the host for these socials, my other half is the event planner and organiser.
January is a long month, so we choose to keep things cheap and cheerful with tea, coffee, mini cakes and pastries.
Enjoying the auditory, visual and tactile pleasures of knitworking alongside some incredible makers is an incredible experience.
In the coming week or so, I will make an announcement regarding our next Knit & Stitch Social.
Keep an eye on my Instagram, @diane.villamaker for the most recent updates.
It’s been several years since I got myself involved with the Guild and when the call out for “fiber helpers” at this year’s Dublin Maker in Richmond Barracks, I jumped right in to help Máire set up the Guild’s demo area.
Boy oh boy, we were fortunate to be outdoors, under the big tent, what must have been the hottest day in September.
There were people and people and people who tried their hand at spinning and weaving.
It was so busy ( we heard thousands of people walked through the entrance!) I really never had time to catch up with my fellow members Ailbhe, Liz and Máire.
If you have to opportunity to volunteer for any event with the Guild, I definitely recommend Dublin Maker (that’s only because I LOVE the souvenir lanyard and t-shirt we receive as volunteers).
Two weeks following Dublin Maker was World Wide Spin in Public. Another fine opportunity to get involved with the Eastern Region of the Guild. For this world wide event, we celebrated the day at a new to us venue in Dublin 12, The Green Kitchen & Garden Shop.
We had a lovely group of spinners arrive with their spinning wheels and drop spindles.
The curious arrived wanting to give spinning a try on a drop spindle.
What a lovely way to get my spinning mojo back, while catching up with my friends from the Guild.
While a song from the 1980s kept
spinning in my head,
You spin me right ’round, baby, right ’round Like a record, baby, right ’round, ’round, ’round ~ You Spin Me Round by Dead or Alive
We’re halfway through Soctober and I’ve been toting my current sock wip in the first Japanese knot bag that I made at the start of the Pandemic.
Making these little project bags were a perfect stashbuster, using up cotton fabrics from sewing cloth facemasks.
Last year, I went to a party and needed an evening bag .
So, I whipped up one, out of a vintage art deco style damask fabric and lined it with gold silk satin.
I had no pockets and this Japanese knot bag was the perfect little carry all for my essentials – phone, money, lipstick, hotel keycard and my salbutamol inhaler.
My latest collection of Japanese Knot Bags will only be available by made to order soon.
Kandinsky Knot Bag
This Kandinsky inspired knot bag is a work of art . The abstract artist and colour theorist was well known with his bold and brilliantly coloured paintings.
Kandinsky saw the dot, or point, as a small circle. He argued that this was the most basic, fundamental element of painting, observing “everything starts from a dot.” From this basic dot, one could go on to create any variation of line or shape.
Circles were a recurring feature in his abstract art, and he painted them in a huge range of variations, from planet-like orbs to repetitive concentric designs.
Made from a Kandinsky inspired tapestry textile and lined with re-homed drapery fabric.
And knot forgetting one of the famous Impressionists, Van Gogh
Impression by Colour
This knot bag is inspired by Van Gogh’s colour palette. The post-impressionist artist became well known for his techniques in passionate brush strokes in symbolic and intense color, in surface tension, and in the movement and vibration of form and line.
VillaMaker 