Patrick's Day

Worked a half day on the project today and then went to see the parade in Kilkenny. The photos included here are of 3 amazing projects/iniatives happening in Kilkenny. The first is boarding made for the day by local artists. The second are heads made by students/artists in KCAT and the last two projects are women from the 5-6 Women's Project in Kilkenny.

Extra Felt News

Sarah had a busy weekend in the mud! We heard about all the bruises, cold and misery. Funny how she is smiling in the photos.

Courthouse

These photos show how the bases are being stitched with a curved needle which works between each stitch and is then pulled out with a pliers.

Extra Felt News

Another use for felt samples. Any orders for body parts will be taken seriously....

Courthouse

Today I learnt how to do a cat's cradle. Its way harder than I thought and mainly I ended up in tangles. I love the idea that this game is around for ever.

The photos also show plasters on my fingers which I am using to try and protect them while I am sewing!

Courthouse

Jennie Castle is busy organising all her images and paper work for her exhibition in Berlin. Check out her link (on the right) here to see what she is doing. She is showing off her cool drawing facility on her computer. (I want one)

I spent a second day stringing. My hands have loads of cuts and they ache but there is very little sympathy.....more like disinterest.....I need some union reps!

Courthouse

Today I started the stringing of fibre to the heads (photos include detail & process). Its great to get this far and the resolution to getting a needle with an eye large enough for the fibre was solved by using a feeder thread.

As the sun sets the studio is washed in the most amazing light. Sarah photographed her shadow this evening to get this amazing shadow photograph.

The final photo is on the drive home from the studio waiting for the Waterford train to pass.

Courthouse

Sarah spent the day Ghostbusting, sorry Fireproofing the fibre today. Sarah stated 'best day working on the project for so far' ....outside in neon orange competing with the sun.

Courthouse

Carmen's partner sprays the fiber with Fire Retardent in her studio. It means that the smells and the spray are kept away from us while we are working.

Courthouse

Carmen came to show us the nuno felt scarves she is making. A good photo opportunity to shoot her and her scarves looking absolutely amazing.

Courthouse

Nicky making a bird with the broken needles.

Courthouse

All the yarn arrived today despite being sent over a week apart. The colour is beautiful. Now we only need to fireproof and stitch it while walking 5000 times 5 meters.

Courthouse

Today was seriously hard work and when Sarah asked Cristina about her 8th Birthday, I couldn't take any more!

Courthouse

I have included photos here of the 500 plus felting needles we have broken over the past five weeks. Cristina used them for a drawing and then refused to let us use the needles for 24 hours while she admired her drawing.

No fibre has arrived yet but fingers crossed it will be here on Tuesday.

Courthouse

Peter Donovan made a needle for us today in Grennan Mill to go through the heads. It measures 23.5cm and is (fingers crossed) tough enough for the job.

Courthouse

At last a photo of me on this project. Sarah took it but unfortunately it was during the funny half hour where I just had to dance....or go mad. We are waiting for the fibre from Spain and finishing the detail on the heads.

Our friends are giving us great ideas for the stringing of the heads but the best so far was Kens when he wrote 'repeat 5000 times!' Obviously he is no longer a friend!

Courthouse

Today Mrs Mulligan and her class from School of the Holy Spirit skyped us to look at our work and to show us the embroidery pieces they are stitching onto Hessian. (they look fantastic)
Cristina showed the class how we started with fleece, needle felting it into head shapes.
The class showed us their whiteboard where they could see my blog. They have pointed out that I don't have a photo of myself on the blog. I will try and fix this tomorrow!

A close up of the new felting tool made for us by Sarah's Grandad Charles Aulton and two photos of the heads starting to take shape.

At last the heads are taking shape. Sarah's granddad has made us some new felting tools which hold more needles and speed up the process.

I am now on week 4 of the Sculpture Commission for the Courthouse. The dry felted shapes are starting to take on the forms needed. It has of course taken way longer then expected and without the help of everyone involved would have been impossible.

The fibre has after many false starts been ordered from Spain.

The photos show the process and the postman arriving with much needed new handles for the needles.