Dublin knitters in stitches over PicKnit craze

KNITTING enthusiasts from all over the capital are being invited to pack their needles and wool and head for the first Great Irish PicKnit at the Knitting & Stitching Show in the RDS later this month.

Show organisers are predicting that the PicKnit, a social gathering involving knitting and food, will become the next big pastime in Ireland’s towns and cities.

More than 25,000 visitors are expected to attend the show, which runs from October 30 to November 2, and there’ll be plenty to enjoy including a unique combination of inspirational galleries, workshops and exhibitors selling everything from stunning fabrics, wools and threads, through to sewing machines, patterns and books.

Dublin-based students and graduates from the NCAD and the National Tailoring Academy at Louis Copeland will also be exhibiting work at the four day show.

But the PicKnit, brought to Dublin by the UK Hand Knitting Association, could be the surprise star of the show. Under the theme of

‘Knit One, Hook One and Pass it On’, PicKnit visitors can learn, create and share their knitting and crochet skills with other visitors.

There will be free one-to-one knitting and crochet tuition for beginners, and a chance for the more adventurous to experiment with some exciting new designs.

Helen Marriott of the Knitting & Stitching Show, said:

“For decades, knitting has been a sociable pastime with knitters happily chatting over coffee and yarn. PicKnits takes that idea to the next level, combining a love of food with a love of knitting, stitching and craft.

“Knitting PicKnits don’t have to be big formal occasions though – all you need are needles, some snacks, a few friends and some space. Importantly, Knitting PicKnits, like the one coming up in the RDS, help keep the traditional skills of knitting and stitching alive.

?

Thanks to celebrity knitters such as Cara Delevingne, Ryan Gosling, Kate Moss and Lily Allen, organisers have noticed a huge increase of interest in knitting and sewing.

“Knitting and sewing have both been around for centuries, but celebrities are now helping to bring the hobby and craft to a whole new audience.

? added Helen Marriott.

Visitors to the show, which is Ireland’s largest textile and craft event, can also look forward to artists at work in the

‘Artists in Action Studio’ and professionally-curated galleries including one featuring the 1913 Lockout Tapestry, designed by Cathy Henderson and artist Robert Ballagh.

There’ll also be an exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One and they can learn a new skill at one of the hundreds of

‘Learning Curve’ workshops.
Visitors can browse and buy specialist supplies and

‘hard-to-find craft materials from more than 200 retailers.

Tickets for the four day show at the RDS Simonscourt are now on sale through www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/Dublin. Advance tickets cost

?¬14 for adults, with concession prices available on-line.