Thousands expected for RDS ‘Knitting and Stitching Show’ which runs from the 10th – 13th of November

TEXTILES and knitting enthusiasts are preparing to have their needles drawn and to spin countless yarns as the countdown begins to the eagerly awaited 2011 ‘Knitting & Stitching Show’ in Dublin’s RDS.

The four day show, which last year drew over 23,000 visitors, runs from November 10th to 13th and the 2011 programme is bursting with exciting new elements with lots for textile enthusiasts of all ages and skills levels.

In these times of austerity knitting and stitching have become chic, soothing and cool, helped in no small way by celebrity enthusiasts such as Madonna, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julia Roberts and Russell Crowe. Their passion for the odd bit of plain and purl has boosted visitor numbers to knitting and stitching and craft shows throughout the globe.

This year’s show will attract 150 exhibitors who will showcase and sell everything for the textile enthusiast from the professional, the passionate or simply the beginner who wants to get started.  Value for money will be very evident  in all craft supplies stands with plenty of bargain prices to avail of.  The latest innovations in  knitting and stitching supplies, from specialist equipment, craft kits of all levels, yarns, threads, along with, felt making, quilting,  jewellery making, card making and much more.  There will be over 100 workshops covering many subjects.

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Brand new this year will be:

• An Upcycling Academy where young people  will learn how to recycle and customise their wardrobe. School Groups and individuals will be invited to join UK Up cycling experts Barley Massey and other young NCAD designers will demonstrate many ideas on how turn something old into something new. T-shirts will be slashed, stitched, stamped and dyed to give them a new lease of life and all participants will then have the chance to model their creations on a virtual catwalk and have their pictures appear on Facebook in minutes

• The First Steps Lounge and its highly creative Craft Guerrillas who will introduce and teach visitors especially the younger generation  how to get started in knitting, stitching and handcrafting. Visitors will be able to choose from 10 funky kits and projects to get started.  Deidre Harte of the Market Loft, Powerscourt Centre will run the First Steps Lounge with a team of designers, including Arran Murphy of ‘curiouser & curiouser, Kate Harte of ‘Pure Harte’, costume designer Maria Tapper and her co-workers at Re-dress – Rosie O Reilly, Kate Nolan and Kelly Dalton. They will be selling kits in up-cycled textiles and deomonstrating how to make them plus fashion accessories such as sash belts, ‘fendi’ collars, pleated tie collars and shredded T-Shirt necklaces.

• A series of galleries including the famous  Beryl Dean  Gallery of ecclesiastical embroidery

• A special Patchwork and Quilting Zone by the Irish Patchwork Society showcasing over 100 Quilts on the theme of “Branching Out”.

• The first ever Children’s Quilting Classes also run

• A Seascapes Gallery from the Crafts Council of Ireland marking Year of Craft 2011

• A chance to “test drive” all the latest sewing machines

Once again Innocent Drinks will partner the Knitting and Stitching Show and lead with the Big Knit Campaign for Age Action Ireland when they plan to achieve last year’s results when a whopping 80,000 little hats were knit by generous people all over Ireland, raising €20,000 and much needed awareness for Age Action Ireland. With such a harsh winter last year, the funds were put to great use to ensure that older people in Ireland stayed well and warm. For every woolly hat wearing smoothie sold, innocent will give 25 cent to Age Action Ireland which will go towards the “Stay well, stay warm” campaign for winter 2011.

“Ireland has a wealth of craft and designer talent and the growing interest in knitting and stitching is evident every year,” says Andrew Salmon of the Knitting and Stitching Show. “There is always huge excitement at the show with buyers travelling from all four corners of the country to see  the latest techniques in knitting and stitching , test drive the latest sewing or knitting machine and buy their craft kits and supplies.”

“There’s somewhat of a revolutionary return to creative crafts,” he added “this year we’ve introduced lots of new workshops for adults and schools  to capture and nurture the growing  interest in creative crafts for future generations”.

The Knitting and Stitching show is the definitive event for anyone with a love or an interest in knitting, stitching and creative crafts. It  will run from 10^th to the 13^th November 2011.

For further information and advance visitor bookings, log on to www.twistedthread.com