Craft Life

It’s almost mid-November as I write to you on a blustery day from a hospital waiting room in Sligo. There’s no emergency - just back-up for someone having a procedural treatment. I rather like these moments, such as they are - suspended moments in a life’s rhythm. It’s not particularly cold in Ireland yet, though the countryside tells another story. The trees are turning - rustic orange still clinging to green, dark trunks showing through, and grey skies stretching across damp fields. It’s not quite winter, but you can feel it waiting in the wings. I’m not in a Christmassy...

It’s late October, and the wholesome soup weather has well and truly arrived. Halloween is almost here - even if officially, it’s still a few days away - and I’m enjoying seeing the autumnal displays popping up in windows and on doorsteps. There’s something so warm and celebratory about pumpkins, fairy lights, and that golden glow. I love when the local children call round, dressed as witches or ghouls for ‘Trick or Treat’. I always keep a few fun treats on hand - it gives me a great kick to see their delight. But truth be told, I keep things...

 As the evenings grow just that bit cooler and that golden autumn light starts to peek through the curtains, I’m so delighted to share something special that’s been quietly knitting away in the background: the latest additions to the *Shoreline Knits* collection. Each piece in this cosy collection is a one-off, delicately hand-knit by a local maker with an eye for texture and tone and a passion for adventures in textile. Yes, some of you know of her well. Lily Ryder of Shoreline.  There are no repeats here – every hat and scarf is designed and made as a standalone...

If you're a fan of art cards depicting nature, you're likely already familiar with the gentle beauty of Nuala Brett-King’s work - a long-time favourite here at Parade Handmade. From her kingfishers and hares to the florals and feline friends, Nuala’s work always brings a lovely balance of colour, feeling and quiet Irish atmosphere. This summer, she’s added some gorgeous new designs to her collection - including two floral watercolour pieces called Wild Fuchsia and Misty Rose, and a lovely series of animal portraits. I asked her to share a few words about how her latest art cards came together,...

Every now and then, a story comes along that’s just too charming not to share. I always think that handmade items carry little sparks of the maker’s memories in their seams - and in the case of my new Miniature Mouse Keepsakes, that’s quite literally true. When Margaret from Ditsy Designs first showed me her new collection of handcrafted mice, I was instantly enchanted. Each mouse had a hobby, and a look of joyful mischief stitched into its whiskery little face. Then they got names too. But it wasn’t until she told me how they came to be that I...