more climate change indicators

The bats are no longer hibernating in Cork!
Climate change comes to us in unusual ways. Over the last few years a decreasing number of bats are going into winter hibernation. What does this mean? Is it warmer and the bats don't need to go into hibernation or does it mean they can't go into hibernation because the weather isn't cuing this change. It may indicate that the insects the bats depend on are also still around, or it could mean there will be a lot of hungry bats! This morning I am starting my bat scarf to protect my neck from hungry vampires. Hopefully it will be done by the show's opening. Find something that inspires you and make it!

Opening reception and conference in Letterkenny!

Hi All,
The show is fast approaching! If you are able to make it down to the show we would love to see you. The opening reception is on Friday November 12th at 7:30 at the Regional Cultural Centre. Please invite yourself and your friends!
If you are interested in the associated conference on Art and Climate Change, please also come to that. Here is the link to register for free: http://www.lovelyweatherproject.blogspot.com/
And here is the schedule

Lovely Weather art & climate change Conference 12th-13th November, 2010
Friday 12th Nov
7pm Registration and refreshments
7.30pm Welcome introductions
8.30pm Performance by SoftDay (IRE) Marbh Chrois

Saturday 13th Nov
9am – 9.30am Registration
9.30am Welcome: Mayor Donegal County Council Cllr Cora Harvey
9.30 – 10.00am Keynote 1: Roger Malina, Leonardo/Olats
10.00 – 10.30am Keynote 2: Paul Cunningham RTE Environment Editor
10.30 – 11.15am Project 1 – Antony Lyons (UK/IRE)
Chair: Cllr Dessie Larkin, Chair Donegal County Development Board
11.15 – 11.30am Coffee
11.30 – 12.15pm Project 2 – Seema Goel (Can) and Ruth McCartney (Ire)
Chair: Ms. Sarah Tuck, CREATE
12.15 – 1.30pm Lunch
1.30 – 2.15pm
Project 3 – Peter D’Agostino (USA)
Chair: Mr. Paul Cunningham, RTE Environment Correspondent
2.15 – 3pm
Project 4 – Soft Day (Ire)
Chair: Toby Dennett, Head of Artists’ Supports The Arts Council of Ireland.
3pm – 3.15pm Coffee
3.15 – 4pm
Project 5 – League of Imaginary Scientists (USA)
Chair: Roger Malina Editor of the Art-Science publication Leonardo
4pm - 4.30pm Keynote 4 Bronac Ferran (N. Ire) Director boundaryobject.org
4.30 – 5pm General conclusion and Q&A led by Bronac Ferran
5pm Dinner (local options included)
Attendance is free but places are limited.
On-line registration at www.donegalpublicart.ie
Further information please contact:
Ms. Terre Duffy, Public Art Manager Donegal County Council on terre.duffy@donegalcoco.ie

Last chance to see...

Hello all!

It's the last week that the studio is open so this is your chance to come down and learn to spin, grab some wool and make some art for the gallery opening on the 12th! We've had such a wonderful response from the public and we'd really like to reflect that with the knitted clothing going on display in the RCC. If you haven't already signed up for knitting there's still plenty of time (since we'll be accepting submissions as long as the show is open). Below, you can see some lovely images full of knitting inspiration :) From the leaves unfolding early to new species of animal our climate is showing change. Feel free to use these images and ideas as a springboard for your own wooly inspiration and make something beautiful (beautiful can still have bumps and holes in it so don't worry beginners!).
I'll be in the studio this week with wool and needles for anyone who'd like to help. If you know any knitters that you think would participate then let them know too :) Spread the word! We need as many wonderful wooly creations as possible to show what great work the Inishowen (and international) folk have been doing.
There's plenty still to come as the project continues in Letterkenny at the Regional Cultural Centre. And of course we'll see you all on the 12th for the opening :)
Feel free to contact us (carbonfootprintproject@yahoo.ie) with questions or enquiries and keep checking the blog for updates.

Thanks for everything! Let's keep it going!
Ruth

hurricane hat

This hat comes via ravelry. Here is the pattern and the original url. If you are interested in this it would also be easy to adapt this to be the swirls of a warm or cold front. The hurricane itself can also be adapted with lines in varying thicknesses or a different colour of wool.

http://stringinmotion.blogspot.com/2008/04/hurricane-hat-copyright-sunshineknits.html

Here is the pattern.

Materials:

Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted, Pearl #36
Needles: 16" Circular Needles 4.5mm, set of 4 DPNs, 4.5mm
Gauge: 20 stitches & 28 rows knit in Stockinette Stitch

Sizing Note: Pattern is adjustable for sizing by altering how
many inches you work in pattern before beginning your
decreases. The suggested 5" will give you a med-large size.

Instructions:
Cast on 81 sts in the knitted on cast on method.
Join in the round, knitting first & last stitch
together to eliminate jag. Total 80sts.

Brim: Work in K2, P2 Rib for 1.5”. At the end of
final row, M1 stitch. Total 81sts

Body: Work in K9, P1 for 5” inches.

Decrease Rounds:
Round 1: *K7, K2tog, P1* 73sts
Round 2: *K8, P1*
Round 3: *K6, K2tog, P1* 65sts
Round 4: *K7, P1*
Round 5: *K5, K2tog, P1* 57sts
Round 6: *K6, P1*
Round 7: *K4, K2tog, P1* 49sts
Round 8: *K5, P1*
Round 9: *K3, K2tog, P1* 41sts
Round 10: *K4, P1*
Round 11: *K2, K2tog, P1* 33sts
Round 12: *K3, P1*
Round 13: *K1, K2tog, P1* 25sts
Round 14: *K2, P1*
Round 15: *K2tog, P1* 17sts
Round 16: *K2tog* 9sts

Break yarn & run through remaining stitches. Pull tight & secure. Weave in all ends.

design ideas

Hi,

To Inspire you!!! In this you may find an image that moves you - run with it - a flock of swallows, a bird’s nest hat, a leaf unfurling, vineyards in Ireland... so much is happening because of climate change!

You can make any kind of garment or accessory (you can wear) that uses Irish wool and is inspired by climate change. Please feel free to be as creative as you like. Pieces will be added to the exhibit throughout the run of the show. You will have your work returned to you if you like. THANK YOU for begin part of the Carbon Footprint Project!!

Due to climate change in Ireland:


The swallows arrive 2 days earlier for every 1〫increase in temperature in March. Last year the swallows came 8 days earlier.

Harlequin Ladybird
New species of insects are moving into Ireland every year! Among them is this ladybird - a voracious but lovely pest that threatens the local Irish ladybird population.
















Irish 2-spotted ladybird (making out).
There are 27 species of Irish ladybird beetles.

Come on down to the studio today and knit with Seema! Seema is back in Inishowen and will be in the studio today talking about design and knitting up some Inishowen wool. Why don't you call in and give it a try?

Clonmany Capers.

We were adventuring in Clonmany today at a lovely little knitting class in St. Mary's Hall. We set ourselves up round the table and got stitching and subtly mentioned that we were knitting with hand-spun Inishowen wool. They were all quite impressed with the wool and we'd conveniently remembered to bring along some knitting kits with needles and wool to work with and some project info included and the lovely Urris ladies with be stitching away over the next few weeks. :)

Some of the Clonmany ladies turned up at the studio later and got stuck in to some spinning and wool worrying :)

Call into the studio tomorrow (or any day at all really) for some spinning fun. I'll be spinning on the wheel and working with drop spindles all day and I'd love to show you how to do it too.

sock making kits and grapsh to think on

Hi All,
Ruth will soon be returning to the studio and putting together ready to go kits to give out to anyone wanting to knit for the project.

If you're still wondering how the climate change part is going to fit in beyond all our strategies of local economy, here are a few images of data that may be incorporated into the socks. I will say that the one I like the most is the simplest, in reflection of the Mallin Head rainfall data over the past 100 years, make one of the socks of your pair 50% longer than the other.

Over the next couple of days this page with be updated with data sets regarding climate change and Ireland, specifically Inishowen where possible. I've added a few images here that might be inspiring. Please feel free to riff off of them and come up with your own interpretation of the how to present the data.

More to come soon!

Thanks to everyone and good luck!

Skype adventures with Seema!

Seema showed up at our stitching session today via the wonders of Skype! We all got down to work on our sock knitting and discussed how we can incorporate the scientific data Seema has been collecting into our finished pieces. There were some pretty exciting ideas flying around. Keep your eyes on the blog or call into the studio to see some designs in action; you can even come up with your own!





















The wonders of Skype and ball winders :)



















Eileen even had her first go on a spinning wheel today. It's all happening folks.