A few weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting some great stores in Ireland and meeting some fascinating store owners and their customers.

I was greeted at Dublin Airport after a super early flight from London by Fergal, the charming rep from Designer Yarns. My rather swish blow dry from the previous day swiftly became a bird’s nest as I stepped into a howling storm.

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First stop was The Knitting Room, run by the enthusiastic and very friendly Carrie and Brendan Kavanagh. I gave a powerpoint presentation to their customers and was delighted to get the chance to see them try on the garments from my new collections for A/W. Here is a pic of Carrie wearing the poncho designed by Conway and Bliss and featured on the cover of the A/W issue of the Debbie Bliss magazine. Worked in Fine Donegal and Angel Mohair it was a huge hit as was the new yarn from Conway and Bliss, Elektra.

A Knitting Room customer wearing the Cable Sweater in Cashmerino Aran which is available as a single leaflet DB029 (pictured below)

This knitter loved the Checked Zipped Jacket from my AW2015 Magazine issue. It is worked in Luxury Tweed Aran and Cashmerino Aran with a statement Lara collar.

The day finished off with a lovely dinner with Carrie and Fergal when we were joined by their fantastic workshop teachers.

The next day we travelled to Wexford to visit Crafty where I was very excited to see that Diane Condon, the owner, was wearing the Elektra Chevron top and skirt. She confessed that she had finished it at midnight and had been madly knitting all weekend but as you can see she looked great in it! Yet again I met some fantastic knitters, some of whom had entered their stunning knitted and crochet projects into a competition I judged.

Knitting star Debbie Bliss at Crafty Redmond Square on Tuesday moring for a Hospice Homecare Charity event. Fergal Hagan, Debbie Bliss and Diane Condon

http://m.wexfordpeople.ie/lifestyle/crowds-of-locals-knit-together-to-welcome-a-special-guest-to-wexford-31605121.html

Diane in the Chevron Top and Skirt.

The pattern is available as a single leaf pattern CB016

Norah love her Furry Gilet (pattern CB011 pictured below) that she had knitted up from the Elektra collection.

Fergal and I then travelled on to beautiful Kinsale in anticipation of our last store visit.
The next day we visited the small but perfect shop Vivi Trading owned by Meagan Fitzgerald. It was an ideal end to the tour, there was great excitement at the opportunity to have the chance to try on garments particularly those in my new yarns Lara and Boheme.

The C+B poncho is a hit again!

I would like to thank everyone who welcomed me to Ireland and in particular Fergal Hagan from Designer Yarns for arranging the tour and being a great travelling companion. Also for his patience when I left my bag with my passport in at two shops which we only discovered after we had left.