She said “It was when I was working as a tram conductress in 1970. I used to watch a woman crocheting and it was so fast. I knitted then but I found it too slow. I asked her to teach me and she did. She was a regular.” “I started making circles instead of squares. You find circles everywhere in Ireland. Circles are also very female.”

Penny says she finds the freedom of being able to work in all directions very liberating. “I could use all textures of yarns in the same piece, rambling around the piece.” She works without patterns and there are no mistakes. “If I made a mistake, I simply went over it, creating 3D lumps, animals, plants, rocks – anything I thought would look wild and wonderful.”

Although Penny herself works without patterns, Cleckheaton has put a book out of her designs called Artrageous crochet by Penny O’Neill. Available from www.cleckheaton.biz pattern No. 934 CB4444

Penny’s background includes Romany on her mother’s side and Celtic ancestry. She is an inspiring teacher and a great story teller. In 2001 she first became involved with the great Alice Springs Beanie Festival. She also had the opportunity to go to a desert community and teach aboriginal women and children to dye merino fleece and spin it into yarn. She taught them to make her Feral beanies which created much laughter amongst the families.

Bistrins Emporium is proud to present a new crochet workshop with Penny O’Neill.

We will be making a personalised bag in this workshop, but with Penny’s techniques this can lead to making anything your heart desires in wool and fabric and found objects.

Place: Bistrins Emporium 201 Gertrude st Fitzroy
Booking: 03 94160095
Time: 12pm to 3pm
Cost: $35
Date:  Sunday May 2nd 2010

To book for this latest crochet workshop in Melbourne call

03 9416 0095

Christmas Extended Hours 2009

Thursday December 3rd: Open till 8pm

Thursday December 10th: Open till 8pm

Thursday December 17th: Open till 9pm

We have lots of new quality gift-lines for under $10, $20, or $30 perfect for Chris Kringles and stocking fillers.

Absolutely Gorgeous is an Australian Company specialising in luxurious skin and body care products using pure, organic and chemical free ingredients.
This means NO sulphates, glycols, parabens, detergents or animal derivatives.

Along with a wide variety of Christmas Gifts for Men and Women…

We stock;

• Macadamia Face cream $26
• Relax me Bath milk sachets $8.20
• Vanilla bean & Sicilian orange 100% soy wax candle in a deep red tin $15
• Organic lip balm. Coconut & vanilla $9.90
• Hand & body creme. Lavender & mandarin $20
• Body custard coconut and lime $20
• Frangipani soap $6.50
• Cards, Party Dresses, Small Gifts, Jewellery
• …and much more.

Groovy Gertrude Street (Fitzroy) is just a few Tram Stops (#86 ), on the outskirts of the Melbourne CBD and Bistrins Emporium is ‘THE SHOP‘ where you are guaranteed to find that perfect gift.

“Make Xmas Shopping Fun”

Our extended shopping hours on Thursday nights, will make Melbourne Christmas Shopping fun as you casually stroll amongst the coolest bars and cafes, away from the mayhem of shopping center and CBD shopping.

Thursday Nights
Gertrude Street
Fitzroy

Spring has sprung at Bistrin’s on Gertrude too,with a new range of classic floral cotton dresses with a flattering cut.

Bistrin’s on Getrude Street (Fitzroy) is opposite Dean Arts Supplies and close to the Builders Arms Hotel.

“LEUCHTTURM1917″ is a German company that has been producing high quality leather note books since 1917.

They look similar to moleskin books with a plain black leather look cover and come with special features inc; bookmark, sticky notes, handy conversion table, folder pocket in the back, and elastic closure.

• Small pocket size books are $19.95
• Medium size notebooks are $29.95

Both sizes come in lined or blank versions for the budding writer or artist in all of us.

Leather note books make the perfect gift for both men and women.

with Penny O’Neill

Penny O’Neill (as seen on ROVE) is a wonderfully gifted and creative textile artist.

If you have always thought about doing crochet classes in Melbourne. Penny will take you one step further and in one afternoon you will learn to ‘Free Form Crochet’ (no patterns).

Join her for a Sunday workshop and learn to make “Froggy in his Garden” A sculpture in crochet. These delightful pieces make wonderful gifts, wedding presents, or a personalised gift for a tea lover, or the person who has everything.

Bring:

• A plain tea cosy, perhaps one you’ve bought from an Op Shop, or just buy one from Penny for $5 on the day.
• Crochet hooks: size 4.00mm and size 3.00mm and 2.00mm
  These can be purchased at;
  • CCCK 234 High st Northcote 9481 6339,
  • Spotlight,
  • Dimmeys.
• Wool in frog and garden colours. Any size scraps from your collection are fine.
• Wool sewing needles, and a pair of scissors.

Beginners will learn to crochet.

Penny will bring beads and embellishments.

Next Melbourne Crochet Class

Date: Sunday 23 August 2009
Time: 12pm till 3pm
Cost: $35
Venue: Bistrins on Gertrude.
201 Gertrude St, Fitzroy 3065
Flyer: Share it With A Friend

Bookings »  Bistrins Emporium on 9416 0095

]]> http://bistrinsemporium.com/crochet-classes-melbourne/feed/ http://bistrinsemporium.com/trench-coats-melbourne/ http://bistrinsemporium.com/trench-coats-melbourne/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2009 08:19:23 +0000 Tatiana Bistrin http://bistrinsemporium.com/?p=52 Red Trench Coat

Red cotton double breasted trench coat, 3/4 length and extremely affordable for the coming Autumn weather.

Every girl should have a red coat, sure it keeps you dry, but it brightens up a dull day and can single-handedly pull you out of the winter blues or blacks as we call them in Melbourne.

Priced at $85

Black Trench Coat

Speaking of ‘black’ we have evening version of the trench in knee length black sateen. The soft sheen of this rain coat makes it a glamorous addition to your evening wear wardrobe.

Priced at $95

Part of the reason why Melbourne is the fashion capitol of Australia is because you can get your lovely coats out with lots of places to wear them. Due to the sophistication of Melbourne’s arts, theatre and cultural scenes, combined with our cool autumn and winter weather, Melbourne is the perfect place to be seen in a fashionable trench coat.

$19

Many are designed and made by local artists.

Not really! I was speaking in a literary sense. It features a classic Victorian design on an extra large cup and saucer.

They are great for café au lait and croissant in the morning, or for a gift for that tea addict friend.

Made in Melbourne $30 set

by Danielle Zanetti

$98