Anne O Maille / Galway, Ireland

Some of Anne’s earliest memories are of knitting at home with her mother, a gifted knitter. All her life Anne has had a great interest in craft and creativity and knitting was a relaxing pastime for her during her college days. When she married her husband in 1974, Anne became immersed in knitting as a business.

For almost 80 years the O Maille family have offered woollen goods, woven, tailored and knitted at their shop in Galway City, Ireland. Internationally famous, they have always employed gifted hand knitters who knit the world-renowned Aran Sweater at their homes. The intricate patterns and complex cables, many of which have never been written down have intrigued their customers for decades. The professional standard achieved by their knitters is remarkable. Anne is surrounded by amazing, unique sweaters in the shop and
some years ago Anne was asked to teach the fascinating stitches in the Aran repertoire. She interpreted the stitches and created her own patterns. In the workshops, using these patterns Anne encourage her pupils to take on the challenges of complex knitting, Irish style. Serious quiet concentration is recommended for the understanding and completion of these projects.

During the class Anne spends time with each knitter, encouraging, interpreting and praising their success in this testing form of knitting. Over the years pupils have mastered all 6-8 patterns and taken them home to complete. Other pupils are content to attempt and perfect one pattern.Anne spends time chatting about the yarns available in her shop, a great collection in vivid colours with many natural tones.
She have taught pupils from the U.S. Canada , Europe and Australia and Japan and also taught Irish knitting at the Summer School of Milwaukee Irish Fest for many years and demonstrated Irish Cables at Vogue Knitting Live New York 2011. Knitting at this skilled workshop on the shores of Galway Bay is an inspiring experience and not to be missed.