Flight of fancy

You have to hand it to Paula Rafferty, art and craft teacher at Limerick Prison. A display of quilts made by male prisoners under her tutelage is one of the highlights of the Knitting & Stitching Show which runs at the RDS from November 1st to 4th. This outstanding piece, which took a year to complete, was inspired by a picture in National Geographic. “Sewing machines are basic tools and once [the prisoners] master them, they are flying at it,” Rafferty says, adding that her class is one of the only areas where prisoners have control of what they do, “and for a short period they can forget where they are”. There are 15 quilts on display, but none are for sale. Some 25,000 people are expected to attend what is the largest textile and crafting event in Ireland. Tickets €6-€15.