By Bloom co-coordinator, Maria Mc Garry
Over the June Bank holiday, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland spent two days at the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s Irish Craft Village within Bord Bia’s Bloom 2024 in Phonix Park. Our volunteers shared the wonders of transforming fluff into felt.
Most of all, Feltmakers Ireland wants to thank the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) for giving us such an excellent marquee and display opportunity in the Craft’s Demonstration Booth at Bloom. We especially want to thank Geraldine Gray (of the DCCI ) and her sister Catherine for their support, helpfulness, and friendship on-site over the two days.
Our Booth
The public enjoyed watching volunteers show how to wet felt and needle-felt.
Day 1
Annika Berglund showcased her project on the felting properties of wool from the various breeds of sheep in Ireland as part of Feltmakers Ireland’s book ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking‘. You can purchase this book via our website – https://feltmakersireland.com/exploring-irish-wool-for-feltmaking/
Annika with samples of Irish Wool Breeds – Photo by Maria Mc Garry 
Irish Wool Breed Felted Samples – Photo by Sam Fagan
Annika’s 3D fish and butterflies attracted much interest, as did other artworks on display.
Fishes and Butterfhly – Photo by Maria Mc Garry 
3D Butterflies by Annika Berglund – Photo by Sam Fagan 
Hélène Dooley’s spiral in the foregraound. 
A busy booth – Photo by Hélène Dooley
Tamzen Lundy demonstrated wet feltmaking by creating a Mr Fantastic Fox. Her cute, wee-felted animals on display are terrific. You can find her work at Tamzen Lundy Designs.
Tamzen promoting wet feltmaking. (See below)
Tamzen demonstrating 
Tamzen chatting with the public – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Marian Fagan demonstrated needle felting and how she makes puppets of the various characters in children’s books for her granddaughter as they share the joy of reading. (See photo below).
Loli Cox, Marian, and Annika were busy demonstrating.
In the afternoon, Joanne Foley (in the yellow dress) demonstrated the process of creating her animal portraits. (See photograph below).
Guild member Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt exhibited her beautiful work in the main pavilion with MeathMade. (See below).
Day 2
Saturday was busy, and Hélène Dooley started us off by demonstrating wet felting flowers and displaying her felted vessels. The red-coloured, hanging felted spiral is from an online class she teaches at the Felting and Fiber Studio. (See photo below).
Hélène demonstrated and answered curious questions.
Hélène, Lory Cotti Cottini, and Annika demonstrating, below. Annika promoted Feltmakers Ireland and encouraged the interested public to become members of the guild.
Siobhan Ryan, Sam Fagan, Elaine Peden, and Annika at Bloom.
Elaine Peden demonstrating felted flowers. (Below)
Elaine and Annika share feltmaking with the public. (Below).
Siobhan demonstrates her unique artwork.
Valerie Nowak O’Ceallaigh shared her needle-felted horse portrait.
Conclusion
Many thanks to Maria Mc Garry and Annika Berglund for coordinating this year’s Feltmakers Ireland booth at Bloom! Also, thanks to all the members, who also volunteered their time during the busy bank holiday weekend.
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