Of Interest: Feltmakers Ireland West – Meets THIS Sunday, at 11 AM in Gort, Co Galway

Apologies for not sharing this sooner: Feltmakers Ireland West will meet tomorrow (Sunday, the 23rd of November), at 11 AM in Gort, Co Galway.

Please bring along a small bowl, towel, soap, bubble wrap, and wool. Extras will be available!

Where: Gort Town Hall, Ballyhugh, Co. Galway, H91 E0C8

If you have questions, please contact Belinda at chasingdreamsfeltart@gmail.com


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Restyle Cork – Sustainable Fashion Expo – Sunday, the 30th

Restyle Cork will be the city’s first sustainable fashion expo, featuring Workshops, Panels, Fashion Show, Exhibitions, Demonstrations, Swap Shop, and Pop-ups.

ReStyle will be an all-day event that will incorporate the following:

  • Workshops
  • Demonstrations
  • Exhibitions
  • Clothes Swapping
  • Stalls/Vendors/Pop-Ups
  • Repair Cafe
  • Panel Discussions
  • A Fashion Show
  • Giving people the skills and inspiration they need to start being more conscious about sustainable fashion.

Bring clothes with you to repair, swap & upcycle.

When: Sunday, the 30th of November, 12 – 5 PM

Where: Cork College of FET Douglas Street Campus, Sawmill St, Ballintemple, Cork, T12 DW32

For more information and to book a place on the workshops, visit their Eventbrite page – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/restyle-cork-tickets-1932675667949?

Their Instagram @restyle.cork

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Recap: Knit + Stitch 2025

Editor’s Note: Earlier in the autumn, the Knit + Stitch organisers donated three pairs of Giveaway tickets to our followers. The recipients did not need to write a blog post, but we genuinely appreciate that longtime member Breda Fay has written one for us!

By Breda Fay

Thank you, Feltmakers Ireland, for the prize of two tickets to Knit & Stitch. I combined the visit with a two-night stay in Moira, County Down.

I was barely in the door of the Eikon Exhibition Centre when I met two of our guild members, Helene and Annika – it was lovely to share a coffee and a chat to catch up on our busy lives. Coincidentally, we had chosen the same workshop.

Breda’s Samples from her Workshops

I attended three very interesting workshops:

  • Introduction to Textured Embroidery with Ruth Hughes – https://wildfloss.co.uk/
  • The craft of making Singleton Buttons with Kat Moleswort (and hearing their interesting history)
  • Stumpwork Leaf Embroidery with Alice Cummins – https://www.bealice.ie/

It was surprising that there was so little about feltmaking. Sandra Coote from Crafts of Ireland seemed to be the only one flying the flag for felt with her lovely display of needlefelting. Feltmakers Ireland always had a stand when Knit + Stitch was at the RDS in Dublin*.

However, it was still very easy to spend money, and I came away with ribbons, threads, fabric, and some books on quilts and the gallery artists.

Quilt Displays

I found the two quilt displays very emotive- The Craftivism for Palestine Quilt project, a 32-country project to raise awareness of the death of children in Gaza, and the SEFF Memorial Quilts display commemorating death in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

Textile Galleries

There were only three textile art galleries this year:

Each one was inspiring, and each artist was available to discuss her works and inspiration.

The Live Stage provided demos and talks throughout the days. I just needed a sit-down and was lucky enough to hear Anouk O’Connell of Ollanmor speak about Landscape Weaving.

I enjoyed my two days away, spent more money than I intended, but had the opportunity to try some new crafts.

From the editor: Thank you, Breda, for sharing your experiences at the Knit + Stitch Show in Lisburn, United Kingdom. It is wonderful to experience a taste of the show!

* Editor’s Note: Last year, when the event took place in Belfast, Feltmakers Ireland, Feltmakers North, and the International Feltmakers Association staffed a booth generously provided by Knit + Stitch. Because coordinating the staffing was a significant undertaking for our organiser, Jane Fox—who is a member of all three guilds—we decided not to take on a similar commitment for the 2025 show. But we can certainly think about participating next year.

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Members’ Upcoming Craft Fairs – Part 2

This Saturday, the 22nd of November, is Fibreshed Ireland’s Textile Market. Their symposium is on Friday.

Volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate felting with Irish-raised wool!

Local fibres and textiles from a selection of Fibreshed Ireland members will be available, including from two Feltmakers Ireland members –

  • Juliane Gorman of FeltHappiness will vend her Cyanotype-printed, Irish wool hats
  • Katarina Hruskova of WoolstoreIreland will vend locally raised wool that she has processed

Where: Richmond Barracks, St Michael’s Estate, Inchicore, Dublin, D08 YY05

More info: https://fibreshedireland.ie/

Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt Designs will be vending at the Meath Made Creates at Christmas at the Swift Cultural Centre, from Friday, the 28th, to Sunday, the 30th of November.

Where: Swift Cultural Centre, High St, Townparks North, Trim, Co. Meath, C15 P668

Margaret Corroon will be part of the Liberties College Christmas Craft Fair on Saturday, the 29th of November.

Where: Liberties College, Bull Alley St, Wood Quay, Dublin, D08 A8N0

Irina Lampadova will be vending at the Aonach Ceirde Craft Fair on Sunday, the 30th of November.

Where: Áras Chrónáin Irish Cultural Centre, Watery Ln, Orchard Rd, Clondalkin, Dublin, D22 X856

Elizabeth Redding will be vending at the Kilbeggan Christmas Market on Sunday, the 7th of December.

Where: Kilbeggan Parish Centre, Harbour Road, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath

Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt Designs will be vending at The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre on Sunday, the 7th of December.

Where: The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, Main St, Naul, Naul Village, Co. Dublin, K32 AY27, Ireland

More info: https://www.tseac.ie/event-details/tseac-christmas-food-craft-fair

See our earlier post for other upcoming events – https://feltmakersireland.com/2025/11/12/of-interest-members-upcoming-events/


If you are a member of Feltmakers Ireland and have upcoming craft fairs, exhibitions or events, please get in contact with us at feltmakersie@gmail.com


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: Karena Ryan – Solo Show at The Leitrim Design House

Feltmakers Ireland guild member Karena Ryan has a solo exhibition, ‘Inherited Threads’, at The Leitrim Design House.

Karena’s collection of textile work interlaces together ancestry, memory, and the quiet connections that bind us to the land and to one another. Rooted in stories passed down through generations, her pieces reimagine fragments of the past through fibre, stitch, and texture, serving as acts of remembrance held within cloth.

The show runs until January 30th, 2026.

Where: The Leitrim Design House, The Dock Arts Centre, St George’s Terrace, Townparks, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, N41 T2X2

For more information, visit the gallery’s website – https://leitrimdesignhouse.ie/blogs/news/artwall-karena-ryan

The Gallery and Karena’s Instagram @theleitrimdesignhouse @karenaryantextiles

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Share this:

Event: Fibreshed Ireland Syposium & Textile Market – This Friday & Saturday

On Friday, the 21st of November, Fibreshed Ireland will gather at The Richmond Education and Event Centre, Smithfield, for their annual Symposium to hear from growers and practitioners who work in line with Soil-to-Soil principles of circularity, compostability, and agroecology.

Speakers

● Jennifer & Tristan Lienhard of @appleoakfibreworks
Katarina Hruskova of @woolstoreireland (Katarina is a member of Feltmakers Ireland!)
● @kathykirwan_theartofnature of the Flax 405 project
● Mary Ann Williams, editor of the book @textilesofireland
● Michelle McCabe, researcher exploring the connections between textile craft and wellbeing with ATU Sligo
● @ryankoenigstudio — 16th-century experimental textile archaeology about the knitted Ballybunion wool cap
● Sarah Babiker — Threads of Story: Woolcraft a Language & Memory between Ireland and the Arab World

Textile Market

Saturday will be an Open Day of craft demonstrations, workshops, shopping opportunities, and community building at Richmond Barracks, Inchicore, from 10 AM to 3:30 PM. Admission to the demonstrations and shopping is free, but each workshop requires a ticket.

Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate felting with Irish-raised wool!

Local fibres and textiles from a selection of Fibreshed Ireland members will be available: Included are two Feltmakers Ireland members –

  • Juliane Gorman of FeltHappiness will vend her Cyanotype-printed, Irish wool hats
  • Katarina Hruskova of WoolStore Ireland will vend locally raised wool that she has processed.

Workshops

● Upcycling workshop with Eimear Greaney (@upsew.ie), from 10 AM to 12:00 PM
● Aran knitting with @ryankoenigstudio, from 10 AM to 12:00 PM
● Weaving Circle with Lucy Hyland (@ourselfcarerevolution), from 1 to 3 PM
● Movement session for crafters with @aideen.macken, from 3:30 – 4:10 (FREE, with optional donations to support Fibreshed Ireland’s work)

Where: Dublin (different venues each day)

Optional social dinner in @fidelitydublin on Friday, the 22nd of November (book at checkout)

Discounts for students and Fibreshed Ireland members!

For more information and to reserve tickets, visit their website – https://fibreshedireland.ie/symposium-2025/

This event is part of Irish Design Week, & partly funded by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. https://www.dcci.ie/whats-on/irish-design-week-2025/

Awards: Applications Open – David Shaw Smith Legacy Award 2025

The Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) is delighted to announce the third year of the David Shaw-Smith Legacy Award.

This award was developed by DCCI to honour the legacy of David Shaw-Smith, the legendary Irish filmmaker. It has been created to recognise that Irish craft is driven by heritage and creativity. It will support and acknowledge the achievements of key master craftspeople in the creative development of their craft.⁠

Eligibility criteria –

  • Be registered with DCCI for 5 years or more
  • Be aged 50 or older
  • Not have previously received a DCCI bursary·

The deadline for applying is the 29th of November, 2025.

For more information, visit the DCCI’s website – https://www.dcci.ie/opportunities/applications-open-for-david-shaw-smith-award/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: Sagarika Sundaram – Alison Jacques Gallery – London

New York-based Sagarika Sundaram‘s first UK solo exhibition, ‘Release’, will be on view until Saturday, the 13th of December 2025, at the Alison Jacques Gallery in London. Sundaram uses wool fibre and feltmaking techniques to create her large-scale contemporary artworks.

There is an interesting short interview with her in the Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/oct/14/sagarika-sundaram-solo-show-london

And a longer interview with her in Studio International – https://www.studiointernational.com/index.php/sagarika-sundaram-interview-end-result-very-much-a-surprise-to-me-alison-jacques-gallery-london

Where: Alison Jacques Gallery, 22 Cork Street, London W1S 3NG, United Kingdom

For more information about the show, visit the gallery website – https://alisonjacques.com/exhibitions/sagarika-sundaram-release

The gallery’s Instagram: @alisonjacquesgallery

The artist’s Instagram: @ohsagarika and website – https://www.sagarikasundaram.com/

Sundaram climbing up onto her enormous work table and walking upon her in-process piece is inspiring to see – https://www.instagram.com/p/DDFZEe1MX3c/

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Members’ Upcoming Events

Lucia Errity is exhibiting her needle felt art pieces at Art SourceDublin this weekend at stand J144.

The event will be open to the public as follows:

  • Friday 11 AM – 9 PM
  • Saturday 10 AM – 6 PM and 
  • Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM 

Where: RDS, Merrion Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 AK83

Caitríona Nolan‘s hand-felted and needle-felted piece will be on display at Esker Arts Centre, with the official opening this Saturday, 15th November. Curated by Geraldine Ó Reilly, artist/painter. 

Where: Esker Arts Centre, High St, Tullamore, Co Offaly, R35 NY50

Elaine Peden will be part of Moving Signatures, a unique intergenerational dance performance in response to the IMMA‘s Permanent Collection exhibition. Meeting point, main reception.

When: Sunday, the 16th of November, with performances at 12:15, 1, and 1:45 PM.

Free, but book here – https://imma.ie/whats-on/moving-signatures/

Christine Jordan will be vending felted cushions and rugs made from fibre from her sheep, and Leiko Uchiyama will be vending her felted wearables and art at the Ballymaloe Grainstore Holiday Craft Market, this Friday through Sunday.

Where: Ballymaloe Grainstore, Shanagarry, Co Cork, P25FH67

Karen Bowden is amongst 50 makers and producers at the annual Christmas Craft Fair in King House, Boyle, County Roscommon.

When:

  • Friday evening, November 28th, from 5 PM to 9 PM
  • Saturday the 29th from 10 AM to 5 PM

Where: King House, Military Road, Boyle, Co Roscommon, F52 WR26

Egle Silenaite-Enyed will be vending her needle-felted work at the Naas Christmas Market on the 29th of November and the 6th of December.

If you are a member of Feltmakers Ireland and have upcoming craft fairs, exhibitions or events, please get in contact with us at feltmakersie@gmail.com

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Open Studio Day – Element15 Textile Artists – Naas

The Element15 Textile Artists are hosting an Open Studio Day tomorrow, Wednesday, the 12th of November, from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM.

Where: McAuley Place, Sallins Rd, Naas West, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 D62E.

Elaine Peden, a member of Feltmakers Ireland, is also a member of this organisation.

For more information about this Kildare-based group, visit their website – https://element15.ie/about-element15-textile-artists/

Their Instagram: @element15textile


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.