Feltmakers Ireland guild member Tamzen Lundy will be part of the Irish Makers Artisan Collective at the National Ploughing Championships. Find them at Stand 189 within Block 6 on Row 11.
When: The Ploughing Championships are from Tuesday, the 17th to Thursday, the 19th of September.
If you are a member of Feltmakers Ireland and have news to share, please email feltmakersie@gmail.com
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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.
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Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
The prestigious Loewe Foundation Craft Prize is now open to applicants. It seeks to acknowledge and support international artisans of any age (over 18) or gender who demonstrate an exceptional ability to create objects of superior aesthetic value. The Foundation aims to highlight craft’s continuing contribution to our time’s culture by identifying work that reinterprets existing knowledge to make it relevant today.
There is an interactive online exhibition site with behind-the-scenes images for last year’s finalists and winners – https://craftprizeexhibition.loewe.com/
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.
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The online store Living Felt is having a September back-to-school sale on all its pre-recorded online courses, which include wet and needle felting and range from wearable to sculptural. Many of the tutors are renowned.
Discounts range from class to class, and you will first need to register on the website. Course levels are indicated: Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced.
The sale ends on the 13th of September, Texas time.
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.
This Sunday, the 8th of September, artist Nara Fritch will lead the guild in creating three-dimensional, needle felted toadstools.
All supplies are included, but if you have your own needle-felting tools (pads and needles), please bring them, as we think this may be a busy Sunday Session!
When: Sunday, the 8th of September, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
There is ample parking outside the Hall, and the G1, G2, and number 60 buses have a stop on nearby Sarsfield Road.
About Nara
Brief Biography of Nara Fritch by Feltmakers Ireland guild member Clodagh Mac Donagh-
I can’t think of anything Nara can’t do: She used to repair her old Morris Minor herself (as she couldn’t find anyone) and seemed to keep it going for years on string and duct tape. Multi-talented Nara blows glass and makes amazing torched glass beads. She also makes fantastical costumes and masks for theatrical performances, training with the world-renowned Mácnas Theatre company. Additionally, she combines her many talents to create one-of-a-kind art dolls. Nara adores animals and keeps alpacas, miniature goats, ducks, chickens, and dogs. Originally from Seattle, USA, Nara has lived in Ireland for over two decades.
Zoom Link
The Sunday Session will not be recorded, but a Zoom link will be emailed to all members for those who cannot attend in person.
Additional Information
A Sunday Session like this will require lots of tea/ coffee/cake and chat, so there’ll be an abundance of that. Of course, homebakes are always welcome!
There is the usual 5 euro fee.
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.
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.
Volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland started at 11 AM with a large group of participants. Our students showed great interest in the felting process and were delighted to bring home a new felted creation.
Additionally, our visitors were very impressed with our display of felted artworks and our interactive display on the Irish Wool project. In the afternoon, we taught a second group of participants.
The Irish Wool Project
As part of our Open Day, guild member Annika Berglund carded and spun Irish-raised wool fibres. If you want to learn more about felting with wool from local sheep, check out our book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ – https://feltmakersireland.com/exploring-irish-wool-for-feltmaking/
During the event, a photographer from a local newspaper came to take photos, and the Westmeath Heritage Officer also popped in to say hello. An exciting video of Westmeath Heritage events is on the OPW’s Facebook page. Feltmakers Ireland appears at approximately the 8-second mark – https://fb.watch/uloKvaesCY/
More photos of the day
Elizabeth with students.Deirdre with students.Annika demonstrating Irish wool.Maria teaching students.
Happy Feedback
We were delighted to receive such warm feedback from our students!
Appreciation
We thank Elizabeth Redding for organising the Kilbeggan Open Day on behalf of the guild. It was vital for us to share feltmaking with an audience beyond Dublin.
Additional thanks to all the members who so kindly donated their Sunday to help share the love of feltmaking: Annika, Deirdre, Denise, Fiona, Loli, Lorna, Maria, and Marie. Their contribution to felting is deeply appreciated! We could not have taught over forty students without their help!
Wearing a red-orange t-shirt, Loli is surrounded by some students.
It was a successful day all around.
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.
As part of its Stitch Club, the TextileArtist.org website has organised a free ten-day online Textile Art Taster on Stitching and Dyeing with tutor and artist Deb Cooper.
“In as little as 20 minutes a day (for ten days), you’ll turn fabric, thread and everyday materials (like tea, rust and food colouring)…into beautifully unique textile art.”
What you’ll get
Workshop video: Follow Deb’s expert guidance at your own pace
PDF workbook: Break the process into manageable chunks with step-by-step instructions (yours to download and keep)
Inspirational ebook: Spark your creativity with a gallery of Deb’s stunning work
Further development video: Deepen your exploration and expand your skills beyond the basic techniques
Q&A replays: Learn from the questions and experiences of other participants
Direct interaction with Deb Cooper: Get personalised feedback and encouragement on your work
The TextileArtist.org Stitch Club is a members-only community where thousands of stitchers from across the world connect with a like-minded community to learn from the best artists, create textile art, nurture creative expression, and enhance a sense of self and authenticity.
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.
Feltmakers Ireland committee member Deirdre Crofts, who tirelessly organises our Sunday Sessions, has been awarded an Agility Award from the Arts Council of Ireland to further her multi-faceted practice. Besides feltmaking and weaving, she works with clay and automata. In addition, she has won an EU workshop and the opportunity for an international exhibition in Italy or Spain.
Moreover, she has a vessel displayed in the juried Ceramics Ireland Selected Members Exhibition, which is at Rathfarnham Castle and runs until the 8th of September.
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.
Does the arrival of September remind you of school and its excitement? Or do you need some extra inspiration to get your creative juices flowing? Seam Collective, a contemporary textile collective based in South West England, has an Instagram challenge that may inspire you! During September, there will be a different prompt each day.
This annual activity has been ongoing since 2017 and has the hashtag #septtextilelove. The prompts from last year, 2023, are pictured.
This year’s prompts will be ‘live’ on the group’s website and Instagram on Saturday, the 31st of August.
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.
Many of our Feltmakers Ireland’s members use wool to create beautiful felted creations, while some express their creativity through additional mediums. The talent within our community continues to shine, as evidenced by two of our members who recently authored articles that were successfully published.
Guild member Jane Fox went on a trip of a lifetime – a Felt and Culture Retreat in Kyrgyzstan for thirteen days. Included in her trip were eight feltmaking and textile workshops, along with cultural and natural highlights.
Over the summer, guild member Hélène Dooley had two articles published.
Her first article concerns her thought-provoking experience of using treasured textile materials to create new artworks. If you have a ‘stash’ of fibres and fabrics that you are ‘saving’, this article may inspire you! The article is published on the ‘Felting and Fiber Studio Blog’.– https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2024/08/17/rethinking-old-sayings/
This photo comes from the Felting and Fiber Studio website.
Hélène’s second article, featured on the Ashford Handicrafts’ blog, is a valuable resource for anyone interested in feltmaking. It’s a detailed, step-by-step tutorial that shares her experiences as a feltmaking tutor and guides readers through the process of creating a wet felted, Frilled Vessel. https://www.ashford.co.nz/felted-frilled-vessel/
Let’s give these two members, Jane and Hélène, a round of applause for learning, creating, and sharing their unique experiences with the world. We couldn’t be prouder of their achievements!
If you, as a member of Feltmakers Ireland, have a textile-related award, exhibition, or experience that you’re proud of and want to share, we encourage you to do so. Your unique experiences and achievements make our community so vibrant and inspiring.
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.
