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Via Feltmakers Ireland guild member Hélène Dooley, who is part of the Education Team of the International Feltmakers Association (IFA) and helps to administer their ‘Discovering Feltmaking’ courses.
Registration is now open for the International Feltmakers Association‘s five online felting courses.
Each course commences on 1st October, and they are all fully supported within the virtual classroom by experienced mentors who check in daily to answer questions and provide their support over the two-month duration. Course material is available indefinitely to students who, in addition to their spot in the virtual classroom, also have access to a private group within Facebook.
Students can also purchase fibre packs which are relevant to the course they are taking.
Below is a brief description of each course, with a link to videos and additional information:
Discovering Feltmaking 1 | Basics: Students make a series of samples from different breeds that guide them towards a clear understanding of how feltmaking works. Through sampling and slow felting, they learn about the variety of wool breeds and the different results that can be achieved from felting each one. (link: https://www.feltmakers.com/discovering-feltmaking-1/ )
Discovering Feltmaking 2 |Colour: This course gives students the skills to blend their own hues, tints, and shades of wool. It covers essential colour theory, how to card using carding brushes, and students make felt shade swatches for future reference. After this, students explore soft and firm prefelt effects by creating inlay and mosaic design samples. (link: https://www.feltmakers.com/discovering-feltmaking-2-2/ )
Discovering Feltmaking 3 | Surfaces and Edges: This course focuses on creating surface texture using non-felting fibres and also making decorative edges in the felt. Students are encouraged throughout to experiment and expand their skills in this important area.(link: https://www.feltmakers.com/discovering-feltmaking-3/ )
Discovering Feltmaking 4 | 3D Forms: Answers the questions about how to make felt in 3 dimensions. Students learn how to make seamless felt using a resist. It also covers cutting into felt and shaping the hollow form. And finally, how to adapt a resist to make the felt functional. (link: https://www.feltmakers.com/discovering-feltmaking-4/ )
Discovering Feltmaking 5 | Nuno: There’s lots of practical information on the Nuno course, including how to select suitable Nuno felting fabrics, make an effective soapy solution, calculate shrinkage, ‘repair’ non-felting areas, and work with a prefelt recipe. Students also learn three different nuno felting techniques. (link: https://www.feltmakers.com/df5-nuno/ )
Excellence in Feltmaking Award
Students can choose, if they wish, to work towards the Excellence in Feltmaking Award, and each course supports their submission pieces. The following link provides further information on the Award. https://www.feltmakers.com/the-award-excellence-in-feltmaking/
If anyone would like to find out more, they are very welcome to send Hélène an email at dfcoordinator@feltmakers.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.
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.
Vanda F Sousa is a member of Feltmakers Ireland and a talented tutor who offers a range of online wet felting courses.
Her upcoming class is ‘Wet Felting Connections – Cords and Chains’, and it focuses on connecting basic felt forms to create more complex shapes.
In the class, students will explore the following:
Rings and chains
Two types of horizontal connections
Vertical connections
The aim of the class is to help felt makers who are still building their foundations, as well as those who have been felting for a while but feel gaps in their foundational knowledge that they don’t know how to fill.
The class is online, with lifetime access.
Vanda is currently offering an Early Bird price of €49 until August 31st. (The regular price is €59).
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.
Vivienne Morpeth‘s book, “Nuno Feltmaking: Design, Techniques and Projects for the Creative Maker”, is now available for preordering.
Morpeth is an acclaimed nuno feltmaking tutor and designer with extensive teaching experience. She co-hosted Felt Matters: The Podcast and was a long-standing member of the International Feltmakers Association’s education team.
Preordering books is a way to support authors. Strong preorder numbers prove market demand to publishers, convince bookshops to stock the title on their shelves, and can propel a book onto thebestsellers list.
Note: We have linked to the Amazon Ireland site below, but the book is also available for preorder on the UK site, as well as on the US Amazon and other sites.
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 year, the Textile Culture Haslach‘s summer symposium is centred around the theme “Rethinking Textile Waste.” It explores current issues surrounding overproduction and recycling, questions our approach to fast fashion and production waste, and highlights ideas that view waste as a valuable resource. Several exhibitions and evening events will shed light on different aspects of this broad topic.
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 the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.
The Colour Field Open Studio Workshop is an opportunity for practising artists to gain new skills in natural dyeing and working with plants and natural colours. Now in its second year, the four-day workshop is a collaborative learning event.
Six artists will be selected to participate in the Open Studio Workshop, which will take place in the context of developing the colour garden and outdoor dye kitchen at Workhouse Union.
The workshop is led by curator and natural dyer Hollie Kearns, with guest tutor Ashleigh Ellis, and is supported by Michelle McMahon and Fiona May.
Deadline for applying: 17th of July, 2026
When: Workshop dates: 20, 21, 22, 23 of August 2026
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.
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Feltmakers Ireland guild members Mel Bradley and Clodagh Mac Donagh will be teaching a Shibori Indigo Dye Workshop in July.
Learn the Japanese art of Shibori to create patterns on fabrics. Using techniques such as Kumo (tying and clamping), Arashi (using poles and string to resist the dye), and ITAJIEME (folding and clamping).
Students will immerse their prepared fabrics in the Indigo dye bath and be amazed as the magic of the dye turns from green to a vivid blue.
Workshop suitable for beginners and intermediate students.
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.
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By Feltmakers Ireland Committee Member and Chairperson, Elizabeth Redding
I set off early on Saturday morning, 13th June, for a two-day Indigo Dyeing Workshop with Malú Colorín in Wicklow. It was a lovely scenic drive through The Curragh and over the Wicklow mountains. On arrival, there was a very welcome cup of tea and cake waiting for us.
The first task was to scour the samples we brought. Malú explained the importance of scouring and the different ways for plant as opposed to protein fibres. Later, we saw for ourselves, as the water turned brown, even though everything had already been washed.
Next, she explained the difference between dye and pigment. Indigo is a pigment; therefore, it is not water-soluble. To make it soluble, it has to be starved of oxygen and be alkaline. We were told about the different plants that produce indigo. Some of which can be grown in Ireland.
Next was to start making up vats. Four in total. First was a fructose vat. When we had that made, we broke for lunch. After lunch, we made the other three vats: iron, banana and madder. We were told how to mind the vats and keep them alive. Then, it was time to finish for the day.
The second day was spent dying. First, we prepared some material by tying beads into it, and another piece by folding and clamping with pegs and lollipop sticks. There was a great variety of samples to dye. The materials were cotton, silk, and linen. The yarns were wool, cotton, flax, alpaca, tencel, and nettle.
It was very interesting how the different materials took up the dye. Some came out darker than others. I was so busy that I was forgetting to take photos of the process.
The Indigo Dyeing Workshop was very interesting, and Malú was so helpful. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Have you recently taken part in an interesting textile workshop? If you’re a member of Feltmakers Ireland, we’d love to hear about it and share your experience with the wider guild. No need to give away the tutor’s “secret sauce,” of course!And your article need not be long either.
Photographs are always welcome. For best online display, please send images, ideally sized at 1080 × 1350 pixels at 96 dpi.
Please email your workshop report and photos to 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 questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.
The Local Enterprise Office (LEO), in partnership with Kilkenny Design, have launched The Makers Academy, a business development programme designed to support ambitious local makers, designers and creative entrepreneurs in building sustainable and scalable businesses.
The initiative will provide selected participants with access to industry-leading expertise, mentoring, a business development bootcamp, support, and retail insights from some of Ireland’s most experienced retail and enterprise professionals.
Applications close Friday, the 26th of June (due Thursday at midnight).
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.
