Category: Sunday Sessions

Sunday Session: This Sunday – Wet Felted Holiday Star with Annika Berglund

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Examples of Wet Felted Holiday Stars, designed by Annika Berglund

On the 17th of November, our Sunday Session will be a mini-workshop with artist and guild member Annika Berglund.

We will make a wet-felted Holiday Star for window decoration – perfect for Christmas or year-round!

There will be a choice of three finished models using wool yarn, Merino wool, and, for one version, Wensleydale locks.

What to bring:

  • One large and one small towel
  • Sewing pins
  • Small sharp scissors
  • Bubble wrap – approximately sized at 25 by 50cm
  • Soap and water bowl
  • Ball brause or sprinkler
  • A plastic bag

All other materials will be provided.

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! Please bring a ‘keep cup’ or mug from home if possible. That will lessen the amount of paper cups thrown away.

There is the usual 5 euro fee.

Note: Since this is the season of colds and coughs, let’s not share them. However, we welcome you to join via Zoom Link, which we email to all members on Friday afternoon.

Annika Berglund Exhibition

Portrait of Annika Berglund

Annika Berglund, a graduate of NCAD, has shown work in solo and group exhibitions nationally and abroad and has won several awards, including the Crafts Council’s price for Best Craft in the Garden 2008 and the NUI Art and Design Prize 2010.

Moving from ceramics, glass, and bronze to felt in 2020, one of her earliest felt pieces depicting the COVID-19 virus was acquired by the National Museum of Ireland. Having had one solo show and many group shows featuring Felt, Annika was a primary contributor to Feltmakers Ireland’s research project around Irish wool and the resulting book, Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking. She is currently Treasurer of Feltmakers Ireland.

Annika’s upcoming solo exhibition, Tapestry, opens on Sunday, the 17th of November at 15:00 in the Olivier Cornet Gallery (after the Sunday session). She welcomes you all to attend. The show runs until the 15th of December.

For more information about her exhibition, visit the gallery’s website –https://www.oliviercornetgallery.com/tapestry-annika-berglund

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.

Sunday Session: Felting a Holiday Star with Annika Berglund

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland1 Comment

Felted Holiday Star

Examples of Wet Felted Holiday Stars, designed by Annika Berglund

On the 17th of November, our Sunday Session will be a mini-workshop with artist and guild member Annika Berglund.

We will make a wet-felted Holiday Star for window decoration – perfect for Christmas or year-round!

There will be a choice of three finished models using wool yarn, Merino wool, and, for one version, Wensleydale locks.

What to bring:

  • One large and one small towel.
  • Sewing pins
  • Small sharp scissors
  • Bubble wrap – approximately sized at 25 by 50cm
  • Soap and water bowl
  • Ball brause or sprinkler
  • A plastic bag

Bio of Annika Berglund

Portrait of Annika Berglund

Annika Berglund, a graduate of NCAD, has shown work in solo and group exhibitions nationally and abroad and has won several awards, including the Crafts Council’s price for Best Craft in the Garden 2008 and the NUI Art and Design Prize 2010.

Moving from ceramics, glass, and bronze to felt in 2020, one of her earliest felt pieces depicting the COVID-19 virus was acquired by the National Museum of Ireland. Having had one solo show and many group shows featuring Felt, Annika was a primary contributor to Feltmakers Ireland’s research project around Irish wool and the resulting book, Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking. She is currently Treasurer of Feltmakers Ireland.

Annika’s upcoming solo exhibition, Tapestry, opens on the 17th of November at 15:00 in the Olivier Cornet Gallery (after the Sunday session). She would like to welcome you all to attend if you have the opportunity.

For more information about her exhibition, visit the gallery’s website –https://www.oliviercornetgallery.com/tapestry-annika-berglund


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 - Sunday Session

News: October Recap and Giveaway Winner

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Playtime Sunday Session

At this past Sunday’s Session, Feltmakers Ireland members gathered to work on wet and needlefelting projects, share felting tips, and share their finished projects. It was our Play Time!

Here are some photographs from our session.

Adrienne Dempsey sharing her project. She learned the technique via Lindsey Tyson’s ‘Transfer Printing on to Felt and Other Fabrics’ online course.
Elizabeth Redding shared her ‘Temperature Record Knitted Blanket,’ which shows the daily temperatures taken at 9:30 AM in 2020.
Helena McGuinness worked on a needle-felted toadstool and shared a beautiful display of felted pieces (not photographed).
Lorna Cady with a display of felted work in the foreground as she needle felts red holly berries.
Siobhan Ryan’s completed Eyeglass Case and WIP felted beret made of Icelandic and Merino wool.
Annika Berglund focused on needlefelting beads for jewellery pieces she will display at her upcoming solo exhibition at Olivier Cornet Gallery.
Here is Sam Fagan’s Felted Eyeglass Case created last Sunday with Judit Pocs via our hybrid/online workshop. It is awaiting further fulling.
Hilary Osman and Marie Hopkins working on their felting projects.
Deirdre Crofts announces the theme of our annual exhibition – ‘Symbols of Ireland’. The show will be in March 2025 at the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre.

The Play Time was an excellent way to come together and share our love of feltmaking. Thank you to everyone who attended, and also to the members who shared their delicious homebakes!

Giveaway Winner

Giveaway Results

Over this past weekend, Feltmakers Ireland teamed up with the Knitting and Stitching Show organisers to run a Giveaway for two complimentary tickets to the Belfast event.

The Random Name Picker chose guild member and blog reader Helen Gilligan!

Many thanks to everyone for participating via email and social media.

We will offer ONE more Giveaway this coming weekend. If you missed out on the previous ones, you may have better luck with the next one.


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.

Sunday Session: Let’s Felt Together and Share Your Work – October

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Do you have any unfinished felting (or other textile) projects? Or do you want to share a recent piece that you created?

Play Time!

All guild members are invited to attend this coming Sunday’s session on the 13th of October. You are welcome to bring any wet or needlefelting projects you are working on and the supplies needed to create them.

Students who were part of Judit Poc’s Felted Eyeglasses Case Workshop on the 6th of October are encouraged to bring their WIP and/or completed cases to show off!

(Note: If you missed this Guild Workshop, Judit is offering it via her website – https://pocsjuditstudio.hu/workshop/glasses-case-with-special-closure-online-workshop/

Share Your Work

Members are also welcome to bring completed felted creations and have the option of selling them to other members! We have so many talented members! (Payment arrangements will need to be taken care of by the sellers).

We will play and share together this Sunday Session!

  • When: Sunday, the 13th of October, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
  • Where: CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club, Library Square, C.I.E. Works, Inchicore, D08 PA07  https://maps.app.goo.gl/bajpGLbhpnbvQnY87
  • There is ample parking outside the Hall, and the G1, G2, and number 60 buses have a stop on nearby Sarsfield Road.

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! Please bring a ‘keep cup’ or mug from home if possible. That will lessen the amount of paper cups thrown away.

There is the usual 5 euro fee.

Note: Since this is the season of colds and coughs, let’s not share them. However, we welcome you to join via Zoom Link, which we email to all members.


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: Giveaway Winner and Next Sunday Session

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Giveaway Results

Over this past weekend, Feltmakers Ireland teamed up with the Knitting and Stitching Show organisers to run a Giveaway for two complimentary tickets to the Belfast event. The Random Name Picker chose blog reader Kathleen Dunne!

Many thanks to everyone for participating via email and social media. We will offer two more Giveaways over the coming weekends. So, if you missed out on this one, you may have better luck with the next ones.

Next Sunday Session: Play Time

Do you have any unfinished felting (or other textile) projects? Or do you want to share a recent piece that you created?

All guild members are invited to attend next Sunday’s session on the 13th of October. You are welcome to bring any wet or needlefelting projects you are working on and the supplies needed to create them.

Students who were part of Judit Poc’s Felted Eyeglasses Case Workshop on the 6th of October are encouraged to bring their WIP and completed cases to show off! (Note: If you missed this Workshop, Judit is offering it via her website – https://pocsjuditstudio.hu/workshop/glasses-case-with-special-closure-online-workshop/

Members are also welcome to bring completed felted creations and have the option of selling them to other members! We have so many talented members! (Payment arrangements will need to be taken care of by the sellers).

We will play and share together this Sunday Session!

  • When: Sunday, the 13th of October, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
  • Where: CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club, Library Square, C.I.E. Works, Inchicore, D08 PA07  https://maps.app.goo.gl/bajpGLbhpnbvQnY87
  • There is ample parking outside the Hall, and the G1, G2, and number 60 buses have a stop on nearby Sarsfield Road.

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! Please bring a ‘keep cup’ or mug from home if you can. That will lessen the amount of paper cups thrown away.

There is the usual 5 euro fee.

Note: Since this is the season of colds and coughs, let’s not share them. However, we welcome you to join via Zoom Link, which will be emailed to the members.


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 - Sunday Session

Recap: Felt and Fantasy – Needle Felted Toadstools at the September Sunday Session

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Blog post by Committee Member Suzanne Phelan

Nara Fritch – artist

The recent Sunday Session in September had a bit of fantasy as we were led by the
wonderful Nara Fritch in a workshop making toadstools. The task for the morning was
to learn to needlefelt a mushroom of the Fly Agaric variety.

Each participant received a small bag of fibre and the tools, needles, and foam pad to make the mushroom.

Nara is an amazing tutor; as you will see from the photographs, everyone engaged with the task, and the resulting little red mushrooms with white spots were a joy to behold. One person actually managed to make two in the short period. Nara explained how to cover the white cap with red wool, keep a straight line between the colours, and make the cap itself and the stem and join them together. I am sure there are many more toadstools in the
making around the country as several members joined us online via Zoom.

Stabbing Away

Some of Nara’s Work

Nara had some wonderful examples of her needle felting on display, not just toadstools of different colours, but also fantastic needlefelted figures. In addition, she displayed pieces of her fused lampwork beads, along with her small-batch roasted coffees and cards.

It was a fantastic Sunday Session. Thank you to Nara for coming to share her knowledge with us and thank you, Suzanne for putting together this post.

Our next Sunday Session will be the 13th of October and is a ‘Feltmaking Playtime’ – bring and share what you are working on with the rest of the Guild.

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.

Sunday Session: Needle Felted Toadstool with Nara Fritch – This Sunday

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Sunday Sessions Resume

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.
  • Where: CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club, Library Square, C.I.E. Works, Inchicore, D08 PA07  https://maps.app.goo.gl/bajpGLbhpnbvQnY87
  • 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.

Sunday Session: Needle Felted Toadstool with Nara Fritch

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Sunday Sessions Resume

On Sunday, the 8th of September, artist Nara Fritch will lead the guild in creating three-dimensional, needle felted toadstools. All supplies included, but if you have your own needle-felting tools, please bring them.

When: Sunday, the 8th of September, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM.

Where: CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club, Library Square, C.I.E. Works, Inchicore, D08 PA07 https://maps.app.goo.gl/bajpGLbhpnbvQnY87

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.

Recap - Sunday Session

Recap: June Sunday Session with Maria Mc Garry

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

By Breda Fay

Feltmakers Ireland member Maria Mc Garry facilitated a very exciting Sunday session.

Maria’s Artistic Background

Maria’s presentation began with a description of her artistic journey through a wide variety of
courses with various artists from Ireland and away. She began this journey in Brussels with
quilting, joining the Quilters Guild when she returned to Ireland. She proceeded to study free-motion embroidery with Ana Buzzalino. While studying art and psychology via the Vocational Training and Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), she explored the stained-glass effect and found the medium of FELT. Following a visit to the Feltmakers Ireland stand at the RDS Knitting and Stitching Show in 2010, Maria joined our guild. Then, she enrolled for the guild’s Basic and Beyond Course and was “completely hooked!”.

Maria’s feltmaking techniques grew while participating in courses with Gabriella Kovacs, Gabi McGrath, Nancy Ballesteros, Clodagh McDonagh, Nessa McCormack, Nicola Brown and Leiko Uchiyama. A summer course with Mel Bradley inspired Maria to enrol in NCAD for a Visual Arts Certificate, and then Cork’s Crawford College to study Textile Art.

Maria’s Exhibitions

Maria’s work has been displayed at Feltmakers Ireland Exhibitions, as well as in exhibitions by Laois Quilters, Mountamellick Library, Stradbally Art House, Electric Picnic, and the Tullamore Show.

She brought her work to a wide selection of markets in the early days of her felting, but would say that cheaper goods are now in greater demand.

After a coffee break, Maria demonstrated a ruffled scarf-making technique she learned from Lena Archbold’s online course.

Maria Demonstrating

Photo by Adrienne Dempsey
Photo by Adrienne Dempsey

Maria brought a wide range of samples of her work, which we examined and admired. She answered questions and explained techniques.

Two of Maria’s Felted Scarves

Maria brought several of her felted scarves in to share. Guild member Deirdre Crofts kindly modelled them to an appreciative audience.

Maria’s Scarf – Photo by Adrienne Dempsey
Maria’s Scarf – Photo by Adrienne Dempsey

Two of Maria’s Art Quilts

Art Quilt by Maria Mc Garry – Photo by Breda Fay
Art Quilt by Maria Mc Garry – Photo by Breda Fay

More of Maria’s Work

Suppliers

Maria often purchases silk scarf blanks from the Spanish supplier SodinTex. For Margilan silk, she purchases from suppliers in Eastern Europe via Etsy. She mentions that it is best to dye after nunofelting because the silk shrinks during dyeing.

Another great Sunday Session – thank you, Maria, for sharing your journey with the guild!

Want to learn more about Maria? There is an interview with Maria from 2020 on the blog – https://feltmakersireland.com/2020/08/16/meet-the-maker-maria-mc-garry/

Thank you, Breda, for writing and photographing this blog post. We also want to express our appreciation to Adrienne Dempsey, who took some of the photographs at our June Sunday Session, held at the Fatima Community Centre.

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.

Sunday Session: This Sunday – Maria Mc Garry

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Sunday Session – 9th of June – Maria Mc Garry NEW LOCATION

Guild member Maria Mc Garry from Co Laois, will give a show-and-tell of her experiences with working with galleries and selling at markets. She will also demonstrate how to make a ruffle felted scarf.

When: the 9th of June, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

There is a lovely ‘Meet the Maker’ interview from 2020 with Maria Mc Garry on the blog here – https://feltmakersireland.com/2020/08/16/meet-the-maker-maria-mc-garry/

Here is her Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/maria_mcgarry_textile_art_/

Temporary NEW Location

Where: We will meet for the June Sunday Session at a DIFFERENT location.

F2 -Fatima Community Centre.

Fatima Community Centre
Herberton Leisure
3 Reuben Plaza, Rialto, Dublin 8, D08 PV0H

Directions from the Red Line LUAS

Get off at Fatima Luas stop (Red Line) and walk to a set of traffic lights.

Google Maps directions from the Red Line LUAS Stop.

View from the LUAS

View of the LUAS Stop from across the street. Photos kindly provided by Adrienne Dempsey.

Cross at the traffic lights, walk straight ahead, and take the first right onto Reuben Plaza. You will then see the Herberton gym.

Cross at the traffic light.
Photo of the Herberton Gym and the Arch Cafe on the corner.

Walk by the Herberton Gym and the Arch Cafe, then turn left. F2 Centre is located beside the green space/kids’ play area.

Where You Enter the Building

The entrance of the F2 Fatima Community Centre.

Parking

There is free street parking along St Anthony’s Road, which leads up to the F2 building. Parking is also available on Reuben Walk and Reuben Street, which surround the building.

Two disabled parking spots are at the top of St Anthony’s Road, leading onto Reuben Plaza and the F2 Centre.

Photo of the two disabled parking spots on St Anthony’s Road.

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.

On Friday, the 7th of June, the Guild will email members a Zoom Link for virtual access and also include a phone number to call for those who need help finding the Centre on the day of the event.

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.