Tag: August Craft Month

Recap: Experience the Joy of Felting – August Craft Month & Heritage Week in Inchicore, Dublin

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

On Sunday, the 16th of August, 17 volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland gathered to teach two sessions of wet and needle felting to over 45 students. Our event was part of the annual August Craft Month and Heritage Week.

The What

We had two educational sessions: a morning session from 10 AM to 12 PM and an afternoon session from 12:30 to 2:30 PM. Both were well attended, with students enjoying learning about the different methods of feltmaking.

Students created several types of felted flowers, three-dimensional sheep, and even trees! They had the opportunity to work with wet and needle felting techniques.

Wet Felting

Needle Felting

Happy Students

Irish Wool Display

There was also a display area featuring Irish Wool and our ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ book. The vertical display panel was created by Annika Berglund during the research for the book.

Artwork Displayed & Treats Eaten

Volunteers’ felt art was displayed on the stage at the front of the room. There were wearables, wall art, and sculptures!

Artworks

Treats and Taking a Break

More Photos – Hands!

Thanks

Thank you to all of the students who shared their Sunday with us. We look forward to seeing some of you at future Sessions!

Many thanks to Siobhán Ryan for chairing this event, and to all the volunteers who helped with the day: Adrienne, Ananya, Christine, Clodagh, Elizabeth, Eva, Helena, Hilary, Irina, Juliane, Lauren, Linda, Loli, Lorna, Margaret C, and Margaret R C.

Some of our Volunteers – apologies for not having everyone’s photograph

Ananya
Elizabeth
Eva
Hilary and Linda
Linda
Juliane
Loli and Eva
Margaret
Lauren
Margaret
Christine and Clodagh
Helena
Irina and a student
Adrienne and Lorna (not a great pic)
Siobhán

Additionally, we would like to thank the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland‘s August Craft Month and Heritage Week for sharing our event so wonderfully. We had an excellent turnout this year!

Both organisations have other exciting events happening.

  • August Craft Month runs through the end of the month.
  • Heritage Week runs until the 23rd of August.

Many thanks to our members, who comprise Feltmakers Ireland West, for hosting a ‘Felting Fun Day’ on Saturday, the 15th, in Boyle, Co Roscommon as part of August Craft Month.

Lastly, we want to thank the CIE Sports Hall / Social Club in Inchicore, Dublin, for allowing us to rent storage space and use the hall for our meetings and sessions.

Next Month

Our next regular Sunday Session will be on the 20th of September. It will feature Eva Salamon, who will teach us how to make needle felted owls. Members will receive more information shortly.

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: August Craft Month – 2 Feltmakers Ireland Guild Events – Plus, Felting Activities throughout Ireland

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Feltmakers Ireland is hosting TWO August Craft Month events this year!

On Saturday, the 15th of August, Feltmakers Ireland West will be at King House, Boyle, Co Roscommon. They will have a felting fair featuring a mini-market, an exhibition, and four feltmaking workshops. For more information: https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/felting-fun-day/

On Sunday, the 16th of August, Feltmakers Ireland will be at the CIE Hall/ Inchicore Sports & Social Club, Co Dublin. For more information and to register a place in one of the two felting workshops where we will be creating wet and needle felted flowers, please visit this page: https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/experience-the-joy-of-felting/

In addition to our members’ events (see below), there are over 40 opportunities to experience felting throughout the island of Ireland. When on the August Craft Month website, in the ‘List View ‘, select the ‘Craft Type’ of ‘Felt’ to see ALL of the events! (One can search ‘Map View’, but then there is no option to select ‘Felt’.)

Members Events

Several of our members are hosting their own open studios, workshops, and markets.

Here are some of them, arranged in order of date:

Instagram: @augustcraftmonth26

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.

Exhibition: Save the Date – Feltmakers Ireland’s ‘Essence of Nature’ – The Leitrim Design House ArtWall

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Save the Date: Members of Feltmakers Ireland will exhibit artwork at the Leitrim Design House‘s ArtWall.

Essence of Nature brings together the work of talented felt artists from across Ireland. The exhibition explores the quiet power, beauty, and diversity of the natural world through the rich and expressive medium of felt. Inspired by landscapes, flora, fauna, light, and seasonal change, the artworks showcase both traditional and contemporary felting techniques, highlighting the creativity and innovation of Ireland’s feltmaking community.

Visitors are warmly invited to attend the launch and exhibition to experience this inspiring collection of contemporary felt art in the heart of County Leitrim. The show is part of August Craft Month.

When: The exhibition runs from Wednesday, the 26th of August to Saturday, the 3rd of October 2026.

The exhibition will officially launch on Saturday, the 29th of August, at 12 noon.

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

Instagram: @theleitrimdesignhouse @augustcraftmonth26

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.

Exhibition: Tamzen Lundy has work at Craft NI Gallery – August Craft Month

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

A piece by Feltmakers Ireland guild member Tamzen Lundy, “Fragmented Landscape”, has been selected for the exhibition ‘Rhythm’ at the CraftNI Gallery in Belfast, UK. This event is part of the island-wide August Craft Month. 

The exhibition features contemporary craft works that highlight the connections between making and music, traditional or contemporary. As Belfast prepares to host the annual Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, local makers share with us how music, with its rhythms, harmonies or lyrics, informs their making.

Participating makers: Adam Frew, Céline Traynor, Corinne Price, Eddie Doherty, Eimear Malone, Fiona Kerr, Hannah Ferguson, Joel Smyth, John Piekaar, Karen Hamilton, Kevin Callaghan, Natasha Heaslip, Nicola Dalton, Peter Meanley, Stuart Cairns, Sue Cathcart, Tamzen Lundy, Ursula McGivern.

The opening is Thursday, 23rd of July, at 6 PM and runs for the month of August.

Where: Craft NI Gallery, 115, 119 Royal Ave, Belfast BT1 1FF, United Kingdom

For more information about the show, visit the gallery’s website: https://exhibitions.craftni.org/

Instagram: @craftnigallery @augustcraftmonth26 @tamzenlundydesigns

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.

Open Call: 2026 August Craft Month Exhibition -‘Rhythm’ – CraftNI Gallery – Belfast

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
A creative piece of jewellery featuring a spiral design with pearls, accompanied by text announcing 'Rhythm' and details for the August Craft Month 2026 exhibition callout.

Image of @celinetraynorjewellery

𝙍𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙢, the upcoming CRAFTNI August Craft Month exhibition in Belfast, is now accepting applications! This year, CraftNi invites makers to consider the connections between making and music. Belfast is the host city for the annual Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, a festival of music and culture from Sunday, the 2nd to Sunday, the 9th of August 2026. Qualifying competitors from all over the world will showcase traditional and folk music, song, and dance in the city, with around 800,000 visitors expected.

More on the theme from the CraftNI Instagram: “Are you drawn to the rhythm and repetition of traditional music, where patterns emerge, repeat and develop? Do you visualise harmony and tone in your work or does it call to mind a soundscape? Or see the movement and flow of a lyric? A musician playing in a group may bring a new interpretation to a piece in that context – does working in a collaboration drive new elements of your practice? Has a song sparked an impulse or an idea that you want to express through your making? Or perhaps the tactile pull of the materials used in instrument-making – metal, wood, leather and textile – open areas for exploration for you?”

Applications from all supported craft disciplines are welcome.

Deadline: the 7th of June, 2026

For more information, visit the CraftNI website – https://craftni.org/2026-august-craft-month-exhibition-callout-rhythm/

Their Instagram: @craft.ni

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.

RECAP – Feltmakers Ireland’s Open Day – Dublin

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

By Deirdre Carroll

Recap - August Craft Month - Feltmakers Ireland

On a bright sunny day in Dublin, Feltmakers Ireland members held an ‘Introduction to Wet Felting Workshop’ at the CIE Sports and Social Hall in Inchicore on Sunday, the 17th of August. Our event was part of August Craft Month, and also part of National Heritage Week, which runs from August 16th to 24th.

The aim of our event was to introduce participants to the art of wet felting and provide hands-on experience in creating a felted vessel. The skills gained included an understanding of the felting process, tactile engagement, creative confidence, and the joy of having fun.

Selecting fibre
Laying out the wool
Student felting

Two sessions were held, with 12 participants attending the first session from 11 AM to 1 PM and 8 participants attending the second session from 1 PM to 3 PM. All participants were provided with wool and the equipment needed to felt a vessel using a choice of colours. Guild member Annika Berglund gave a demonstration on starting the process before the participants went to their positions, where they were assisted in completing the process by members of Feltmakers Ireland.

Annika demonstrating
Annika wetting the fibre
Annika rolling the felt

Photos of the students felting away.

In addition to the hands-on wet felting workshop, guild member Margaret Ryan Collins shared about Irish wool. She demonstrated how to card wool from Irish sheep’s fleece, showing that the wool could be used for felting or knitting. A few years ago, Feltmakers Ireland successfully self-published a book on felting with Irish wool, titled ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking.’ This book is available for purchase on our website – https://feltmakersireland.com/exploring-irish-wool-for-feltmaking/

As part of our Open Day, we showcased the sample board from our research on Irish Wool. It shows how specific breeds of sheep’s wool can be needle-felted and wet-felted.

Samples wet felted and needle felted from the sheep breeds tested for our book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’.

Guild member Eva Salamon demonstrated how to needle-felt her fantasy figures. Hilary shared some of her works-in-progress.

Hillary and Eva
Eva

Several members displayed their felted creations.

Annika, Irina, Marie, and Elizabeth demonstrated and helped participants to create wet-felted vessels. The verbal feedback from the participants was very positive, and each person left with a completed vessel.

Annika and some of the students share their felted vessels.

Isha from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland and photographer Sasko arrived to view the workshop. They were very interested in the various pieces on display and the processes demonstrated by the members.

In conclusion, Feltmakers Ireland’s Open Day successfully engaged participants in the creative process of wet felting, enabling them to express their artistic side. It was a great day and a great success.

Adrienne and Deirdre welcoming students

Thanks to the members of Feltmakers Ireland who helped on the day. Thank you to Sam Fagan and Margaret for the photographs. Additional appreciation to Sam, Annika, and Lorna, who organised a very successful event. Feltmakers Ireland is grateful for the support received from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.

On Sunday, the 24th of August, committee member Elizabeth Redding will lead a similar Open Day in Kilbeggan, County Westmeath. https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/feltmakers-ireland-open-day-discover-the-magic-of-wet-felting-westmeath/ Note: This event is fully booked up. If you would like to volunteer to help, please email feltmakersIE@gmail.com

Good luck to Elizabeth and the volunteers helping her.

UPDATE: There’s a fantastic blog post by Douglas of the CIE Sports Hall in Inchicore that features even more photos and tons of interesting information. – https://inchicoresportsandsocialclub.com/2025/08/19/feltmakers-ireland-open-day-sunday-17-august/ 🌿🐏🌿

Our banner.

There is a fantastic article with TONS of photos about our Open Day on the CIE Sports Hall’s website – https://inchicoresportsandsocialclub.com/2025/08/19/feltmakers-ireland-open-day-sunday-17-august/

Additionally, we had a second Open Day in Kilbeggan on Sunday, the 24th of August. There is an article (with a paywall), here on Topic – https://topic.ie/from-wool-to-wonder-feltmakers-open-day-draws-all-ages/

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.

Of Interest: Turning Flax into Linen – Textile Event – Co Cork

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Join Fibreshed Ireland in West Cork this August Craft Month 2025 for a hands-on, drop-in workshop exploring the ancient craft of transforming flax into linen!

Discover the fascinating journey of this humble plant—from seed to fabric—and the traditional tools and techniques used along the way: rippling, scutching, hackling, spinning and weaving.

Join Kathy Kirwan, who has spent years studying and reviving traditional flax-processing methods, for a hands-on workshop. You’ll see the stages of flax processing and learn about flax’s role in regenerative farming, crop rotation, and its many uses—from sustainable textiles to ropes, composites, and more.

Sonia from Kilcoe Studios will be making paper and rope from flax and organising games and activities with children outside, inspired by traditional games. All ages are welcome to share their memories of games they played.

  • Flax to Linen demonstrations – all day
  • Paper making and rope making – 12:00 – 3 PM
  • Heritage Games for children outdoors – 3 – 6 PM

Drop in anytime throughout the day! No booking or experience needed.
FREE! Supported by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.

When: Sunday, the 24th of August.

Where: Main St, Ballydehob, Co. Cork, P81 A218.


Flax illustration © Kilcoe Studios.

For more information, visit their website – https://fibreshedireland.ie/events/flax-linen-inne-agus-inniu-and-heritage-games/


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.

Of Interest: IGWSD’s The Big Spin – August Craft Month – Co Dublin

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

To celebrate August Craft Month, our fibre-friends, the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers (IGWSD) will host a Big Spin event at the Beckett Locke Hotel on Dublin’s North Docks on Sunday, the 17th of August, from 11 AM to 4 PM.

The Big Spin is open to all and is free; simply drop in at any time. Tea and coffee will be provided. Bring your spindle, spinning wheel or small loom.

For more information, visit their website – https://weavespindye.ie/ or https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/big-spin-for-august-craft-month-2025/

Their Instagram: @weavespindyeie


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.

Of Interest: August Craft Month – Felting Related Events

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Feltmakers Ireland will have TWO events where we will teach wet felting as part of this year’s August Craft Month –

  • CIE Sports Hall, Inchicore, Dublin, on Sunday, the 17th of August
  • St James Hall, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, on Sunday, the 24th of August

Our events run from 11 AM to 3 PM, offering both morning and afternoon sessions for students. While our Dublin event is already fully booked, there are still spots available for our Kilbeggan event. Please note: These remaining places are reserved for non-members—we want to share the joy of felting with new faces!

At both events, we’ll need volunteers to welcome and guide students throughout the day. Members will also have the chance to exhibit (and sell) their felted creations!

New this year: We’re inviting members to use the Open Day as an opportunity to actively work on their own felting projects. It’s an excellent way for the public to see the creative process behind the finished pieces.

If you are a member and want to be part of our Open Days, please email us at feltmakersIE@gmail.com

Members’ ACM Felting Activities

Several of our members have their own August Craft Month events!

On the 1st of August, Sharon Wells is teaching a workshop on how to use wool for crafts or gardens in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/how-to-use-local-wool-for-crafts-or-gardens-cahersiveen-music-and-arts-festival-event/

On the 2nd, Sharon is teaching a felted painting workshop in Co Kerry – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/feltmaking-the-kerry-countryside/

On the 3rd of August, Karen Bowden of Fabulous Fibres is teaching a wet felted handbag workshop in Creggs, Co Galway – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/felted-handbag-workshop/

Needlefelter Emily Thompson has a month-long exhibition of her wool landscape paintings at the Carrigaline Library, Kilnaglery, Carrigaline, Co Cork, P43 HA25.

Emily is also teaching several workshops in various locations in Co Cork. Here is a link to her course for children on the 9th of August – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/needle-felting-workshop-with-emily-thompson-create-a-wool-painting/. She also has classes on the 16th, 24th and 29th – https://augustcraftmonth.org/events/?search_loc=cork&event_type=workshop&discipline=felt&start_date=20250725&end_date=20250930#results

On the 9th of August, Zivile Zeniauskaite will be part of the Makers of Blackwater Valley in Fermoy, Co Cork. She will demonstrate how she creates felted slippers – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/meet-the-makers/

Barbara O’Rahilly is holding a series of two craft retreats in Kilternan, Co Dublin. Each event runs for four days. The first one is from the 11th to the 14th, and the second one is from the 18th to the 21st – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/4-day-craft-retreat-with-barbara-orahilly-2/

Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt will teach a wet felting flower workshop on the 16th of August as part of the MeathMade Celebration in Swift, Co Meath – https://swiftculturalcentre.ie/event/meath-made-wet-felt-flower-bouquet-workshop

Tamzen Lundy is teaching a wet felting workshop on the 31st of August, in Co Kildare – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/feltmaking-a-sea-urchin-wet-felting-taster/

FoFi Events

Friend of Feltmakers Ireland (FoFI), Shelley Steele, who organised the Flax Flower Project at the Titanic Museum in Belfast, has a Meet the Maker on the 28th and a felted blue flax flower workshop on the 9th in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland – https://augustcraftmonth.org/events/?search_loc=antrim&event_type=&discipline=felt&start_date=20250701&end_date=20250930#results

Another FoFI, Fibreshed Ireland, has a flax and linen related event in Balleydehob, Co Cork on the 24th of August – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/flax-linen-inne-agus-inniu-and-heritage-games/

If you are a guild member and we overlooked your event, please accept our apologies. A lot is going on during August Craft Month!

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.

Open Call: Apply to August Craft Month – Deadline the 8th of June

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Applications are open for this year’s August Craft Month, which is open to all makers who wish to share what they do. Highlighting the vibrant local craft scene across the island of Ireland, August Craft Month is a unique celebration of the local craft sector, providing various opportunities for the public to #MakeSeeBuy.

Your event could take the form of a workshop, open studio, craft trail, exhibition, talk, meet-the-maker session, demonstration, craft market, fair, or festival. It may be held in person or online and can be designed for adults, children, families, or audiences of all ages.

August Craft Month is organised by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland and Craft NI.

The deadline to be included in listings is Sunday, the 8th of June.

For more information, visit the August Craft Month website- https://augustcraftmonth.org/

Their Instagram – @August Craft Month

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.