August Craft Month – Page 4 – Feltmakers Ireland

Event: Felt a Flower – Open Day

Published on August 12, 2023August 10, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

On Sunday, August 20th, join Feltmakers Ireland for a delightful and family-friendly event celebrating the art of feltmaking.

Discover the magic of transforming fluffy Merino wool fibres into vibrant flowers through the fun and engaging process of wet felting. Whether you’re interested in daisies, daffodils, roses, or whimsical fantasy flowers, under the expertise of our members, you’ll have the opportunity to create your very own masterpiece using soap, water, and your hands.

If you’re curious about sheep and the different varieties of Irish wool, this event is perfect for you! Witness the fascinating reactions of various Irish wool types as they are needle and wet felted. There will be opportunities for the adventurous to craft felt samples using different kinds of Irish Wool.

Don’t miss the chance to browse and purchase our recently published book, “Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking, filled with inspiration and knowledge about forty breeds of Irish-raised sheep whose wool can be used for wet and/or needle felting.

Bring your family and friends to Feltmakers Ireland’s Open Day, from 11 AM to 3 PM, held at the CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club in Dublin. It will be a day of creativity, learning, and sharing the love for wool and the art of feltmaking.

This event is partially funded by Design & Crafts Council Ireland.

For more information, visit the August Craft Month website – https://augustcraftmonth.org/augustcraftmonth2023/open-day-at-feltmakers-ireland/

Workshops: Feltmakers North Wet Felting Taster Sessions

Published on August 9, 2023August 8, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

As part of August Craft Month, the Feltmakers North guild offers two free wet felting taster sessions for adults on the 11th and 18th of August. No booking is required.

Location: The Lisburn Public Library, Co. Antrim.

For more information, see this event page – https://craftni.org/augustcraftmonth/wet-felting-taster-session/

Exhibition: Into the Weave – Lavit Gallery in Cork

Published on August 9, 2023August 8, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

In association with Cork Craft Month, the Lavit Gallery presents ‘Into the Weave‘, a group exhibition of artwork that utilises or references the medium of textiles. Represented are artists and makers for whom textiles are the sole material, artists for whom the medium is a new departure or a diversification, and those for whom fabrics are a recurring theme or subject.

Feltmakers Ireland member Leiko Uchiyama has several pieces in the show.

Exhibiting artists include Laura Angell, George Bolster, Ceadogán Rugs (designs by Deirdre Breen and Shane O’Driscoll), Myra Jago, Allyson Keehan, Richard Malone, Evelyn Montague, Ailbhe Ní Bhriain, Helen O’Shea, Caroline Schofield, Margo Selby, Matt Smith, and Jennifer Trouton.

The show runs until the 26th of August.

For more information, visit their website – https://lavitgallery.com/into-the-weave/

Exhibition: Tamzen Lundy has art in ‘Pathways’

Published on August 1, 2023July 30, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

Press Release

The Craft NI gallery on Royal Avenue, Belfast, launches a new exhibition this month as part of
August Craft Month, an all-island promotion of craft and design.

Exhibition: Tamzen Lundy has art in ‘Pathways’

The Craft NI gallery on Royal Avenue, Belfast, launches a new exhibition this month as part of August Craft Month, an all-island promotion of craft and design.

The exhibition is entitled “Pathways” and runs from the 3rd of August through the 15th.

Tamzen Lundy (previous chairperson of Feltmakers Ireland and now full-time practising textile artist and teacher) has a very personal piece selected for this month-long exhibition.

Her piece is called “Extinguished”. This piece represents the number of children, minors and young people that were killed during “The Troubles “in Northern Ireland. Innocent lives quickly extinguished.

Each life is represented by a lit match, burned bright but short. The ground fabric is wet felted 100% wool, representing the earth and land. Then all is encased between this wool and a shroud of lightweight silk chiffon, representing the ethereal, precious and fragile life and beyond.

The matches are connected by a red linen thread, each knotted and linked together. “The Red Thread that Connects” is an Eastern concept of connectedness, pathway or destiny.

The piece is 85cm x 85cm (Wool, Silk Chiffon, Linen and Wooden Matchsticks).

The work is also supported by a video piece showing the lighting, burning, and the extinguished matches as they pile up over time.

Tamzen was born in Belfast in the late 70’s, and this sense of place often informs her work.

Previous pieces, such as “The Ballymurphy Precedent”, have been shown with Feltmakers Ireland as part of their international exhibition in Finland in 2018. More recently, her sculptural piece “Bridges not Bombs” was shown in Phoenix Park in 2022.

Tamzen is a textile professional with 25+ years’ of experience. She has worked on all sides of fashion retail, design and manufacturing. Since 2020 she has focused her time on her own arts practice, describing herself as a felt maker and textile artist.

Her commercial work is playful and inspired by stories and the Irish landscape; this is sold in several small independent retailers across our Island as well as direct.

More information about Tamzen, as well as workshop dates, can be found on her website – www.tamzenlundydesigns.ie

Event: August Craft Month 2023

Published on July 25, 2023August 2, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

August Craft Month returns to all of Ireland!

Feltmakers Ireland and several members are holding workshops and open studios this year.

Arranged in calendar order –

See textile demonstrations and exhibitions at the Textile Journey Festival in the Orangery of Marlay Park, Dublin, from the 31st of July through the 3rd of August. For more information, visit their website – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/textile-journey-festival-tickets-630361607537
As part of ACM, visit Niki Collier is hosting an Open Studio in Marlay Park. Come and discover her womancave home to 50 scissors, 100kg of wool and 100 meters of silk. Saturday, the 5th of August, 10 AM – 4 PM. For more information, visit her website- https://www.nikicollier.com/
Con’s Creations Craft Shop has a creative workshop for needle felting a picture to create your own landscape in wool on the 5th of August. She also has a 3D felting, making toadstool, mice and little critters on Sunday, the 15th of August, in Castledermot, Co. Kildare. Call for information, 087 2870971
As part of ACM, visit Juliane Gorman’s Open Studio in Dundrum, Co. Dublin, and see the tiny shed where she creates her whimsical hats. We’re going to make some felted rocks with Irish wool, too! Sunday, the 6th of August, 11 AM – 4 PM. For more information, visit her website- https://felthappiness.com/blogs/news/open-studio-make-a-felted-stone-august-craft-month
Interested in learning needle felting? As part of ACM, Jenni Kilgallon has three classes for adults and teens on the 11th at 3pm, the 17th at 5pm, and the 23rd at 11am. Located in Bray, Co. Wicklow, the classes are held in the bookshop Tales for Tadpoles. For more information, visit her website – https://talesfortadpoles.ie/collections/needle-felting-workshops.
More ACM Fun: Tamzen Lundy is running a Beginners Feltmaking Taster Session on Sunday, the 20th of August, from 1-4 PM at Brookwood Pottery in Marino Mar, Fairview Dublin. Only 4 places are available, at €60 each, all materials provided. Secure your spot on her website – https://www.tamzenlundydesigns.ie/services-1
Lastly, there is an Open Studio for Feltmakers Ireland on the 20th of August from 11 AM – 3 PM at the CIE/Sports Hall, Inchicore. At this family-friendly event, we will share how to felt a flower with Merino wool and also instruct how to do some intrepid felting with Irish-raised wool. Don’t miss the chance to browse or purchase our recently published book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’.

More Felt-Related Events

If you select ‘Textile Felt’ within ‘Craft Type’ of the August Craft Month website, there are three pages of Felting-Related events happening all over Ireland!

If you’re a Feltmakers Ireland member, let us know if we have missed your August Craft Month event.

For more information on ALL of the events, visit – https://augustcraftmonth.org/events-2023/

Education: Tamzen Lundy has a Beginners Feltmaking Taster Session

Published on July 11, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

As part of August Craft Month, Feltmakers Ireland member Tamzen Lunday is teaching on Sunday, 20th August, from 1pm-4pm at the lovely studio and shop – Brookwood Pottery in Marino Mart, Fairview Dublin.

Only 4 places are available, at €60 each, all materials provided.

You can secure your place directly on Tamzen’s website –https://www.tamzenlundydesigns.ie/services-1

This half-day class will offer you an insight into wet feltmaking. You will learn some skills like making a bobble. Making a rope and trying out 3D feltmaking by making a small pod. She will also show and hopefully inspire you to try out these different techniques.

How might you apply these in your creative development? Are you a TY Student going on to study Art at Leaving? This would give you a new skill, textiles and sculpture combined!

Are you starting out on a PLC course in September? Perhaps putting together a portfolio?… This taster session might inspire you for projects to include that will set you apart.

Or are you just looking for something new, a new craft? Wet felting is very sensory; learn to explore your own creativity and try it out with this taster.

To sign up, visit Tamzen’s website – https://www.tamzenlundydesigns.ie/services-1

Opportunity: August Craft Month

Published on May 19, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

The open call to register events is now live. August Craft Month is an all Ireland’s unique celebration of the craft sector, providing opportunities for all to make, see, learn about and buy craft!

The deadline for submissions is Monday, 19th June at 5pm. You can still register after this date for inclusion in the calendar of events. But the more time there is to promote your event, the better.

Looking ahead to 2023, we are eager to build upon the accomplishments of 2022, which included:

Over 900 makers participated
Over 16,000 visitors
Reached over 80,000 people on Instagram alone
At least one event in every county around Ireland

For more information, visit their website.

Upcoming Opportunities from DCCI

Published on July 2, 2022March 13, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

View all opportunities here

From DCCI: August Craft Month 2022

Published on June 14, 2022March 13, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

Take part in August Craft Month 2022

We are delighted to announce the call out to August Craft Month 2022 – across the island of Ireland!

Deadline for applications: Monday 4th July

What is August Craft Month?
August Craft Month is a unique celebration of craft with events taking place across the island of Ireland, providing exciting opportunities for the public to experience, participate in, buy and learn about craft.
It is supported and promoted by Design & Crafts Council Ireland, Craft NI and Cork Craft & Design.

Why should I be part of it?
• It will be fun! Celebrate, collaborate, motivate.
• Make it national – long established, Craft NI and Cork Craft & Design’s local August Craft Months have proven hugely popular – making it national will increase the momentum and celebration of craft across the month of August.
• National PR campaign from start of July that will promote August Craft Month through highlighting events and makers – get your event in early!
• Social media campaign across August Craft Month and partner channels – visibility to over 45k followers
• Digital advertising campaign
• Influencer campaign
• Augustcraftmonth.org website listing of your event – image and copy
• It’s easy! – your everyday craft activity may be eligible for listing
Simply register your event on the August Craft Month website by filling out the application form. Events are invited from individual makers, guilds, associations, networks, galleries and venues which will enable audiences to come together to celebrate and enjoy craft experiences whether in-person, online, or both. Send your application by Monday 4th July. You can still register your events for inclusion on the website after this date, however registering early will ensure more time to promote your event.

Join us to add to the range of events bringing craft on the island of Ireland to a wider audience this August!

For more information and to register visit: augustcraftmonth.org

If you have any queries about August Craft Month or about registering an event, please do not hesitate to get in contact at: info@augustcraftmonth.org

*You may receive emails about August Craft Month from more than one source (DCCI/Craft NI/Cork Craft & Design). Please note that you only need to register your event once – all events will be listed on AugustCraftMonth.org. As the application deadline is coming shortly, we are keen to get the word out to as wide an audience as possible.

** Please note as August Craft Month is an all-island celebration, if you are a maker or organisation based in Northern Ireland please visit craftni.org/august-craft-month-2022-event-application to register your event.