The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) is now accepting registrations for this year’s Design Week, which takes place from November 17th to 21st.
The DCCI invites designers, makers, educators, and creatives across Ireland to apply for funding to run events that reflect this year’s theme: “The ties that tie, and the links that link”
Your event can be a talk, exhibition, open studio, workshop or other activity.
The deadline for applications is the 12th of September, 2025.
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 ‘Common Threads exhibition’ opened on Thursday, the 7th of August at the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s (DCCI) National Design & Craft Gallery, Castle Yard, Kilkenny. The show curated by Sarah Ross features a mix of work from Feltmakers Ireland and the Quilters’ Guild of Ireland.
The turnout at the opening was great, and we all had the opportunity to see an amazing array of works by both feltmakers and quilters. Seeing the two types of crafts side by side was very illuminating; they represented very different ways of making, yet both featured intricate and fantastic work. As a feltmaker, I gained a deeper respect for the skill and patience required to create the quilted artworks on display.
Photos of the Gallery
At the opening, Feltmakers Ireland was represented by at least 14 of our members, who enjoyed the buzz and the lovely weather.
From left to right: Eithne O’Dea, Hilary Delaney, Joanne Foley, Mary O’Rourke, Claire Merry, Hélène Dooley, Sandra Reynolds, Annika Berglund, Fiona Leech, Jane Fox, Siobhan Healy Ryan, Sharon Wells, Leiko Uchiyama, and Deirdre Crofts. Editor’s Note: We apologise if we have noted anyone’s name incorrectly.
The exhibition was opened by the head of the DCCI, Mary Blanchfield, followed by a speech by Moya Gerarthy of the Quilters Guild of Ireland. After that, it was my turn. Our blog mistress, Juliane, asked me for my written notes, but since I only had keywords, the gist of it was that the two sets of works looked great together!
Annika Berglund and Mary BlanchfieldAnnika Berglund, Moya Gerarthy, Mary Blanchfield, and Sarah Ross
Then, I talked about the symbology of how wool is made, where wisps of wool combine into a strong whole through pressure and agitation, and I drew parallels to how our members come together and form a community. Finally, I extended a heartfelt thank you to the DCCI and our curator, Sarah Ross, who selected the work and worked with the gallery personnel to create a stunning exhibition. She spoke last and talked about the (massive) work involved in picking and how impressed she was with the quality of work on show.
We heartily recommend a visit to the gallery before the end of the show, which runs until the 1st of November.
~~ Annika Berglund, Dublin Ireland.
Portraits of Members
Annika BerglundDeirdre CroftsLeiko UchiyamaSiobhan Healy RyanSandra ReynoldsJoanne FoleyChristine JordanSharon WellsFiona LeechRamona FarrellyTamzen Lundy with the poster for the exhibitionLidiia NecheporenkoEithne O’DeaClaire MerryJuliane GormanNeasa RyanEmily A ThompsonHilary Delaney
Some more information about the show:
A contemporary textile exhibition exploring connection through fibre and form. This contemporary textile exhibition delves into the theme of connection—between people, materials, and traditions—through the tactile language of fibre and form. The exhibition will run from August 7 to November 1, 2025, offering visitors a rich sensory experience that celebrates both innovation and heritage in Irish textile art, showcasing the intricate and expressive work of artists from Feltmakers Ireland and The Quilters Guild of Ireland.
From our press release:
“This show is a testament to the creativity and technical expertise of the members of Feltmakers Ireland. Each piece tells a unique story, a vision realised in the medium of wool. It is a celebration of the diversity of feltmaking across Ireland. We are proud to showcase work that not only honours our craft but also pushes the boundaries of contemporary textile art.”
Feltmakers members included in the exhibition:
Annika Berglund
Christine Jordan
Claire Merry
Deirdre Crofts
Eithne O’Dea
Elaine Peden
Emily A Thompson
Fiona Leech
Heather Byrne
Hélène Dooley
Hilary Delaney
Jane Fox
Joanne Foley
Juliane Gorman
Karena Ryan
Leiko Uchiyama
Lidiia Necheporenko
Neasa Ryan
Ramona Farrelly
Sandra Reynolds
Sharon Wells
Siobhan Healy Ryan
Tamzen Lundy
Some Work from the Exhibition
Appreciation
Thank you to the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, curator Sarah Ross, the Quilters Guild of Ireland, and the National Design and Craft Gallery of Ireland. Also, thanks to Annika for writing up the recap for the guild.
Thank you to the Gallery for the professional photos of the space, which we ‘borrowed’ from Instagram. Lastly, thank you to the members who shared their pictures via Instagram or WhatsApp. We apologise if we missed any artists’ works.
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 Design and Crafts Council of Ireland presents ‘Common Threads’, an exhibition curated by Sarah Ross, showcasing the intricate and expressive work of artists from Feltmakers Ireland and The Quilters’ Guild of Ireland.
The exhibition opens at the National Design and Craft Gallery (NDCG) on Thursday, the 7th of August and runs until the 1st of November.
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.
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!
Needlefelter Emily Thompson has a month-long exhibition of her wool landscape paintings at the Carrigaline Library, Kilnaglery, Carrigaline, CoCork, P43 HA25.
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/
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.
As of the 9th of July, the workshop is FULLY BOOKED. If you want to be put on the waiting list, please email Sam – see below for her details.
Workshop Description from Pam:
“In the workshop, we will learn several skills useful for fibre jewellery making. We will make one or more pieces of felted jewellery depending on the complexity of the individual design. We will look at how to design the piece for wearing, and how to construct various closures and attachments. You can also learn how to incorporate foreign objects if necessary.”
WHEN: Friday, the 18th through Sunday, the 20th of July 2025, 10 AM to 5 PM
To apply for PAM de GROOT’s workshop, please email committee member Sam Fagan at samantha.d.fagan@gmail.com
Please include Pam de Groot’s name in the ‘Subject Line’ of your email.
All participants will be notified via email and provided with a payment link for secure payment using a credit or debit card. The cost is 250 euros for members / 265 euros for non-members.
Additional Information
Supplies are not included in the workshop price. Once registered, we will email students the supply list provided by Pam.
Cancellation & Refund Policy for Workshops
If you need to cancel your place in a Feltmakers Ireland workshop, please notify the Guild by email at least 7 days before the start of the class. A €10 handling fee will be deducted from your refund.
Cancellations made less than 7 days before the workshop are not eligible for a refund. However, if you can find a replacement student to take your place AND inform the Guild within this period, you will receive a refund (minus the €10 handling fee).
Please note: In exceptional or unforeseen circumstances, the committee may consider refund requests at its discretion.
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.
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.
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.
On Sunday, the 1st, and Monday, the 2nd of June, 17 volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland generously shared their love of the magic of feltmaking with the public at Bord Bia Bloom, an enormous, five-day festival in Dublin’s Phoenix Park, which focuses on gardening and sustainability.
Our booth at the DCCI’s Irish Craft Village.
This year, we were in a new-to-us location within the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland‘s (DCCI) Irish Craft Village – in the special Demonstration Area – just like the Irish Woodturners’ Guild. This meant we were in a three-sided booth with more area to display and demonstrate.
After seeing helpful photos of how the Irish Patchwork Society inspiringly shared their craft on Friday, we slightly pivoted and emphasised more hands-on felting opportunities with the public. This proved immensely popular!
Young Hands Busy at Work
Several volunteers patiently guided our visitors in creating their own wet felting snakes, balls, flowers, and pictures! We probably should have counted ALL the young people who got to experience feltmaking. (Next time we will). There were a lot.
The last image of hands shows a charming Sheep Purse that one of our young visitors had made!
What Wool Can Do
Loli showed how needlefelting can be two or three-dimensional. In the foreground are fibre samples from sheep raised in Ireland from our Wool Book – ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’. We had several visitors who either grew up on farms or currently raise sheep, look for their breeds of sheep in our book! The orange-coloured wool was dyed with onion skins, while the blue and green samples were dyed with ‘acid’ dyes.
Our Volunteers
Our members donated time from their Bank Holiday Weekend to share their love of felting with the visitors at Bloom. Along with displaying their felted work, many wore felted items: earrings, brooches, necklaces, headwear, and even a jacket!
Irina and EvijaMarian showed children how to make felted snakes.Siobhan instructingClodagh and Siobhan chatting with visitorsKaren wet felting a flower.Fiona managing the wind from removing her fibres.Denise walked amongst the crowd and talked about the Guild and Feltmaking. In the foreground is Margaret’s suitcase of fibre.Jane demonstrated wet felting and Alison demonstrated needle feltingRamona instructing a young person.Margaret separating roving.Elaine and her ‘flower factory’ of students.Lorna demonstrated how felt can be used to create flowers and Sandra needlefelted a city landscape using a Foxford blanket. as a base.
Many thanks to our volunteers who made our event an inspiring and interactive destination to visit at Bloom: Evija, Irina, Marian, Siobhan, Clodagh, Karen, Fiona, Denise, Jane, Alison, Ramona, Margaret, Elaine, Sandra, and Lorna. Special thanks to Loli and Juliane for organising.
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.
The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s (DCCI) Made Local campaign launches today, Thursday, the 29th of May. The event kicks off at noon.
Several Feltmakers Ireland members are participating in this year’s Made Local campaign. If you’re a designer or maker interested in future DCCI events, you can learn more about joining here: – https://www.dcci.ie/members/why-join-dcci/
For a complete list of Irish craft and design makers and retailers participating in Made Local 2025, visit DCCI’s online directory at www.madelocal.ie. There, one can search for makers and products by location.
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.
Currently, three awards are open to makers in Ireland: the RDS Craft Awards, the Leitrim Design House Awards, and the Design and Craft Council of Ireland’s Future Makers Awards. Two awards are open to those not enrolled in education or recent graduates.
The RDS Craft Awards
Applications will open for the RDS Craft Awards on the 5th of May, 2025. It is a competition open to all craft makers living on the island of Ireland and Irish-born craft makers working overseas. The work of emerging and established makers is judged separately, with specific prizes to support emerging craftspeople. The Awards will be made from a total prize fund of €60,000.
The Emerging Maker category is open to individuals who aren’t necessarily recent graduates, and there is no age limit. Instead, there are these requirements:
Focus on heritage, skills, and sustainable practices.
Practice commenced within the past 10 years, with the determination to grow their craft at home and abroad.
Work must be made and sourced in Ireland.
The deadline for applying is the 23rd of June. There is no fee to enter.
The Leitrim Design House – National Design, Craft & Art Awards
To mark 25 years of supporting creative Irish businesses, The Leitrim Design House has launched the National Design, Craft & Art Awards to celebrate excellence in craftsmanship. The award stems from the organisation’s resilience and sustainability as a business over the past two decades.
As a reflection of this longevity, The Leitrim Design House invites makers, artists, and designers from across the country to respond to the theme ofReused Sustainability.
The overall winner will receive €2,500 and a solo exhibition at The Leitrim Design House in 2026. A Special Commendation Prize of €1,000 will also be awarded to a runner-up.
Deadline for submission of applications: Friday, the 27th of June, 2025.
DCCI invites students and emerging makers* to apply for this opportunity to showcase their talent. Future Makers is a DCCI initiative that recognises the talent, potential, and creativity of designers and makers shaping the future. Why apply? ▪️ Win up to €3,500 to financially support your career ▪️Gain recognition for your talent, potential, and creativity ▪️Each winner will receive a mentoring package valued at €2,000
The deadline is the 20th of June.
* Emerging Makers – Currently in post-graduate studies in a craft or design discipline or graduated from full-time study between 2-6 years ago at the date of entry to Future Makers, and/or have established a craft or design enterprise in the past 6 years.
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.
On Sunday, the 1st of June and Monday, the 2nd of June, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate wet and needlefelting at the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland‘s Irish Craft Village, at Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park. We will be in the central pavilion within Area 26, near the Conservation Area. Our book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’, will also be for sale, along with some of our members’ works. Come by and say, ‘Hello’!
Feltmakers Ireland guild member Caoimhe Tuthill (Boann Irish Felt) will display her felted work at the MeathMade booth, Grand Pavilion stand G117.
This June bank holiday weekend (Thursday, May 29th– Monday, June 2nd, 2025), Bord Bia Bloom, Ireland’s most unique gardening, food, and sustainable living festival, returns for its 19th year.
Filled with colour and creativity, the event heralds the start of summer with a dazzling display of glorious gardens, fabulous food, and enthralling entertainment to entice visitors of all ages.
Spanning a 70-acre site in Dublin’s leafy Phoenix Park, Bord Bia Bloom is one of the country’s largest outdoor experiences, attracting over 100,000 visitors annually. This year, visitors can soak up the sights, sounds, and tastes of summer over five buzzing days packed with live entertainment, talks, interactive workshops, dining, shopping, and so much more.
Bord Bia Bloom offers abundant opportunities to grow, taste, and learn. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster, and two children can go free with each adult ticket purchased.
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.
