Feltmakers Ireland invites friends, family, and fans to our upcoming group exhibition, ‘Essence of Nature’. On Saturday, the 29th of August at midday, Councillor Sean McGowan will launch the show
Artworks by 36 of our guild members will be displayed on the ArtWall of The Leitrim Design House gallery, which is located in Carrick-on-Shannon.
The show runs from Wednesday, 26th August to Saturday, 3rd October 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:ย If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.
Questions:ย For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
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
Treatsand 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 SiobhรกnRyan 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
AnanyaElizabethEvaHilary and LindaLindaJulianeLoli and EvaMargaretLaurenMargaretChristine and ClodaghHelenaIrina and a studentAdrienne and Lorna (not a great pic)Siobhรกn
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:ย If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.
Questions:ย For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
The submission deadline for our group exhibition ontheย ArtWallย at Theย Leitrim Design House, in Co Leitrim, has been extended to Friday, the 17th of July, at midnight.
Theme: Essence of Nature
We invite members to create a piece which reflects a unique interpretation of natureโs quiet power, from delicate studies of flora and fauna, to bold, abstract evocations of landscape and light.
Artists are encouraged to present works that reflect their unique perspective on the Essence of Nature through visual, conceptual or abstract forms. This open call welcomes all artistic styles and interpretations.
UPDATE: The SUBMISSION DEADLINE has been extended to the 17th of July, at midnight.
Artwork to be received at the drop-off point by Tuesday, 11th August 2026
ImportantDetails:
Our exhibition will be displayed on the ArtWall at the beautiful Leitrim Design House gallery in Carrick-on-Shannon from Wednesday, 26th August to Saturday, 3rd October 2026.
**To ensure uniformity on the ArtWall, we have pre-purchased specific-sized frames, together with the required D-rings, for your artwork, which are available to purchaseย HERE **
Note: Your submission needs to beย two-dimensionalย but may be wet-felted, needle-felted, or both.
The Artwall can accommodate 45 frames in total. If we have more than 45 entries, we will move to a juried selection process.
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 Friday, theย 30th and Saturday, the 31st of May, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate wet and needlefelting at theย Design and Crafts Council of Irelandโs Irish Craft Village, at Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park. We will be in Demo Area 3, near the Conservation Area. Our book,ย โExploring Irish Wool for Feltmakingโ,ย will also be for sale, along with some of our membersโ works. Come by and say, โHelloโ!
Feltmakers Ireland guild member Lucia Errityย will display her felted work at theย MeathMadeย booth.
More Information
This June bank holiday weekend (Thursday, May 28thโ Monday, June 1st, 2026), Bord Bia Bloom, Irelandโs most unique gardening, food, and sustainable living festival, returns for its 20th 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 Dublinโs leafy Phoenix Park, Bord Bia Bloom is one of the countryโs 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. Concession tickets are available for senior citizens (66+) and students with a valid ID.
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.
Essence of Nature Open Call – Leitrim Design House ArtwollExample of part of the Artwall. Guild member Karena Ryan solos show in Janurary 2026.
We are delighted to invite Feltmakers Ireland members to apply for our second exhibition of 2026 and to submit a piece for the ArtWall at The Leitrim Design House, in Co Leitrim.
Theme: Essence of Nature
We invite members to create a piece which reflects a unique interpretation of natureโs quiet power, from delicate studies of flora and fauna, to bold, abstract evocations of landscape and light.
Artists are encouraged to present works that reflect their unique perspective on the Essence of Nature through visual, conceptual or abstract forms. This open call welcomes all artistic styles and interpretations.
Deadlines:
Application submissions byย Friday, 10th July 2026.ย
UPDATE: The SUBMISSION DEADLINE has been extended to theย 17th of July, at midnight.
Artwork to be received at the drop-off point by Tuesday, 11th August 2026
ImportantDetails:
Our exhibition will be displayed on the ArtWall at the beautiful Leitrim Design House gallery in Carrick-on-Shannon from Wednesday, 26th August to Saturday, 3rd October 2026.
**To ensure uniformity on the Artwall, we have pre-purchased specific-sized frames, together with the required D-rings, for your artwork, which are available to purchase HERE **
The Artwall can accommodate 45 frames in total. If we have more than 45 entries, we will move to a juried selection process.
We have included a photograph from guild member Karena Ryan‘s earlier solo show at the gallery to illustrate the Artwall and its environs.
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.
Feltmakers Ireland will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) THIS Sunday, the 10th of May, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the CIE Sports and Social Hall in Inchicore, Dublin, D08 PA07
Weโre delighted to welcome Zoรซ Daly of รriu Farm for a special talk on sustainability, heritage, and the future of wool.
Zoรซโs journey began with a gift from her grandmother Kitsy: a hand-knitted Merino baby blanket made for Zoรซโs newborn daughter. She was struck by its softness, breathability, and comfort, and began asking why a country so rich in sheep farming was not producing beautiful Irish wool products of its own. That question led her to research the decline of Irelandโs wool industry and ultimately to found รriu.
Today, through รriu Farm, Zoรซ and her husband Lionel Mackey champion natural fibres, biodiversity, fair value for farmers, and a fully traceable โFarm to Yarnโ approach that reconnects land, craft, and community. Her talk will offer inspiring insights into how wool can play a key role in a more sustainable future.
1 . We will start promptly at 10:45 AM to facilitate our Guest Speaker Zoฤ Daly of รriu Farm.
2 . Address by the Chair – Deirdre Carroll
3. Address by the Secretary – Lorna Cady
4. Treasurerโs Report – Samantha (Sam) Fagan
5. Motions for AGM- No motions were put forward.
6. Election of Chair and Committee 2026/2027. Election of other Officers will be held at the June Committee meeting
7. A Bursary Draw for 250 euros, open to all paid-up members, will take place at the AGM. To be used to partake in a Felting Course, and afterwards, a short recap article with photographs would be much appreciated.
8. Members will have an opportunity to sell their work at the AGM. Methods of receiving payment, whether cash, credit card, Revolt, or PayPal transactions, will be the seller’s responsibility.
9. Members will have an opportunity to display and discuss their work with other members. Members will need to bring props to display their items. We will provide 2 table coverings.
10. Time for refreshments and chat.
Yums
Refreshments will follow. If you could bring a little something, home-baked or not, weโd be delighted.
We always appreciate goodies with our cuppa.
Share Your Work
Members are welcome to bring along a few pieces of their own work to display during the AGM. If you wish to sell or display your work, we will have two tables set up from 10 AM to facilitate the display of artwork and creations. (Please label your work clearly and securely, and please bring it home with you.)
Methods of receiving payment, whether cash, credit card, Revolt, or PayPal transactions, will be the seller’s responsibility.
Zoom Link
Members who cannot attend in person can use the Zoom link, which will be emailed beforehand on Friday, the 8th. This session will not be recorded.
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.
At our 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), guild member Hilary Delaney‘s name was pulled from the hat for the annual bursary to study a textile course of her choice.
As part of the award, bursary recipients share their experiences with the guild via our blog. In the past, those who have shared articles about their educational experiences include: Adrienne Dempsey in 2024, Ramona Farrelly in 2023, and Doris Reinisch in 2021. Editor’s Note: There wasn’t a bursary award in 2022.
Below, Hilary shares her wonderful experience with the three-Day botanical printing workshop, ‘Nature’s Palette’ with Gabrielle Bishop at Mulranny Arts in County Mayo.
Poster advertising the workshop
By Hilary Delaney
I chose the botanical printing course because I was captivated by the colours, textures, and creation of possibilities that leaves and seaweed can bring to cloth and paper. Plants contain their own pigments and structures, and the process of transferring their colours and shapes using mordants and natural dyes really interests me.
As a horticulturist and hobby felter, I find this feels like a natural extension of my practice. Both felting and botanical printing rely on water, pressure, and time to transform raw material. Iโm excited by the opportunities to combine them: printing onto silks and fine wools before nuno felting, embedding seaweed silhouettes into vessel forms, or using the subtle leaf shapes on bowls.
The course has opened up new ways for me to capture a sense of place and season in my work โ not just through form, but through the actual pigments and patterns of the landscape.
Tutor Gabrielle Bishop’s ability to facilitate learning was excellent; sheย created a space where curiosity was encouraged. Her deep knowledge of plants, process, and colour was always present; she gave room for each student to find their own dialogue with the materials.
What stood out most was how she encouraged us to slow down and really see โ the vein of a leaf, the way seaweed releases pigment, the shift in tone from steam to cloth. Her guidance was practical, with stories about foraging and folklore, which added interest to the learning process.ย
This weekend has given me the confidence to carry these techniques into my felting, with a sense of play, exploring different textures and colours.
Future projects I hope to explore based on what I learned in this course. This will include seaweed prints on silk and botanical printing at various times of the year, paired with Nunofelting.
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.
UPDATE: 14th of May. Unfortunately, this workshop has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances with the tutor.
Feltmakers Ireland is pleased to announce a hands-on,ย 3-Day Workshop to create a Reversible Nuno-Felted Vestย with international tutorย Jackiย Sleator.ย
In this immersive course, students will use silk fabrics and Merino wool to create rich, textural effects. By layering wool, silk, and other fibres, they will experience how the materials transform and contort as the wool shrinks during the felting process. Guided step by step, students will develop both technique and creative confidence to leave the workshop with their own unique reversible vest.
There is the option to make a short or long-styled vest.
When: Friday-Sunday, the 5th-7th of June. 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
The price is 200 eurosper member and does not include supplies.
The price for non-members is 240 euros and does not include supplies.
This course is suitable for intermediate felters.
Note: The supply list will be sent upon enrollment.
If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact us at 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.
Feltmakers Ireland will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) onย Sunday, the 10th of May, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PMย at the CIE Sports and Social Hall in Inchicore, Dublin, D08 PA07
Weโre delighted to welcomeย Zoรซ Daly of รriu Farmย for a special talk on sustainability, heritage, and the future of wool.
Zoรซโs journey began with a gift from her grandmother Kitsy: a hand-knitted Merino baby blanket made for Zoรซโs newborn daughter. She was struck by its softness, breathability, and comfort, and began asking why a country so rich in sheep farming was not producing beautiful Irish wool products of its own. That question led her to research the decline of Irelandโs wool industry and ultimately to found รriu.
Today, through รriu Farm, Zoรซ and her husband Lionel Mackey champion natural fibres, biodiversity, fair value for farmers, and a fully traceable โFarm to Yarnโ approach that reconnects land, craft, and community. Her talk will offer inspiring insights into how wool can play a key role in a more sustainable future.
1 . We will start promptly at 10:45 AM to facilitate our Guest Speaker Zoฤ Daly of รriu Farm.
2 . Address by the Chair – Deirdre Carroll
3. Address by the Secretary – Lorna Cady
4. Treasurerโs Report – Samantha (Sam) Fagan
5. Motions for AGM- No motions were put forward.
6. Election of Chair and Committee 2026/2027. Election of other Officers will be held at the June Committee meeting
7. ย ย ย A Bursary Draw for 250 euros, open to all paid-up members, will take place at the AGM. To be used to partake in a Felting Course, and afterwards, a short recap article with photographs would be much appreciated.
8. ย ย ย Members will have an opportunity to sell their work at the AGM. Methods of receiving payment, whether cash, credit card, Revolt, or PayPal transactions, will be the seller’s responsibility.
9. Members will have an opportunity to display and discuss their work with other members. Members will need to bring props to display their items. We will provide 2 table coverings.
10. Time for refreshments and chat.
Yums
Refreshments will follow. If you could bring a little something, home-baked or not, weโd be delighted.
We always appreciate goodies with our cuppa.
Share Your Work
Members are welcome to bring along a few pieces of their own work to display during the AGM. If you wish to sell or display your work, we will have two tables set up from 10 AM to facilitate the display of artwork and creations. (Please label your work clearly and securely, and please bring it home with you.)
Methods of receiving payment, whether cash, credit card, Revolt, or PayPal transactions, will be the seller’s responsibility.
Zoom Link
Members who cannot attend in person can use theย Zoom link,ย which will be emailed beforehand on Friday, the 8th.ย This sessionย willย not be recorded.
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.
Feltmakers Irelandโs ‘Water and Flow’ exhibition was officially launched on Saturday, 4th April at 3 PM in the beautiful gallery of the OPWโs Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. The event was opened by knitwear designer Conor OโBrien, who shared insights into his creative journey, from studying at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) to discovering Aran knitting through a college assignment, with guidance from his grandmother. He also spoke about his strong support for using Irish-raised wool in his work, highlighting the importance of local materials and heritage in contemporary design. Learn more about Conor from his website- https://conorobrienstudio.com/
The exhibition features 67 striking pieces of felted artwork, showcasing the breadth and creativity of contemporary feltmaking. The opening was very well attended, with approximately 140 people present to celebrate the occasion. Since the launch, several works have been purchased by visitors.
‘Water and Flow‘ will continue to run until Sunday, 26th April, offering further opportunities to experience this vibrant and engaging exhibition.
Some Photos of the Launch
Photos courtesy of Tom Macagno, Loli Cox, and members’ contributions.
Conor O’Brien and some of the committee saying, ‘Wool’Loli Cox introducing Conor O’BrienConor and Loli CoxFounder Elizabeth Bonnar and Juliane GormanSiobhรกn Healy Ryan and Elizabeth Redding setting up the refreshmentsClaire Merry and her husband PhilThe gallery was full of visitorsConor O’Brien speakingPeople chattingVisitors listeningMore people at the launchThe only photo of Sam Fagan, our Treasurer, wearing her Foxford Blanket Jacket
The Gallery
Artists with their Artwork
Last year, in the blog post about our ‘Common Threads’ exhibition at the National Design and Craft Gallery in Kilkenny, we included a section featuring members alongside their pieces. As this is an engaging feature, we hope to get a photo of each member in the show.
If we overlooked you at the opening, or you have yet to visit, can you please take a photo of yourself next to your piece and email it to the following address: feltmakerIE@gmail.com
Thank you to everyone who helped make this exhibition such a success.
Many thanks to Conor OโBrien for launching the exhibition with his interesting talk, to our members for contributing their fantastic artwork, and to Annika Berglund and Fiona Leech for displaying everything so beautifully. Additionally, we would like to thank Loli Cox for introducing our guest speaker. Weโre also very grateful to the committee members for organising and setting up the lovely refreshments. Finally, we want to thank the OPW Phoenix Park Visitor Centre for again inviting us to use their stunning gallery for our annual exhibition.
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.
