Tag: Feltmaking Demonstrations

Recap: Feltmakers Ireland at The European Wool Experience

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Two women and a child engaging in a crafting activity, using their hands to felt materials on a table covered with bubble wrap.
A group of people engaged in a crafting activity at a workshop, with several participants seated at a table working with materials, and others standing around observing and interacting.

On Saturday, the 28th of March, lots of lovely volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland travelled down to Tralee to the European Wool Experience, to share our love of feltmaking with visitors from all over Ireland and Europe.

We demonstrated wet felting using Irish-raised wool.

And our hands-on feltmaking workshops were very, very popular! As we were super busy, we didn’t take as many photographs as we might have done. (All around us were amazing displays that featured Irish Wool. To see some of these, look at the Instagram accounts of Sharon Wells and the Meadowlands Hotel:

Felted Artworks

In addtion to sharing feltmaking, we shared our artwork with a joint exhibition with the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers, who kindly brought some of our work to Tralee on our behalf.

Here’s a brief video of our exhibition:

Appreciation to Everyone

A group of four individuals, two women speaking into a microphone while two others listen, at an event featuring artworks displayed on blue boards in the background.

HUGE thanks to the European Wool Exchange, Catherine Phibbs of the Irish Grown Wool Council, and most of all to Sharon Wells for inviting us to be part of the European Wool Experience. It was inspiring to be part of your vision and help to make it a reality!

(In the photo, from left to right are the organisers: Sharon Wells, Dóra Jamniczky-Kaszás of the European Wool Exchange (EWE), Catherine Phibbs of the Irish Grown Wool Council, and Alberto Costa of EWE.

Especially warm thanks to ALL of the members who helped us with this event. Huge appreciation to our members who embraced working with Irish wool and trusted us with their artwork. Lastly, thank you to the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, which, through their GANS Network Support Scheme, helped fund the Irish-raised wool we purchased from Ériu and Woolstore Ireland and distributed to our members.

Bit by bit, we are trying through our feltmaking to increase the use of locally grown, Irish wool!

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 content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

News: European Wool Experience –Less than 2 weeks away – Tralee

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Promotional poster for the European Wool Experience featuring various wool crafting activities, including handling wool, colourful yarn, and knitting.

Join us for the European Wool Experience — a free public event celebrating wool, creativity
and craftsmanship on Saturday, the 28th of March at the Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, Co Kerry.

Feltmakers Ireland will be taking part in European Wool Experience 2026. If you’ve been hoping to pick up a copy of our book Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking, we will have copies available on the day.

Our volunteers will also be demonstrating feltmaking techniques, and visitors will have the opportunity to join a hands-on wet felting activity using Irish-raised wool from Ériu and WoolStore Ireland.

The wool used for these activities has been partially funded by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland.

The European Wool Experience will be a unique day, where wool comes to life through hands-on demonstrations, exhibitions, research displays and interactive experiences from makers, artists, educators and innovators across Ireland and 10+ European countries.

Whether you’re discovering wool for the first time, visiting with family and friends, or already passionate about fibre crafts, this is a wonderful opportunity to see traditional skills alongside contemporary practices — and experience the incredible versatility of this natural material.

  • Meet makers
  • Watch live 35+ demonstrations
  • Explore exhibitions and displays
  • Try wool crafts like felting, weaving, spinning and much more in a welcoming, relaxed environment

Drop in anytime — admission is completely free, and everyone is welcome!

WHEN: Saturday, 28 March 2026 | 10 AM – 5 PM

WHERE: Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, Co. Kerry, V92 DC83

Short Video

For more information: https://irishgrownwoolcouncil.com/free-fringe-ewd26-event-interactive-wool-demonstrations/ and https://ewe.network/ewd2026/

Groups of 10+ can book in advance via ewd@ewe.network (subject: Group Visit)

Note: The European Wool Day 2026 Conference, which runs parallel to this event, is a ticketed
event. Currently, the conference capacity has been reached, but one can apply to be on a ticket waiting list here – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/european-wool-day-2026-conference-ireland-tickets-1977521531133?aff=oddtdtcreator


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 content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Free Activities at European Wool Experience – Tralee

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Promotional poster for the European Wool Experience event, detailing activities like felting, spinning, weaving, and knitting, taking place on 28 March at Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee.
Promotional poster for the European Wool Experience event, featuring a cartoon sheep and various wool crafts such as felting, spinning, and knitting. Details include date, time, and location.

The European Wool Experience, a vibrant, free, family-friendly event, will be at the Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, on Saturday, 28 March 2026, from 10 AM–5 PM.

Celebrating Ireland’s hosting of ‘European Wool Day 2026’, this special public event, open to all, brings together exhibitors, makers and researchers from Ireland and more than 10 European countries, to connect and create a colourful, welcoming day of creativity, culture, and discovery.

Taking place at the start of the Easter school holidays, it’s an ideal day out for families, friends, individuals or organised groups looking for something creative and different.

Visitors can explore four rooms featuring over 35 demonstrations, exhibitions and interactive experiences, with plenty of opportunities to try wool crafts firsthand, including the following: wet felting, finger knitting, crios belt weaving, spinning, weaving, wool processing and more. Meet skilled makers, discover traditional and contemporary skills, view unique heritage displays, and enjoy a relaxed, hands-on atmosphere suitable for children and adults alike.

Throughout the day, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate feltmaking, and we will also lead interactive wet felting activities.

In addition to the guild, several members will be sharing their artwork and fibres. These include the following:

Members of Feltmakers Ireland, the Irish Guild for Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers, and the International Feltmakers Association – Region 14, will host a joint exhibition of artwork created with Irish-raised wool.

The guild is grateful to have received some funding from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. This helped us purchase Irish-raised wool from Ériu and WoolstoreIE, which members could use in their pieces.

Drop in to the European Wool Experience for an hour or stay and explore at your own pace; admission is completely free.

Where: Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, Co Kerry, V92DC83

When: Saturday, 28 March 2026, from 10 AM–5 PM

For more information, visit the Irish Grown Wool Council’s website: https://bit.ly/euwoolexp

Groups of 10 or more can book in advance via ewd@ewe.network (subject: Group Visit).


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 content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Interactive Wool Crafts – European Wool Day in Tralee

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Promotional poster for 'Interactive Wool Crafts' event, featuring various wool crafts including felting, spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, and Lumra rug making. Details include the date, time, location at Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, and an invitation for individuals, families, and groups to attend.

On Saturday, the 28th of March, European Wool Day will take place at the Meadowlands Hotel in Tralee, Co Kerry. In conjunction with the Conference Talks, there is a full day of free interactive demos of woolcrafts from experts all over the country.

Volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will be part of the Interactive Wool Crafts Room. We will demonstrate needlefelting and host hands-on felting circles for the public. The wool that we will use is Irish-raised and was purchased from Ériu and WoolstoreIE. We are grateful to have received some funding from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.

In addition to Feltmakers Ireland, other individuals and groups will be part of the Interactive Wool Crafts room. The list includes several members of Feltmakers Ireland: Karen Bowden (Fabulous Fibres), Lucia Errity, and Emily Thompson.

The lineup, with links to their Instagram:

There will also be a free-to-attend exhibition of artwork from Feltmakers Ireland and two other sister textile organisations:

When: Saturday, the 28th of March, from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Where: Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, Co Kerry, V92DC83

For more information about European Wool Day, visit their website – https://ewe.network/ewd2026/

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: Feltmakers Ireland at Fibreshed Ireland’s Textile Market

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

By committee member Loli Cox

Loli and Margaret
Loli and Clodagh

On Saturday, the 22nd of November 2025, Feltmakers Ireland had the privilege of taking part in Fibreshed Ireland‘s first Textile Market, which was part of their annual Symposium held the day before.

Fibershed is a global movement that evolved from Rebecca Burgess and Courtney White’s 2019 book, ‘Fibreshed: Growing a Movement of Farmers, Fashion Activists, and Makers for a New Textile Economy.’ Weaver and natural dyer Burgess developed a project focused on wearing clothing made from fibre grown, woven, and sewn within her bioregion of North Central California. In Ireland, our fibreshed encompasses the whole island. The Fibershed movement champions local, regenerative fibre systems—connecting soil, plants, animals, and humans through transparent supply chains and bioregional textile practices.

At the Textile Market, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland set up a lively demonstration station where visitors could watch both wet felting and needle felting techniques. We talked passionately about the guild’s mission to keep traditional feltmaking skills alive, to celebrate Irish wool in all its glorious variety, and to foster creativity and community through this extraordinarily versatile material.

A special highlight was the chance to promote our beautiful book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’. Copies were available for sale alongside an array of handmade treasures: wet-felted vessels, pocket books and bags, bookmarks, greeting cards, whimsical wool pumpkins, and gnomes—every single piece made exclusively with Irish wool from a rainbow of native sheep breeds.

Visitors loved getting hands-on: touching fleece samples from rare and heritage breeds, feeling the different textures, and discovering how dramatically each type of wool felts. Our display of members’ artwork—landscape wall pieces, sculptures and wearable art—showed just how far this simple fibre can be pushed in skilled and imaginative hands.

A thank-you to the Fibreshed Ireland team for inviting us and for creating such a warm, inspiring event. We’re especially grateful to our own guild members, Margaret and Clodagh, who gave their time so generously and demonstrated with enthusiasm. Additionally, it was also a joy to spend the day alongside our fellow artisans who spin, naturally dye and process Irish wool with equal love and dedication. Vendors included guild members Katarina of WoolStore Ireland, who shared her beautifully processed Irish wool fibre and Juliane of FeltHappiness, who shared her sculptural hats.

Closeup of Woolstore Ireland table
Juliane at her table
Feltmakers Ireland members at the Textile Market. From left to right: Juliane, Loli, Margaret, Sam, and Katarina.

Gallery of Photos

Aga + Katja (plus, Anne O’Toole on the far right) at Sound of Spinning
Petra Skyvova and friend
Linda Costello offered info on business suports available to fibre creatives and farmers.
Charlie of Mallon Linen, Malu Colorin -co founder of Fibreshed Ireland, and Anne O’Toole
Malu and Anne O’Toole of KnitAran
Jessica Leonard – co founder of Fibreshed Ireland with the Soil Your Scarf display
Close up of Mallon Linen’s display

Apologies for not having photos of Liz of the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers spinning flax or Sandra of Irish Fibre Crafters.

Events like these remind us why we do what we do: to honour the sheep, the land, the makers, and the long story woven into every handful of fleece.

Feltmakers Ireland is already looking forward to the next chance to collaborate with Fibreshed Ireland —here’s to many more days of woolly connection!

Editor’s note: If you missed our book at the Textile Market, you can order it online via our website – https://feltmakersireland.com/exploring-irish-wool-for-feltmaking/

Our book

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.

Event: Fibreshed Ireland Syposium & Textile Market – This Friday & Saturday

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

On Friday, the 21st of November, Fibreshed Ireland will gather at The Richmond Education and Event Centre, Smithfield, for their annual Symposium to hear from growers and practitioners who work in line with Soil-to-Soil principles of circularity, compostability, and agroecology.

Speakers

● Jennifer & Tristan Lienhard of @appleoakfibreworks
● Katarina Hruskova of @woolstoreireland (Katarina is a member of Feltmakers Ireland!)
● @kathykirwan_theartofnature of the Flax 405 project
● Mary Ann Williams, editor of the book @textilesofireland
● Michelle McCabe, researcher exploring the connections between textile craft and wellbeing with ATU Sligo
● @ryankoenigstudio — 16th-century experimental textile archaeology about the knitted Ballybunion wool cap
● Sarah Babiker — Threads of Story: Woolcraft a Language & Memory between Ireland and the Arab World

Textile Market

Saturday will be an Open Day of craft demonstrations, workshops, shopping opportunities, and community building at Richmond Barracks, Inchicore, from 10 AM to 3:30 PM. Admission to the demonstrations and shopping is free, but each workshop requires a ticket.

Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate felting with Irish-raised wool!

Local fibres and textiles from a selection of Fibreshed Ireland members will be available: Included are two Feltmakers Ireland members –

  • Juliane Gorman of FeltHappiness will vend her Cyanotype-printed, Irish wool hats
  • Katarina Hruskova of WoolStore Ireland will vend locally raised wool that she has processed.

Workshops

● Upcycling workshop with Eimear Greaney (@upsew.ie), from 10 AM to 12:00 PM
● Aran knitting with @ryankoenigstudio, from 10 AM to 12:00 PM
● Weaving Circle with Lucy Hyland (@ourselfcarerevolution), from 1 to 3 PM
● Movement session for crafters with @aideen.macken, from 3:30 – 4:10 (FREE, with optional donations to support Fibreshed Ireland’s work)

Where: Dublin (different venues each day)

Optional social dinner in @fidelitydublin on Friday, the 22nd of November (book at checkout)

Discounts for students and Fibreshed Ireland members!

For more information and to reserve tickets, visit their website – https://fibreshedireland.ie/symposium-2025/

This event is part of Irish Design Week, & partly funded by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. https://www.dcci.ie/whats-on/irish-design-week-2025/

Recap: A Woolly Celebration: Feltmakers Ireland -Dublin Fibre Festival 2025

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

By Loli Cox, with additional reporting from Deirdre Carroll

On Saturday, the 18th of October 2025, Feltmakers Ireland took part in the Dublin Fibre Festival at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) in Dublin.

Opening at 10 AM, a queue formed at the door as excited visitors waited to enter the hall. Throughout the day, a steady stream of attendees arrived eager to view the various crafts, textile materials, and fibre artists on display. According to the festival’s organiser, Mira Isan, over 750 people attended the event.

The hall at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham at IMMA provided a stunning and inspiring backdrop, brought to life by the festival’s vibrant creativity and the presence of Feltmakers Ireland at its centre. Our two tables welcomed visitors to discover the captivating art of felting.

Felting Demonstrated

Siobhan and Irina
Eva, Kelly, Adrienne, and Loli

At our first table, skilled volunteers wove magic with their hands, demonstrating the arts of wet and needle felting. Using wool blended with other natural fibres, they transformed fluffy tufts into sturdy, vibrant fabric through rhythmic kneading and precise needlework. The gentle splash of water and the earthy aroma of wool filled the air, drawing onlookers into the tactile alchemy that binds fibre to form.

Irish Wool Displayed

Panel with samples of wet and needle-felted Irish-raised wool

Our second table was a tribute to Ireland’s pastoral legacy, showcasing ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’, the guild’s cherished book born from a 2021–2023 community research and wool sampling endeavour, which was led by our former treasurer Annika Berglund.

This lovingly crafted volume explores forty of the island’s sheep breeds, from the silken Cladóir to the hardy Galway, and details the wool’s textures and felting potential. It offers practical wisdom on sourcing, cleaning, and dyeing wool, alongside heartfelt stories of the shepherds who tend these flocks.

A large panel, adorned with felted wool samples, invited touch, revealing each breed’s distinct character—coarse, fine, or delightfully springy.

The festival buzzed with curious visitors, their eyes wide as they watched wool transform and their fingers itching to explore the tactile samples. Many lingered, asking about our guild’s mission to champion sustainable felting and the diverse sheep breeds grazing Ireland’s green hills. The wool samples were a revelation, turning abstract knowledge into a sensory journey as hands traced the difference between a Donegal Horn’s rugged locks and a Wicklow Cheviot’s delicate strands. Conversations flowed, stitching connections between craft, culture, and land.

Artwork Displayed

Eva and Kelly
Adrienne and Loli
Kelly’s samples and amazing tools

Nearby, Feltmakers Ireland members’ artwork sparkled: elegant scarves, cosy gloves, soft slippers, and intricate jewellery like necklaces, bracelets, brooches, and earrings. Whimsical creations also abounded—lush landscapes evoking misty hills, and three-dimensional treasures like cheeky gnomes, plump pumpkins, playful puppets, pea pods, embellished vessels, and mischievous seasonal figures of ghosts, witches, and black cats.

In Summary

The day was a triumph: Several copies of ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ found new homes, and a handful of inspired guests joined Feltmakers Ireland as members, eager to dive into this woolly world.

Members Exhibiting

In addition to the guild’s display at the Dublin Fibre Festival, four of our members were vendors at the event: Fiona Leech of @feltathome, Juliane Gorman of @felthappiness, Sandra Reynolds of @sandystitchedup, and Christine Jordan of @roughcirclestudio

  • Fiona
  • Juliane
  • Sandy
  • Christine’s display

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the Dublin Fibre Festival for including us in this year’s event. We greatly appreciate their efforts in making a fibre festival in Ireland a reality, as well as the help offered by their volunteers throughout the day.

Lastly, a heartfelt thanks to our volunteers—Eva, Kelly, and Siobhan —for their warm enthusiasm and skilful hands, and to committee members Adrienne, Deirdre, Irina, Loli, and Lorna, for their tireless work in sharing the beauty of felting. Together, they spun a day of learning and inspiration, celebrating the timeless craft born from Ireland’s woolly heart.

Join us next time at the Dublin Fibre Festival to explore felting’s endless possibilities!

Visit our website for –

Volunteers Lorna, Loli, Siobhan, Deirdre, and Irina

Event: Dublin Fibre Festival 2025 – This Saturday

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Poster for Dublin FIbre Festival 2025

Feltmakers Ireland and 40 other local textile exhibitors will be at the Dublin Fibre Festival THIS Saturday, the 18th of October. This is THE opportunity to touch yarn and fibres in person, attend textile workshops, and watch spinning, felting, and other fibre arts demonstrations! To see a taste of last year’s event, there’s this blog post – https://feltmakersireland.com/2024/10/29/recap-fantastic-day-at-the-dublin-fibre-festival/

The Map and Vendor List

We will be there!

Have you wanted to purchase a copy of Feltmakers Ireland’s book ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ but have not had the opportunity? Come to the Dublin fibre event of the year: The Dublin Fibre Festival. In addition, we will have several guild members demonstrating needle and wet felting. These include felting artists such as Eva Salamon @feltedvision and Irina Lampadova @irinalampadova1

  • When: 10 AM to 6 PM.

Feltmakers Ireland Members Exhibiting

Four guild members will be sharing their work –

Admission

Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

For more information, visit the Festival’s website – https://www.dublinfibrefestival.com/

Their Instagram – @dublinfibrefestival

Recap: Feltmakers Ireland at The Tullamore Show – 2025

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

By Elizabeth Redding

Poster of our book, 'Exploring Irish Wool for Felting' with sheep at the base. Next to that is a table with felted purses, and a backdrop of felted floral panel in pink.

This was our third year exhibiting and demonstrating at the Tullamore Show. The day started off misty, but soon cleared to a warm sunny day. As before, we were in the Craft tent. We got a large area, so we were able to set up a nice display of our five members’ work. We also had room for a needle felting demonstration and a wet felting demonstration, which we took turns in doing.

We had a great interest in both types of felting. Both young and old were fascinated by the
magic of wool turning into felt with just soap and water. Many questions were asked about
Feltmakers Ireland, what we do, where and when we meet.

As Tullamore Show hosts the All-Ireland finals in many categories, we had people from all over Ireland and further afield. All in all, it was a very enjoyable day, and the organiser of the Craft tent expressed a wish that we return next year!

Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Elizabeth Redding for coordinating Feltmakers Ireland’s event at the Tullamore Show. Additional thanks to the members who donated their time and shared their skills at the show: Belinda, Karen, Mary, and Caitríona. We truly appreciate your help!

Gallery of Photos

Of Interest: 4 Articles from the Felting and Fiber Studio

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Four recent blog posts from the Felting and Fiber Studio may be of interest to readers:

The first one is by Feltmakers Ireland member Hélène Dooley, who has written an article about her experiments with natural dyeing, using tea, pine cones, and the roots and bark of a plum tree. Of special interest is her experiment with felting WITHOUT soap! Instead, she used vinegar.

To learn more, visit her blog post at the Felting and Fiber Studio – https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2025/06/19/experimenting-with-household-garden-stuff-and-fibre/

As it is sunny outside in Ireland (today), it may be a good time for wool washing. Or not. If you are wondering how to wash MORE wool, TWO blog posts from the Felting and Fiber Studio may be of interest. Canadian feltmaker, Jan, explores creative ways to use agricultural equipment for washing larger volumes of wool fleece.

To learn more, visit these posts – https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2025/07/05/72651/ and this one https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2025/06/25/upgrading-my-fiber-prep-system/

The fourth article, also by Jan, is relatively recent, dated August 4. It is about demonstrating needle felting and includes invaluable tips on how to engage in conversations with the public. She even describes how, when working on 2D pictures, the application of wool can be similar to using traditional art supplies such as pastel, watercolour, or acrylic paint. You will also have a laugh, as she writes in a humorous style.

To read this post, visit here – https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2025/08/04/demoing-felting-question-how-dose-that-work/

Note: You can ‘subscribe’ to the Felting and Fiber Studio’s blog in order not to miss any posts. Just like our website, there is a sidebar with a box to enter your email address.

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.