A dedicated team of Feltmakers Ireland members will be in the Tullamore Show’s Crafts Tent to demonstrate the wonders of felting.
Tullamore Show & FBD National Livestock Show is Ireland’s premier agricultural event. Every year, it attracts the best cattle, sheep, and equine breeders from all over the country, as well as entrants for its other 1,000-plus competitions, with a total prize fund of €175,000.
It is Ireland’s largest one-day show, attracting an average of 60,000 visitors in recent years. The show features 700 trade stands from the agri sector, home Industries, farm produce, innovation, forestry, agri machinery, and more.
When: the 10th of August, 2025, from noon to 5 PM.
Where: In the Craft Tent at the Butterfield Estate, Blueball, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland.
The Tullamore Show is accessible by public transportation, with a complimentary shuttle bus service available to and from the showgrounds.
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.
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Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.
The Bandon Walled Town Festival holds its annual Family Heritage Fun Day on Sunday, the 24th of August, and is seeking makers to demonstrate the heritage skill of felting. This event is part of National Heritage Week.
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.
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Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation 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.
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.
On Saturday, the 26th of September, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland shared feltmaking with visitors to the Dublin Fibre Festival. We increased awareness of our guild, demonstrated feltmaking (wet and needlefelting), sold many copies of our book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’, and sold felted pieces created by some of our volunteers.
We were so busy at times that you could barely see our table!
It was a fantastic day! Many thanks to indie yarn designer Mira Isan, the Dublin Fibre Festival’s organiser, for seeing the need for a Dublin-based textile event and for her skills in pulling off this endeavour! Also, thank you to committee member Adrienne Dempsey for organising our two tables and volunteers. Additional thanks to our volunteers: From A-Z, Lorna Cady, Deirdre Carroll, Loli Cox, Sam Fagan, Irina Lampadova, and Evija Mezaka.
Our Book
Here is a photograph of Adrienne sharing ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ with Ann Gunning of Beechwood Blues Texel Sheep – her wool is in the book!
Adrienne and Ann Gunning
Our Display
Here are some of the many photographs from the lovely experience.
All ready!
Adrienne, Loli, and Irina
Sam sharing the craic with Eva
Sam and Eva
Adrienne
Deirdre
Eva and Lorna
Loli wearing a felted neckpiece
More display
Adrienne with display
Loli with a happy customer
Loli with her needlefelted work
Our Members with Stalls
Two members of Feltmakers Ireland also participated at the Dublin Fibre Festival: Sandra King from Irish Fibre Crafters and Juliane Gorman from FeltHappiness Hats.
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.
This Saturday, the 26th of October, a group of volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will share the miracle of feltmaking and our excellent book,‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ at the Dublin Fibre Festival!
The festival’s inaugural edition will bring together fibre fans, artisans, and exhibitors for a day of creativity, inspiration, and community.
Some of our members will also be exhibiting and vending at the show: Irish Fibre Crafters (Sandra King) and FeltHappiness (Juliane Gorman). In addition, our friends from Fibreshed Ireland (co-founder Malú Colorín spoke at our AGM in May), will sell undyed and naturally dyed 100% Irish wool yarn, and knit kits. They will also sell tickets to their upcoming symposium – ‘Reimagining Textiles for an Equitable Future’, one of the exciting events scheduled during Irish Design Week in November.
Tickets to the Dublin Fibre Festival are available at the door via cash or card: 10 euros, free for children under 12 and disabled people.
Where: Richmond Barracks, Inchicore, Dublin 08
When: 10 AM – 5 PM, Saturday, the 26th of October.
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.
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Have you wanted to purchase a copy of Feltmakers Ireland’s book ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’but not had the opportunity? Come to the Dublin fibre event of the year: The Dublin Fibre Festival.
Feltmakers Ireland and almost 30 other local textile exhibitors will be at the Dublin Fibre Festival on Saturday, the 26th of October. This is THE opportunity to touch yarn and fibres in person and watch spinning, felting, and other fibre arts demonstrations!
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 share the wonders of wet and needle felting at the Dublin Fibre Festival on the 26th of October, from 10 AM to 5 PM. In addition to demonstrating felting, we will sell copies of our book, Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking, and a selection of felted artworks created by members.
In addition to our organisation, almost thirty other exhibitors and vendors will be present, including Feltmakers Ireland’s guild members Juliane Gorman of FeltHappiness Hats and Sandra King of Irish Fibre Crafters.
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 Tullamore Show 2024, Butterfield Estate, Blueball, Tullamore, Co Offaly
By Guild Member Margaret Ryan Collins
This summer, Sunday, the 11th of August was the date for The Tullamore Show, Ireland’s largest one-day agricultural event. Over 60,000 people attended this year.
This premier Livestock show, which featured the best cattle, sheep, and equine breeders from all over the country, also had about 700 trade stands from agri sectors, Home Industries, Farm produce, etc., to name a few, along with many interested and interesting visitors of all ages.
Feltmakers Ireland was delighted to be afforded a 12 m (approx) stand in the Craft and Needlework Marquee. Here, we displayed a wide variety of quality felted items, large and small. During the day, we demonstrated how felting is achieved, both wet felting and needle felting; we discussed its history, its wonder and magic, its sustainable elements, our wonderfully informative book ‘Exploring Irish Wool For Feltmaking ‘, the guild itself, and many more topics. Visitors got to touch and feel the wool fibre and the completed felt and asked a wonderful variety of questions.
All in all, an interesting and enjoyable day was had, with felting and Feltmakers Ireland well promoted.
Thanks to Elizabeth Redding for organising and leading the group and to Phill at The Tullamore Show for her assistance.
Some of Elizabeth Redding’s photos –
Note: the orange netting was placed before all the Craft and Needlework tables.
A selection of felted art work – including needle and wet felted.
The netting was to protect the work.
More felted art work – Guild member Evija Mezaka in the background.
Some of Margaret Ryan’s photos –
Samples of felted art works.
Guild Members Hélène Dooley, Caitríona, Nolan, and Margaret Ryan Collins
More felted art work.
Ruffled scarves
Organiser Elizabeth Redding with volunteer Hélène Dooley.
Stained Glass Technique – Feltmaking
Some of Sam Fagan’s Photos
Our book, Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking, some bookmarks, and membership brochures.
The floral banner we made for our 20th Anniversary Celebration
More felted art work.
Blue Faced Leicester Sheep at Tullamore
Valais Blacknose Sheep at Tullamore
More Sheep!
Scotch Blackface Sheep
Visitors at Tullamore
Guild members Evija Mezaka and Hélène Dooley
Another angle…
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 hosting the event.
A dedicated team of Feltmakers Ireland members will be in the Tullamore Show’s Crafts Tent to demonstrate the wonders of felting.
Tullamore Show & FBD National Livestock Show is Ireland’s premier agricultural event. Every year, it attracts the best cattle, sheep, and equine breeders from all over the country, as well as entrants for its other 1,000-plus competitions, with a total prize fund of €175,000.
It is Ireland’s largest one-day show, averaging 60,000 visitors in recent years. The show features 700 trade stands from Agri Sectors, Home Industries, Farm Produce, Innovation, Forestry, Agri Machinery, and more.
When: the 11th of August, 2024, from noon to 5 PM.
Where: In the Craft Tent at the Butterfield Estate, Blueball, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland.
The Tullamore Show is served by public transit, with a free shuttle bus service to and from the show grounds.
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.
