Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate the craft of feltmaking at the annual Tullamore Show. A dedicated team of members will share the wonders of wet and needle felting with visitors.
From farming enthusiasts to fashion followers, competitive contestants to crafters, and motor, music, shoe, and shopping fans, the Tullamore Show offers a great day out for the whole family.
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.
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 member Maria Mc Garry facilitated a very exciting Sunday session.
Maria’s Artistic Background
Maria’s presentation began with a description of her artistic journey through a wide variety of courses with various artists from Ireland and away. She began this journey in Brussels with quilting, joining the Quilters Guild when she returned to Ireland. She proceeded to study free-motion embroidery with Ana Buzzalino. While studying art and psychology via the Vocational Training and Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), she explored the stained-glass effect and found the medium of FELT. Following a visit to the Feltmakers Ireland stand at the RDS Knitting and Stitching Show in 2010, Maria joined our guild. Then, she enrolled for the guild’s Basic and Beyond Course and was “completely hooked!”.
Maria’s work has been displayed at Feltmakers Ireland Exhibitions, as well as in exhibitions by Laois Quilters, Mountamellick Library, Stradbally Art House, Electric Picnic, and the Tullamore Show.
She brought her work to a wide selection of markets in the early days of her felting, but would say that cheaper goods are now in greater demand.
After a coffee break, Maria demonstrated a ruffled scarf-making technique she learned from Lena Archbold’s online course.
Maria Demonstrating
Photo by Adrienne DempseyPhoto by Adrienne Dempsey
Maria brought a wide range of samples of her work, which we examined and admired. She answered questions and explained techniques.
Two of Maria’s Felted Scarves
Maria brought several of her felted scarves in to share. Guild member Deirdre Crofts kindly modelled them to an appreciative audience.
Maria’s Scarf – Photo by Adrienne DempseyMaria’s Scarf – Photo by Adrienne Dempsey
Two of Maria’s Art Quilts
Art Quilt by Maria Mc Garry – Photo by Breda FayArt Quilt by Maria Mc Garry – Photo by Breda Fay
More of Maria’s Work
Suppliers
Maria often purchases silk scarf blanks from the Spanish supplier SodinTex. For Margilan silk, she purchases from suppliers in Eastern Europe via Etsy. She mentions that it is best to dye after nunofelting because the silk shrinks during dyeing.
Another great Sunday Session – thank you, Maria, for sharing your journey with the guild!
Thank you, Breda, for writing and photographing this blog post. We also want to express our appreciation to Adrienne Dempsey, who took some of the photographs at our June Sunday Session, held at the Fatima Community Centre.
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.
Over the June Bank holiday, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland spent two days at the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s Irish Craft Village within Bord Bia’s Bloom 2024 in Phonix Park. Our volunteers shared the wonders of transforming fluff into felt.
Irish Craft Village Sign – Photo by Sam Fagan
Most of all, Feltmakers Ireland wants to thank theDesign and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) for giving us such an excellent marquee and display opportunity in the Craft’s Demonstration Booth at Bloom. We especially want to thank Geraldine Gray (of the DCCI ) and her sister Catherine for their support, helpfulness, and friendship on-site over the two days.
The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s Irish Craft Village – Photo by Sam Fagan
Our Booth
The public enjoyed watching volunteers show how to wet felt and needle-felt.
The photo on the left is early in the day – Photo by Loli Cox. The one on the right shows how popular our booth was – Photo by Sam Fagan.
Annika with samples of Irish Wool Breeds – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Irish Wool Breed Felted Samples – Photo by Sam Fagan
Annika’s 3D fish and butterflies attracted much interest, as did other artworks on display.
Fishes and Butterfhly – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
3D Butterflies by Annika Berglund – Photo by Sam Fagan
Hélène Dooley’s spiral in the foregraound.
A busy booth – Photo by Hélène Dooley
Tamzen Lundy demonstrated wet feltmaking by creating a Mr Fantastic Fox. Her cute, wee-felted animals on display are terrific. You can find her work at Tamzen Lundy Designs.
Tamzen promoting wet feltmaking. (See below)
Tamzen demonstrating
Tamzen chatting with the public – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Marian Fagan demonstrated needle felting and how she makes puppets of the various characters in children’s books for her granddaughter as they share the joy of reading. (See photo below).
Marian demonstrating feltmaking – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Loli Cox, Marian, and Annika were busy demonstrating.
Loli, Marian, and Annika talking with the public – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
In the afternoon, Joanne Foley (in the yellow dress) demonstrated the process of creating her animal portraits. (See photograph below).
More sharing of feltmaking at Bloom – Joanne Foley, Lorna Cady, Margaret Ryan Collings, and Annika Berglund – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Guild member Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt exhibited her beautiful work in the main pavilion with MeathMade. (See below).
Caoimhe Tuthill at the MeathMade Booth – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Day 2
Saturday was busy, and Hélène Dooley started us off by demonstrating wet felting flowers and displaying her felted vessels. The red-coloured, hanging felted spiral is from an online class she teaches at the Felting and Fiber Studio. (See photo below).
Helene demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Hélène demonstrated and answered curious questions.
Hélène, Lory Cotti Cottini, and Annika demonstrating, below. Annika promoted Feltmakers Ireland and encouraged the interested public to become members of the guild.
Helene, Lory, and Annika sharing the wonders of feltmaking – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Siobhan Ryan, Sam Fagan, Elaine Peden, and Annika at Bloom.
Siobhan, Sam, Elaine, and Annika demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Elain Peden demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Elaine and Annika share feltmaking with the public. (Below).
Elaine and Annika – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Siobhan demonstrates her unique artwork.
Siobhan demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Valerie Nowak O’Ceallaigh shared her needle-felted horse portrait.
Photo by Valerie
Conclusion
Many thanks to Maria Mc Garry and Annika Berglund for coordinating this year’s Feltmakers Ireland booth at Bloom! Also, thanks to all the members, who also volunteered their time during the busy bank holiday weekend.
Elaine, Annika, and Maria pictured – Photo by Sam Fagan
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.
Sunday Session – 9th of June – Maria Mc Garry NEW LOCATION
Guild member Maria Mc Garry from Co Laois, will give a show-and-tell of her experiences with working with galleries and selling at markets. She will also demonstrate how to make a ruffle felted scarf.
Fatima Community Centre Herberton Leisure 3 Reuben Plaza, Rialto, Dublin 8, D08 PV0H
Directions from the Red Line LUAS
Get off at Fatima Luas stop (Red Line) and walk to a set of traffic lights.
Google Maps directions from the Red Line LUAS Stop.
View from the LUAS
View of the LUAS Stop from across the street. Photos kindly provided by Adrienne Dempsey.
Cross at the traffic lights, walk straight ahead, and take the first right onto Reuben Plaza. You will then see the Herberton gym.
Cross at the traffic light.Photo of the Herberton Gym and the Arch Cafe on the corner.
Walk by the Herberton Gym and the Arch Cafe, then turn left. F2 Centre is located beside the green space/kids’ play area.
Where You Enter the Building
The entrance of the F2 Fatima Community Centre.
Parking
There is free street parking along St Anthony’s Road, which leads up to the F2 building. Parking is also available on Reuben Walk and Reuben Street, which surround the building.
Two disabled parking spots are at the top of St Anthony’s Road, leading onto Reuben Plaza and the F2 Centre.
Photo of the two disabled parking spots on St Anthony’s Road.
Additional Information
A Sunday Session like this will require lots of tea/ coffee/cake and chat, so there’ll be an abundance of that. Of course, homebakes are always welcome! There is the usual 5 euro fee.
On Friday, the 7th of June, the Guild will email members a Zoom Link for virtual access and also include a phone number to call for those who need help finding the Centre on the day of the event.
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.
Sunday Session – 9th of June – Maria Mc Garry NEW LOCATION
Guild member Maria Mc Garry from Co Laois will give a show-and-tell of her experiences with working with galleries and selling at markets. She will also demonstrate how to make a ruffle felted scarf.
Fatima Community Centre Herberton Leisure 3 Reuben Plaza, Rialto, Dublin 8, D08 PV0H
Directions from the Red Line LUAS
Get off at Fatima Luas stop (Red Line) and walk to a set of traffic lights.
Google Maps directions from the Red Line LUAS Stop.
View from the LUAS
View of the LUAS Stop from across the street. Photos kindly provided by Adrienne Dempsey.
Cross at the traffic lights, walk straight ahead, and take the first right onto Reuben Plaza. You will then see the Herberton gym.
Cross at the traffic light.Photo of the Herberton Gym and the Arch Cafe on the corner.
Walk by the Herberton Gym and the Arch Cafe, then turn left. F2 Centre is located beside the green space/kids’ play area.
Where You Enter the Building
The entrance of the F2 Fatima Community Centre.
Parking
There is free street parking along St Anthony’s Road, which leads up to the F2 building. Parking is also available on Reuben Walk and Reuben Street, which surround the building.
Two disabled parking spots are at the top of St Anthony’s Road, leading onto Reuben Plaza and the F2 Centre.
Photo of the two disabled parking spots on St Anthony’s Road.
Additional Information
A Sunday Session like this will require lots of tea/ coffee/cake and chat, so there’ll be an abundance of that. Of course, homebakes are always welcome! There is the usual 5 euro fee.
On Friday, the 7th of June, the Guild will email members a Zoom Link for virtual access, and we will also include a phone number to call if they need help finding the Centre on the event day.
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.
Volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will be demonstrating wet and needlefelting at Bloom 2024. Stop by and say ‘hello’, see the magic of feltmaking, learn about our Wool Project, and purchase our book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’.
Where: We will be in the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s ‘Irish Craft Village’ in the YELLOW section, area 26, in the GANS Crafts Demonstration booth.
When: The Guild will be in the booth on Friday, the 31st of May, and Saturday, the 1st of June, from 11 AM to 5 PM. (Bloom runs from the 30th of May to the 3rd of June).
Note: we will be closer to the Red Car Park.
There will be free shuttle buses from Heuston Station.
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.
Sunday Session – 9th of June – Maria Mc Garry NEW LOCATION
Feltmakers Ireland’s June Sunday Session features guild member Maria Mc Garry from Co Laois. Maria will give a show-and-tell of her experiences with working with galleries and selling at markets. She will also demonstrate how to make a ruffle felted scarf.
Fatima Community Centre Herberton Leisure 3 Reuben Plaza, Rialto, Dublin 8, D08 PV0H
Directions from the Red Line LUAS
Get off at Fatima Luas stop (Red Line) and walk to a set of traffic lights.
Google Maps directions from the Red Line LUAS Stop.
View from the LUAS
View of the LUAS Stop from across the street. Photos kindly provided by Adrienne Dempsey.
Cross at the traffic lights, walk straight ahead, and take the first right onto Reuben Plaza. You will then see the Herberton gym.
Cross at the traffic light.Photo of the Herberton Gym and the Arch Cafe on the corner.
Walk by the Herberton Gym and the Arch Cafe, then turn left. F2 Centre is located beside the green space/kids’ play area.
Where You Enter the Building
The entrance of the F2 Fatima Community Centre.
Parking
There is free street parking along St Anthony’s Road, which leads up to the F2 building. Parking is also available on Reuben Walk and Reuben Street, which surround the building.
Two disabled parking spots are at the top of St Anthony’s Road, leading onto Reuben Plaza and the F2 Centre.
Photo of the two disabled parking spots on St Anthony’s Road.
On Friday, the 7th of June, the Guild will email members a Zoom Link for virtual access and also include a phone number to call if they need help finding the Centre on the day of the event.
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.
It’s THAT time of year – time to renew your Feltmakers Ireland membership. Your membership is valid for a calendar year – from January to December of each year.
Membership perks include the following:
Attending our monthly Sunday Sessions.
Being eligible to participate in our yearly exhibition.
Having your classes listed on our Resources Page.
Having your exhibitions, courses, and other news* shared on our blog and social media.
Being part of the welcoming Feltmakers Ireland community!
*We aim to be inclusive and share all members’ news. However, due to time constraints, we may be unable to share all events. We are an all-volunteer organisation.Please send your news to feltmakersIE@gmail.com
The Irish Grown Wool Council, established in April 2023, will be hosting a marquee at the Dingle Food Festival this Saturday, the 30th and Sunday the 1st, in association with local Primary Producer Farmers.
They would like a member of Feltmakers Ireland to demonstrate feltmaking to the Food Festival’s visitors. They will also be selling copies of the Guild’s recently published book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’. {See the bottom of this post for contact details}.
The Irish Grown Wool Council’s VISION is: “Bringing Wool stakeholders across the Island of Ireland together to realise the potential of wool as a natural, sustainable and versatile material, by building on its rich heritage, enhancing understanding and appreciation of the characteristics of Irish Grown Wool, facilitating collaboration in product/market research and ultimately applying innovative product solutions to address current challenges and create future opportunities.”
The Wool Council will have various displays on wool products ranging from beautiful textiles handcrafted by local artists, right through to Wool Insulation, which is made using waste wool as part of our circular bio-economy drive under our sustainability slogan – “Waste is a resource in the correct hands”.
The Dingle Hub, represented by Dinny Galvin, will be doing a display and talk on how, if we had a Biodigester on the Dingle Peninsula or elsewhere in Kerry Irish wool could be scoured locally at scale. Wastewater from washing could be a valuable feedstock for the Biodigester. The UCC team investigating the use of wastewater from a mooted local scouring plant in a biodigester will also attend.
If you are in Dingle for the food festival, call in at the marquee to see our products and meet the makers. Stay for a discussion on how we may develop the wool industry and hopefully get farmers a better price for our wool.
The marquee (stall 56), is based in Orchard Lane, beside Jerry Kennedy Butchers.
For and on behalf of the Irish Grown Wool Council,
