On the 19th and 20th of August, The Wicklow Craft Foundation (WCF) has an inaugural event which includes an exhibition comprised of multiple craft disciplines. It is taking place at The Schoolhouse for Art in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow.
In addition, craftspeople will be on-site to demonstrate their skills and share their expertise.
Feltmakers Ireland member Sharon Wells will demonstrate landscape felting, spinning, and dyeing. She will have samples of many types of Irish wool fibre from sheep farms all over Ireland. You can see Galway, Cheviot, Wensleydale, Jacobs, Welsh mule, Kerry Hill, Charollais, Shetland, Zwartbles or Valais samples. She will discuss their uses in felting and/or spinning. Some are for sale on the day.
Demonstrations will be live-streamed via the WCF website for those who cannot attend in person. For further information and access to the live-stream, please visit http://www.wicklowcraftfoundation.ie
Claire Merry will bring along some samples from her vast collection to show us and do a short presentation. It’s definitely not one to miss. Claire has a wealth of experience, and it goes without saying that her work is truly amazing. (There is a nice interview with Claire on our Feltmakers Ireland website).
Upcoming Exhibition
We will also launch our new exhibition, “Bountiful”, which will open at the beginning of October.
We will have a discussion and a mind mapping session about the meaning of the word “bountiful” and talk briefly about framing etc. (In the autumn, there will be a future Sunday Session dealing with framing and hanging our felt work.)
So hope to see a big turnout for our last session (before the summer break).
This may be of interest to Feltmakers Ireland members/followers:
Nicola Brown and Dawn Edwards warmly invite you to participate in this year’s Felt United theme, ‘Changing Seasons, ’ through the sharing of your felt images pertaining to the theme.
The allure of nature’s changing seasons offers an endless source of inspiration…From the vibrant hues of autumn leaves to the delicate blossoms of spring, each season brings its unique magic and transformation.
Felt United is celebrated on the first Saturday in October, so this year, that falls on October 7, 2023.
Please feel free to interpret the theme in any way that you wish. We are requesting that you please include a short statement along with your photo(s). It’s always interesting for our members to hear from the artist regarding the thinking that goes into making their creations.
We look forward to seeing your felt submissions, and you may begin submitting your images as soon as your felt creation is complete.
Let your imagination bloom and embrace the enchantment of the ‘Changing Seasons’ through your felt art!
As usual, we parked miles away from our stand in the DCCI’s Irish Craft Village, which was right in the middle of the festival. But thanks to Marian for lending a special, large-wheel cart, we only had one journey from the car.
The ladies who did the morning session finished in time for us to set up for our stint from 2-5 PM. Feltmakers Ireland committee head, Deirdre Carroll, is an amazing helper! She put up my many poster samples of Nuno Felting on the walls – that was the topic for my demonstration!
Nunofelting Samples
I chose to create a beret as I had a few of them to show off, and besides, our table layout area was small. I brought a few wraps to show as there were two mannikins. In addition, Juliane’s hats, our book sales section, and the number of us there occupied much of the allotted area.
Clare Brophy demonstrating.
Seeing some visitors purchase our book – ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ was gratifying, and there was huge interest in what Adrienne and I were making.
Annika Berglund discussing Irish Wool for Feltmaking.
Adrienne made small flowers— perfect for the space. She was a genius at luring in the children, when their mums or dads were interested in what I was doing. She had an amazing quiet way of getting the kids to join in by inviting them to add their favourite colours and manipulate the fibres into felt. They loved it! Future Feltmakers in the making!
Adrienne Dempsey demonstrated feltmaking with some children.
Somewhere along the way, I realised I had left my lovely cut-out Margilan silk beret circles at home on my kitchen table, so Nuno was not to be, but a wool-only beret! I gradually laid out the fibre, chatting away to the visitors, slowly wet it down, still chatting! Added Tussah silk for embellishment, while answering questions and explaining the process, each time to new groups. I turned it over and slowly laid the reverse side, explaining all about resists.
The very interested visitors came from everywhere! At least three or four groups were from Newry, Antrim, and Belfast. Another group from Tralee made it a two-day trip to Dublin. Many were from Louth, Kildare, and the Midlands. I was quite surprised and delighted to find younger people, often couples, with the gentleman just as interested in the process as the lady.
I spoke to many about our research project —our book— but personally didn’t manage any sales!
After a solid three hours in the heat and the crowds, I was tired but very happy with how the day went.
While dismantling the stand from Feltmakers in preparation for the next Guild tomorrow (The Irish Patchwork Society), I had a great chat with Catherine Gray, the DCCI’s coordinator at BLOOM. She and I share the same love for our Roscommon/Leitrim haven and even share some friends and acquaintances. Her textile landscapes are displayed at the Leitrim Design House in Carrick-On-Shannon, which I regularly visit. She is a most supportive DCCI person!
Thank you, Feltmakers Ireland, for accepting the invitation and giving us this great exposure to the broader public. Hopefully, we may get more members out of it.
Particular thanks to Deirdre Carroll, Adrienne Dempsey, Juliane Gorman, Annika Berglund, and Deirdre Crofts, who made this a special day
Clare Brophy June2023
Editor’s note: Thank you also to the following Feltmakers Ireland members who volunteered at other shifts on our rota: Elaine Peden, Lorna Cady, Marian Fagen, Tamzen Lundy, Claire Merry, Marie Dunne, and Fiona Leech.
A Gallery of photographs of almost all of the members who volunteered during our two days at Bloom.
Annika, Claire, and TamzenFionaJulianeMarie and FionaTamzen and the boothAnother angleClaire’s Dress and Juliane’s HatsAnnika and Claire’s workAdrienne demonstratingAnnika speaking about the bookAnnika and ElaineAnnika, Elaine, and LornaClaire and DeirdreBack view of the boothA full boothMarian helping outNuno felt examplesNuno felt examplesNuno felt examples
Claire Merry will bring along some samples from her vast collection to show us and do a short presentation. It’s definitely not one to miss. Claire has a wealth of experience, and it goes without saying that her work is truly amazing. (There is a nice interview with Claire, here on the Feltmakers Ireland website).
We will also launch our new exhibition, “Bountiful”, which will open at the beginning of October.
We will have a discussion and a mind mapping session about the meaning of the word “bountiful” and talk briefly about framing etc. (In the autumn, there will be a future Sunday Session dealing with framing and hanging our felt work.)
So hope to see a big turnout for our last session (before the summer break).
This Friday and Saturday (the 2nd and 3rd of June, 2023), Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate various feltmaking techniques. We will be sharing at Bloom from 11 AM to 5 PM on these two days. (The event runs from the 1st through the 5th of June).
Please be ready to sell the book and hand out business cards for potential guild members.
Please be ready to talk about feltmaking. Demonstrations are welcome!
You are welcome to display your own felted works on the walls.
If desired, you can sell your felted works.
If you have hands-on activities, you can charge for kits.
Volunteer shifts will be for three-hour blocks: from 11 AM to 2 PM and 2 PM to 5 PM.
We will need two demonstrators and one helper per shift.
Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your shift in order to have time to set up.
Note: We will not be able to drive to our spot at Bloom. People must transport their work and equipment by foot from the car park. Cars are only allowed during the first and last day of the event. Along with the usual public transport, there will be a free shuttle from Heuston Station to Bloom.
On the 11th of March, several members of Feltmakers Ireland went to the Newmarket Town Hall in Co Kildare to participate in Wool – The Legacy of St Brigid. The event was organised by Deirdre Lane of Shamrock Spring, with assistance from the AONTAS Adult Learners Festival.
The Irish Wool Book
Member, Annika Berglund, showed felted samples of Irish-grown wool, which will be featured in the upcoming book, Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking. The book covers the best Irish wool breeds for feltmaking. Includes sections on sourcing, preparing, and dyeing wool at home using simple ingredients.
Annika with the book’s felted samples and Fiona and Deirdre demonstrating feltmaking
Additionally, Annika was part of the afternoon speakers’ panel at Wool: Legacy of St Brigid.
Further members’ contributions came from Feltmakers Ireland members Fiona Leech and Deirdre Crofts, who demonstrated feltmaking, while Juliane Gorman demonstrated felting hats with Irish-grown wool.
Now on Video!
The Video
During the event in Newbridge, there was a professional crew filming the day’s happenings. A short excellent video of Wool: The Legacy of St Brigid can be seen at the EWE Foundation‘s European Wool Day, which was on the 9th of April. This year it happened in Serbia.
The entire day’s event of EWE can be watched HERE. Note: there are initial technical difficulties with the audio. However, our section from Newbridge, Wool: The Legacy of St Brigid, happens HERE and is EXCELLENT!
Many thanks to all who braved the rain to learn more about wool. Again, huge thanks to Deirdre Lane of Shamrock Spring for organising the event.
Feltmakers Ireland 