EARTH RISING at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) is a three-day festival where art meets activism and offers visitors a unique opportunity to engage with our time’s most pressing environmental issues. Over the weekend, EARTH RISING will present a diverse range of eco-themed installations and exhibitions, workshops, screenings, and thought-provoking discussions that invite participants to reflect on their role in the global climate movement.
All events and experiences at EARTH RISING are free of charge; the festival is drop-in and accessible to all. Spaces for talks and workshops are allocated on a first-come basis. Some workshops require booking, and ticket links can be found on the festival app on the workshop event page.
Fibreshed Ireland will offer short workshops, demonstrations, and talks throughout the event. From Seeds to Textile Sovereignty is an interactive space that will help festival-goers visualise and understand how seeds turn into textiles and why agrobiodiversity is key in this process.
When: Friday, the 20th through the Sunday, the 22nd of September.
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.
Chairperson Deirdre Carroll speaking about the Guild’s achievements.
As so MUCH happened at our recent AGM, this will be a two-part blog post! Here is the first one.
On Sunday, the 12th of May, Feltmakers Ireland marked a significant milestone, celebrating its 21st year as an organisation. Twenty-seven members attended this AGM in person, with an additional five joining via Zoom link. Our founder, President Elizabeth Bonnar, was also in attendance.
First, Deirdre Carroll, our Chairperson, went over the Guild’s many accomplishments for the past year, which included the following activities and events:
Our AGM celebrating our 20th Anniversary of founding by our president, Elizabeth Bonnar,
Creating a Floral Banner to celebrate our 20th.
Publishing our long-researched book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’,
Sharing our love of feltmaking at public events such as Bloom, the Tullamore Show and Dublin Maker,
Hosting an Open Day as part of August Craft Month/Heritage Week Ireland.
Our month-long exhibition in October 20203 of ‘Bountiful’ at the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre gallery, which was opened by Minister Pippa Hackett.
Several hands-on events, including Sharon Well’s needle felting a winter scene, Deirdre Crofts’ felting elf booties, Annika Berglund’s Fine Felt, and Juliane Gorman’s Nunofelted cowl.
In the past year, our Sunday Sessions also included learning about the feltmaking journeys of members Elaine Peden and Claire Merry.
Next, Lorna Cady, our Secretary, went over the Guild’s upcoming events, which include the following:
Our exhibition at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre Galery, which runs until the 26th of May,
Demonstrating feltmaking on the 31st of May and the 1st of June at Bloom,
Guild member Maria McGarry sharing her feltmaking journey at our June Sunday Session,
A booth at the Tullamore Show on the 11th of August,
Our Open Day as part of August Craft Month/Heritage Ireland,
Our workshop in October with international tutor Judit Pocs.
Annika Berglund, our Treasurer, presented a comprehensive report on the guild’s finances, reassuring us that all is well in that department. This is a testament to our members’ continued support and our prudent financial management.
Then, Annika detailed the finances related to our book, Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking, which we published last year. We continue receiving orders for the book and will soon cover our publishing expenses.
Chair Deirdre Carroll spoke about the new Code of Conduct and Ethics, which the members voted to approve.
Appreciations
Then, Annika recognised the much-appreciated work of the three committee members who are stepping down:
Membership secretary Fiona Leech for serving us so well AND keeping us in cuppas and cakes,
Marian Fagan for bringing her knowledge and resources,
and lastly, Valerie Nowak o’ceallaigh, who had only recently stepped in, for her enthusiasm.
Three guild members, Suzanne Phelan, Sam Fagan, and Loli Cox, have offered to serve on the committee. We are so very appreciative of these members for putting themselves forward. We will have confirmations at the next committee session in June.
Guest Speaker
One of the highlights of our AGM was our guest speaker, Malú Colorín, co-founder of Fibreshed Ireland and owner of Talu Earth. She shared her journey working with textiles and colour and the projects that she has been involved in.
Malú Colorín with a slide showing her contribution to the Galway Wool Co-op’s Meitheal. Photo by Sam Fagan
Fibershed Ireland
Just as a watershed collects its water locally, the Fibershed Movement takes its inspiration from wearing clothing made with locally grown natural fibres, dyed locally and made with local labour. Founded in 2009 in California by Rebecca Burgess, there are now over 65 regional organisations worldwide. Fibreshed Ireland seeks to create collaborations and links between farmers and designers throughout Ireland. Their website has an interactive map showing the farmers, processors, designers, and makers who are part of Ireland’s fibre network. You can find the map HERE – https://fibreshedireland.ie/projects/fibre-networks-map/
Map showing locations of designers, makers, farmers, and processors throughout all of Ireland.
Malú spoke about Fibreshed Ireland’s achievements and goals; one of the latter is that the organisation wants to have a verification system for farms that use environmentally regenerative methods in the next five years.
Additionally, she shared her warm humour and practical wisdom that making needs to be an iterative process and that “Perfect is the Enemy of Good”.
The above slide struck a chord with several members who have also faced the challenges of creating a business with feltmaking, which, like most textile-making, is not a speedy technique. We tend to feel like we need to work faster or more efficiently, but as she says, “We Need to Change the Model”.
Malú also shared information about her business, Talú Earth, which has a lovely motto – ‘From Seed to Second Skin’. Via Talú Earth, she offers a natural dyeing service, sells naturally dyed wearables, and teaches workshops in person. An upcoming one is ‘Flavours, Stories and Colour’, which is happening soon – on the 23rd of May. Click here for more information – https://www.fonditamestiza.com/dyeworkshop
Additionally, she is organising the ‘Archipelago Festival of Colour’ in Antrim, on the 27th and 28th of July. It will be “An immersive weekend celebration of all things natural colour! This intimate festival is the first of its kind in Ireland and the UK, dedicated entirely to natural dyes, pigments, and inks, honouring the Land that provides them.”
Samples of her Work
Samples from her Dye Notebooks
Cochineal Samples
Naturally Dyed Yarns
Large Naturally Dyed Sample Cards
As you can see from the photographs above, a wide range of colours are available via natural dyeing.
A warm thank you to Malú Colorín for being such an inspiring guest speaker at our AGM 2024. Also, a special thank you to the committee for all of its work in setting up the AGM.
Part two of this two-part recap will be tomorrow.
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.
This Saturday, the 20th of April, as part of Fashion Revolution‘s #MendInPublicDay campaign, Kim O’Driscoll from Project Prolong is organizing an event in Wolfe Tone Square, Dublin 1, from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM.
Bring blankets to sit on, some mending material, and/or a garment you wish to repair. Scraps, knit samples, denim patches, needles, threads, and wool will be available, so feel free to pop along!
The event is free, and everyone is welcome, including dogs!
In case of rain, the gathering will meet at the Tram Cafe.
Fashion Revolution Week marks the date of the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh. Since 2013, these global actions have taken place to campaign for a fairer fashion system.
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 Design and Craft Council of Ireland (DCCI) have curated a week-long of activities for Irish Design Week, which runs from Monday, the 13th through Friday, the 17th of November.
Here are some of the events that have a focus on textiles: On Tuesday in Sligo, there is a presentation on historical costume narratives. – https://www.dcci.ie/events/costume-narratives/
On Wednesday and Thursday in Marlay Park, Dublin, Feltmakers Ireland member Niki Collier unveils a new body of work incorporating felt and discarded medical equipment. – https://www.dcci.ie/events/niki-collier-bodily-shelters/
Join Fibreshed Ireland’s second annual symposium, which will look at the past to inform the future of soil-to-soil textiles.
Through a programme of presentations, craft demonstrations, breakout sessions and informal networking opportunities, members and friends of Fibreshed Ireland are invited to explore the history and tradition of Irish textiles.
The presentations – which will be accompanied by handspinning demonstrations – include The tradition of Irish lacemaking; The history, importance and future of the Cladóir sheep; Flax and folklore; among others. We will finish with an interactive session looking ahead at the future.
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.
EARTH RISING is a four-day festival of free events and experiences aimed at addressing the climate crisis and inspiring collective action towards a sustainable and hopeful future. Taking place across the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) site, the festival promises an unforgettable experience that seeks to provoke, inspire, and empower audiences to become agents of change.
The festival programme offers diverse events, including over 50 artists and collaborators who will showcase their work via installations, screenings, workshops, tours, and talks.
Some of the Fibreshed Ireland members will facilitate drop-in spinning, weaving, knitting and natural dyeing demonstrations. Participants will be welcome to try their hands on any of these activities to collaboratively create a tapestry made from Irish-grown fibres and dyes.
The festival runs from the 21 – 24th of September.
There is a talk about flax and community networks at the Ulster Museum next Wednesday, 20th September, from 2:00 – 4:00pm, as part of the Linen Biennale NI.
At the heart of the global Fibershed movement is a commitment to creating a textile and clothing culture that enhances soil health and biodiversity through regenerative farming practices grounded in the concept of soil-to-soil systems and the right to livelihood for every person involved in the process from farming to finished garment.
In this short seminar, we will hear about the growth, successes and challenges faced by members of these collectives and consider how we can continue to grow more sustainable fibre networks in Northern Ireland.
‘The Fibre of Our Being‘ is a series of events exploring contemporary textiles which draw on tradition to reinvigorate their process. It will encompass an exhibition of the same title displaying a wide variety of contemporary Irish Textiles and two full weekends of events and workshops that will allow people to learn techniques in dyeing and crafting with textiles.
The highlight will be a day with talks and displays about the source of our fibres and Irish wool production, with displays from small businesses looking to find new ways to use our indigenous materials sustainably. We will finish with an alternative fashion show in the lively cultural hub of Levis Bar in Ballydehob, Co. Cork.
The event runs from the 12th through the 10th of September.
On Sunday the 27th, there is a talk about Irish Wool, including sheep breeds, processing, history and the need to bring back its value, by Fibreshed Ireland member Kit Christina Keawwantha and other panel guests. Booking is needed for this (and other) events.
Fibreshed Ireland is offering two free tutorials via live Zooms. Members of the organisation will be able to watch the replays.
Transform your clothes with colour from plants
17th of April, 7-8 PM
Join natural dyer and designer Malú Colorín from Talú for a simple and fun tutorial on using plants and kitchen scraps to breathe new life into any old garment made from natural fibres. Register HERE.
Upcycle and embellish your clothes with needle felting
26th of April, 7-8PM
Join wool expert Sandra King from Irish Fibre Crafters for a fun tutorial where she’ll explain how to upcycle garments found at charity shops, swap shops, or clothing no longer worn. Sandra will concentrate on needle felting onto the fabric and making suggestions of other embellishments that can be used. Register HERE.
Feltmakers Ireland 