Feltmakers Ireland member Hélène Dooley has written an inspiring blog post on Felting and Fiber Studio. She writes about re-starting her creative mojo by creating three small projects. One of her projects is a beautiful flower made in preparation for our Guild’s upcoming 20th Anniversary Celebration.
To read her post and see her finished flower and two other projects, visit the group’s website – https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2023/08/17/just-playin/
WHERE: CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club
It was the turn of another talented Feltmakers Ireland member Hélène Dooley, to lead April’s hands-on Sunday session. Hélène is a member of the IFA’s (International Feltmaker’s Association) team of online tutors. You can find her online on Instagram as FeltZen.
Again, we were all looking forward to another practical hands-on session, FI having had the good luck to secure a venue with plenty of table space, access to hot water, etc., to accommodate our needs.
The theme of this month’s session was Surface Decoration or surface design, and the two techniques that Hélène chose to demonstrate to us were ones that she had learnt from two wonderful feltmakers, Lyda Rump of Holland and Marjolien Dalinga of Bloomfelt, who came to run a workshop on the invitation of FI some years ago.
Hélène had very kindly created packs for everyone and handed out at least 25 of them, so we had a full house of eager feltmakers, both beginners and some more seasoned makers. Hélène also made lots of lovely samples and finished projects of the techniques, which she shared with us.
We started off with a show and tell by Hélène, who explained what was in store for us.
The first technique was one called Cracked Mud.
The joy of creating in a group means there are many different suggestions from everyone on what materials to use: in this case, there were ideas on the narrow resists to place between the layers of wool.
Hélène provided a plastic bag for everyone to cut up, but other suggestions to use were low tack masking tape or narrow pieces of ribbon. The main principle is that the resists should be long enough to protrude beyond the main body of the piece so that you can pull them out easily afterwards.
Personally, I really enjoyed this Cracked Mud technique, having tried it before with disappointing results. The difference was that I had used homemade prefelts in my previous attempts, and the results were very furry and uneven when I cut around them. In contrast, Hélène had used commercial prefelts in her packs, and the result was a much more pleasing, graphic result with a clean look and strong shapes against a strongly contrasting background.
Technique no 2 is called The Geode Technique. I have also seen this referred to as The Felt Carving technique. This technique was taught to FI participants by Marjolien Dalinga of Bloomfelt. This method involves creating ridges (or pleats) in the thick felt surface (made of six layers or so of homemade prefelts) and stitching a line of tacking at the base of the ridge to help the layers to fuse together when felting. Then comes the ‘carving’; using sharp scissors, you make cuts into the top of the ridge, revealing the different coloured stripes to create the Geode effect.
The important thing is to use a strong thread at the base of the ridge (fold) so that it can easily be removed afterwards. Suggestions for the thread went from commercial spools of nylon thread to fish gut or dental floss.
The very enterprising Elizabeth, sitting next to me, gave me some plastic baling twine, which she had brought from her home on the farm in Westmeath, as that was what she had at hand. It’s also a very good alternative as it’s possible to unravel this twine and use a single strand of it for sewing…ingenious!!
It was great to take a walk around the room, looking at everyone’s work at the end and seeing all the different approaches. There is always so much to learn from looking at everyone’s individual creations.
Needless to say, we were kept constantly fed throughout with amazing homemade goodies and hot tea and coffee by membership secretary Fiona and her catering team.
Many thanks to Hélène for her wonderful organisation and facilitation of the session and to Fiona and the committee for the lovely warm hospitality that we all received.
For the Sunday Session attendees, Hélène had very kindly created a PDF of both techniques, with great photos to illustrate them.
Over at the Felting and Fiber Studio website, Hélène has written a fun blog post, A Welcome Return to In-person Sessions and We Were All Scissor Happy!, about her preparations and teaching.
By Clodagh Mac Donagh
This Sunday, the 2nd of April, Feltmakers Ireland member and tutor Helene Dooley will share with the group how to create the Cracked Mud Technique and the Felted Geode Finish.
You can either watch or create alongside; if the latter, please bring the following equipment and materials.
Find Hélène Dooley @feltzen on Instagram.
Feltmakers Ireland meets at the CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
There is ample (and free) parking.
Hope to see you at the Sunday Session!
This month we asked our valued member Helene Dooley. Helene has extensive felt making skills. She has been a member of FI since 2014. She enjoys nothing better than pushing the boundaries of her work and loves the creative freedom that working with wool fibre facilitates. Helene has frequently tutored and her work was recently featured in the international publication “Felt Matters”( IFA). She is a regular contributor to the Felting and Fibre Studio, an international collective of Felt and Fibre artists. You will find her on instagram @feltzen as well as renowned dressmaking and other craft skills She is also the joint Irish Representative for International Feltmakers Association.
“Viscose is a wonderful material to work with! It is available in a wide range of colours and is relatively inexpensive to buy. A little can go a long way! It can be used to add lustre and strength to felted wearables. It also enhances drape and discourages pilling in the fabric. I use viscose paper when I am seeking to achieve a more defined effect on my felted pieces. My video will take you through the four steps I use to make viscose paper. It is quick and very easy to do, so I hope you will check out my video and give it a go”.Helene
Helene Dooley, feltzen, working with viscose
You can subscribe to Feltmakers Ireland You Tube channel where we now publish online tutorials, demos and interviews regularly- these are sent directly to the membership first before being shared with the general public at a later date.
Feltmakers Ireland meet for a Sunday Session on the second Sunday of the month in the Studio near Knockmaroon Gate, Phoenix Park. With the help of Helene Dooley we will adapt the European Craft theme “to promote know how, inherited from yesterday but reinvented today”.
Felting which is one of the oldest crafts in society was used to provide the very basics of clothing and shelter, is now emerging as a luxury craft as well as a medium for visual artists.
The focus will be on 3D shapes and using single and multiple resists. Helene will outline briefly the methodology for producing a bowl shape, why wool type matters, minding the edges for a smooth finish, transforming the “pancake” shape and moving on to building more complex 3D shapes and the principals of the book resist.
If this all sounds very complicated – don’t worry: Helene will gear the presentation to appeal to different levels of felt making competency. She will have lots of samples for us to examine.
We really look forward to celebrating this theme- promoting know how, inherited from yesterday but reinvented today! Join us and learn the art and craft of FELT.
Feltmakers Ireland meet for a Sunday Session on the second Sunday of the month in the Studio near Knockmaroon Gate, Phoenix Park. With the help of Helene Dooley we will adapt the European Craft theme “to promote know how, inherited from yesterday but reinvented today”.
Felting which is one of the oldest crafts in society was used to provide the very basics of clothing and shelter, is now emerging as a luxury craft as well as a medium for visual artists.
The focus will be on 3D shapes and using single and multiple resists. Helene will outline briefly the methodology for producing a bowl shape, why wool type matters, minding the edges for a smooth finish, transforming the “pancake” shape and moving on to building more complex 3D shapes and the principals of the book resist.
If this all sounds very complicated – don’t worry: Helene will gear the presentation to appeal to different levels of felt making competency. She will have lots of samples for us to examine.
We really look forward to celebrating this theme- promoting know how, inherited from yesterday but reinvented today! Join us and learn the art and craft of FELT.
Feltmakers Ireland 