Registration is now open for the 2025 International Felt Symposium, Gift of the Lambs, by the picturesque Orfű Lakes in Southern Hungary. Five instructors will lead workshops across two sessions, sharing the magical synergy of felt-making and creative collaboration.
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
Anikó Boros (aka baribon.hu) will show all the details of making the ‘Pebble Bag’. In addition to its aesthetic role, the pebble acts as a natural closure for the bag. Following the step-by-step instructions, you will be able to create your own pebble bag design, which will be even more exciting with textile-enriched felted surface and gradient dyeing.
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 teaching of Anikó Boros inspired Feltmakers Ireland member Annika Berglund to enrol in the Hungarian Felting Camp this past September. (You can read about Annika’s fantastic experience on our blog or watch her presentation on our YouTube channel.)
Anikó will be teaching an online Ginkgo Earrings and Necklace Workshop in November.
Date: Saturday, November 11th, 2023 (6PM CET, which equals 5 PM Irish Time).
What you will learn:
Creating a jewellery set with ginkgo leaves in the spotlight.
The characteristic ginkgo leaves are created using fine-micron wool.
Making earrings by felting in the smallest possible scale.
Making a thin cord with a slip knot, with the help of which the length of the necklace can be adjusted.
“Planting” a ginkgo leaf onto the cord, using the encased pebble technique.
Creating a gradient/ombre effect ginkgo leaf.
Special, unique design solutions, ideas and inspiration for your very own ginkgo necklace design.
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.
Annika Berglund showing us the details of her felted necklace.
On Sunday, the 8th of October, Feltmakers Ireland member Annika Berglund shared her experiences with her recent in-person classes at the seven-day Hungarian Felt Camp, with five tutors AND her many experiences with studying felting via online courses.
Initially, Annika created her artwork out of totally different materials. She worked in ceramics, bronze, and glass. Seeking a more sustainable and less energy-hungry media, she tried textiles Dublin Knitting and Stitching Show in 2019. This was where she took her first feltmaking workshop. After discovering felt, she then proceeded to take many online classes. Her trip to Hungary was an opportunity to return to learning in person.
Scroll down to the bottom to see the links to the Hungarian tutors and the online felting classes.
Hungarian Felting Camp
The guild members enjoyed seeing each of the pieces that Annika created during the retreat. She would hold them up, and then we passed them around the room.
She cautioned that it was a full-on program, with most projects taking more time than allotted. Most of the projects could have been done over two days! Fortunately, Annika could complete her projects by continuing in the evenings. The one exception to this was the pillow project taught by Bea Németh.
There were three groups of students, with around ten students per group. Two of the groups were English speakers, and one of them had German speakers. Annika’s group was impacted by Covid-19, with more participants becoming ill daily. Interestingly, two students were only mildly affected by the virus. They managed to follow along, working outdoors and receiving their instructions via WhatsApp. The wonders of technology!
The cost of the seven-day workshop was around 1,375 euros, which included tuition, room, board, and transport from Budapest. The class was held in the village of Nagybörzsöny.
Necklace Project – Anikó Boros
Annika’s favourite class was creating a felted fuschia necklace with Anikó Boros (BaribonHU). She really appreciated the new feltmaking perspective and eye for detail that this teacher brought to the class.
{See above for a photo of Annika sharing this project.}
Pillow Project – Bea Németh
Annika sharing the pillow that she made in Bea Németh’s class.
Interestingly, the students worked together on a giant rug, each person decorating her own square, which they then felted and fulled collectively. After the wool became properly felted, the large piece was cut up, and each part returned to its’ designer. Then, they learned how to use an ingenious cord-making machine and, finally, how to assemble and sew their cushions.
Felted Bag with Prefelts – Gabriella Kovács
Annika sharing her felted bag.
Taught by Gabriella Kovács, this class was billed as being for ‘lazy felters’. In this class, the students use manufactured prefelts. There was no laying of wool roving. Interestingly, the students learned how to create a bag so that the lining was integral to the layout.
Doorway Guardian – Márti Csille
Annika sharing her Doorway Guardian
In this class, the students learned how to make a modern version of the traditional tumars, which is an amulet-like embroidered felt to keep evil away and is hung in the entrance area of the yurt. Annika explored new colour combinations in this piece.
Nunofelted Scarf – Nadia Szabó
Annika sharing her nunofelted scarf
With this class, Annika strove to create exceptionally clean lines to her geometric pattern with her wool layout. The silk was dyed afterwards.
Some of the teachers sell their finished products and online workshops via their websites. Other tutors may need to be contacted directly for further information. Some of the teachers who teach online have recorded classes that are available year-round, while others have ones with specific availability. Several of the tutors teach additional classes which are not included below. Visit the links to be inspired and learn!
Links are in the approximate order of when mentioned during Annika’s presentation.
If you have experienced other online felting-related courses that you have enjoyed, let us know. We will collect this information for a future post. – feltmakersIE@gmail.com
Hungarian feltmaker and teacher Judit Pócs has an upcoming online, two-day felting workshop on felted jewellery. The name of the class is ‘4Forms Necklace’.
In this course, students will make a double pendant necklace. Both elements consist of four separate, repeating shells.
You can decorate the innermost part of the hollow forms with sequined fabrics, shiny pieces of yarn or different fibres such as viscose or silk.
You can create the four shells with a contrasting colour combination or choose four colour shades that harmonize with each other.
You can cut the edges of the shells centrally or offset.
For the inner layer of each shape, we use fine factory-made prefelt, and for the outer layers, we use 16-micron Australian merino wool rovings.
The connecting cords and the necklace’s cord are also made from factory-made pre-felt.
During the live and interactive session, you will receive step-by-step assistance from Judit on how to create this jewellery.
Besides the basics, you will learn some special techniques during this workshop:
Joining more hollow forms together using a separating foil
Creating nice, evenly cut edges
Making cords using pre-felt
Use of sequin fabric
Using and blending colours
A total of 8 hours of online course with instructor Judit Pócs on the 4th and 5th of November (Saturday and Sunday) 2023, from 5 PM to 9 PM (Central European Time, which is an hour earlier than Irish Time).
{Editor’s note: Having taken multiple online workshops with Judit, I can attest that she is an excellent teacher. She teaches live via Zoom. Several days before the class starts, students receive a PDF document filled with photographs and step-by-step instructions. Afterwards, she usually has a follow-up Zoom class a week or two later for students to share their now-dry projects.}
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 Sunday, the 8th of October, from 10:30-12:30, Feltmakers Ireland member Annika Berglund will share her experiences at the Hungarian Felting retreat and other online felting classes that she has taken.
By Annika Berglund
The Joy of Learning
When I was asked to do a Sunday session about my recent Felting Retreat adventure, I was a little worried that it might not be enough for the two hours available. I had a little think and decided to do a talk about online felting courses in general and the Hungarian retreat in more detail.
I used to work in ceramics, glass, and bronze but was looking to change to some form of textiles in late 2019 and early 2020, mainly to find less energy-hungry means of expression. I started with a number of short workshops at the 2019 Dublin Knit and Stitch, of which the felting one was probably my favourite. Luckily, the 2020 Basic and Beyond happened soon after, which further whetted my appetite.
Online Education
Then came Covid, and I discovered a wealth of Felting courses available online. These courses give access to some of the best teachers in the world, and open the door to a wealth of new techniques and ideas, no matter your experience and level of felting. Having this window onto a bigger world of the craft and global community of felting has meant a lot to me, especially during the lockdown, but also since then, and I am hoping to share some of my best experiences and answer any questions in relation to online learning.
Felting in Hungary
The seven-day Felting Retreat I attended in September featured five excellent teachers, my absolute favourite being Anikó Boros (Baribon), teaching her fabulous finely felted fuschia necklace. {https://baribon.hu/ }
The other 4 courses were:
Making a large rug together and then cutting it up to make individual pillows with Bea Németh. { https://www.facebook.com/beanemez }
So, come along to the CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club, for this Sunday Session of Feltmakers Ireland and learn about Annika’s experiences with feltmaking in Hungary and online.
Plans are well underway for our next exhibition to open in Farmleigh on September 25th. curated by Gabriella McGrath. Your invitation will be posted shortly. I hope you will be able to join us.
Feltmakers Ireland are delighted to announce details of our forthcoming exhibition to be held in Farmleigh in Dublin at the end of September.
Common Ground
Building bridges through feltmaking
25thSeptember – 12th October 2014
An exhibition of felt works by members of Feltmakers Ireland and feltmakers from Hungary to celebrate the friendship we built up over the past few years through our common interest and love of feltmaking . We have shared and exchanged skills, explored each other`s history, traditions and heritage. We are actively creating heritage for the future through our shared passion for handcrafts in our multi-cultural world. This ancient craft is a great medium for innovation and design.
Brief:
Building connections has never been easier. Technology allows us to keep in touch with each other easily, making friends, getting to know each other even if we`ve never met or never will. We may not even understand each others languages but speak the common language of felt. As part of a complex network system we play different roles by different rules in our modern multi-cultural society.
We are connected by our shared passion for an ancient craft which is undergoing a renaissance and where we are creating heritage for the future.
Current issues on common ground.
Here are all details for the exhibition that you might need:
All current members of Feltmakers Ireland and feltmakers from Hungary
2. What are the conditions of entry?
1 The work can take the form of literal or abstract interpretation, functional and non-functional. Wearable and non-wearable.
2 The work must be original and predominantly made using the technique of felt, all hand made felting technique are accepted.
3 Other textile techniques (as well as non-textile media) may be included, though hand made felting techniques must be principal one.
4 The work must be personally hand-made and after January 2013.
5 Work done during courses or under the guidance of teachers is not allowed.
6 The exhibition will be mounted in Cow Shed gallery space in Farmleigh
7 Each entrant may submit up to three pieces of work
8 All entries must be submitted in suitable packaging for safe return.
9 All entries must be clearly labeled and have detailed hanging instructions. Two-dimensional works intended for wall hanging must have hanging devices attached. Work intended for freestanding display must be supplied with any rods or devices necessary for its display. Makers should include a photo or drawings to show how the piece should be displayed.
10 No glass will be accepted and Feltmakers Ireland does not take responsibility for any damage to the entries during the transportation or installation of work.
11 The exhibition will be invigilated by members of Feltmakers Ireland and all successful entrants are asked to invigilate for at least half a day over the duration of the exhibition.
3. How will the work be selected?
1 There will be a panel of two judges from Hungary and Ireland
The selection will be based on three criteria:
– quality of work
– interpretation of the theme
– innovation in feltmaking design
– its fit within the overall exhibition
4. What is the time scale?
The exhibition will take place from 25th September till 12th October 2014. Opening days:Thurs- Sun 10.00-17.00.
Photographs of entries to be submitted by 15th August 2014.
(Good quality photos are essential)
5. Further Information
Fees – there is a participation fee of €5 for a single piece, €10 for up to three pieces.
Insurance – Feltmakers Ireland carry public liability Insurance and will do everything possible to make sure the work is safe however It is the maker’s responsibility to insure his/her works independently if desired. The exhibition is being held in a secure environment and will be invigilated at all times
Sale of Work – the work will not be for sale during the exhibition, however details of prices will be available and interested purchasers will be encouraged to contact the maker directly. There will be no commission taken by Feltmakers Ireland
If you are interested in applying for a place on this workshop please print and complete the application form below and post it to Gabi McGrath with a cheque/postal order for full payment. We are able to offer this workshop at a really good price due to the support of the OPW’s assistance with the venue. Priority is given to fully paid up members of Feltmakers Ireland, you can renew/sign up for membership at the time of application and this will qualify you to be included should the workshop be oversubscribed.
All membership is due for renewal as of the 1st of January 2014. Membership costs €25 per year and you receive a full colour quarterly magazine by post, reduced fees for all our workshops and the opportunity to participate in our many exhibitions and events. So renew or apply for membership now and don’t miss out on upcoming opportunities. Our current magazine should have arrived in your postbox this week and has some fantastic articles and information for anyone interested in feltmaking.
We are delight to welcome Hungarian textile artist Gabriella Kovacs to Ireland to give a three day workshop in the beautiful setting of Farmleigh in Dublin on Feb 28, March 1st and 2nd. Cost for the three day workshop €120. During the workshop we will be felting a three dimensional object – participants can choose from a wide variety of items a tea cozy, a small bag or any type holders. We will work on design when everyone draws the shape of their own shape, which can be abstract or symbolic origin. Application forms with more details will be available here very very shortly…….
Feltmakers Ireland 