Tag: Irish Raised Wool

Of Interest: A New Fleece for Life – Presentation – TONIGHT – Co Wicklow

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Weaving Wicklow’s Sheep Wool Heritage into a Sustainable Future.

Join Wicklow Uplands Council for an audio-visual presentation and discussion exploring how Wicklow’s wool heritage can help shape a more sustainable future.

Hear insights from a National Parks & Wildlife Service Conservation Ranger and from Pat Byrne (Circular BioEconomy expert) as they look at how heritage, ecology, and innovation can work together to strengthen Ireland’s wool industry — and influence policy for real change.

Guild member Sharon Wells will be there with some of her recent community-felted sculptures.

Come join the discussion.

Free event — all welcome! But please register: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/weaving-wicklows-sheep-wool-heritage-into-a-sustainable-future-tickets-1856519783649?aff=oddtdtcreator

Their Instagram: @wicklowuplands

Editor’s Note: Apologies for the last-minute announcement; we only learned about the event yesterday.

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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 content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Recap: Feltmakers Ireland West – October Meetup – Processing Wool

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

By Karen Bowden

Feltmakers Ireland-West is a growing regional subset of Feltmakers Ireland dedicated to promoting the art and craft of felting across the western counties. We are predominantly based in County Galway and therefore meet up there. We enjoy a variety of activities, such as needle and wet-felting workshops and skill-sharing. Feltmakers Ireland-West aims to provide a supportive space for both beginners and experienced makers to develop their artistry, experiment with texture and colour, and celebrate the rich heritage of Irish textile traditions in a fun and inclusive environment.

Recent Meet Up

Most recently, we were delighted to attend a fleece scouring session in Tuam, with guild member Katarina Hruskova from Woolstore Ireland, where we learned to process beautiful Irish wool from raw fleece to fluffy clouds. 

The work is quite involved and begins with ‘skirting’ the fleece, which means removing any clumps of waste before moving on to scouring. Scouring is the washing process that can involve several soaks in soapy water for a very dirty fleece—the trick is not to felt the wool, so water temperature and touch must be carefully controlled. 

Once clean and dried, the wool is ‘picked’ to remove any vegetable matter such as hay and straw before the fibre is ‘carded’ with combs or a machine to produce the batts and roving we all love.

Photos from the Meet Up

More Information on Irish Wool Processing

If you are curious about processing your own fibre, Feltmakers Ireland’s book ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ includes instructions for processing wool. https://feltmakersireland.com/exploring-irish-wool-for-feltmaking/

More Pics

Attendees from the Feltmakers Ireland West – October Meet Up. In the foreground, Karena. From left to right: Katarina Hruskova, Corina, Sandra, Belinda, and Patricia.

European Wool Book – in German

At the meeting, there was an interesting book about European wool. If you read German, there are copies available at this website – https://www.alice-im-wolleland.eu/products/buch-schafe-und-wolle-in-europa

Woolstore Ireland

Through her business, Woolstore Ireland, Katarina offers the following wool-processing services: skirting, washing, opening, and carding. To contact her, visit her website- https://www.woolstore.ie/

Next Meeting in Co Galway

The next meeting of Feltmakers Ireland-West will be on 23rd November in Gort, Co Galway.

For full details, please visit www.feltmakersireland-west.com. We would love to see you there.

If you have questions about Feltmakers Ireland West, you can contact committee member Belinda Reid at the following email: chasingdreamsfeltart@gmail.com


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 content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Event: Second Annual Woolly Celebration – Wise Wool Project – Co Kerry

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Wise Wool Project will have its 2nd Annual Woolly Celebration at Kate Kearny’s Cottage on Saturday, the 8th of November.

They invite the community to come together with local fibre artists, sheep farmers, and others interested in finding solutions to the current wool waste dilemma.

Attendees will be welcomed for an afternoon of workshops, storytelling, demonstrations, and a panel discussion exploring the future of wool.

Feltmakers Ireland guild member Sharon Wells will be teaching a needle felting workshop for adults.

Where: Kate Kearney’s Cottage, Gap of Dunloe, Dunloe Upper, Killarney, Co Kerry

For more information and to book a place on the workshops that require them, visit this website – https://curraghmorefarm.ie/wisewoolcelebration2025

Their Instagram @wise_wool_project

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 the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Seeking Wool Farmers in Ireland for Directory

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland


Fibershed Ireland, in partnership with Ánam Arann, has launched an exciting joint initiative called the Wear The Land Collective — a project dedicated to reviving the tradition of Aran sweaters and celebrating Irish wool heritage in the Northeastern United States.

Together, they’re working to make Irish wool more visible, accessible, and appreciated across the globe.

As part of this effort, they’re inviting sheep farmers to share details about their flocks and add their farms to a growing Irish Wool Directory. This directory will help connect farmers, makers, and consumers who value local, sustainable wool. The directory will be accessible via the Wear The Land Collective website, and you can also choose to also be featured on Fibershed Ireland’s website’s interactive map – https://fibreshedireland.ie/map/

For more information about the project, visit here – https://www.wearthelandcollective.org/

To submit your sheep information, visit here – https://form.jotform.com/252194258673061

Instagram – @fibreshed_ireland @anamarannn

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 the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Inside the Farm Gate – Murray Meadows Farm – Galway Sheep

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

This Inside The Gate Open Farm Day is organised by Farming For Nature and is an opportunity to visit a farm and see the vital work that farmers do for nature in your local community.

On Sunday, August 31st, Blátnaid and Niall Gallagher’s farm, featuring native Galway Sheep and Connemara Ponies, will be open for visitors.

This is a free event open to families and will be held on various farms across the country on the 31st. Please register to attend, as space is limited.

For more information on the Gallagher’s Open Farm Day, visit this website – https://www.tickettailor.com/events/farmingfornature/1719997

Here is a link to the other farms that are hosting Open Days – https://www.farmingfornature.ie/inside-the-gate/

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 the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Soil Your Scarf – Irish Wool and other wool-related activities at Dublin Maker

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Poster for Soil Your Scarf at Dublin Maker - Saturday and Sunday.

Soil Your Scarf project at DublinMaker – Join Fibreshed Ireland’s co-director, ecologist Jess Leonard, on Saturday, the 30th of August, at Dublin Maker.

“Come knit a tiny scarf made from native Irish-grown wool from The Galway Wool Coop, while learning about soil ecology and how to protect and care for your own garden soil. See magnified mesofauna living in previously buried scarves. When you’re done, you can take your tiny scarf away with you to bury it within the topsoil and find out who’s living there!”

Additionally, other wool and textile-related organisations will be at Dublin Maker, such as the Liberties Weavers, The Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers, and guild member Niki Collier‘s felted sculptures, Symbols of Mobility.

When: Saturday, the 30th – and Sunday, the 31st of August
Time: 10 AM – 6 PM. (Sunday until 5 PM).
Where: Leopardstown Racecourse, Carmanhall and Leopardstown, Foxrock, Co. Dublin, D18

For more information and to book your free ticket, visit Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/dublin-maker-festival-tickets-1447016658779?

Instagram: @fibreshed_ireland @thegalwaywoolco_op @dublinmaker

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 the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Wise Wool Project Family Day – Nature Hub – Co Kerry

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Join The Wise Wool Project for a fun and educational Family Day exploring one of Ireland’s most precious natural resources — wool — and the current dilemma it finds itself in.

Where: The Nature Hub Ireland at the Gap of Dunloe, Co Kerry.

When: Wednesday, the 13th of August| 11 AM – 1 PM

  • Get hands-on with the wool process
  • Try your skills at various stages, from fleece to fabric
  • Learn about sustainability and the wool waste issue

The Wise Wool Project is a Creative Ireland-funded project.

For more information, visit this website – https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thenaturehub/1779190

Instagram links – @wise_wool_project @kerrycoarts @discoverkerry_ @kerrycountycouncil @curraghmorefarm.ie

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 the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Event: IGWC Wool Panel Talks at Showcase 2024

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Join the Irish Grown Wool Council at Showcase 2024 for a series of curated panel talks on Irish wool.

Talks will take place on each of the three days of Showcase, 21st – 23rd January (RDS, Dublin), across the key themes of Sustainability, Fashion and Innovation, focusing on the past, present and future for Irish wool. Join us at the ‘Inspiration Stage’ for these talks at Showcase 2024.

Day: Sunday 21st January
Time: 4pm- 5pm
Theme: Sustainability / Authenticity / Traceability Viability

Day: Monday 22nd January
Time: 2pm- 3pm TIME CHANGE -> NOW 12-1 PM.
Theme: Fashion / Design / Homeware

Day: Tuesday 23rd January
Time: 11am- 12pm
Theme: Innovation / Composites / International Best Practice / Products Development using wool

The three panels are made up of different speakers and are moderated by Rebecca Marsden
Designer, Materials Researcher & Educator The Wool Hub and Forge Design Factory

This opportunity is supported by the Design & Crafts Council, Ireland.

Panels and times may change; please check their website for the speaker details. – https://irishgrownwoolcouncil.com/irish-grown-wool-council-panel-talks-at-showcase-2024/