Tag: Members Events

Event: Fibreshed Ireland Syposium & Textile Market – This Friday & Saturday

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

On Friday, the 21st of November, Fibreshed Ireland will gather at The Richmond Education and Event Centre, Smithfield, for their annual Symposium to hear from growers and practitioners who work in line with Soil-to-Soil principles of circularity, compostability, and agroecology.

Speakers

● Jennifer & Tristan Lienhard of @appleoakfibreworks
● Katarina Hruskova of @woolstoreireland (Katarina is a member of Feltmakers Ireland!)
● @kathykirwan_theartofnature of the Flax 405 project
● Mary Ann Williams, editor of the book @textilesofireland
● Michelle McCabe, researcher exploring the connections between textile craft and wellbeing with ATU Sligo
● @ryankoenigstudio — 16th-century experimental textile archaeology about the knitted Ballybunion wool cap
● Sarah Babiker — Threads of Story: Woolcraft a Language & Memory between Ireland and the Arab World

Textile Market

Saturday will be an Open Day of craft demonstrations, workshops, shopping opportunities, and community building at Richmond Barracks, Inchicore, from 10 AM to 3:30 PM. Admission to the demonstrations and shopping is free, but each workshop requires a ticket.

Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate felting with Irish-raised wool!

Local fibres and textiles from a selection of Fibreshed Ireland members will be available: Included are two Feltmakers Ireland members –

  • Juliane Gorman of FeltHappiness will vend her Cyanotype-printed, Irish wool hats
  • Katarina Hruskova of WoolStore Ireland will vend locally raised wool that she has processed.

Workshops

● Upcycling workshop with Eimear Greaney (@upsew.ie), from 10 AM to 12:00 PM
● Aran knitting with @ryankoenigstudio, from 10 AM to 12:00 PM
● Weaving Circle with Lucy Hyland (@ourselfcarerevolution), from 1 to 3 PM
● Movement session for crafters with @aideen.macken, from 3:30 – 4:10 (FREE, with optional donations to support Fibreshed Ireland’s work)

Where: Dublin (different venues each day)

Optional social dinner in @fidelitydublin on Friday, the 22nd of November (book at checkout)

Discounts for students and Fibreshed Ireland members!

For more information and to reserve tickets, visit their website – https://fibreshedireland.ie/symposium-2025/

This event is part of Irish Design Week, & partly funded by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. https://www.dcci.ie/whats-on/irish-design-week-2025/

Exhibition: Sows Ear Collective at Mill Theatre – Dundrum

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Nine of the Sow’s Ear Collective will have their work exhibited at the dlr Mill Theatre in Dundrum, South Dublin. Included in the show are Feltmakers Ireland members Fiona Leech and Sandra Reynolds. The collective’s work encompasses a range of media, including art, ceramics, felt, embroidery, and more.

When: The show runs from the 2nd of November to the 10th of January, 2026.

The opening is this Sunday, the 2nd, from 4 to 6 PM. All are welcome to attend.

Where: dlr Mill Theatre, 16 Sandyford Road, Dundrum, Dublin 16, D16 C5X6.

Their Instagram: @sowsearcollective


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: Dublin Fibre Festival 2025 – This Saturday

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Poster for Dublin FIbre Festival 2025

Feltmakers Ireland and 40 other local textile exhibitors will be at the Dublin Fibre Festival THIS Saturday, the 18th of October. This is THE opportunity to touch yarn and fibres in person, attend textile workshops, and watch spinning, felting, and other fibre arts demonstrations! To see a taste of last year’s event, there’s this blog post – https://feltmakersireland.com/2024/10/29/recap-fantastic-day-at-the-dublin-fibre-festival/

The Map and Vendor List

We will be there!

Have you wanted to purchase a copy of Feltmakers Ireland’s book ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ but have not had the opportunity? Come to the Dublin fibre event of the year: The Dublin Fibre Festival. In addition, we will have several guild members demonstrating needle and wet felting. These include felting artists such as Eva Salamon @feltedvision and Irina Lampadova @irinalampadova1

  • When: 10 AM to 6 PM.

Feltmakers Ireland Members Exhibiting

Four guild members will be sharing their work –

Admission

Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

For more information, visit the Festival’s website – https://www.dublinfibrefestival.com/

Their Instagram – @dublinfibrefestival

Of Interest: More Members will take part in Culture Night 2025

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Good Bog, Bad Bog – Collaborative Felting Project – Enniskerry, Co Wicklow

‘Good Bog Bad Bog’ sees wool-based landscape representations of a functioning bog and an eroded one, highlighting the ecological importance of Wicklow’s peatlands, sparking conversation around biodiversity loss, climate resilience and water quality.

This exhibition features felted pieces by Sharon Wells, along with a collaborative community project guided by Sharon. Amongst the artists are guild members Loli Cox and Margaret Ryan Collins.

Using Irish wool sourced from Farmachla in Co Donegal, and donated by @woolstoreireland (another guild member) and @irishfibrecrafters

When: Friday, the 19th of September at 7:30 PM.

Where: Schoolhouse for Art, R760, The Square, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, A98 RH33


For more information, visit their page on the Culture Night website – https://culturenight.ie/event/good-bog-bad-bog/

Gort Arts Second Annual Members’ Exhibition – Co Galway

Guild member Joanne Foley is exhibiting work as part of the Gort Arts second annual members’ exhibition, which opens on Culture Night at 7 PM, with live music and refreshments.

When: The show runs from Friday, the 19th to the 28th of September, 2025

Where: Michael Kennedy Pottery Studio, Boland’s Lane, Ballyhugh, Gort, Co Galway, H91

For more information, visit their page on the Culture Night website – https://culturenight.ie/event/gorgeous-gort/

FORMDesignMade Exhibition – Tullow Library – Co Carlow

FORM Designmade has a retrospective exhibition showcasing the exceptional talent of 10 craft practitioners from County Carlow. Guild member Leiko Uchiyama is among the artists.

When: Friday, the 19th of September, 4 PM – 8 PM

Where: Tullow Library, Inner Relief Road, Tullow, Co Carlow, R93 XD93

Here is their Instagram – @formdesigncarlow

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.

Of Interest: Members Participating in Culture Night

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Several of Feltmakers Ireland members are participating in this year’s Culture Night – Friday, the 19th of September.

Art Exhibition – Sutton, Co Dublin

Guild members Sandra Reynolds and Fiona Leech are amongst the artists who are exhibiting as part of Sow’s Ear Collective at the Bayside Community Centre. “Taking Shape” is the second group exhibition from the Sow’s Ear Collective, a gathering of multidisciplinary artists working across painting, sculpture, textiles, and more.

When: 7 PM – 10 PM, on Friday, the 19th of September.

Where: Bayside Community Centre, Bayside Blvd N, Sutton, Co Dublin 13, D13 DDF2.

For more information, visit their page on the Culture Night website –https://culturenight.ie/event/sows-ear-collective-taking-shape/

Gathering at GATHER Kildare

Tamzen Lundy and her colleagues at GATHER Kildare will be hosting an open night. Watch live demonstrations of traditional and contemporary skills, including feltmaking, wood carving, and glassmaking.

When: 4:30 PM – 6 PM, on Friday, the 19th of September.

Where: Southwells Grocery Store, Market Square, Kildare Town, Co Kildare, R51 CV61

For more information, visit their page on the Culture Night website – https://culturenight.ie/event/community-gathering-at-gather-kildare/

Alternative Fashion Showcase at GalleryX – Dublin

Guild member Juliane Gorman is among the designers included at Galleryx’s fashion showcase.

Where: Galleryx, 11 Hume St, Dublin 2, D02 T889.

When: 6 PM to 10 PM.

For more information, visit their page on the Culture Night website – https://culturenight.ie/event/alternative-fashion-showcase-at-galleryx/

If you are a guild member who is participating in a Culture Night event, please let us know – FeltmakersIE@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 questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Artists’ Talks – Olivier Cornet Gallery – National Heritage Week – Dublin

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Poster of landscape by David Fox which is part of te Olivier Cornet Gallery's National Heritage Week exhibition.

Every year, the Olivier Cornet Gallery invites an artist to reflect on one of their works in the context of the theme chosen by the National Heritage Week organisation. The theme this year is about “Exploring Our Foundations”, so they have asked David Fox to consider his painting ‘The Ridge of Capard’.

The discussion will take place on Thursday, the 21st of August 2025, at 6:30 PM.

David Fox will be joined by some of the artists whose work features in our current group show, ‘Out of Lines’. They will also say a few words about their work. The artists confirmed so far are Annika Berglund, Hugh Cummins, Colin Eaton, Nickie Hayden, Miriam McConnon, Yanny Petters and Vicky Smith.

The exhibition runs until the 24th of August.

Where: The Olivier Cornet Gallery, 3 Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1, D01 NV63, Ireland

For more information, visit the Gallery’s website – https://www.oliviercornetgallery.com/national-heritage-week-2025-with-david-fox

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.

Exhibition: ‘Common Threads’ – Feltmakers Ireland & The Quilters Guild of Ireland – National Design & Craft Gallery

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Poster for Common Threads

The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland presents ‘Common Threads’, an exhibition curated by Sarah Ross, showcasing the intricate and expressive work of artists from Feltmakers Ireland and The Quilters’ Guild of Ireland.

The exhibition opens at the National Design and Craft Gallery (NDCG) on Thursday, the 7th of August and runs until the 1st of November.

Where: National Design & Craft Gallery, The Castle Yard, The Parade, Gardens, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny, R95 CAA6

When: The opening is at 3 PM, Thursday, the 7th of August 2025. Please RSVP by Friday, the 1st of August- rsvp@dcci.ie

For more information, visit the gallery’s website – https://www.dcci.ie/events/common-threads/

Instagram: @dccireland @ndcgallery

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: August Craft Month – Felting Related Events

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Feltmakers Ireland will have TWO events where we will teach wet felting as part of this year’s August Craft Month –

  • CIE Sports Hall, Inchicore, Dublin, on Sunday, the 17th of August
  • St James Hall, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, on Sunday, the 24th of August

Our events run from 11 AM to 3 PM, offering both morning and afternoon sessions for students. While our Dublin event is already fully booked, there are still spots available for our Kilbeggan event. Please note: These remaining places are reserved for non-members—we want to share the joy of felting with new faces!

At both events, we’ll need volunteers to welcome and guide students throughout the day. Members will also have the chance to exhibit (and sell) their felted creations!

New this year: We’re inviting members to use the Open Day as an opportunity to actively work on their own felting projects. It’s an excellent way for the public to see the creative process behind the finished pieces.

If you are a member and want to be part of our Open Days, please email us at feltmakersIE@gmail.com

Members’ ACM Felting Activities

Several of our members have their own August Craft Month events!

On the 1st of August, Sharon Wells is teaching a workshop on how to use wool for crafts or gardens in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/how-to-use-local-wool-for-crafts-or-gardens-cahersiveen-music-and-arts-festival-event/

On the 2nd, Sharon is teaching a felted painting workshop in Co Kerry – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/feltmaking-the-kerry-countryside/

On the 3rd of August, Karen Bowden of Fabulous Fibres is teaching a wet felted handbag workshop in Creggs, Co Galway – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/felted-handbag-workshop/

Needlefelter Emily Thompson has a month-long exhibition of her wool landscape paintings at the Carrigaline Library, Kilnaglery, Carrigaline, Co Cork, P43 HA25.

Emily is also teaching several workshops in various locations in Co Cork. Here is a link to her course for children on the 9th of August – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/needle-felting-workshop-with-emily-thompson-create-a-wool-painting/. She also has classes on the 16th, 24th and 29th – https://augustcraftmonth.org/events/?search_loc=cork&event_type=workshop&discipline=felt&start_date=20250725&end_date=20250930#results

On the 9th of August, Zivile Zeniauskaite will be part of the Makers of Blackwater Valley in Fermoy, Co Cork. She will demonstrate how she creates felted slippers – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/meet-the-makers/

Barbara O’Rahilly is holding a series of two craft retreats in Kilternan, Co Dublin. Each event runs for four days. The first one is from the 11th to the 14th, and the second one is from the 18th to the 21st – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/4-day-craft-retreat-with-barbara-orahilly-2/

Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt will teach a wet felting flower workshop on the 16th of August as part of the MeathMade Celebration in Swift, Co Meath – https://swiftculturalcentre.ie/event/meath-made-wet-felt-flower-bouquet-workshop

Tamzen Lundy is teaching a wet felting workshop on the 31st of August, in Co Kildare – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/feltmaking-a-sea-urchin-wet-felting-taster/

FoFi Events

Friend of Feltmakers Ireland (FoFI), Shelley Steele, who organised the Flax Flower Project at the Titanic Museum in Belfast, has a Meet the Maker on the 28th and a felted blue flax flower workshop on the 9th in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland – https://augustcraftmonth.org/events/?search_loc=antrim&event_type=&discipline=felt&start_date=20250701&end_date=20250930#results

Another FoFI, Fibreshed Ireland, has a flax and linen related event in Balleydehob, Co Cork on the 24th of August – https://augustcraftmonth.org/acm-event/flax-linen-inne-agus-inniu-and-heritage-games/

If you are a guild member and we overlooked your event, please accept our apologies. A lot is going on during August Craft Month!

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.

Exhibition: Flax Flower Project Unveils Felt Installation at Titanic Museum – Belfast

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland1 Comment

Twelve talented artisans from three felting organisations—Feltmakers Ireland, Feltmakers North, and the International Feltmakers Association (IFA)—have collaborated on the Flax Flower Project, a unique wet-felted installation set to debut at the Titanic Museum on Tuesday, the 1st of July, 2025. The exhibit, which celebrates Belfast’s rich heritage in flax and linen production, will run through August 2025 and return each summer thereafter.

The Flax Flower Project showcases intricate floral designs crafted from sustainable materials, including Merino wool, bamboo fibres, Margilan silk, silk fibres, and flax strands for hanging. This vibrant display blends traditional craftsmanship with innovative textile art, highlighting the cultural and industrial significance of flax in Belfast’s history.

Behind the Scenes

Shelley Steele and Jane Fox co-coordinated the Flax Flower Project. Shelley expressed her enthusiasm: “It’s been a great pleasure to organise The Flax Flower Project alongside Jane Fox. Bringing together such talented artists to honour Belfast’s legacy has been truly rewarding.”

Loli Cox, a member of Feltmakers Ireland and IFA, added: “I was thrilled to join this project, which celebrates Belfast’s flax and linen heritage while showcasing the sustainable art of feltmaking. This exhibit not only honours our past but also inspires sustainable creativity for the future, aligning perfectly with Feltmakers Ireland’s mission to promote natural fibres like sheep’s wool for wearable and artistic applications.”

The project reflects the felting organisations’ commitment to sustainable textile practices and the revival of traditional crafts. It highlights feltmaking as a sustainable art form, while also celebrating the heritage of linen-making—a craft that was once a cornerstone of Belfast’s economy. Through the tactile and creative process of wet felting, these artisans will educate the public about the historical and cultural significance of flax and wool, promoting eco-conscious artistry.

The contributing artists are Sharon Bell, Loli Cox, Jane Fox, Siobhán Healy Ryan, Marie Hopkins, Viktor Hurtovyi, Elaine McCombe, Laura Moffett, Jacki Sleator, Shelley Steele, and Fiona Whyte.

The Artists

For more information about the Flax Flower Project or to schedule a visit to the Titanic Museum exhibit, please visit the website. – https://www.titanicbelfast.com/

Feltmakers Ireland is dedicated to promoting sustainable textile practices and raising awareness of natural fibres through innovative and traditional feltmaking techniques – https://feltmakersireland.com/

The IFA fosters a global community of feltmakers, encouraging creativity and collaboration in the art of feltmaking – https://www.feltmakers.com/

Feltmakers North supports artisans in Northern Ireland, preserving and advancing the craft of feltmaking through education and exhibitions. https://feltmakersnorth.blogspot.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 questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Education: Members with Upcoming Workshops

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Several members of Feltmakers Ireland teach their skills.

Here are some of the upcoming workshops they offer. We’re sorry we missed many of the March events—we were busy with our exhibition!

Gelli Plate Workshop with Mel Bradley – Co Louth

Mel Bradley is running a Gelli Plate printing workshop in her studio, Gallery 13, Millmount Craft Quarter, on Saturday, the 12th of April.

For more info & to contact- https://melbradleysilks.ie/contact/

IFA’s Discovering Feltmaking – Online Courses

Guild member Hélène Dooley is among the tutors for the International Feltmakers Association’s five online felting courses, which start on May 1st and end on June 30th.

For more info – https://www.feltmakers.com/discovering-feltmaking-course/

Needle Felting Workshop with Lucia Errity – Co Meath

Guild member Lucia Errity is teaching a needle felting workshop on the 11th of May.

Contact her via Instagram @luciaerrityart

2nd Annual Soul Dolls Retreat – Co Sligo

Guild member Caoimhe Tuthill is again pairing up with Shelly Ann Szigli for Sould Dolls Retreat in November 2025.

For more info – https://www.souldolls.ca/ireland-2025-soul-dolls-gathering

If you are a member of Feltmakers Ireland and offer workshops, please get in touch with us at feltmakersIE@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 questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.