Many thanks to Feltmakers Ireland guild member Hélène Dooley for bringing to our attention a highly educational three-part series of blog posts from the Felting and Fiber Studio about Felting Needles.
The first article of the series is all about felting needles: their length, gauge, shape, and more. The second is about how the needles are used in industry, and the third and final instalment is about how textile artists can purchase, store, and use felting needles.
The writer, Jan, is a Canadian member of the Felting and Fiber Studio organisation and an experienced three-dimensional needle felter. Each instalment is interesting, and Jan is a thorough researcher, perceptive maker, and humorous writer. And don’t mind her spelling—she is severely dyslexic. She says on her bio page, “If you read out loud, I make more sense.” And she does!
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.
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 recent Sunday Session in September had a bit of fantasy as we were led by the wonderful Nara Fritch in a workshop making toadstools. The task for the morning was to learn to needlefelt a mushroom of the Fly Agaric variety.
Each participant received a small bag of fibre and the tools, needles, and foam pad to make the mushroom.
Nara is an amazing tutor; as you will see from the photographs, everyone engaged with the task, and the resulting little red mushrooms with white spots were a joy to behold. One person actually managed to make two in the short period. Nara explained how to cover the white cap with red wool, keep a straight line between the colours, and make the cap itself and the stem and join them together. I am sure there are many more toadstools in the making around the country as several members joined us online via Zoom.
Stabbing Away
Some of Nara’s Work
Nara had some wonderful examples of her needle felting on display, not just toadstools of different colours, but also fantastic needlefelted figures. In addition, she displayed pieces of her fused lampwork beads, along with her small-batch roasted coffees and cards.
It was a fantastic Sunday Session. Thank you to Nara for coming to share her knowledge with us and thank you, Suzanne for putting together this post.
Our next Sunday Session will be the 13th of October and is a ‘Feltmaking Playtime’ – bring and share what you are working on with the rest of the Guild.
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.
Over the June Bank holiday, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland spent two days at the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s Irish Craft Village within Bord Bia’s Bloom 2024 in Phonix Park. Our volunteers shared the wonders of transforming fluff into felt.
Irish Craft Village Sign – Photo by Sam Fagan
Most of all, Feltmakers Ireland wants to thank theDesign and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) for giving us such an excellent marquee and display opportunity in the Craft’s Demonstration Booth at Bloom. We especially want to thank Geraldine Gray (of the DCCI ) and her sister Catherine for their support, helpfulness, and friendship on-site over the two days.
The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s Irish Craft Village – Photo by Sam Fagan
Our Booth
The public enjoyed watching volunteers show how to wet felt and needle-felt.
The photo on the left is early in the day – Photo by Loli Cox. The one on the right shows how popular our booth was – Photo by Sam Fagan.
Annika with samples of Irish Wool Breeds – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Irish Wool Breed Felted Samples – Photo by Sam Fagan
Annika’s 3D fish and butterflies attracted much interest, as did other artworks on display.
Fishes and Butterfhly – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
3D Butterflies by Annika Berglund – Photo by Sam Fagan
Hélène Dooley’s spiral in the foregraound.
A busy booth – Photo by Hélène Dooley
Tamzen Lundy demonstrated wet feltmaking by creating a Mr Fantastic Fox. Her cute, wee-felted animals on display are terrific. You can find her work at Tamzen Lundy Designs.
Tamzen promoting wet feltmaking. (See below)
Tamzen demonstrating
Tamzen chatting with the public – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Marian Fagan demonstrated needle felting and how she makes puppets of the various characters in children’s books for her granddaughter as they share the joy of reading. (See photo below).
Marian demonstrating feltmaking – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Loli Cox, Marian, and Annika were busy demonstrating.
Loli, Marian, and Annika talking with the public – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
In the afternoon, Joanne Foley (in the yellow dress) demonstrated the process of creating her animal portraits. (See photograph below).
More sharing of feltmaking at Bloom – Joanne Foley, Lorna Cady, Margaret Ryan Collings, and Annika Berglund – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Guild member Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt exhibited her beautiful work in the main pavilion with MeathMade. (See below).
Caoimhe Tuthill at the MeathMade Booth – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Day 2
Saturday was busy, and Hélène Dooley started us off by demonstrating wet felting flowers and displaying her felted vessels. The red-coloured, hanging felted spiral is from an online class she teaches at the Felting and Fiber Studio. (See photo below).
Helene demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Hélène demonstrated and answered curious questions.
Hélène, Lory Cotti Cottini, and Annika demonstrating, below. Annika promoted Feltmakers Ireland and encouraged the interested public to become members of the guild.
Helene, Lory, and Annika sharing the wonders of feltmaking – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Siobhan Ryan, Sam Fagan, Elaine Peden, and Annika at Bloom.
Siobhan, Sam, Elaine, and Annika demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Elain Peden demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Elaine and Annika share feltmaking with the public. (Below).
Elaine and Annika – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Siobhan demonstrates her unique artwork.
Siobhan demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
Valerie Nowak O’Ceallaigh shared her needle-felted horse portrait.
Photo by Valerie
Conclusion
Many thanks to Maria Mc Garry and Annika Berglund for coordinating this year’s Feltmakers Ireland booth at Bloom! Also, thanks to all the members, who also volunteered their time during the busy bank holiday weekend.
Elaine, Annika, and Maria pictured – Photo by Sam Fagan
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 September, Feltmakers Ireland guild member Jenni Kilgallon is teaching two needle-felting classes for teens and adults at Tales for Tadpoles in Bray. The first class is this Friday, the 8th at 11 AM.
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.
Talk: Launch ships and burn towers: Beatrice Elvery and Patrick Pearse
Upcoming Needle felting landscape courses at The Muddle
Talk: Launch ships and burn towers: Beatrice Elvery and Patrick Pearse
It explores the fascinating relationship between Patrick Pearse and the artist Beatrice Elvery. Several of Elvery’s paintings hung in Pearse’s school, Scoil Éanna and she also illustrated Pearse’s book, ‘Íosagán agus Scealta Éile’. The talk will also look more generally at the central role which art played in Pearse’s innovative and experimental school. Hopefully these stories will inspire you and be just what you need to get your creative juices flowing and help you beat the January blues. The talk will also look at aspects of the history of early 20th century Irish stained glass and will help you in finalising your ideas towards submission for Keep Well Felt with Us Felt Stained Glass Exhibition scheduled for launch in Pearse Museum in April. The Pearse Museum and St. Enda’s Park are managed and run by the OPW.
For the online class you will need a basic kit which you can order on the website or collect from the shop. The kit is provided for the inhouse class. Here are the two links.
The muddle is also planning classes this year in natural wool fibre preparation, wool washing, dyeing, carding and spinning.
They are also starting Kids after schools classes and adult weekly mixed craft sessions. Also on the website. The classes will differ each week depending on the tutor. Like a plethora of art and craft, tasters sessions etc.
Feltmakers Ireland 