Applications are now open to members for our annual juried exhibition in the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre. The theme is Bountiful, which you may interpret in any way that you wish. Please see the particular guidelines on the downloadable form below.
Forms and queries should be returned to Deirdre Crofts by email. (Her address is on the form).
Juried applications are now open to members for our annual juried exhibition in the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre. The theme is Bountiful, which you may interpret in any way that you wish. Please see the particular guidelines on the downloadable form below.
Forms and queries should be returned to Deirdre Crofts by email. (Her address is on the form).
As usual, we parked miles away from our stand in the DCCI’s Irish Craft Village, which was right in the middle of the festival. But thanks to Marian for lending a special, large-wheel cart, we only had one journey from the car.
The ladies who did the morning session finished in time for us to set up for our stint from 2-5 PM. Feltmakers Ireland committee head, Deirdre Carroll, is an amazing helper! She put up my many poster samples of Nuno Felting on the walls – that was the topic for my demonstration!
Nunofelting Samples
I chose to create a beret as I had a few of them to show off, and besides, our table layout area was small. I brought a few wraps to show as there were two mannikins. In addition, Juliane’s hats, our book sales section, and the number of us there occupied much of the allotted area.
Clare Brophy demonstrating.
Seeing some visitors purchase our book – ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ was gratifying, and there was huge interest in what Adrienne and I were making.
Annika Berglund discussing Irish Wool for Feltmaking.
Adrienne made small flowers— perfect for the space. She was a genius at luring in the children, when their mums or dads were interested in what I was doing. She had an amazing quiet way of getting the kids to join in by inviting them to add their favourite colours and manipulate the fibres into felt. They loved it! Future Feltmakers in the making!
Adrienne Dempsey demonstrated feltmaking with some children.
Somewhere along the way, I realised I had left my lovely cut-out Margilan silk beret circles at home on my kitchen table, so Nuno was not to be, but a wool-only beret! I gradually laid out the fibre, chatting away to the visitors, slowly wet it down, still chatting! Added Tussah silk for embellishment, while answering questions and explaining the process, each time to new groups. I turned it over and slowly laid the reverse side, explaining all about resists.
The very interested visitors came from everywhere! At least three or four groups were from Newry, Antrim, and Belfast. Another group from Tralee made it a two-day trip to Dublin. Many were from Louth, Kildare, and the Midlands. I was quite surprised and delighted to find younger people, often couples, with the gentleman just as interested in the process as the lady.
I spoke to many about our research project —our book— but personally didn’t manage any sales!
After a solid three hours in the heat and the crowds, I was tired but very happy with how the day went.
While dismantling the stand from Feltmakers in preparation for the next Guild tomorrow (The Irish Patchwork Society), I had a great chat with Catherine Gray, the DCCI’s coordinator at BLOOM. She and I share the same love for our Roscommon/Leitrim haven and even share some friends and acquaintances. Her textile landscapes are displayed at the Leitrim Design House in Carrick-On-Shannon, which I regularly visit. She is a most supportive DCCI person!
Thank you, Feltmakers Ireland, for accepting the invitation and giving us this great exposure to the broader public. Hopefully, we may get more members out of it.
Particular thanks to Deirdre Carroll, Adrienne Dempsey, Juliane Gorman, Annika Berglund, and Deirdre Crofts, who made this a special day
Clare Brophy June2023
Editor’s note: Thank you also to the following Feltmakers Ireland members who volunteered at other shifts on our rota: Elaine Peden, Lorna Cady, Marian Fagen, Tamzen Lundy, Claire Merry, Marie Dunne, and Fiona Leech.
A Gallery of photographs of almost all of the members who volunteered during our two days at Bloom.
Annika, Claire, and TamzenFionaJulianeMarie and FionaTamzen and the boothAnother angleClaire’s Dress and Juliane’s HatsAnnika and Claire’s workAdrienne demonstratingAnnika speaking about the bookAnnika and ElaineAnnika, Elaine, and LornaClaire and DeirdreBack view of the boothA full boothMarian helping outNuno felt examplesNuno felt examplesNuno felt examples
This Friday and Saturday (the 2nd and 3rd of June, 2023), Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate various feltmaking techniques. We will be sharing at Bloom from 11 AM to 5 PM on these two days. (The event runs from the 1st through the 5th of June).
Please be ready to sell the book and hand out business cards for potential guild members.
Please be ready to talk about feltmaking. Demonstrations are welcome!
You are welcome to display your own felted works on the walls.
If desired, you can sell your felted works.
If you have hands-on activities, you can charge for kits.
Volunteer shifts will be for three-hour blocks: from 11 AM to 2 PM and 2 PM to 5 PM.
We will need two demonstrators and one helper per shift.
Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your shift in order to have time to set up.
Note: We will not be able to drive to our spot at Bloom. People must transport their work and equipment by foot from the car park. Cars are only allowed during the first and last day of the event. Along with the usual public transport, there will be a free shuttle from Heuston Station to Bloom.
Applications to the Irish Craft Village at the Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park are open for DCCI (Design & Crafts Council Ireland) members. The deadline is the 14th of April. For more information, see HERE.
Reminder- to get MAKING A BUZZ…. help us celebrate biodiversity in the park- by making giant BEES, BIRDS, INSECTS, FLOWERS… and felt bombing the local environment!
In Sept – Sept 13th to be exact, we will be taking part in a biodiversity event in Phoenix Park. We want to felt bomb a tree- with a twist… Let’s make Bees & Birds and all things biodiverse…. Endangered insects and native flowers… in felt.
We would like these pieces to be large- perhaps 30cm to be seen from afar and work in a hanging or pinning way. If you feel like a challenge, help us to BRING A BUZZ back to the park!
We are asking you to get making- and bring them along to the AGM in May…. of course, we have more time as the Biodiversity day will be in Sept…. but it was so beautiful and encouraging for everyone to see the indivdual pieces of felt work last year at our AGm- that we are hoping of you will bring your creepie crawlies already in MAY and motivate your fellow felters to join the FUN!
A discussion and hands on demo about the basics- of feltmaking. Good skills to learn or recap- laying out fibre… different ways to make bobbles and small attachments.
Following my 100 days of feltmaking experiment in 2019, I share some of the very basics that I learnt along the way but that helped give such exciting and experimental shapes!
Feltmakers Ireland 