Tag: Wet Felting

Recap: Feltmakers Ireland at Bloom 2024

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

By Bloom co-coordinator, Maria Mc Garry

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 the Design 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.

Day 1

Annika Berglund showcased her project on the felting properties of wool from the various breeds of sheep in Ireland as part of Feltmakers Ireland’s book ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking‘. You can purchase this book via our website – https://feltmakersireland.com/exploring-irish-wool-for-feltmaking/

  • 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

Elaine Peden demonstrating felted flowers. (Below)

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.

Education: Leiko Uchiyama Workshop – Bagenalstown In Bloom

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Bagenalstown in Bloom, now in its third year, features flower-arranging workshops and displays, helpful tips to make the perfect hanging basket, and garden tours of the wonderful Barrow Experience Gardens in the BEAM Centre on Sunday. The festival programme also includes demonstrations of woodturning, Borris Lace, and live music. In addition, several workshops are offered: Feltmakers Ireland guild member Leiko Uchiyama is teaching TWO wet felting workshops as part of the event. In both classes, students will experience the unique way of making three-dimensional objects seamlessly and colour mixing with wool fibre.

The morning class is on Saturday, the 15th of June 2024, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. (2 hours).

The afternoon class is on the same day from 1:00 – 4:00 PM. (3 hours).

For more information on her morning class, visit here on Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/workshop-wet-felting-a-leiko-uchiyama-tickets-884369181027

For more information on her afternoon class, visit here on Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/workshop-wet-felting-b-leiko-uchiyama-tickets-884370825947

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: Felted Bowl Workshop with Judith Daniels – Maine USA

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Feltmaker and artist Judith Daniels is teaching a felted vessel workshop as part of the Fiber College of Maine Touchstone Retreat. (This workshop is in the USA).

Students will learn two ways to make 3-D forms: one with a resist and one with differential shrinkage.

During the workshop, students will learn the basics about choosing and using colours for specific effects and how laying out the wool in certain patterns and thicknesses affects the shape of one’s vessel. In addition, students will learn how the direction of rolling and how long a piece is fulled affects the final shape of a bowl. Students will explore using various fibres and materials in the surface design of their pieces. The instructor will bring samples of different kinds of wool to touch so students can learn what type works better for larger or smaller pieces and the difference in surface texture and rigidity.

When: the 4th-8th of September 2024.

For more information, visit the website – https://makersguildmaine.org/fiber-college/touchstones-workshops/felt-vessels/

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: Soul Dolls Felting Retreat – Boyne Valley

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Feltmakers Ireland member Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt and Shelly Szigli of Soul Dolls CA are holding a two-day felting retreat set against the stunning backdrop of the World Heritage Site of Brú na Boinne in the stunning Boyne Valley in Ireland.

Participants will learn how to create their own Soul Doll using wet and needle felting techniques.

When: the 31st of August through the 1st of September.

For more information, visit the website – https://www.souldolls.ca/soul-doll-ireland-2024-retreat

Recap: Fine Felt February Workshop with Annika Berglund

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

On Sunday, the 11th of February, 22 students gathered around artist and Feltmakers Ireland guild member Annika Berglund to learn about Fine Feltmaking.

Annika demonstrates how to make clean edges on flat felt.

What is Fine Felt?

With this type of wet felting, the aim is to create dense, smooth felt. It is not a fast process; we didn’t toss or throw but took it slow. Annika said we might never seek this patience-requiring method again, but we would know and have the option to use it in our future felting.

Throughout the workshop, the students used only two colours: black and white. This simple limitation allowed us to experience how colours combine through the feltmaking process.

Everyone gathered around to watch the steps of the process.

Morning

In the morning, we worked two-dimensionally. We learned how to carefully lay out Merino wool roving to a specific size and then gently transform the fluff into felt. Annika explained the hows and whys of why we might want to shrink our samples more or less.

Annika shows how to adjust the corners.

Afternoon

In the afternoon session, the students concentrated on creating a three-dimensional vessel – a sphere. We used a flat resist to create this hollow form. Similar to our morning education, this felting process needed a delicate touch.

Annika shares how to remove the resist.

Students concentrate on their work.

Feedback

Many of the students were fairly new to wet felting and appreciated learning the mysteries of the process. Several enthusiastically reported they would continue felting at home with Annika’s suggestions on how to create new samples with different shrinkage rates.

Students’ Work

Top row: Margaret Ryan, Loli Cox.

Second row: Valerie O’Ceallaigh, Sandra Reynolds.

Third row: Caitriona Nolan, Suzette French.

Fourth row: Samantha Fagan.

Fifth row: Ruth Dawson, Claire Wallace.

Sixth row: Ramona Farrelly.

Appreciation Time

Many thanks to the volunteers who assisted the students. Lorna Cady, Deirdre Crofts, Marian Fagan, Juliane Gorman, Fiona Leech, and Clodagh McDonagh.

Special thanks to Clodagh McDonagh and Adrienne Dempsey, who refreshed everyone’s water containers with the needed water temperatures – at times lukewarm and other times hot!

Clodagh with the kettles of boiling water.

Additional appreciation to Elizabeth Redding and Valerie Nowak Oceallaigh, who helped with the morning registration process and the selling of our book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’.

Elizabeth at the entry table.

As always, special thanks to Fiona Leech for taking care of the tea, coffee, and sweet treats!

Lastly, a huge thanks to Annika Berglund for taking on this workshop for the Guild. She has a marvellous way of getting the students’ attention and also making us laugh!

Editor’s note: as more students email photos, we will add them to this blog post.

February Sunday Session: Fine Felt Workshop FULL – But Members Welcome

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Fine Felt Technical Workshop

This upcoming Sunday Session Workshop, ‘Fine Felt in Wet Felting‘, is fully booked.

However, all members are welcome to come and enjoy the felting atmosphere!

  • Where: CIE Sports Hall
  • Date: 11th of February
  • Time: 10:30 AM – 4 PM

As it is a full day, please bring your lunch. (The CIE Sports Hall is in a residential neighbourhood, without nearby cafes).

While the heating will be turned on, please bring a jumper or cardigan as sometimes the Hall is chilly.

Other Details

If you can, please bring a home-baked treat to share.

For those not registered for the workshop or helping as volunteers, there is a member contribution of 5 euros.

This session will ~not~ be Zoomed or recorded.

Membership Renewals

Feltmakers Ireland has an annual membership fee of 25 euros. Your membership is valid for a calendar year – from January to December of each year.

At the Sunday Session, we will have printed membership forms available for 2024. {If you renew in person, can you also please fill out our online survey of members’ interests?}

Additionally, we offer membership renewals online – https://feltmakersireland.com/membership-application/

Hope to see you on Sunday – The Committee.

Education: Wet Felting Workshop – Dublin

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Tamzen Lundy is hosting a wet feltmaking workshop on Sunday, February 18th, in Dublin.
This workshop is suitable for beginners, intermediate-level felt makers, and those interested in making 3D felt or felting around a resist.

Together, we will make a sunglasses case… in the hope that we will soon see some springtime sun!

In this three-hour session, we will lay fibre around a resist, making a pocket sunglasses case. We will also look at different closure methods so the participants will learn extra tips and tricks to advance their projects.

All materials, plus tea/coffee and cake, are provided

There are limited spaces (4- meaning there is good attention and opportunity to ask for help).

With 25 years of experience in the textile and fashion industry, Tamzen brings a wealth of industry knowledge. Buy yourself an experience and enjoy a cosy craft-making session in the inspiring studio – Brookwood Pottery Shop and Studio in Marino, Dublin.

The cost is €75, 3.5 hours of tuition, materials, tea and coffee provided.

https://www.tamzenlundydesigns.ie/booking-calendar/make-a-glasses-case-feb-18th?referral=service_list_widget

If you have any trouble booking, contact tamzenlundydesigns@gmail.com  

(When clicking the link- select the date FEB 18th – which will then show availability as 12 noon– select and purchase online- many thanks).


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.

Technical Workshop: Fine Felt in Wet Felting – FULL

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
‘Fine Felt in Wet Felting’ – Technical Workshop with Annika Berglund

THE CLASS IS NOW FULL – Contact Annika to be added to the waiting list.

When and Where

11th of February 10:30-16:00 in The CIE Social Centre.

The Fine Felt Technical Workshop

This year, we are doing an additional workshop focused on techniques aimed at beginner and intermediate wet felters. The course aims to look at “Fine Felt”, traditionally desired in the craft of felting.

The class has two sections: a square 2D sample and a small vessel.

The Schedule

In the morning, beginner wet feltmakers will learn how to lay out wool using a 10-inch template and how to felt, full, and shrink. We will look at the graduation of colour and shrinkage rates.

A team of helpers will be available to anybody needing support.

During the morning session, more experienced feltmakers can focus on creating a very light, even layout using 10 grams of wool for a 10-inch square. We will look at how to get the densest, finest felt possible while working on creating a perfect square sample with a shrinkage of 30%, 40%, 50% or possibly 60%, depending on our speed of felting.

This may not be how we would do felting on an everyday basis. But, this session spent truly concentrating on careful felting should improve our overall felting work.

We will break for lunch. Please bring something to eat as we will only have 30 minutes.

In the afternoon, we will apply our learnings from the morning to make the finest little vessel possible. We will use a different layout (spokes and wheel), laying out 10 grams of black and white wool around a 20 cm circular resist. The goal will be to create a very thin, fine vessel, that is well-felted and sturdy.

Supplies

We will supply wool and materials for the workshop.

We will have spares, but if you have the following items, please bring them with you:

  •  One or two towels
  •  A bowl
  •  A water sprinkling brauser or similar (optional as we will have spares)
  •  Small sharp scissors
  •  Ruler with inches and cm

We will start at 10:30 on the dot as we have much to cover. Please try to be there a few minutes early to get settled in.

Cost

Feltmakers Ireland is keen to promote Fine Felting, and for this reason, we are offering this workshop at the low price of 25 euro for members and 35 euro for non-members.

Email annika AT annikaberglund.com to reserve your spot. (Remove change AT to @ and remove the spaces).

Payment Options

We have three options for payment for the Fine Felt Workshop:

• Electronic Transfer Lodgements (ETF) – bank tranfers
• Republic of Ireland cheques
• PayPal ~ we are charged a small percentage with this option*
(Currently, we have technical issues installing PayPal on our website. See below for instructions.)


Bank Transfer

When making an ETF bank payment, please include your NAME and that the payment is for The Fine Felt Workshop in the reference or description field.

IBAN: IE53 BOFI 9012 3963 6087 93 BIC: BOFIIE2D
BANK OF IRELAND, NAAS BRANCH.


Cheque

Cheques can be made payable to Feltmakers Ireland. If paying by cheque, please mail to:
Membership Secretary, Feltmakers Ireland,
113 Seafield Road East,
Clontarf, Dublin,
D03 XW30

PayPal


We prefer bank transfers or cheques as no fees are involved, but we will also accept PayPal.
*PayPal takes a per cent per transaction, so we receive less. If possible, please round up by adding 1.25 = €26.25. Non-members, please add 1.80 = €36.80 when paying with PayPal.

To pay via PayPal, use the following email: committeefeltmakersireland@gmail.com
Make sure to include your NAME and that it is for The Fine Felt Workshop.

We hope to see you there!

Education: Moy Mackay Online Class on Trees

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Moy’s books.

Artist and tutor Moy Mackay will teach ‘Trees in Felt & Stitch’.

Learn the processes and techniques for creating your own felted artwork through a four-week online course.

The lessons are pre-recorded and will guide you through additional techniques to increase your technical ability while developing your own artistic style. In addition to the learning resources and videos, there are in-person, weekly webinars with Moy.

When: 6th February – 4th March 2024

She also runs other online classes throughout the year and has published several books on needle-felted art.

For more information on the Trees Class, visit her website –
https://www.moymackay.com/courses/p/trees-in-felt-and-stitch-feb-2024

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: Upcoming Online Felting Workshop – Gladys Paulus

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Artist and educator Gladys Paulus has an upcoming class this January – INSPIRED BY NATURE: HORNS.

It’s an online workshop of drip-fed content release, including pre-recorded video tutorials, illustrated step-by-step instructions, PDF handouts, opportunities to submit questions/receive feedback, and a virtual classroom community.

COMMITMENT: 3 days between Friday, 19 January – Tuesday, 06 February 2024.

TYPE: Online, scheduled (Please note: All contents are pre-recorded. There are no “live” sessions).

CONTENTS RELEASED ON: Friday, 19 January 2024, Friday 26 January 2024, and Friday 02 February 2024.

REGISTRATION OPENS ON: Friday, 08 December 2023, 1pm (GMT)

For more information, visit her website – https://www.gladyspaulus.com/online-workshop-description

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.