For our April Sunday Session, we will learn how to transfer designs onto felt fabrics using soluble fabric and heat-transfer techniques with committee member Adrienne Dempsey.
In this workshop, we’ll explore different methods for transferring designs and bring them to life through needle felting.
You’ll create a motif that you can use in your own artwork or transform into a decorative piece, such as a brooch.
Materials we will use:
•Linen and silk canvas fabric •Heat transfer materials, fabric pens •Soluble fabric •Vilene, cotton batting, calico, and Pellon •Parchment paper •Needle felting wool (black & white and a selection of colours) •Felting needles •Iron •Embroidery threads & beads (optional)
What to bring:
Bring both your Needle and Wet Felting Kits
Felting wool and felting needles
Felting pad
Towel
Bowl for water
Soap
Bubble wrap
Small scissors
Embroidery hoop (6 inch, optional)
The Details:
When: Sunday, the 12th of April, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
If you can, please bring a home-baked good to share and a travel mug (so we can reduce our use of disposable cups).
And, as this is the season of coughs and sneezes, please refrain from coming if you feel unwell.
NO Zoom Access to this Sunday Session:
Unfortunately, we will NOT be able to provide Zoom access for this Sunday’s session, as our tech support (Juliane) cannot attend. Thank you for your understanding.
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.
We’re delighted to share that the second printing of ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ is now available through the library system in Ireland.
If you search your local library catalogue or visit the Libraries Ireland website, you’ll find that there are currently 20 copies in the system. Some are still on order and being processed, but you can reserve a copy and have it delivered directly to your local branch for collection.
Editor’s Note: You will need a valid library card to reserve the book.
Thank You to Our Supporters
Everyone at Feltmakers Ireland would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all of our wool-loving readers and supporters who have made this second printing possible.
We are especially grateful to artist and guild member Annika Berglund for being the book’s editor. She took on the complex and detailed work of establishing the wool breed testing subcommittee and organised the results into a cohesive, educational, and beautifully presented book.
Whether you borrow it through your local library or keep a copy on your own shelf, we hope this book continues to inspire your exploration of Ireland’s rich and diverse wool heritage.
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.
On Saturday, the 28th of March, European Wool Day will take place at the Meadowlands Hotel in Tralee, Co Kerry. In conjunction with the Conference Talks, there is a full day of free interactive demos of woolcrafts from experts all over the country.
Volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will be part of the Interactive Wool Crafts Room. We will demonstrate needlefelting and host hands-on felting circles for the public. The wool that we will use is Irish-raised and was purchased from Ériu and WoolstoreIE. We are grateful to have received some funding from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.
In addition to Feltmakers Ireland, other individuals and groups will be part of the Interactive Wool Crafts room. The list includes several members of Feltmakers Ireland: Karen Bowden (Fabulous Fibres), Lucia Errity, and Emily Thompson.
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.
Helena Mc Guinness helping a studentHelena demonstrating
On Sunday, the 8th of February, members of Feltmakers Ireland were delighted to have the multitalented artist, storyteller and committee member Helena Mc Guinness show us how to create felted hearts using a combination of wet and needle felting.
Helena’s samples that use the combined technique
Helena shared many interesting tidbits about how one can approach felting. Here are some of our favourites:
Thanking the Sheep for their wool
Allowing oneself not to think one needs a huge towel or a big setup
Using small sponges to wet the felt instead of more expensive tools, such as ball brausers
Adding the olive oil soap after wetting allows more control
Rubbing more reduces the need to roll
Adding a small metal ring by using needle felting instead of stitching
Scroll to the bottom to watch the video of our session.
Students at the Session
Completed Hearts
Heart Photos kindly taken by Adrienne Dempsey
If your heart was not included, or you were working alongside at home via Zoom, please email us a photo of your completed heart. feltmakersIE@gmail.com
A Group Photo
A photo of some of the students – taken at the very end of the session. Sorry if we missed everyone.
Biscuits with History
‘Biscuits with History’ is an ongoing series of baked goods created by committee member Lorna Cady. They are always so fun!
Appreciation
Many thanks to Helena Mc Guinness for leading us in an educational and enjoyable Sunday Session. Thank you to the members who helped set up the room and who assisted in guiding some of our newer felters.
Video
Sunday Session Video
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 Sunday, the 8th of February, we will have our second Sunday Session of 2026.
Committee member Helena Mc Guinness will lead us in creating small hearts, using both wet and needle felting techniques. The Theme is ‘Heart on Your Sleeve’.
Please bring your wet and needle felting kits. The committee will have extra felting needles for those who do not have them, along with ball brauses (sprinklers).
We will also provide Merino wool. But if you have specific colours you prefer to use, it would be helpful to bring them along.
Your Wet Felting Kit should include:
an old towel to catch water, plus a smaller one to dry your hands
bubble wrap
bowl for water
felting soap of your choice
sprinkler or ball brause
Your Needle Felting Kit should include:
felting needles
sponge or brush or needle felting pad to felt into
The Details:
When: Sunday, the 8th of February, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
If you can, please bring a home-baked treat to share and a travel mug (to reduce our use of disposable cups).
And, as this is the season of coughs and sneezes, please refrain from coming if you feel unwell. We do have the benefit of technology – there will be access via Zoom, although it is not quite as lovely as being with us in person.
Zoom Access to the Sunday Session:
We will email the Zoom link to all members on this afternoon
Membership Renewal:
If you have already renewed your annual membership, we thank you for your support!
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.
On Sunday, the 8th of February, we will have our second Sunday Session of 2026.
Committee member Helena Mc Guinness will lead us in creating small hearts, using both wet and needle felting techniques. The Theme is ‘Heart on Your Sleeve’.
Please bring your wet and needle felting kits. The committee will have extra felting needles for those who do not have them, along with ball brauses (sprinklers).
We will also provide Merino wool. But if you have specific colours you prefer to use, it would be helpful to bring them along.
Your Wet Felting Kit should include:
an old towel to catch water, plus a smaller one to dry your hands
bubble wrap
bowl for water
felting soap of your choice
sprinkler or ball brause
Your Needle Felting Kit should include:
felting needles
sponge or brush of needle felting pad to felt into
The Details:
When: Sunday, the 8th of February, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
If you can, please bring a home-baked treat to share and a travel mug (to reduce our use of disposable cups).
And, as this is the season of coughs and sneezes, please refrain from coming if you feel unwell. We do have the benefit of technology – there will be access via Zoom, although it is not quite as lovely as being with us in person.
Zoom Access to the Sunday Session:
We will email the Zoom link to all members on the afternoon of Friday, the 6th of February.
Membership Renewal:
If you have already renewed your annual membership, we thank you for your support!
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-West’s February Sunday Session on the 15th will be led by Katarina Hruskova, who will teach how to make needle-felted hearts, using Irish wool.
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.
The International Feltmakers Association (IFA) online courses for wet feltmaking are currently open for enrollment. There are five different courses, and each covers a specific area of interest to felters:
The January-February Coursework access begins on the 2nd of January, 20206 and ends on the 28th of February, 2026. The courses run three times a year with a period of access to the online material. The other two slots are scheduled in May/June and October/November.
The workshops are delivered step-by-step, on-screen, and as downloadable or printable PDFs through the Ruzuku platform. Students work at their own pace and can use the online group forum to ask the course mentor any questions. Students can also share their work through peer feedback and discussions.
Fibre packs can be ordered if needed.
Feltmakers Ireland guild member Hélène Dooley is one of the mentors with the IFA Discovering Feltmaking Courses. She masterfully guided us through the ‘Cracked Earth’ and ‘Geode’ techniques during our April 2023 Sunday Session!
These online courses are open to both IFA members and non-members, and would make a perfect gift for oneself!
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.
The International Feltmakers Association (IFA) online courses for wet feltmaking are currently open for enrollment. There are five different courses, and each covers a specific area of interest to felters:
The October-November Coursework access begins on the 1st of October and ends on the 30th of November, 2025. The courses run three times a year with a period of access to the online material. The other two slots are scheduled in January/February and May/June.
The workshops are delivered step-by-step, on screen and as a downloadable or printable PDF through the Ruzuku platform. Students work at their own pace and can use the online group forum to ask the course mentor any questions they may have. Students can also share their work through peer feedback and discussions.
Fibre packs can be ordered if needed.
Feltmakers Ireland guild member Hélène Dooley is one of the mentors with the IFA Discovering Feltmaking Courses. She masterfully guided us through the ‘Cracked Earth’ and ‘Geode’ techniques during our April 2023 Sunday Session!
The online courses are open to IFA members and non-members.
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.
Jane Fox wore her name tag and lots of felted flowers while helping the Guild at Bloom 2025
Feltmakers Ireland’s 2025 Season Opener: Name Tag Wet Felting Workshop
What an incredible start to the 2025 season for Feltmakers Ireland! Our recent wet felting workshop, led by the wonderfully talented Jane Fox, was a resounding success, bringing together over 30 enthusiastic participants for a day of creativity, connection, and craft. On behalf of Feltmakers Ireland, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to Jane for making this event truly unforgettable.
Jane’s worktable with the supplies used to make Name TagsSuch glowing colours of the prefelt from Jane!Prefelt now chopped up to make letters for namesSome sample names on Jane’s worktable
The Name Tag Making Workshop was a perfect blend of skill-building and community spirit, with participants ranging from seasoned felters to those just dipping their toes into the craft. Jane’s expertise, patience, and warm, relatable approach created an inviting atmosphere that resonated with everyone. Her ability to guide each participant, regardless of experience level, ensured that everyone left the session not only with newfound skills but also with a sense of accomplishment and joy.
One of the highlights of the day was the creation of personal name tags, each a unique piece of artwork crafted by the participants themselves.
In the workshop, Jane began by explaining and demonstrating how the name tags would be made using two pieces of prefelt. Each student started with a rectangular piece of white prefelt to act as the base. They then chose from colourful pre-felted wool that Jane had kindly prepared beforehand using her drum carder. On top of this, students could add embellishments such as silk, viscose, or even tiny chopped pieces of prefelt to create a confetti-like effect.
Once the decorative layers were arranged, the pieces were wetted down and lightly felted so the fibres began to intermingle and bond.
Cutting Out Letters
After this stage, the colourful prefelt was gently patted dry, ready for the next step. Students then cut out the letters of their names and arranged them either on the white prefelt or on the coloured felt. These layers were felted together and patted dry once more. Jane brought cut-out paper letters for the students to use, while Elizabeth brought silver-coloured, metal ones from a Meccano set.
The Stained Glass Felting Method
Jane shows the back of an image that has the stained glass felting technique, which outlines the various sections.
To make the letters stand out more clearly, students used the “stained glass felting” technique developed by Niki Collier during COVID-19, which culminated in an international exhibition that was shown at the Pearse Museum in Dublin and Gallery Kabllo, Vienna, in Austria – https://making.ie/stories/felt-stained-glass.
The stained glass method involved needle-felting a narrow black border of Merino roving around each coloured field or letter, which gave the shapes a crisp outline and improved legibility. By the end of the process, each participant had created a unique felted name tag, decorated with colour, texture, and clear lettering.
Jane Shows How to Make Narrow Lines with Wool
Members Using the Stained Glass Technique
These beautiful creations will be used at future Feltmakers Ireland events, serving as both a practical tool and a meaningful memento.
Some of the Almost Done Name Tags
A Couple of Longer Names
Jane had a clever solution to those members who had longer names: On a colourful felted ground, one could ‘write’ one’s name using a needle felting tool and black Merino wool. No cutting out of letters is needed!
A Nifty Needle Felting Kit
A couple of members brought along portable needle felting kits that we admired! A rainbow of wool, tools and even finger guards were included.
Biscuits with History
Each Sunday Session, Lorna creates interesting baked goods that have been eaten in the past. This month, she brought Aberffaw Biscuits. We wonder what she will bake next month?
Biscuits by Lorna – always a tasty and educational feature at our Sunday Sessions. Each session, she makes a different type.
The early feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising Jane’s ability to make the workshop both educational and fun. Her passion for wet felting shone through, inspiring everyone to explore their creativity and connect with one another in a warm, supportive environment.
Felting Away
We couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off our Autumn 2025 season!
Our Gratitude
Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped our Sunday Session run so smoothly: Lorna for opening the hall and taking care of all of our caffeine needs, Adrienne for greeting the members, Sam for making sure that the hall was left in excellent condition, and the rest of the committee for ensuring that the day ran so well. Stay tuned for more exciting workshops and events with Feltmakers Ireland, as we continue to celebrate the art of felting and the connections it fosters.
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.
