Tag: Wool

Event: Sustainable Fibre Arts Conference 2024 – Canada

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador, through the provincial Year of the Arts initiative, has the pleasure to announce the Made in Canada: Sustainable Fibre Arts Conference 2024. This conference will feature workshops by fibre artists from around Canada and offer panels and workshops on sustainable harvesting and crafting practices.

There are several wool-related events. Among the sessions are working towards a regenerated wool fibre industry and heritage-based circular economies within the province, along with a hands-on event on processing raw wool, flax and nettle into useable fibre for spinning or other fibre craft.

Among the workshops offered will be foraged plant fibre weaving, animal hide tanning,
papermaking with recycled textiles and flax fibre, and block printing with natural dye
mordants.

Where: Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

When: 19th – 23rd of September, 2024.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.fibrearts2024.ca/

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.

Your Opinion: Kilmainham Mill Master Plan

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Today, the 3rd of November, is the last day for the public to have their say on the future of the Kilmainham Mill, which is the last remaining, largely unaltered, early 19th century flour mill in Dublin. It is probably the last remaining fulling (cloth shrinking) mill in Ireland. It is a protected structure on the Record of Protected Structures, and it is now in the ownership of Dublin City Council.

The Council wants to develop a vision to underpin the medium and long-term use of the Mill. Please contribute your opinion. It is not a long survey and is easy to fill out. The survey will ask for your name and email, but your response will be anonymous. Please participate.

https://consultation.dublincity.ie/planning/kilmainham-mill-mastervision/

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.

Event: Feltmaker Needed – Wool and Primary Producers’ Stand – Dingle Food Festival

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Irish Grown Wool Council, established in April 2023, will be hosting a
marquee at the Dingle Food Festival this Saturday, the 30th and Sunday the 1st, in
association with local Primary Producer Farmers.

They would like a member of Feltmakers Ireland to demonstrate feltmaking to the Food Festival’s visitors. They will also be selling copies of the Guild’s recently published book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’. {See the bottom of this post for contact details}.

The Irish Grown Wool Council’s VISION is:
“Bringing Wool stakeholders across the Island of Ireland together to realise the potential of wool as a natural, sustainable and versatile material, by building on its rich heritage, enhancing understanding and appreciation of the characteristics of Irish Grown Wool, facilitating collaboration in product/market research and ultimately applying innovative product solutions to address current challenges and create future opportunities.”

The Wool Council will have various displays on wool products ranging from beautiful textiles handcrafted by local artists, right through to Wool Insulation, which is made using waste wool as part of our circular bio-economy drive under our sustainability slogan – “Waste is a resource in the correct hands”.

MTU Tralee Circular Bio-Economy Southwest Cluster (Catriona Power) hosts the recently created, virtual Wool Research & Innovation Hub and will outline wool research being done by the R&I Hub.

The Dingle Hub, represented by Dinny Galvin, will be doing a display and talk on how, if we had a Biodigester on the Dingle Peninsula or elsewhere in Kerry Irish wool could be scoured locally at scale. Wastewater from washing could be a valuable feedstock for the Biodigester. The UCC team investigating the use of wastewater from a mooted local scouring plant in a biodigester will also attend.

If you are in Dingle for the food festival, call in at the marquee to see our products and meet the makers. Stay for a discussion on how we may develop the wool industry and hopefully get farmers a better price for our wool.

The marquee (stall 56), is based in Orchard Lane, beside Jerry Kennedy Butchers.

For and on behalf of the Irish Grown Wool Council,

Pat Byrne – Chairman

To arrange to demonstrate feltmaking at the festival, email Pat – pat.byrne@theagileexecutive.ie

Vendor Opportunity: Sheepdog Trials 2023

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Feltmakers Ireland received this announcement and thought it may be of interest. We do not know the organisers.

Taking bookings for the International Sheepdog Trials 2023, which is being held in Blessington at Three Castle Farm on the 8th, 9th and 10th of September.

The world of sheepdog trialling may be unfamiliar to some, but The International Sheepdog Trial is known around the world as one of the largest events in the sheepdog calendar. The event will attract a global audience and is hoped to give a significant boost to the local economy.

The International Sheepdog Trial 2023 is designed to test the best working dogs’ abilities in an environment close to true working life​. 

The event will showcase the talents of 60 dogs from across Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales. These 60 dogs will consist of the top 15 dogs selected from each nation’s National Trial, which will take place throughout July and August.

​The International Sheep Dog Trial is the pinnacle in the sheep dog trialling calendar, and its venue rotates around the four nations yearly, with Ireland being lucky enough to be the host Nation for 2023.

It’s going to be a big event with a family day out, and as this trial attracts people from the continent, too, it should be a nice event for crafters. This event is only coming to the south of Ireland every 8 years.

All sorts of crafts are welcome. We love to get crafters with wool, as it is a sheepdog trial, and for crafters that have anything that has to do with sheep or sheepdogs in their creativity.

There is a trader application form to be filled out to ensure your spot. The price for a 3X3 place is 200 euro for the 3 days. (You have to bring your own marquee.)

Here is the link to the trader application form – https://www.electricevents.ie/sheepdog-trials-trader-application-form

FYI: Wool Facts via Wool in School website

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Wool in School is a wool-inspired education company. They are committed to increasing the awareness of wool’s production and sustainable qualities in the school, home, and community environment. They sell colourful display boxes for classrooms containing fun, educational and creative resources, making it easy for teachers to integrate wool education into their curriculum. Additionally, they have kits for families.

They also have a wonderful fact page all about wool. Did you know that wool is UV resistant?

To learn more, visit their website – https://woolinschool.com/wool_qualities/

From Wool in School website

Exhibition: Oltre Terra – Why Wool Matters in Oslo, Norway

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Nasjonalmuseet has an exhibition that should be of interest to many feltmakers!

In “Oltre Terra. Why Wool Matters”, the multidisciplinary design studio Formafantasma investigates the history, ecology and global dynamics of the extraction and production of wool.

“Oltre Terra. Why Wool Matters” brings together various items relating to sheep farming and the wool industry: paintings, textiles, photographs and videos. A 1,700-year-old tunic, goat masks, and a commissioned video work by artist Joanna Piotrowska are just some of the objects on display. At the centre of the exhibition, visitors are invited to relax on a large carpet made of a type of wool that would normally be discarded by the wool industry. There is also plenty of research material that lets you delve deeper into the exhibition’s topics.

If you are unable to get to Norway, you can explore the exhibition in 3D – https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=4H2AHHF16o5

Additionally, there are five short audio recordings about sheep and wool that you can listen to – https://www.nasjonalmuseet.no/en/guide/oltreterra/

The exhibition runs through the 1st of October.

For more information, visit the website – https://www.nasjonalmuseet.no/en/exhibitions-and-events/national-museum/exhibitions/2023/oltre-terra.-why-wool-matters/

Event: Connemara National Park Celebration – July 1st

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Via Suzanna Crampton on the Irish Wool Discussion Group on Facebook –

Connemara National Park will be celebrating its twinning agreement with Terra Nova National Park, Newfoundland, Canada, by undertaking a Heritage Event on Canada Day, the 1st of July 2023.

Among the day’s events is a focus on sheep and wool.

  • The staff in Connemara National Park have been instrumental in efforts to regenerate the Cladoir breed of sheep which was once found throughout Connemara but was pushed to the brink of extinction in recent years. The Cladoir sheep were known to have had fine wool which could be knitted or woven and was an important reason why the breed survived. To celebrate the importance of the wool for the regeneration of the breed, hand shearing of our Cladoir sheep flock will take place throughout the day, with the wool processed on-site in order to have a finished hand-knitted garment by the end of the day.
  • Connemara National Park holds a number of Heritage Breeds which include: Connemara Pony; Cladoir sheep; Galway Sheep; Irish Maol Cattle; and Old Irish Goat. A representative of each of these Rare Breeds Societies will be on hand to discuss each breed’s importance.

For more information, please contact the Visitor Centre on 095 41054 or 087 2919721

For a full schedule, visit the website – https://www.nationalparks.ie/connemara/special-heritage-event-on-july-1st-2023/

Cladoir photograph from Feltmakers Ireland’s book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’

News: Research and Innovation Hub to Support Irish Grown Wool Council

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

A newly established research and innovation centre, the Wool Hub, has been set up to offer technical knowledge and expertise to the newly formed, all-island Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC). The hub aims to assist farmers, sole traders, enterprises, and anyone interested in maximising the potential of this natural Irish-grown resource by providing research, development, and innovation support.

Image of the Uses of Wool via the Circular Bioeconomy Cluster Southwest, MTU. (Note that there is Craft and Felting, but they are disconnected).

Technical aspects of the Wool Hub will be facilitated by the Circular Bioeconomy Cluster Southwest at Munster Technological University (MTU), Tralee. To learn more, see this article on Agriland.

Happening Today: 3rd European Wool Day

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The 3rd EUROPEAN WOOL DAY starts Sunday, April 9, in Zlatibor, Serbia, at 14:00, Central European Time.

If you cannot make it to Serbia, this hybrid event can be watched via live streaming at the EWE Foundation‘s YouTube channel: HERE.

A PDF of a schedule of the day’s events can be found HERE.

The film ‘The Legacy of Brigid: Irish Women in Wool’ by Deirdre Lane, ShamrockSpring, Ireland, is scheduled to be screened at 19:10, Central European Time. Feltmakers Ireland and our upcoming book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ will hopefully be included, as we were part of the event in March.

Also included are presentations by Sandra King of Irish Fibre Crafters on the Wool Shop and Mandy Nash, who will share the International Feltmakers Association’s book ‘British Wool for Feltmaking.’