Tuition Offered to Groups
Vessels made at a workshop
1. Felt without Seams – Hollow Forms – 1 day
Felt has the ability to create hollow three dimensional forms without the need of stitch. The workshop offers the opportunity to create individual vessels or small bags.
2. Painting with Fibres – 1 day
Create landscapes combining wet and dry felting techniques. A good introduction to felt.
3. ‘Winter Warmers’ – based on a grid 1-day
The design of these merino wool scarves is based around a grid giving a soft fabric lightweight to wear but warm due to the air trapped within the grid. The grid may be a simple criss-cross of vertical and horizontal lines with even spaces or the lines may be placed at angles to produce diamond shapes or the grid can be designed freely with the gaps varying according to the design.
4. ‘Felt on the Edge’ 1-2 days
Felt has the amazing property of self-healing thus making edge finishes such as hems and bindings unnecessary. The workshop concentrates on making the most of this special property of felt to create shaped and interesting edges in unique scarves or neck pieces. Wool will be laminated to fine silk chiffon gauze to create light but strong felt and spectacular open work effects.
5. ‘Patches of Felt’ 2-3 days
Design, make and assemble individual patches of felt into simple garments or bags.
At the workshop you will learn how to divide up the pattern pieces into sections, scale them up allowing for shrinkage and then felt the sections individually. Finally the sections will be stitched together to create a patchwork effect. It may not be possible to complete the garment in two days but all the processes required will be covered enabling you finish at home. This is an excellent method for those who do not have the time and space to devote to making a garment all at one time.
Shaped edges on anenome wrap
Felt with Attitude
6. Sumptuous Surfaces on Felt 1-2 days
Felt making is a versatile process which allows wool fibres to combine with other non-felting fibres and fabrics to produce unusual effects. Use different techniques to create interesting surfaces on felt such as luxurious lustre with silk or texture with jute and flax. Build up layers within the felt to give depth and richness. The resulting fabrics can be used for both decorative and functional purposes.
7. Felt to Stitch’ - Form and Texture 2 days
The aim of the course is to experiment with techniques to create interesting surface textures in felt. The methods used are an extension of Nuno felt combining felt and fabrics with the addition of stitch Shibori is a Japanese term for creating pattern in cloth by binding, stitching, folding, twisting, or compressing it prior to immersing it in dye. The compressed areas do not absorb the dye and thus create patterns on the fabric. This technique can be used on felt with or without the dyeing process to create shape. The binding or stitching is applied to the felt at pre-felt stage before the felting is completed and after binding; the felting process is then completed so that the felt retains the shape created by the binding etc. Layered Textures This method creates texture under the surface fabric layer and is suitable for use as a decoration on felted garments. The fabric should not be too open in weave or the results are not so obvious.
8. Explore, Embellish, Felt 1-2 days
An experimental workshop to explore the potential of needle punch ‘embellisher’ machines. Suitable for all levels of experience and structured so that participants may experiment and learn a range of techniques for creating original fabrics and methods of adding surface decoration; beginners will have the opportunity to explore the many possibilities of this exciting new technique.
The areas to be explored:
- Making the most of wool fibres with the embellisher. To felt or not to felt?
- Layering to create exciting new fabrics. Tucks and pleats and not a stitch in sight.
9. Contemporary Felt - Talk
An informal talk illustrated with many and varied examples of felt for handling. It presents a potted history of the development of felt from its traditional origins to the wide variety of contemporary uses.
Fabric created on an embellisher