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Category: Announcements

New Book, New Look

New Book, New Look

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It was an honor to hear that my publisher Quarto Creates was reworking The Complete Photo Guide to Felting into a new book called First Time Felting.

This book is for beginners and concentrates on needle felting techniques but also shows the basics of wet felting and nuno felting. The book is available now.

I am happy to announce that Quarto Creates is providing one free copy of the book as a give away prize here. All you need to do is comment below and you will be entered into a drawing for the book. So please spread the word and share this post to get the word out about this new book.

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And the new look? Did you notice that we changed up the look of our website a little? Thanks to Ann and Jan for the new header photo and we’ve changed the background to create a cleaner look. What do you think?

Don’t forget that registration is open now for my online classes. Please check out the online classes in the menu and register today!

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Registration Opens Today For ‘Felted Bags with Teri Berry’

Registration Opens Today For ‘Felted Bags with Teri Berry’

Comments 3 comments

Registration for Teri Berry’s Felted Bags online class opens today! This is a great course and was well received, so it’s exciting it’s being run again. There are limited spaces available so if you want to register, click on this link and fill out the registration form. 

During this 5 week course you will have the opportunity to make at least 3 bags / purses.

In week 1, you will make an animal themed spectacles/phone/pencil case, this could be in the image of your favourite pet or a friend’s pet (they make very thoughtful gifts) or a mythical beast of your own imagination! You will use multiple resists, introduce some nuno felting and make a closure entirely from wool.

In week 2 you will learn to make a small to medium shoulder / hand bag (purse to our US friends), this tutorial will demonstrate how to add internal pockets, a magnetic clasp, adjustable shoulder straps and take shaping the felt to the next level so  the bag has a flat bottom and stands up on its own.

The week 3 tutorial is a little more ambitious, you will learn to make a backpack with adjustable straps, multiple internal compartments and internal pockets.

Weeks 4 and 5 will be for catch up / further development, you might like to apply your own design to a bag, Teri will be on hand to answer any questions and talk through any challenges your design might create.

As with all the online courses there will be lots of opportunity to share your work with the rest of the group and share ideas.

The content of this workshop is suitable for felters with some experience, you do not need to have made a bag before but if you are confident making felt pods, bowls etc. over a resist you will be able to make these bags.

The class begins May 24, 2018. The price for this five-week course is £60 GBP (approx. $79 US, $105 Canadian, €70, $112 AUD, $119 NZ) and the number of places will be limited to 30 students.

Sign up here.

PechaKucha 20 x 20

PechaKucha 20 x 20

Comments 8 comments

I attended a local event yesterday called PechaKucha. I had never heard of it before and thought you might like to hear a little more about it. The idea began in Tokyo in 2003, when architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham devised a format to present creative ideas informally and in a more relaxed setting. The format for presentation is to show 20 images, each for 20 seconds with the images advancing automatically. This gives the presenter 20 seconds to talk about each image or to tell their story with photos.

Please go visit their site to learn more about the PechaKucha movement and see if there is an event near you. 

PechaKucha events have spread to over 1,000 cities throughout the world. The events provide a place for creative people to get together and share what they have been creating, their stories, thoughts or just their holiday/vacation photos. The great thing about these events is that anyone can present. There are no set rules on what can be presented but what works the best is sharing your passion or something you love. It allows people to tell others their story and what is presented is often unexpected, sometimes poignant or humorous, sometimes very personal but always different.

The local event that I attended had nine presenters including a potter, a mixed media artist, a graphic designer, a photographer, a web developer, a textile designer, an iron sculptor, a master boot maker and a travel photographer.

Here are a few photos from the Kalispell event. Sorry about the quality but it’s what I could get with my phone. The recording of the event will be uploaded to the main website in the next several days. The venue was quite small for the number of people who came but we still enjoyed the event. This session was focused on art and design, all of the presenters were from the valley and everyone’s story was very different. I think this would be a wonderful way to spread the word about felt making and fiber art. If I get up the nerve, I may try presenting at a future event.

Looking at the global map on the PechaKucha site, it looks like most people will be able to find an event near where they live. If not, you can visit the site and take a look at some presentations given in the past. 

Or, if you really want to be brave, you could start a PechaKucha event in your town (as long as there isn’t already another one going). You need to hold an event four times a year to qualify and you can get more information here.

 

 

 

Level 3 Art and Design Exhibition

Level 3 Art and Design Exhibition

Comments 26 comments

After more than two years, I am finally completing my Level 3 Art and Design course at the Gail Harker Creative Studies Center. We are having an exhibition to show our class work, sketch books and finished pieces of art work. The exhibition will be on Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at the new center at 503 Morris Street in La Conner, Washington USA. You are cordially invited! I know that many of you that read this blog aren’t even in the US, but if you are in the La Conner area, I would love for you to stop by, check out my efforts from the last two years and say hello.

I haven’t shown all of my work for this class here as it isn’t felt or fiber related but I thought I would show you a bit of what I have created in this class.

I have tried various techniques and what will come as no surprise to regular readers, I have emphasized trees and the woodlands as my inspiration.

 

It’s been a lot of work but I have really enjoyed the journey.

If you have the chance to further your education in the arts, I would  highly recommend it. I love learning!

If you would like to know more about each of these pieces, you can read my posts over on my personal art blog Permutations in Fiber. You will just need to scroll back through the last two years 🙂

The exhibition will also feature the art and class work of my three fellow class mates and their work is so different than mine. I will see if I can take a video of the work on display and show it to you after the exhibition.

I have many sketch books and boxes of work, it’s really hard to show the scope of everything in one post.

This is the biggest piece I created. Framed, it is 30″ x 30″. All the paper started as white rice paper which I painted and cut out individual leaves. This one took a “bit” of time.

But I hope you have enjoyed a few examples of the work I have created for this class. So please, spread the word if you would, about our exhibition. I would love for you to come if you’re in the area.

Sweet Nothings Retreat

Sweet Nothings Retreat

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Sweet Nothings Retreat

I am thrilled to announce that I will be offering two wet felting workshops in France this coming July. The workshops will be held at Sweet Nothings Art and Crafts Retreat in the beautiful Charent region. The retreat is owned and run by husband and wife team Natalie and Lawrence, originally from the UK, and you can read how they came to be running a business in rural France by clicking here.

During each six day retreat there will be three workshop days and, with a maximum number of six students per class, there will be lots of opportunity for one to one time. A small class also allows for lots of flexibility so we can tailor each project to suit the individuals specific wishes/needs rather than all having to work on the same design or template. This also means we can accommodate absolute beginners alongside those of you who may have experience of Wet Felting but want to experiment or develop your technique further. 

15th – 20th July Nuno Scarf /Collar – In this workshop we will be working with Superfine Merino and silk fabrics, learning the basics of Nuno Felting, to create a beautiful, soft scarf/collar. Each student will work at their own pace and, once finished, you have the option of relaxing or putting your new found skills to practise on another item such as a Necklet or Bracelet. Being both practical and decorative, the beautifully soft, extremely lightweight Necklets bridge the gap between a scarf and a necklace and are ideal for wearing under a jacket on cool evenings. The bracelets introduce another technique, differential shrinkage, which allows us to create interesting, undulating surfaces on a flat plane. Once again, each of the additional projects will be totally unique and these can be further embellished with hand embroidery and beads. It’s your retreat…you decide!

Nuno Scarf/Collar
Nuno Necklets
Nuno Bracelets

22nd – 27th July Wet Felted Wallhanging – In this workshop we will be covering a variety of techniques including wet felting, needle felting, free motion stitch and hand embroidery to create our own unique wall hanging. It is suitable for any ability from absolute beginner to the more experienced felt maker as well as being a great introduction to free machine embroidery for those who haven’t yet tried it. 

Wet Felted Wallhanging

Using photographs or sketches as our source of inspiration we will begin by designing our layout and colour scheme. There will be examples to look at as we explore the different techniques we might use to create our pictures. The main body of our work will be wet felted, using loose fibres to “paint” our pictures. We will also explore the use of our own hand made pre felts, needle felting, hand and machine stitching to add areas of detail. Students can work to any size they wish, working on a large scale and concentrating on the one project, or working to a smaller scale and having the choice of an add-on felting project or simply enjoying more “free” time! 

Wet Felted Wallhanging

If you would like more information about the workshops I will be offering please use the contact form on my website to get in touch www.lincsinstitches.com  If you have any queries regarding the accommodation or would like to make a booking please do that via the Sweet Nothings Website.

New Online Course – Felted Bags with Teri Berry

New Online Course – Felted Bags with Teri Berry

Comments 5 comments

I am excited to announce that the registration for Teri Berry’s Felted Bags online class opens today! This is a new course and the excitement has been building. There are limited spaces available so if you want to register, click on this link and fill out the registration form. 

During this 5 week course you will have the opportunity to make at least 3 bags / purses.

In week 1, you will make an animal themed spectacles/phone/pencil case, this could be in the image of your favourite pet or a friend’s pet (they make very thoughtful gifts) or a mythical beast of your own imagination! You will use multiple resists, introduce some nuno felting and make a closure entirely from wool.

In week 2 you will learn to make a small to medium shoulder / hand bag (purse to our US friends), this tutorial will demonstrate how to add internal pockets, a magnetic clasp, adjustable shoulder straps and take shaping the felt to the next level so  the bag has a flat bottom and stands up on its own.

The week 3 tutorial is a little more ambitious, you will learn to make a backpack with adjustable straps, multiple internal compartments and internal pockets.

Weeks 4 and 5 will be for catch up / further development, you might like to apply your own design to a bag, Teri will be on hand to answer any questions and talk through any challenges your design might create.

As with all the online courses there will be lots of opportunity to share your work with the rest of the group and share ideas.

The content of this workshop is suitable for felters with some experience, you do not need to have made a bag before but if you are confident making felt pods, bowls etc. over a resist you will be able to make these bags.

The class begins May 24, 2018. The price for this five-week course is £60 GBP (approx. $82 US, $105 Canadian, €68, $109 AUD, $117 NZ) and the number of places will be limited to 30 students.

Sign up here.

Our Wet Felting for Beginners online class is always available, so if you’re just starting out, this is a great way to learn the basics. Sign up here.

Holliday Exchange

Holliday Exchange

Comments 3 comments

Hi all,  for those who may knot know we also run an interactive forum for felting and fiber folks. It’s a great place to share your work, ask questions and help each other out. http://feltandfiberstudio.proboards.com/

Each year we have a holiday exchange. You make a small felted post card or similar size card with some felt on it. We are doing it again this year.  If you would like to participate then hop over her and sign up. http://feltandfiberstudio.proboards.com/thread/3495/holliday-exchange-2017

Here’s the time line:

October 4-Nov 9: people sign up

November 10 partners are announced.

November: Make your card, contact your partner for an address

December 1: Mail your card

Here are some of the cards form our past exchange, there has been lots of variety.

 

   

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Connected Paths

Connected Paths

Comments 30 comments

I told you in another piece about an art show my guild is having to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday . This is another piece I made for it. It is called connected.

As usual I started with  2 pieces of prefelt with a piece of cheese cloth in the middle for strength without bulk.

Then I added some multi coloured top I had. I didn’t want the path to be a solid colour.

I cut out prefelt pieces to make all the different houses. I tried to get houses from around the world. I didn’t place them in any particular order and every section got an apartment. I tacked all the pieces down using  felting needles. I didn’t want them to move.

Then bushes and trees were added.

I started this project back in December. I spend along time hand stitching ( and unpicking and redoiong) the windows and doors. I tried to use different yarns for every house and apartment. Then I signed up for Ruth’s free motion embroidery class.  I didn’t have much time to practice before I had to do the trees and bushes so it could go to be made ready for the guild show. The stitching is perhaps not the greatest but I think it goes well with the style of the picture.

 

I did get it in, in time and it has now been catalogued and properly photographed. The Guild art show celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday will be open on May 9, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Here’s a link to the invitation. https://www.facebook.com/events/282526522160719/?active_tab=about

Unfortunately Facebook will not let you create a 3 week event so it only shows as a 2 week event. The actual dates to see all 150 12×12 pieces ( many are for sale)   are May 9-28. We are having a reception on the last day so if you would like to meet some of the artists join us for refreshments on the 28th  between 1:00 and 3:00.

 

Spring Online Classes

Spring Online Classes

Comments 4 comments

We have several online classes coming up this spring. Don’t miss out! You can sign up now.

Stitched Felt Painting

The fourth module of  Embellishing Felt with Surface Design – A Mixed Media Approach, Free Motion Machine Stitching on Felt is finally ready. The class will begin March 17, 2017. Learn to use your sewing machine to embellish your felt including basic techniques, how to include stitching before felting both with machine lace techniques and stitching on prefelt, add thread sketching to your felt, learn a sure-fire way to transfer your design on to felt, add machine stitching to felt paintings and more. For more information and to sign up, click here.

If you want to learn how to add machine stitch to your felting repertoire, this is the class for you. The techniques are specifically designed to include in the felting process and to embellish felt after it’s completed. It’s a great value for only $45 US for this four week online course which included PDF’s and loads of videos. Register here.

Felted Concertina Hat by Teri Berry

Teri Berry is offering another session of Felting Concertina Hats. The class will begin on February 24, 2017 and registration closes on February 21, 2017. So hurry to register here to learn how to make some funky hats and improve your 3D felting skills.

Felted Snail Hat by Teri Berry

Have you seen all the hats that prior students have made? You can take a look at those here.  The variety is amazing and Teri is a great teacher so go sign up now!

Fish 1

Galina Titova’s Felting Fantasy Fish has been a big hit. We have had a waiting list for every class. She is offering another session beginning March 1, 2017. The class is limited to 20 spaces so registration is on a first come, first served basis. Register here.

Fish 2

You will learn some great surface design techniques as you learn to felt these fun fish. Take a look at the student gallery here. What are you waiting for? Sign up now.

aa wet felting FOR BEGINNERS 3 PART COURSE

If these courses sound exciting but you are just a beginner, our beginners course is always available. Learn the basics of felt making and have unlimited access to the course material and continuous tutor support. Register here.

We would really appreciate it if you would spread the word about our online courses. Please share on your Facebook page or on other social media. We appreciate your help! And if you are interested in teaching an online course, please contact us with your ideas.

 

Winner of Free Class Spot and Announcing the Next Session of Concertina Hat Class

Winner of Free Class Spot and Announcing the Next Session of Concertina Hat Class

Comments 6 comments

Fish 1

The registration for the Felting Fantasy Fish online course is closed but we do have one lucky winner of the free spot in the class. Using a random number generator to choose of from the comments left on the class announcement post, the winner is:

Robin G.

Congratulations Robin, I will contact you shortly with details about the class.

And the other great news is that Teri Berry is going to have another session of Felting Concertina Hats which will begin November 3rd. You can see more information about the class and sign up here. Also take a look at the hats created by her first class of students here. 

This four-week, hat making course will initially guide you through the different options for hat blocks (from DIY to the extravagant!) and choosing one to fit. Although this module is technically week 1, I will send it out on receipt of payment so you have as much time as possible to make or buy a hat block if you don’t already have one.

Week 2 will focus on making a stylish or quirky concertina hat and will include guidance on how to create a resist for your head size, how to add a felted “pig tail”, creating a brim and forming sharp folds that remain in place. I will also describe how I blend colours and make the “silk stripes” used on some of my hats.

In week 3 we will make a super-cute snail hat. This tutorial is a must for anyone who hates rolling! I will provide my template for you to enlarge to your hat size (I will provide a useful technique that can be used to enlarge items of clothing that you would like to make in felt but need to allow for the shrinkage). I will then go on to explain how to make the eyes on stalks and securely attach them to the hat as well as well as how to create the shell and shape snail’s foot to form a brim for your hat.

Week 4 will be an opportunity to catch up or make another hat, I will provide examples of other hats and their template designs that used the concertina method which you are welcome to copy or, if you prefer, I am very happy to help you design your own hat using this method. The possibilities are almost endless!

Sign up for the November 3rd session here.