Felting and Fiber Studio

On the last weekend in March, the European Wool Exchange (EWE) event travelled to Ireland for the first time. EWE acts as a bridge between wool breeders, processors and end users and have a particular focus on using European wool to improve wellbeing. They help establish and grow a circular economy for wool by connecting end users back to the sheep, the farmers and the origins of the products they enjoy. Here is a link to their website: https://ewe.network/

It was a real triumph for the event to be hosted in Ireland and this was all down to the dynamism of one Irish lady, Sharon Wells. https://www.sharonwellsart.com/ Sharon and her small team brought about an unforgettable weekend that brought so much joy to the locality and rural surrounds – this is before I even mention the wide variety of groups exhibiting, all of whom shared one commonality; being passionate about wool, sustainable processes and showcasing the variety of creative and practical uses currently ‘on the go’ for this home produced material.

9^th April each year is set aside to celebrate and promote European Wool Day. Delegates, demonstrators and exhibitors from across Europe gathered in Tralee, Co Kerry for this event. The event was filmed and the video was launched on European Wool Day. Here is a link to the video if you would like to check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZY4q8_R5qeWsO_vlA3_RjA

My friend, Jane and I represented the International Feltmakers Association (IFA) https://www.feltmakers.com/ at the event. We were there to promote our Association – Jane is our Regional Coordinator for the island of Ireland and I am the Course Coordinator for the series of educational courses offered by the IFA. Here’s Jane and I, working hard at our stand:

I thought it might be fun to take you briefly through a small number of the stands that were at the show.

First of all, there was a joint exhibition held by Feltmakers Ireland and The Irish Guild of Spinners Weavers and Dyers. This was a lovely quiet space for people to relax and enjoy the exhibits as the other rooms were thronging with visitors. Here is a link to a video Feltmakers Ireland made during the event. You will find it embedded in this page on their website if you would like to see all the lovely pieces. They also had a stand at the event and were busy teaching workshops and promoting the guild (Jane and I are both members) throughout the day: https://feltmakersireland.com/2026/03/30/recap-feltmakers-ireland-at-the-european-wool-experience/

Thank you also to Liz in the Irish Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers who provided a link to their video exhibition. Here it is, if you would like to take a peak:

https://weavespindye.ie/2026/04/16/european-wool-day-2026/

Afterwards, we were chatting to the hotel staff who said that the day had been the busiest one on record so it is understandable that we did not get a chance to leave our stands for very long. Just before we closed the doors I got to take a quick run around the various stalls and checked out some really interesting projects.

First up is the Wool Store https://www.woolstore.ie/ the majority of Ireland’s fleeces are sent abroad for processing. This means that wool fibre needs to be imported to meet the country’ textile needs. Wool Store is a small wool processing facility which is working to reverse this trend. At the moment it is equipped to focus on the provision of high quality washing, picking and carding services for small farmers and textile enthusiasts and they are working hard on securing funding to take this further by settig up a full scale scouring plant and woollen mill. You will find more about this on Katarina’s website. Here she is photographed with her friend Emer who was helping her on the day:

Next up was the Wool Wise Project. https://curraghmorefarm.ie/wise-wool-project This project is community based in County Kerry and it aims to raise awareness about wool waste and promote the use of Irish sheep wool. Sheep farmers are constantly being told that their Irish wool is worthless. For decades it has been more expensive to shear a sheep than to sell its fleece. It is considered a ‘waste product’ in Ireland and this is very sad as most of the wool products we buy in our shops are made from imported fibre. The Wool Wise Project aims to highlight this and the benefits of the beautiful home grown raw material. Here is Kerry working away at her stand:

I couldn’t resist taking this shot of beautiful produce made with Galway Wool, Ireland’s indigenous breed. Historically other breeds were wiped out but that is a story for another day.

Next, I had a quick chat with the two ladies on the Fibreshed stand https://fibreshedireland.ie/ The group was founded in 2022 and is an independent affiliate of the global Fibershed movement which I understand, started in the USA. I am sharing the Irish chart that I have sourced from their website which best describes their vision (and a photo of the two ladies of course!)

I could not omit NewKD Craft Circle https://newkd.ie/craft-circle-a-warn-hug-from-the-community/ as it will be close to many of our hearts. They are a creative group which attracts anyone who is interested in the arts and crafts. It is an inclusive group where everyone learns from each other so it is a great social space. Most recently the group collaborated with other craft circles in their area to make 21 handmade knitted and crocheted blankets which were gifted to end-of-life patients in palliative care. Their generosity is humbling. Here are two of the ladies at their station:

I touched base with Jean Moran of Irish Hand Weaves as she was busily working on her loom. You can see some of Jean’s beautiful work on her gallery: https://irishhandweaves.ie/gallery-page-description-and-grid/

Olann & Seol (Irish words meaning wool and loom) are a couple (Fern and Jork) who run a small family business in Co. Kerry. Fern is from Canada and is a weaver. Jork hand builds the looms. If you like you can check out their activities through this link: https://olannseol.ie/ Here is Jork with one of his beautiful looms:

This is one for the knitters among us! I was really attracted to this stand, first by the name Stolen Stitches, then by the beautiful work. Carol Feller, who owns the brand, was very busy dealing with customers so I just managed to take a quick photo of part of the stand. But I have just had a quick look through her patterns and I had to share her link https://stolenstitches.com/pages/about-us Be sure to check out her patterns (there’s a lot of them so perhaps have a cup of tea or coffee to hand while browsing!)

Dooleys Wool took my fancy, initially because we share a surname and then because they hailed from the same area as my husband’s people. They use locally sourced wool fibre in their bedding, Duvets, pillows, mattress toppers and, through collaboration with Magee 1866 Weaving, stunning blankets. I have a wool duvet and it is very cosy. Here is a link to their business, if you would like to discover more about this company. https://dooleyswool.ie/

Liz from the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers https://weavespindye.ie/about/ was our neighbour at the show. We were so busy during the event that we only got to chat afterwards at the final dinner.

There was also a very interesting project which focussed on wool fibre from sheep in the Rathlin Islands. The micron of the fibre is very high and it has not been feasible to use it for textiles. The fibre has been found to be very suited to rope making. There is a short supply chain as the manufacturing process is completed within the UK. The company’s name is Sustainable Rope and here is a link to their company: https://sustainablerope.com/pages/about-us

I like to set myself a challenge when I am felting at events so I asked Kate for a small sample of rope to see if I could use it in a piece. I wanted it to represent its origins on Rathlin Island so I made a small shell. I dismantled the thick rope and hid the sections inside the shell. It felted in beautifully. I thought it would be nice to give it to the two representatives (they agreed custody for 6 months of the year together with visiting rights!) but I took a few quick photos before I did this:

Finally, I got to chat to a beautiful lady named Sabina. Sabina originated from Romania and she settled in Ireland with her husband a number of years ago. To quote her:

“one day, I saw the most beautiful Romanian blouse – the kind worn for generations by women in my homeland. Just looking at it, I felt like I was home again.

Two years later, over 3,000 metres of thread, and countless hours of hand embroidery – sometimes until my fingdrs bled – I finally finished my own Romanian peony blouse, with Saint Andrew’s Cross and the shepherd’s hook motifs stitched into every piece of the blouse.

In Romanian culture, the peony symbolizes sacrifice and the shepherd’s hook means ‘the lost sheep returns home’”

What better way to finish the visit to the event than to share Sabina’s stunning work with you.

It wasn’t all hard work (if I can call talking about wool and felting hard work!). Enda (hubby) brought us off for a bit of sightseeing around Kerry on our free afternoon. It was a glorious day and I thought you might like to see a little glimpse of our beautiful island:

We met this lovely couple on the way home while stopping off at the Barack Obama Plaza for refueling. So all I can say is goodbye from us all!

I have signed up for a number of classes from the Ottawa Valley Weavers and Spinners Guild this year.  The first was a 4 week introduction to tapestry class taught by Liane Thiry-Smith.

Our first loom was a DIY frame made out of a canvas frame with the canvas removed.  (Note that the teacher left canvas over the stretcher bars so that we did not have to sand the frames.)  She taught us how to warp the frame and secure the warp threads at the top and bottom of the frame.  Then she encouraged us to wind up some butterflies of yarn and start weaving.  I opted to do a simple gradient with part of the colour wheel.

In week 2 we took our first pieces off the loom and we were onto another piece.  I had a small tapestry loom that I had purchased online but had not yet used.  So I warped up that loom and drew a small sketch of a landscape scene that I wanted to weave.  Next I wound up some butterflies of yarn and set to work.

In week 3 I decided to warp up another colour study.  I studied the sample piece by our teacher Liane Thiry-Smith and I could see that she used many smaller blocks of colour in her piece.  This time I used a darker warp and selected my colours more carefully to create a nice gradient.  I wove it up and was very pleased with how it turned out.

My teacher encouraged me to try a larger piece.  (My other class mates were working on much larger pieces.) She had a loom warped up with some cartoon markings transferred to the warp that she encouraged me to take home and weave on.  In the first photo you can see what I started with.  I used this piece to experiment with different shapes and techniques.  It was fun to do something with no expectations of how it should look.

In the last class we worked on finishing up our pieces.  I sewed in the tails on my pieces and blocked them using a very hot iron and a damp cloth. I sewed one piece onto a dowel.  I think I will look for some nice branches to mount the other pieces.  But that will have to wait for the snow to melt.  (As I write this there is still a solid 2 feet of snow in my yard.) We also took a group photo where we showed off some of our pieces.

It was a great class.  I had lots of fun and learned a whole lot of things.  (Though I still struggle with that slip knot used to start the warp.)  I look forward to experimenting more with my tapestry loom.

 

 

Annie

I knew it was silly to say out loud that I was hoping for a few quieter weeks! Doh!

So I have not finished my hydrangea picture but I have made some strides into it.  It’s sitting on my table at the “messy middle” stage and you’d be forgiven for thinking a colourful whirlwind had passed through for there is not an inch of floor or desk to be seen due to it all being covered in fluff and fibres and fabrics!

Next job is to clear down so I can see the wood for the trees then work on the contrast in the picture and bring some clarity to some of the shapes so it can be read more easily.

I decided not to stick to only hydrangeas, although they will be a main feature, but also to add a hanging fern and some smaller flowers etc to make a display of pot plants and cut flowers in vases. There isn’t enough room in the layout for everything I want to do, so I may need to make another one!

Here are a few W.I.P. photos.  I’m away for a few days, and forgot to measure it, but my guess is about 80cm x 60cm ish (32” x 24” ish).

Lyn

“The Butterfly Chaser” – a picture made using scrap felt.

I cut a paper pattern of a bird in flight and a butterfly then cut the pieces from some lightweight scrap felt.

I made a base from four layers of white merino wool fibres then made it into soft pre-felt.  I then placed the scrap felt pieces on top.

I covered it all with net then wetted and soaped it.  Using a small sponge I gave the scrap felt some gentle persuasion to sink into the white base a little.  After some careful agitation I turned the whole thing over and replaced the bubble-wrap that was underneath with another piece of net.  I worked the felt, between two pieces of net, from the reverse side until the felt was done.

Then I added an outline and detail with needle felting.

Inspiration for a picture can come from the strangest places.

Annie bought me a desk calendar for 2026 that has a different word and explanation of it on each day.  I keep it by my pc and look forward to tearing off a page to reveal a new word.  Apparently ‘Dumbledore’ isn’t just the name of a fictional wizard – it’s also an old word for ‘bumblebee’.

My imagination went into overdrive.  Can a bumblebee wear a wizard’s hat and cloak?  Would he have a wand?  Would a bumblebee visit the plants in Hogwarts? Yes, because the flower of the ‘Mandrake’ plant attracts bees. Harry Potter fans might know the plant from the herbology classes in ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’.

I gathered up bits of fabric and some iron-on double-sided fabric adhesive.  A bit of cutting, cussing and sticking and I ended up with this whimsical picture.

What’s the most unusual source of inspiration that you have found?

Imbolc heralds the start of spring in the Celtic calendar.  In recent years, a bank holiday has been established in Ireland to celebrate it.  It is known as St Bridget’s Day and it is celebrated around 1st February.  Before Christianity hit Ireland St. Bridget was the Celtic Goddess Brigid and like most females she was a real multi-tasker when it came to her role in mythology.  If you would like to find out more about Imbolc here is a link to a good read on Wikipedia.

Seeing as how spring has supposedly sprung here (although personally I would question that given the amount of rainfall we are experiencing), the daffodils are making an appearance so I am writing this with a sense of renewed energy for the longer days ahead.  I thought it might be nice to share my process from a recent little project I did.  It was more out of curiousity than need that I did this.  The focus is on differential shrinkage.  You will not need a lot of fibre for this – you should have plenty left over if you set aside 15g.  I used merino.  I also used some felt ‘ribbon’ that I bought before Christmas from DHG Italy  But you don’t actually need to buy this.  You could as an alternative make up a rectangle of prefelt – lay down 4 layers for this as I have doubled up on the ribbon (each layer of the industrial prefelt ribbon is equivalent to 2 layers of fibre) then you could cut the prefelt into strips arouond 1cm wide.

You will also need your usual felting equipment and a few extra bits.  I used decorator’s plastic (the really light plastic to protect the ribbons as I was felting them down.  I also used underfloor laminate for my resist but you can use whatever you normally use for this.  I am fortunate that I have some lovely wooden tools to help me with shaping but these are not essential as working the piece with your hands will also do.  So now, I am going to take you through the making process:

First of all, I prepared my resist, this is oval shaped and measure 38cm at the longest part by approximately 24cm on the fattest.  This was covered with 2 layers of fibre on each side – each layer will be perependicular to the other. 

After this, I spiralled the ribbon prefelt around the oval. I tried to keep the blue spaces between as even as possible but it was not something I fretted about. Because the ribbon was only 2 layers I repeated the process. So I ended up with 2 layers of the blue on the main body of the resist and 6 layers of the blue/red on the parts that I wanted to highlight. I added my net, a little more soapy water and after a little gentle rubbing I covered the surface in the light decorator’s plastic. I made sure that this was air tight as then there would be less likelihood of the added layers moving as I felted it. I added extra soapy water to the top of the plastic so that my hands would slide easily over the surface. A little extra attention was paid when rubbing; to the sides so that the fibres stayed snug with the side of the resist and to the added layers. Then I started some light rolling. I did 100 rolls along the north/east/south and west of the piece, flipped it over and did the same on the other side. (800 in total) I kept at this until it was well prefelted and had started to shrink:

At this point, I cut a small hole in the piece. I immediately set about sealing the hole by rubbing the edge so that the fibres would not contract and make the hole bigger. This was important as I wanted to sew the hole up again after I took out the resist. Once this was done, I used nylon thread to sew up the gash. Nylon thread will not felt in to the work so the stitches can be removed afterwards.

I want to show you all the bits and pieces at this point. You can see how much the felt has shrunk already when compared to the resist. You can also see three felting tools which I am using to work the piece and direct the shrinkage. The ball like one I found on a wood turners stall at a show. I wanted to buy it from him but he could not sell it to me so he generously donated it to the cause! The unusually multiangular shaped tool is most cherished as it was a gift from a friend who had travelled to Japan. ‘The third, more pointed one I purchased from a friend who is based in Germany.

Then I got down to the job of some serious fulling and shaping. Lots of rolling and rubbing with the well soaped tools happened at this stage. It would also be possible to do this stage with your fingers but it might be fun to see what you have around the kitchen that could also work. Here are a few photos of the work in progress:

Of the many joys felting brings into my life, I simply love the stage in the process where the wool begins to act like clay and starts moulds to my will and desires. These are always happy moments and they make what can often be lots of hard work seem very much worthwhile. Once I removed the nylon thread, I continued on to the final shaping and drying. And here is the final result from a variety of angles:

I may continue to play with the shape a bit more when I have time. I have since made a bigger version where I doubled the size of the original oval and used a different breed of fibre. This piece was made with a natural cream coloured fibre and I have to say I prefer the two colours as it highlights the spiral shape better. That said, I enjoyed my explorations into differential shrinkage.

I hope that this post will tempt you to try some differential shrinking. If you decide that this project is for you, please let me know. Better still, show me your results and let me know what tools (if any) that you have discovered around the house to help you with shaping.

Happy felting to all!

Helene x

Upcoming workshops:

I currently have two on-line workshops on offer through the Felting and Fibre Studio College of Fiber and Arts. The 3D felted pod is available all year round so you can apply to join it anytime. The workshop is recorded in real time so you can work alongside the videos. There are also PDFs that fully follow the video recordings. I am also available in the virtual classroom should students want to ask any questions or share their beautiful creations. Here is a link to further information on the course: https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/classes/online-course-wet-felting-a-vessel-using-a-simple-resist/

Registration opens on 13th March for my Wet Felted Hanging Spiral course. The course will start on 27th March and will run until 24th April. If you would like to find out more about this course, please head over to the page at https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/classes/hanging-felted-spiral/.

Here are some photos of students’ beautiful work from past courses: