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Join me for a journey into feltmaking.
Learn online, at a workshop or with a kit.
Learn the Art of Feltmaking
**IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS**
Join me for a day of creative learning in 2024
I love teaching workshops; sharing the wonderful transformational properties of wool, supporting learning and seeing beautiful feltwork being created. I hope you can join me this year.
Super Mini Felted Vessels
Friday 3 May 2024
10.30 am – 4.30 pm £60
In partnership with and at Taunton Brewhouse
Booking via Taunton Brewhouse website
Explore colour and surface design as you create some super mini vessels using the wet feltmaking technique. In this workshop you will learn how to build the wool around a flat resist and shape it to make a 3D structure – the magical method also used for projects such as bags, slippers, hats etc. During the day you should be able to complete 2 or 3 mini vessels that measure approx. 3 ½”/9 cm in diameter.
A large range of colourful wools and surface decoration fibres will be available, along with the equipment you will need, plus post-workshop notes to remind you of the processes learnt during the day – all included in the price. Beginners are very welcome.
Felted Talismans
Saturday 29 June 2024
10.00 am – 3.00 pm
Open to email subscribers only. FULL
St Edmunds Community Hall, Glastonbury
Book direct with me
Create little gifts of treasure that hold heartfelt intentions.
These Talismans are intended as an offering of comfort, support, love and care. Being made of wool they are soft, warm to the touch and beautiful to handle. The intentions set for the making process fill them with positive thoughts and wishes.
Sculptural Felt Vessels
Saturday 20 July 2024
10.30 am – 4.30 pm £65
In partnership with and at Glastonbury Abbey
Create your own unique art vessel whilst exploring how a basic shape can be adjusted to add sculptural elements using the wet feltmaking technique. Working around a 2D resist you will create a 3D form, using the transformational qualities of wool to sculpt shapes that remain once your vessel is finished. You will make and take home a finished vessel approximately 6”/15 cm in diameter by the end of the day.
Materials and equipment are provided. Suitable for all who wish to increase their felting knowledge, including people with previous wet felting experience and beginners.
Intro to Nuno Felting
Wednesday 21 August 2024
11.00 am – 3.00 pm £40
At Coldharbour Mill, Uffculme, Devon as part of the Natural Fibre & Heritage Crafts Festival
Price includes entry to the Mill and Festival
Book via the Coldharbour Mill website
Learn the special felt making technique of bonding wool to open weave fabric to create a new textile with an amazing textural surface. You make a trial sample of both silk and cotton fabric bases as you explore this beautiful felting technique which is often used to make stunning garments and accessories.
A range of materials plus equipment are provided, along with how-to-notes to take home.
Suitable for age 14 plus and all under 17s to be accompanied by a booked adult. Beginners are very welcome.
Felt Vessels
Saturday 31 August 2024
11.00 am – 3.00 pm £40
At Coldharbour Mill, Uffculme, Devon as part of the Natural Fibre & Heritage Crafts Festival
Price includes entry to the Mill and Festival
Book via the Coldharbour Mill website
Learn how to build wool around a flat resist and shape it to make a 3D, self supporting structure. Use colour and surface decoration to make a gorgeous, unique, vessel approximately 5”/12cm in diameter. Through making your pod shaped vessel you will learn the basic technique that forms the basis for all hollow-form no seams felting projects such as slippers, hats, bags etc
Colourful wool and surface design materials plus equipment are provided, along with how-to-notes to take home.
Suitable for age 14 plus and all under 17s to be accompanied by a booked adult. Beginners are very welcome.
Felted Forage Baskets
Saturday 19 October 2024
10.00 am – 4.00 pm £65.00
St Edmunds Community Hall, Glastonbury UK
Book direct with me, see below
This popular workshop is perfect for the autumn.
Using gorgeous Shetland wool you will design, build and fully felt a unique Felted Forage Basket that is both unique and functional. Once it is dry you will enhance it further by adding a foraged stick or piece of driftwood as a handle. Whilst working with nature and natural British wool you will learn the no seams, resist technique that is the foundation for many 3D wet felted objects such as bags, slippers, hats, vessels etc
Felt is great to stitch into. So, if you like to use a needle you also have the option of using yarn and embroidery techniques to add further surface decoration to your basket after the workshop.
Materials and equipment are provided and beginners are very welcome.
Fabulous Felted Flowers
Friday 15 November 2024
10.30 am – 4.30 pm £62
At and in partnership with Taunton Brewhouse
Booking via Taunton Brewhouse
Learn how to make beautiful statement flowers using the amazing properties of wool and wet felting techniques – no sewing involved!
Choose from a rainbow of wool colours and add surface decoration to make your flowers uniquely gorgeous. You will have time to make at least two during the day to give as presents or use yourself – as a brooch on your shirt or coat or to decorate your hair, dress, scarf, purse, bag, hat – make a statement, wear a Fabulous Felted Flower and love the comments you will receive!
All materials and equipment are provided, including brooch pins. Workshop instruction sheets are provided to take home.
It is essential you pre-book your place on my workshops, here is how you do it:
If the workshop is being hosted by someone else please contact them directly using the links provided above.
For all workshops that I run directly myself I recommend emailing me to check availability j.loader@btinternet.com
Also, do please email me if you have any queries about any of the workshops.
Download my 2024 Information and Booking form here.
The venue for workshops I run myself is St Edmunds Community Hall, Glastonbury, BA6 8EW and each workshop runs from 10.00 am – 4.00 pm (unless shown otherwise).
Advance booking is essential for these workshops in which you will learn techniques, make beautiful felted items and have time just for you in which to explore your creativity and work with colour and texture. Workshop prices include key materials and equipment – this includes a large range of wool and interesting fibres. For workshops which teach specific techniques I provide post-workshop notes for you to take home to remind you of the processes you learn.
You will need to bring your own lunch, two towels and a plastic bag or bowl to take your creations home. If you need to provide anything else I will let you know.
Full day workshops are not recommended for those under 14 years old. 14 – 16 year olds must be accompanied by a fully participating adult (ie 2 places booked).
Maximum class size is 8 students.
Please be aware that feltmaking can be quite physical, especially larger projects such as rugs, scarves, forage baskets.
ONLINE COURSES
My online courses are closed for a while whilst I revise my account following changes made by the host.
Some Highlights from 2023
Felt Art 2D
Saturday 1 July 2023
St Edmunds Community Hall, Glastonbury
Felted Rug
September 2023
At and in partnership with Somerset Rural Life Museum
"Have wool, will travel"
I have been teaching feltmaking since 2007 and really enjoy sharing techniques, hints and tips with my students. I organise and deliver feltmaking workshops in my local area (Glastonbury, UK), but if you would like one elsewhere I am happy to travel. I work with many different groups and organisations and can adapt to new venues and students. Some of the groups I have felted with include: children, school groups from Year 4 – 11, embroidery guilds, art groups, youth organisations, WI’s, adult summer schools, colleges, environmental groups, historical events and public fun days. I offer a variety of techniques from beginner to advanced. I also give talks and demonstrations.
If you are interested in a talk or workshop do get in touch with your needs.
Feltmaking Kits
If you can’t make a workshop then my feltmaking kits will let you learn at home.
I have designed my feltmaking kits to enable everyone to try feltmaking . They have all been carefully devised and tested to ensure that people new to feltmaking can understand what to do, know how to use the materials and finish with some lovely felted items.
My kits contain everything you need to get you felting: laminated instructions, plenty of gorgeous wool, natural soap flakes, bubblewrap and other essential items.
Felted Vessels with British Wool
Make 2 vessels from this kit which champions lovely British Shetland wool in it’s natural colours.
Feltmaking Kit for Two
A kit to share, or use twice. These kits are available in a choice of colourful Merino or natural British wool. They provide everything you need for two people to begin feltmaking together.
Fabulous Felted Flowers
Make 3 beautiful unique flower corsages using my hand dyed British wool.
Felt Tutorials PDF Downloads
If you already have felting supplies, but want to try a new technique, some of my kit instructions are available as PDF downloads:
Wonderful Wavy Scarves, Fabulous Felted Flowers, Felt Vessels
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