Wall Hangings by Debbie

Feltmakers North members and visitors were in for a real treat when our Deborah Woolsey, (Secretary of Feltmakers North) took the Felt-In on Saturday 18th March, St Patrick's weekend and Mothering Sunday. Just look at the fabulous colours, texture, and the creative Shibori with holes and added embellishment. Deborah or Debbie, as she likes to go by in our group has came with such a display of beautiful wall hangings to show us all. What a variety of texture, technics, talent and creativity to inspire us all. Looking at the land & sea and putting this intention into her felt work through the use of scraps of material, wool fibers, silk, whatever is in your bag of goodies! Looking at the flowers from a previous summer, her Lupin's grown in her garden and using them to develop her ideas for her wallhanging. The hanging was backed with a beautiful old tea cloth that was her mothers, to the surprise of her sister Joanne LOL. We love the stories that are shared in the group, especial when you cut up the good material that was an heirloom! Great use of timeless material that has history to it and always a story to share of its journey amongst felting friends with a lease of life once more given.

We all were treated to a great introduction to the use of the world around us for ideas and inspiration to our work and also to the use of 'pinterest' and how to safe ideas, research techniques while we can also follow other interesting feltmakers and think outside the box.  Some beautiful samples on show!

Having fun laying out the fibers

Helen wearing her new apron, just delivered and as she signed up and paid her membership, its hers to keep!  Did I also mention that Helen won the ballot this month! Congratulations!!

Who said we couldn't work hard and still have lots of laughs!!

Debbie's piece inspired by Lupin's in her garden

Also a sample of how to use a resist in our felt making

Debbie is such a grounding person, with a lovely teaching style that you just be carried along, you could listen to her all day! But, we do need to felt and create .... under her encouragement and positive manner.

Debbie say's, I just like to throw it down and see whats happens!

Well Debbie, we did and what a great time was had by all.

NO Felt In in April, so enjoy your Easter.

See all member's only at Feltmakers North 13th AGM Saturday 20th May 2023, 

with a workshop by Sarah Jarden on Drop Spindle Spining & a lovely picnic lunch.

Welcome back! February's Felt-In got off to great start with our very creative Deirdre Gallagher introducing Shibori techniques to the group along with a few spikes and roping to bring together into a beautiful wet felted necklace! Ann made reference to it being more of a day workshop! We all agree! What a busy morning, so much to take in, learn and to do, the excitement in the room and the silence ...as everyone was quietly busy lol. I'd love to know what Beverly was giggling at? We did have plenty of laughs, you should know our group by now!  Shibori - Spikes Ropes / cording & Inclusions

We really did experience all of these on the morning - can't wait to see what everyone brings back for the Show & Tell table.  

Love how versatile felt can be. Taking my own blended roving that has been carded on the carding drum and made into a cord or roping to form a necklace to wear. So much more easily made! 

(no cracks girls to cover over) Look at the mix of colour, just speaks the sea or ocean to me. Murlough Bay Beach, in the Co Down that swipes down to the Mournes is where I draw my inspiration from. displaying different parts to the techniques that when put together formed my display pieces of jewelry for the morning felt-in. Lots of information to take in! The visual dairy from my HND Art & Design course came in handy to show the importance of drawing from your own sketches, photos and what you like and love form your surroundings - then you take it to sampling and then your finished pieces.

 Adapting as you learn and grow. Just play!

Our group at Feltmakers North Guild really go out the whole way not just with the sampling for what we are doing that morning but also with a gift offered up for the ballot as well as the presentation of our work to the group, I think you would agree. I think Sandy had her eye on this necklace from the start of the morning, did she win the ballot? You will need to read on to find out LOL.

Inclusions made with stones & coloured gems. Shibori made with marbles of different sizes.

This is a beautiful scarf made using Shibori - just look at the effect, I love it!

Margaret & Sandy busy being creative with bright colours shown. Sandy is now trying out the necklace, it really does suit her. We have Deborah & Johanne (our sister act) having a great time with Anna in the background trying not to look at the camera.

Show & Tell table-more beautiful cushion covers made & a pleated vessel from Sandy's felt-In and workshop - aren't they fabulous!

What a display of fabulous work, by our members! We have cushion covers, pleated vessels, bracelets, framed Red Robin,a book cover and lovely handbags made by Ann on display.

What a great display of work and talent!

What do you think?

Well, the ballot has been pulled and
who 's number came up? Well you will never believe it! Sandy was our winner, congratulations!

Beautiful on you Sandy, Well done!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the February Felt-In, it was another great morning being very creative with lots of laughs. Going home with many ideas and plenty of homework says Sharon,

 (nice homework though). 

Look at the lovely pleated vessels - thanks to Jayne, Leah, Patricia, Susan, Anna, Sharon, Beverley & Sandy for bringing them in for us all to see, and all the other bits! What a great selection.

See you all on, Saturday 18th March

Deborah, over to you with felted Wall hangings!

This is going to be exciting!

Bye for now.

All visitors welcome, £10 for the morning.

Deirdre Gallagher

Chair of Feltmakers North Guild

Welcome back to Feltmakers North Guild Blog!

                        

                            Welcome to Feltmakers North Guild 

                                                               Re-launch to our Blog

                                                                     February 2023 

                        

                                 Saturday 11 February - Workshop 'Pleated Vessel'  by Sandy

                                                                                             

Lots more to come, we are just getting started!

 

This is the final post for Feltmakers North.  From here now on we are posting on Instagram which means that everyone gets to see all the pics and updates immediately they're uploaded.

All you need to do is scan the QR code on your mobile and it will take you straight to the Feltmakers North page.  Or you can simply do a search on Instagram to find Feltmakers North.  

 

Sun shines for the presentation of Feltmakers North Community Outreach Project 

What a great morning we had last Saturday at Hillsborough Village Centre when we were able to hand over the completed felted pieces to the representatives of Brookfield School Sinead, Jenny and Liz.

While having to observe the very strict Covid regulations, we managed to fit in a few faces from the Guild to be present at the end of this project.  It marks the completion of our 10th anniversary celebrations, albeit a little prolonged.  

 

Images of some of the completed blankets and little individual bits and pieces designed specially to help the children with their concentration  

These little squares are examples of the pieces which were sewn together to form the blankets again designed to bring comfort and aid concentration in class.

We had a great morning chatting about the project and using the opportunity to catch up a little with our first face to face meeting since September 2020.  Of course we definitely can't meet without a cuppa and guess what . . . . . 

Delicious biscuits which Deirdre organised as a special treat for a special day!

The completed items were all packed into a massive bag for the school to keep and finished off with a super label made by the very talented Mandy

The presentation was a lovely way to finish off our felting year and to give ourselves a big pat on the back for having managed to do what we set out to do more than eighteen months ago.  I have included lots of pics below to give you an idea of the work which our members readily engaged in and who deserve a massive big thank you!!

We very much hope to welcome everyone, new faces included, to the September Felt-in on Saturday18th at 10.00 o'clock in the Hillsborough Village Centre.  Get the date in your diary now and look forward to what Deirdre and the team have in store!!