6th AGM

Our sixth AGM was a well attended event, we got through all the business in a fun and relaxed manner. Then the members of Feltmakers North were provided with a talk from two delightful daughters of the Silk Road. Ranee Gai-ail (Gail Cooke) and Ranee Fee-onah (Fiona Harvey) of the princely state of Lis-buhrn, dressed in beautiful silk saris, who spoke on the fascinating subject of that most luxurious of materials- silk.

 Gail and Fiona showed us the silk cocoons and gave everyone their very own to take home. I have put mine in the green house to develop my very own silk farm!(Not really!!) We were made aware of silk farms and the ethical silk production.
                                 

Later in the talk Gail and Fiona explained how the silk we use in feltmaking can be bought in various forms, cocoons, rods, throwster waste, rovings, hankies, chiffon, gauze yarn and a myriad of other products.

The girls handed round plenty of samples, we looked and handled, examples and samples showing how the silk can be used to enhance and decorate our felts.There were so many varied examples of silk materials used to strengthen our felts and provide a delicacy and drape not possible using wool, all present were excited. There were plenty of samples to ooh and ahh over.

Pulling out a silk hankie!

Knowledge was passed unstintingly from the two ladies to us, their enthusiasm for this wondrous material and deep understanding of its properties encouraging us all to think how we might use this luxury fibre to best effect  in our own feltmaking!

Thanks ladies for a fun and informative talk AND for selling the saris afterwards!!

Sarah Jarden

My thanks to Sarah for writing this very amusing account of our AGM and also for taking loads of photos of the day!! After the talk we had our usual lunch and a good old chat, it was great to catch up with everyone. Here are a few more photos.

As requested by Mandy and Lesley my dog Pudding wearing her coat! (Not a good photo she was being a bit of a diva and wouldn't pose!)

Websites that were mentioned in talk 

www.treetopscolours.com.au

www.wollknoll.eu

Please remember we haven't finished for the summer we still have another Felt in on 18th June taken by Dympna on using a resist. Happy felting.

Fiona Harvey 

Dawn Edwards workshop

Hello everyone! I am just wondering how I am going to condense all I want to say about this workshop, as there is so much to tell! Those of you who know Dawn will know what I am talking about, Dawn Edwards is a wonderful tutor and person. We had such fun learning from her, with such a lovely relaxed and calm atmosphere!

Before the workshop started I presented her with her prize for our photographic competition!

Of course it was a sheep!

After an informative demonstration, we were all dying to get started, so we selected our wool and prepared our resists!

 Laying out the fibres.

Dorothy was almost submerged under a pile of fibre at one point, but survived and produced a beautiful vessel!

Leah working hard!

As with every group, we have some colourful characters and this is reflected in their work! I wonder can our members work out who made this one??

Hard at work!

Of course a wee coffee break was important!

The completed pieces lined up!

Elaine Mc Combe made this fabulous swirl design on her vessel.

A very happy, creative and fun bunch of felt makers!

Happy Chairperson Ann McCullough at the end of an extremely successful workshop with Dawn Edwards.

Just a wee quick reminder about our AGM which is on Saturday 21st May, for all the members, we will get through the business asap then there will be a talk on Silk by Gail Cooke and Fiona Harvey. Lunch is included and we will also have our first bring and buy!! So you will be able to stock up on the must needs for felting !!

Look forward to seeing you all there!

Fiona Harvey