GIRLS IN THE PINK!

These hardy little girls were spotted yesterday high up in the Mournes and aren't they the lucky ones!

Isn't it great that Feltmakers North has been able to share a lot of its fun over the last six years with our super blog.  Thanks Fiona for all your work.

I'm your new blogger and really looking forward to sharing all that's happening in Feltmakers North in the coming months. 

Cheers for now
Gail

A Change for Autumn

Well are you all ears?

There are some changes taking place in the blog for Feltmakers North, it is with great regret and sadness,  that I have decided to stand down as blogger. I have thoroughly enjoyed blogging to you all, every month, about what we at Feltmakers North are up to! But I think I am leaving you in good hands!

I thought I would end off with some photos!

I think this was our very first Christmas felt in, which was taken by the lovely Dorothy Dinsmore, a very generous and patient member and tutor. In the photograph are also Gail Cooke and Liz Nicholls who along with myself founded Feltmakers North in 2010.

We have had some wonderful tutors over the years, and one of my favourites is Elizabeth Bonnar, who Gail and I first met in Dublin. She could see we were very keen to learn the correct techniques of felting although in those days we were very inexperienced, however our thirst for knowledge appealed to her! Having said that I do love all our other tutors, all of whom we have had tremendous fun with, in various venues from Portballintrae, Hillsborough, Lisburn to Newry and some in between! We owe them a lot as they have increased our knowledge and love of felting a great deal!

Feltmakers North have not only run workshop and felt ins but we have also had two fabulous exhibitions in The Island Arts Centre. Above photo shows Barbara Finlay and Lesley Blackstock at The Creative Stitch Show in Belfast, where we able to spread the word about felting.

We always start our Felt ins with a wee cuppa, which enables us to catch up with everyone, as we really have a lovely bunch of people who are members and others who just pop in. I do recommend just popping in to a feltin its a good way to get a feel for felting.

Well I am not ending off with a sheep picture today but instead a Shug or a peep!?? So many of my friends have emailed me this photo I had to include so thank you! I think this would go down well in my house only problem is I would need three!

Pug is Sheep's clothing! 

I must say I am very sad posting this, but I hope everyone continues to enjoy felting and reading the blog! So take care everyone!

Fiona Harvey

Concepts in Couture.

Feltmakers North workshop participants had the most wonderful learning experience last week end, we had Liz Clay over for two days. The workshop was very relaxed and calm, fun filled but at the same time we learnt such a lot!
Everyone produced their own unique pieces which added another dimension to the week end.

Dympna beautiful bag to which she was going to add leather handles.
We came to the workshop with our felt already made. This was a new slant to feltmaking workshops, and was a very pleasant change, it meant the whole time we learning new techniques and being creative, the rolling and rubbing had been done beforehand!!

                     Ann (our Chairperson) sewing her felt bag.
Some of us brought our sewing machine to speed up the construction.

                                    Helen tacking her bag together.

This is Liz's bag, so you can see she has attached lovely fine leather handles.

Another of Liz's design, a cool little bag with uneven handles, so that one handle loops through the other one for carrying!

Liz's scarf.

The room was awash with colour, and it was great to see some people branching out and using colours that they would not normally use!

Sarah decided to go big so she made another piece of felt in the workshop, pretty clever two handed action!

Jane was using fabulous wool she had obtained from etsy, the colours were fantastic.

Deirdre is adding the finishing touches to one of her pieces, a beautiful waterfall scarf in forty shades of green.

                                  Mary hard at work.

Now back to Sarah, I dont usually focus on one person in my blogs but i think everyone at the workshop was impressed with Sarah's work so it seems a shame not to share, the story. So this is the flat felt ready for construction.

This is the bag sewn together, I hope you realise the bag is on its side (sorry I cant turn the photo round?) The bull rushes were amazing with the 3D ripples on the water.

The second side had a water lily using Liz Clay technique , truly original!

Here I am having a wee chat with Dorothy, that is an added bonus in Feltmakers North, everyone is very friendly and helpful to others. A girl told me one time that she had read the blog for a good while before plucking up the courage to come along as we all seemed so good at felting! There are a few excellent felters in the group, but we have mixed abilities but everyone is willing to help and share, so if you are thinking of coming along please do!

This is me modelling Liz's amazing jacket from one of her own patterns, we are hoping we will get Liz back to take this workshop with us! ( I was being directed by the photographer on how to stand!!)

                           A very happy group of Felt makers!

So dont forget our next felt in is on September 17th when we will be using silk in felt making, the meeting starts at 10.00 with Coffee and renewing your membership, or becoming a member, or you can just pay for the morning session. We would love to see you all then. Fiona Harvey.