Just for ewe at Easter 🐣 🐣🐣🐣

Lamb not keen on getting feet dirty. (Curtesy of Jayne)

Celtic knot video ☘️☘️☘️

https://www.facebook.com/helen.ogradybrowne/posts/10213874842003581

☘️ 17th March Felt-in ☘️

A brisk morning with snow flurries for some & blizzards for others preventing travel. Thankfully the hall was warm & hot tea provided (thank you). 

Our chairperson Gail, opened the session with a few updates & notices as follows:-

• AGM - 19/05/18 commencing at our usual time of 10am with a cuppa. This is for members only and is usually well attended. This is an important meeting for our Guild and we ask that you make every effort to attend not only to support the Guild committee but also because we review events and update members as to ongoing issues, felt-ins, seek ideas for next year which help to formulate the itinerary and of course make changes to the committee membership.

• Any member interest in joining the committee please inform Gail and if you are unable to    commit fully to committee attendance we really apppreciate it if you are able to help in other ways i.e. helping at workshops, exhibitions, tea rota etc. Remember we are only able to continue our successes when everyone shares not just the fun but also the responsibilities. 

• Following the AGM the Guild shall be providing lunch after which we have a wonderful session  with a renowned felter planned for our members. A Lampshade!  This will be very exciting. To accommodate those attending & some of the expense to be incurred we have requested that members complete an application & contribute just £5. Jayne handed out applications today & if you missed this please contact her via email.

• "Felt Alive" Exhibition. 9-27/07/18, at the Loft Gallery, Portaferry. Karen kicked of the exhibit submissions with her wonderful aquarium complete with octopus, fish, anemone, starfish, urchins. You name it, it was there with a felted backdrop and all displayed in a glass case (photograph below). Please bring along your submissions even if you are unsure as the group are a great support in providing a positive critique of work with ideas on how to overcome any difficulties you may be experiencing & even just giving that reassurance in displaying your work. In addition, you can also submit pieces completed at the upcoming workshops.

• In order to give members time to work on individual pieces extended felt-ins have been arranged following our felting Saturdays. Lots of opportunities to get working on a piece to submit - actually really no excuse not to submit :). 

• A date for your diary is the June workshop with Mandy Nash. 23/06/18. Again another successful felter who will be helping us with a sea creatures theme. (Most apt for the Felt Alive exhibition in July!). Some of you may have already attended one of her workshops already if not check out her website mandynash.co.uk . 

& Finally, Show & Tell.

Some inspirational work by members........

Hazel completing the February woven heart & getting ideas from the group on how to display. The colours are really set of by a navy or black backdrop. Please bring back when mounted. Lovely weaving.

Sharon using previously taught techniques using a zip  to outline a design then needle felting within. This technique is great for brooches, keyring & to embellish other projects.

Deirdre's beautiful bag with leather embellishment & hidden pouch. 

Bee brave & try printing onto felt.

Mandy's Bee-yootiful felt with Bee-yootiful felted flowers incorporating prefects & silk.

Beerilliant!!!!!!

& finally, Karen's aquarium. This is for the Felt Alive Exhibition in June. Apologies this photo does not do it justice & I will retake. But the detail in this is great & Karen introduced so many techniques to make this really fun piece. Great.

A Celtic themed felt-in on St Patrick's day ☘️☘️☘️

Thanks to Jane for today's felt-in based on a traditional Celtic design. Although the session began with a simple rolled length of felt it was certainly a bit trickier completing the weave! However, Jane thoughtfully printed a card with YouTube videos for those who need to complete their piece or wish to repeat (photograph below).

This is a great technique to learn not just for necklaces but to embellish various projects, gifts, purses, bags, bookcovers, scarves, blankets, pics etc. The opportunities are vast.

A few pics from Our St Patrick's day felt-in.....

FELT-IN 17th March

St Patrick's day felting with Jane Fox who will be introducing a Celtic theme to the day's activities. 

As always bring your usual felting kit (including your bamboo mat) & two contrasting colours of roving. 

Remember we have an extended felt session in the afternoon. Don't forget your lunch if you are staying. The session finishes at 4pm & is a great opportunity to start a project for this year's exhibition! 

SNOW DAY!

Unfortunately, storm Emma & rather a lot of snow has scuppered our plans for the tower workshop with Gabriella Kovacs. Although everyone is very disappointed we hope to rearrange this at the earliest opportunity. We shall keep everyone abreast of any developments.

Wonderful weaves

Saturday morning sun and learning how to weave with prefelts, great! Ann began with a welcome to some new attendees followed by notices regarding upcoming workshops & felt ins. 

There are two places available on the workshop with Gabriella Kovacs. This is an amazing opportunity to work with Gabriella, who is renowned for her designs and use of colour. This undoubtedly will be the highlight of our felting year. Really not to be missed!

Ann reminded all of the 'Felt Alive' exhibition in July & to start preparing our submissions. Indeed the room has been booked following each felt in in March, April & May which will facilitate this.

Show & Tell - 

Tina has really taken to needle felting producing this marvellous moggy. 

    

     

Karen produced made these vessels using an old jumper to add texture & interest. 

   

 Ann's piece of the sea.  

Lambing time! 

   

Pleasance is working on a pair of felted slippers.

Very comfy looking.

WEAVING

To begin with Helen gave an overview of the history, types, techniques and uses of woven materials. She had lots of felted samples including coasters, a snakes & ladders game, scarf, bag (courtesy of Ann), cushion cover (also courtesy of Ann) & a felt woven footstool.

With step-by-step guidance & using  last month's prefelts everyone got down to the business of making a plain tight woven heart. Although a simple pattern the trick is to ensure that the 'fingers' of felt are placed tightly together to avoid unwanted holes in the end product. Patterns were measured, prefelts cut, fitted together and stitched to hold the pattern in place. To begin with some gentle pressure encourages the prefelt fibres to start to entwine before felting. Fulling did not take long as this small project used pre felts

Woven heart results can be seen below. Such an array of colours. Lovely. Well done all. These  would make great decorations but it was noted that to use this technique in creating bags, cushions,  placemats etc that a further base felt would be required or thicker prefelts. 

Finally, a big thanks to this week's photographer, Sarah. Great job.