Monday, 23 September 2019

Strictly Felting!!


A great start to our new Felting Year


A great session on Saturday got us off to the best start possible for our new season and in the run up to our celebrations for our 10th anniversary.

Our Felt-in focused on preparing for the Community Arts Project with the Island Art's Centre in Lisburn.  Deirdre, Helen and Deborah are leading this project - from designing, planning and delivering. They took today's session explaining the aim of the project and how it would be achieved with the support of all the group.



Lots of fun and plenty of work!

The Committee has been working hard to devise an interesting and enjoyable way to celebrate our 10th anniversary.  We will be working in partnership with the Island Arts Centre to deliver a community arts project.  There are plans for pop up felting events, community engagement events, a specially designed project working with a local special needs school, and workshops all culminating in a major exhibition in 2020.

This will lead us into our 10th year of Feltmaking, our 'TIN' year. Sharon's obviously been thinking about this and shared an idea of incorporating can pull openers into a little felted bowl! 


Great idea Sharon!

Of course before the CAP (Community Arts Project) team got going, there was plenty to talk about for the year ahead.

Jenny Pepper's workshop on Saturday 5 October still has some places up for grabs, so if you don't want to miss this very creative opportunity, get cracking and contact our workshop secretary Pleasuance

pleasuancemperry@me.com

Lyda Rump a very talented feltmaker from the Netherlands will be teaching with us in March next year and there's also lots of plans to bring some very exciting local and international tutors over the next year, so watch this space.


Back to the CAP team and their very creative ideas for this project which will involve community groups working together with Feltmakers North to create some wall art which reflects their thoughts and feelings about living in the Lisburn and Castlereagh Council area.


Deidre explains some of the ideas so far

Splitting into three groups, Deirdre, Helen and Deborah each worked on a specific technique to maximise the number of small pieces that would be used in the community hanging.



Helen's upwolffing group

Deborah's group using ropes to design trees!


Deirdre's group on walls and stones effects







Lots of wonderful pieces created, amazing colour combinations, textures to die for and most importantly lots of prefelts for our project at the Island Arts Centre in November.


A massive thank you to Deirdre, Helen and Deborah for all their inspirational work. We know they have been working hard over the summer and this was evident today. Everyone left feeling part of this exciting project and Yes, we have all got some home work! We need to provide A4 pre felted pieces to be included in the wall hanging - the river, mountains, sky etc plus work on the techniques we learned at the Felt-in. so til the next Felt-in.  .....................keep felting!!








We can't finish this blog without you getting a chance to see this lovely little bird which Dorothy had given to Sandy.  We all hope you are keeping well Dorothy and look forward to seeing you in October.















































y.
.

Monday, 2 September 2019

Welcome to the new season


SEPTEMBER   FELT-IN

All Welcome

   Saturday 21st  








Welcome to another exciting new season with Feltmakers North Guild!  Our first Felt-in is on Saturday, 21 September at 10.00 am in Hillsborough Village Centre.  Everyone is welcome to come and see what Feltmakers North is all about and even better it's a free session for non-members.

We will be working together to produce small pieces to be incorporated into the hangings for the Community Arts Project.  So if you've never felted before, often wondered what felting was all about or you want to improve your skills why not come along?

Feltmakers North Guild has a really exciting year ahead as late November begins the celebrations for our 10th Anniversary in 2020.  A massive thank you to all our members who have contributed lots of ideas and suggestions for our celebratory year so watch this space for what's on the agenda!!









Tuesday, 27 August 2019

A new year of Felting and exciting times!










Almost the start of our new felting year and it is going to be a busy one as we launch in to our 10th anniversary. To coincide with this, Feltmakers North have been invited by LCCC to lead on a local community arts project.

Working alongside two community groups will be Deirdre Gallagher, Deborah Woolsey and Helen O'Grady~Browne, our Design Team. Focussing on individuals thoughts and feelings of living/working in the LCCC borough the groups will create a large felted art work. It is anticipated that this piece will be initially exhibited in November at Lisburn Arts Council and subsequently as part of a touring exhibition.

To ensure everyone at Feltmakers North has a chance to contribute to the Project we will be holding our annual "open" session on 21st September @10am during which time the Design Team will update the group about the project. Furthermore, we shall be using this session for everyone to create a piece of Felt/Prefelt with your own unique design each of which will be incorporated into the final hanging. There will be some wool fibres available (free of charge) at the Felt-in but feel free to bring along any bits, bobs, materials etc to embellish and add texture creating wonderfully exclusive pieces.

This is a new direction for our art and one that has been mentioned previously by many members as giving back to LCCC and the local area. We look forward to seeing you all in September for what will be a really exciting venture.

The Design Team

Thursday, 15 August 2019

Jenny Pepper workshop


                                                                                                                                                                               Feltmaker's North are delighted to host a workshop by the amazingly talented Jenny Pepper.





On Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th October 2019, Jenny will be teaching us to make 'Sea life' inspired 3D vessels with spikes, craters, spike within craters, frills and layers.


Now is the time to book your place on this fabulous workshop.



To book your place download or copy the application form and return to Pleasaunce Perry.





Feltmakers North

2 Day Spikey Vessel Workshop with Jenny Pepper
During this 2 day workshop we will experiment with and explore a wide variety of techniques to add extra dimensions to a felt hollow vessel  

Saturday and Sunday, 5th & 6th October 2019
10am – 4.30 pm
Venue:      Saturday: Hillsborough Village Centre
        Sunday: Hillsborough Scout Hall
    
Cost: Members £100; Non Members: £130
(Cost of materials included)

·         Tea/coffee will be provided, please bring a packed lunch
·         Insurance conditions - applicants must be over 18 years
·         Members will be given priority up to 27th July 2019
·         For further information contact: Pleasaunce at: pleasauncemperry@me.com or 07715033550
·         Closing date:  24th August


Jenny Pepper Workshop
5th & 6th October 2019

Name………………………………………………….                              Date.....................

Tel……………………………………………………….

email.............................................

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..


Booking:
There are 14 places for this workshop.  Members have priority until 27th July. 
Once places are filled a waiting list will be started. 
Closing date:  24th August
Please detach and complete form above  and forward with a cheque for £100 (members) or £130 (non-members) made payable to Feltmakers North to
Pleasaunce Perry, 23 Belvedere Park, Belfast BT9 5GS

Terms and conditions:
Applications will not be accepted until full payment is received and form is fully completed.  The payment includes a non-refundable deposit of £40.

Cancellation policy:
 Cancellation received more than 21 days prior to the workshop will have money refunded minus the £40 non-refundable deposit.
Cancellation received less than 21 days prior to the workshop will only have money refunded (minus the non-refundable deposit) at the discretion of the committee and depending on whether someone from the waiting list can take their place.  


If you would like to see more of her work, here's a link to her website:




Thursday, 11 July 2019

Fleeces!!!


Fleeces!!!
Happy Holidays everyone!
Sarah has a contact for fleeces if any of you are interested.
Here are some photos of the breeds.


Blue faced Leicester.



Hampshire Downs.
These don't felt too well.



Jacobs Shearlings



Mules or Cross bred.

Sarah's contact is based in Cushendall, but works in Mallusk, so can bring them down there.
If you are interested, please contact Sarah (spiderlingcreations@gmail.com)

Monday, 24 June 2019

Small Vessel Felt-in 15th June

Saturday 15th June's Felt-in was taken by the lovely Sharon Bell
She showed us a variety of small vessels she had made using Shetland fibres, embellished with silk, flax and even sea glass and pebbles!


Sharon took us through the stages of laying out and rubbing! 


And rolling!



Exposing the Sea glass












The finished (mostly) vessels.
Such a fantastic array of colours and designs.


A brilliant morning was had by all.
Enjoy your Summer break everyone and keep Felting!!!!!

Tuesday, 11 June 2019

Small Vessel with Sharon

At this month's felt-in Sharon Bell will be showing us how to make a small vessel with a resist.



Using Shetland wool, we will be taken through the process of laying fibres and using embellishments.

Can't wait to see the finished articles!
See you all on Saturday 10am for tea and coffee.