February 26, 2016

WET FELTING WORKSHOPS ~ 2016




Ooo La La!  So very French!  Gabby in 'Moulin Rouge'











Wet felted hats are simply fabulous and everyone should have at least one (that's according to me of course!). Here is your chance to create your very own beautiful felted hat. If you think you aren't a hat person (trust me ... you are) then wet felting flowers or slippers might be just the thing for you. 

You can sign up now for one of my NEW 2016 workshops at Rosehaven Yarn Shop in Picton (Ontario, Canada). Details and dates below. To sign up and reserve your spot please call the shop at 613-476-9092 or email Lesley at knit@rosehavenyarn.com or email me at caketinhats@gmail.com


WET FELTED HATS
One day hat making workshops for 2016:

Saturday April 9th, 9am to 5pm
Saturday June 11th, 9am to 5 pm
Saturday August 6th, 9 am to 5pm

The cost of the hat workshop including materials is $135.  Using a resist technique with seamless construction you will complete a beautiful, heirloom wet felted hat which you will fit and shape using one of my vintage wooden hat blocks, then style, finish and take home to dry.  

Bring your own ideas about style, colour and embellishment for your hat.  I have various hats in my studio for you to try on to get an idea of what you might like best.  For further inspiration all you have to do is Google wet felted hats! You will be inspired!


WET FELTED FLOWERS
One day flower making workshops for 2016:

Saturday May 14th, 9am to 4pm
Saturday July 16th, 9am to 4pm

The cost of the flower workshop is $120 including materials.  You will complete two or three beautiful and varied flowers using different design techniques, different styles and colours including techniques to make and attach leaves and stems.  

Flowers can be beautiful free standing little sculptures or you may want to make an embellishment for a hat or a sweater clasp or brooch.  When I am lucky enough to find great vintage wool berets at the thrift shop I make large, colourful flowers which I sew on to spice them up and give then new life. 


WET FELTED SLIPPERS
One day slipper making workshops for 2016:

Saturday Sept.17th, 9am to 4pm

The cost of the slipper workshop is $135 including materials.  You will learn to make a resist pattern to fit your feet or someone else's (if it's someone else you will need a tracing of their feet). You will complete a pair of adult or child size slippers in the colours of your choice using the same wet felting techniques used to make a hat. Various ideas for embellishing your slippers will also be covered.






Slippers for littles and the bows are optional of course!






Flower sculpture with attached stem which would be a lovely addition to a hat.



The hat photos below are from my most recent photo shoot with my beautiful model Gabby.  These were taken for my Etsy Shop www.caketinhats.etsy.com . Even if you don't shop on Etsy please stop by, have a look and 'like' or 'heart' your favorites.  It always helps to know what people like best when they look at my work. When you send some love it's reciprocated a million times!  

This spring look for lovely soft pinks and greens in hats and clothing.  These colours are so fresh, feminine and lovely especially when embellished with a pretty flower.  Even a hint of pink on gray or neutrals is so alluring.  

To round out the colour choices you can't go wrong with aqua greens, blues, shades of purple, and the always outstanding classics of red and black!




'Petal' ~ wet felted merino wool and silk





'Blush' ~ wet felted merino wool and silk




'Water Colour Paint Box' ~ wet felted merino and silk





'Cone Flower' ~ wet felted beret using merino wool and silk





'Raspberry Ripple' ~ wet felted accordion beret using merino wool and silk





'Elfin' ~ wet felted cloche using merino wool and silk





'Fawn' ~ wet felted nymph using merino wool and silk





'Lichen' ~ wet felted nymph style using merino wool and silk





'Smash Box' ~ wet/nuno felted accordion beret from merino wool and silk chiffon




'Wood Nymph' ~ wet felted nymph style using merino wool, bison and silk




'Cloud' ~ wet felted cloche using merino wool and silk





'Atlantic Rising' ~ wet felted from merino wool and silk





'Plumeria' ~ wet felted cloche from merino wool and silk





'Checkers' ~ wet felted beret using merino wool, feather and vintage button


The pictures below (better late than never!) are some of the beautiful people who tried on and bought hats from me at the 2015 Busy Hands artisan market last December in Prince Edward County.  Thank you one and all!  You make making hats such a joy for me.  




Gail selected the most perfectly suited hat




Dianne in the most flattering hat ever!  I must have made it just for her!




Lise looking perfect in her pixie hat. 




Lizzie looking very classy in her Renaissance beret




Elizabeth was already wearing the green scarf when she chose her hat!




Diane now has two hats but only one head. Her husband volunteered to model the other one!




The beautiful Miss Kate liked a knitted headband with a felted flower




The darling Miss Maeve in a knitted headband with a felted rose




The glamorous Miss Andie in a knitted headband with felted flower




This little button is Alice (with Daddy).  She would not take this cloche off.  How adorable is that!





Carol Ann's great hair colour ties in perfectly with this hat




Lovely Leah suiting this nymph hat well!





Can you tell Lesley loves lots of colour? (Thats Lesley from Rosehaven Yarn Shop)


Finally here are the nitty gritty details for the 2016 felting workshops.  This information will also be emailed to you when you sign up for a class. 


This is what is included in the fee:

Up to 100 grams of 22 micron fine merino wool fibre in the colours of your choice, silk fibres for design and embellishment and a class handout with typed step by step instructions for the felting process
along with the use of: bubble wrap, olive oil soap slurry, polystyrene template material for resist pattern, pool noodle for rolling felt, nylon stockings for tying and scale for weighing fibre.

This is what you need to bring:

1.  squeezable plastic drink bottle with pull out nozzle OR a bonsai plant water ball (available for sale at Rosehaven) to wet out the fibres
2.  a bucket (large plastic pail with handle)

3.  two large old bath towels (these can be found in thrift shops)
4.  two old hand towels
5.  sharp fabric scissors and a needle and thread
6.  large plastic bag to carry all the wet stuff home
7.  note book, pen and camera if you would like to capture the steps of the felting process
8.  wear comfortable shoes
9. apron or an old top (felting can get wet!)

AND...bring your lunch... OR there are a couple of fantastic cafes to buy lunch about one minute walk from the shop. If you bring your lunch there is a really comfy spot at the shop to sit and enjoy.  You are welcome to make tea or coffee in the studio as well.  

If you are an experienced felter please bring your favorite implements for felting.  If you are a new felter just come, experience, experiment, learn and enjoy.  Please keep in mind that felting involves rolling the felt (a lot) which can get physical and requires a little bit of stamina. Great exercise for those upper arms! 

Get connected to the magic of felt!  Thanks for reading the Blog. 

Chris