Cake~Tin Hats: SUMMER FELTING WORKSHOPS

Monika wearing my wet felted 'Virginia Woolf' cloche

In July, I took a wet felting workshop with Monika Aebischer from Toronto, http://www.monikaaebischer.com/ . It was a fabulous experience and, although we were all exhausted after four, very full. eight hour days, I wished it could have been longer! Monika is a delightful and extremely proficient teacher who learned felting techniques in Switzerland. She is a painter by trade with an amazing sense of colour and design which extends into her felting.

Monika exudes creativity. Her inspiration and practical guidance created an electric learning environment for all her students. There were seven of us, most of whom arrived at class early and left late each day! I absorbed a mountain of information and improved my felting skills tremendously. I also had a wonderful time.

Although the summer has been too busy for even one little post on the Blog, I'm going to make up for it now, with lots of photos of things I have been busy making!

The final class project ~ A bag made from Gotland wool
& extra fine merino fibres.

'Rose Bud' flower made in class with Monika~ wet felted

'Water Lily' made in class with Monika~ wet felted

'Coral and Yellow Roses' ~ I love making wet felted flowers
...it's addicting!

'Rose Buds' What's not to love about felted flowers?
Delightful to look at and lovely to hold in the palm of your hand!

Later in July I took a one day flower felting workshop taught by Barbara Poole from Boston. http://bfelt.com/ . This class was held at Rose Haven Farm Store in Picton, ON. which is my home town. Barbara designs and creates marvelous fashions from felt which she embellishes with lovely felted flowers. Since Monika started me on a flower making journey, I thought more would be good...and it was...and very different too!

I'm quickly learning there is no right or wrong way to felt. Just your favorite way and what ever works for you! The more you felt, the more you learn about fibres, techniques, and all the very weird and wonderful implements and tools that can be used to make felt. I have an interesting collection of screens, bubble wrap, bamboo mats, juice container lids from Value Village, wooden rollers and mallets, an antique glass and wooden wash board, pool noodles and Ikea drawer liner mats. These strange items, along with a scale to weigh the wool fibre, a good pair of scissors and a big roll of white poly foam (laminate floor underlay to make resist patterns for each project) are indispensable when making felt.

'Plum Blossom' made in class with Barbara ~ wet felted

'Apple Blossom' ~ wet felted

'Violet Blue' ~ wet felted

'Yellow Bloom' ~ wet felted

And here are two bags I made earlier this year that are finally finding their way onto the Blog! "Clutch" was on display at the Arts on Main Gallery in Picton.