It's been a while since I posted in my blog, not that it's been quiet, quite the opposite! I've been wanting to do more teaching and so I pursued that avenue and now I'll be running two one day workshops at the Brighton Phoenix Gallery in the Autumn and also running a 10 week fellting workshop for the Friends Centre, starting in September. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in and seeing what people come up with. The 10 week course is for two hours on a Friday morning and so the activities have to be designed to be completed in that time. Bearing that in mind I made a felted necklace to see how long it would take. I was very pleased with the results and I had fun doing it ,which I'm sure other people will too. For more info on dates and times of the workshops please see the 'Events Page'
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At a recent ‘Spinners’ Weavers’ and Dyers’ Guild’ meeting I met up with a lovely lady called Sue Craig who was looking for felters to help out with a community project to build a yurt. Apparently this project got off the ground last year when the framework of the yurt was built. It has since been dismantled and put into storage awaiting the next stage.
I offered to felt a small sample out of a kind of course pre-felt used for packaging and insulation. The result was pretty good but it sheds a lot of hairs even with a top coating of coloured merino wool. It would be the most cost effective material to use but it’s hard on the hands to felt. We have secured the help of a local horse owner to help with the rolling of the felt in the traditional method used in places such as Mongolia. I’m really looking forward to that exercise in the near future!! I’ll be posting some photos when it happens...watch this space. I thought I'd give a bag a go this time. It came out quite well but it was very labour intensive so not sure how economical they would be to make and sell. They take quite a lot of wool too to make it thick enough to be durable, so that would be a consideration when costing such a thing.
I am now a paid up member of the Spinners’, Weavers’ and Dyers’ Guild and I attended my first meeting on 21st January. I was expecting maybe about 20 people but was quite unprepared for the volume of people and the level excitement and activity of around 60+ men and women.
Members turn up with all shapes and sizes of spinning wheels or what ever their latest project is...sewing, knitting, weaving. The first part of the day is spent with a great deal of interchange between members about what they have been up to. There are also stalls so members can buy and sell from each other - craft books, dyed wool, equipment etc. In the afternoon there is a set topic, and on this occasion it was a team of experts from existing members doing a question and answer session trouble shooting other members problems. I had quite a few questions answered successfully and was made to feel very welcome and involved. I met a fellow felter called Julie and we swapped lots of felting chat and ideas. Members are encouraged to bring along samples of work to share with other people, something I will certainly be doing next time. Well it’s the next meeting in a few days and I’m already looking forward to the talk on ‘Silk’ I’ll be taking some of my things to share and maybe this time I’ll be able to help and support someone else. East Sussex Guild of Craftsmen
It's been confirmed that I have been accepted into the East Sussex Guild of Craftsmen...or should that be craftspeople! I'm really looking forward to participating in some of their events in the New Year, I'll keep you posted. Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Guild I'm also going to join the Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Guild. I attended their show at Lewes Town Hall in November and was totally blown away by all the exhibits there. They run a monthly Guild meeting, usually on the third Saturday of each month, next one on 21st Jan 2012 (free to members, £2 to non members) at The Malling Community Centre, Spences Lane, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2HQ. The meetings start at 10.30 am and finish by 4pm. They have a varied and interesting programme covering all aspects of weaving, spinning and dyeing, enabling their members to expand their skills and knowledge in the three crafts and related fields. Really looking forward to getting stuck in! Felt making workshop
I recently ran a felt making workshop for the children and carers of Chailey Heritage School, East Sussex. See some of the results (left) We all had a really fun day, if a little wet! If you would like me to run a workshop, either for children or adults, please contact me and we can discus what you would like to do. |
AuthorHi I'm Mo Jackson from Brighton UK and I'm a creative felt maker/tutor. Archives
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