Katrina Virgona is running a felting workshop (FELTED BANGLES, RINGS & THINGS) on Saturday Sept 5th from 10am-1pm at the Mundaring Arts Centre. If doing the workshop, you can also view a range of artworks relating to wool in the SHEEP SHOW exhibition in MAC’s main gallery space. Other workshops are happening in association with the Sheep Show including a yarn spinning workshop run by Anne Williams. The Sheep Show opens July 24th. For more info on the felt workshop, please see: https://mundaringartscentre.myshopify.com/products/felted-bangles-rings-and-things-with-katrina-virgona
We had a wonderful 2019 FeltWEST wrap up at TNT on
Saturday 16 November with an abundance of beautiful, felty Christmas ornaments
brought in and sold to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis; a delicious shared
lunch and lots of lovely items brought in for Toss N Tell. Thank you very much to Jean for presiding
over the day in Soosie’s absence.
Both Peta Korb and Jean McKenzie were presented with
flowers to thank them for their outstanding contribution to the success of
FeltWEST’s stall at the Royal Show in 2019.
Martien announced the sad passing of Peggy Buckingham,
long-time FeltWEST member and tireless advocate for
the educational aspect of the arts and crafts in Western Australia and nationally.
Best
wishes to all for a very happy Christmas and a great start to the new
year. We look forward to seeing you all
in February.
We kicked of our first TNT of the year with a
wonderful Mini Demonstration from Sue Eslick on Making and Attaching
Tubes. Thank you, Sue, – as
always, you were fabulously instructive and entertaining! The March mini demo, by Soosie Jobson, will
be on Differential Shrinkage Rates.
Soosie announced that the Extension Program
would be back in 2020, run by Sue Eslick and Jean McKenzie. These are three-hour long, samples-based
workshops aimed at learning or honing a particular skill. Six or so of these workshops will be run
during the year, some on Saturdays after TNT, others on regular Tuesday felting
days. The first extension workshop will
look at Three-Dimensional Felt with participants working on
making a small vessel. It will be run on
Saturday 21 March following TNT – bookings are open on the website.
Our first Monthly Workshop for 2020 was
Peta Korb’s Needle Felted Woylie workshop which was booked and very
well received with a whole herd of adorable woylies heading off to new homes at
the end of the day.
CAROL MULHEARN
CAROL MULHEARN
CAROL MULHEARN
Our March offering, Sue Eslick’s Fantasy Hat or
Tea Cosy workshop, is fast approaching.
The workshop is almost fully booked with only two places remaining –
sign-up on the website now for a great weekend and a stylish hat or sensational
tea cosy!
CLAIRE RUSSEL
FLEUR RILEY – USING RESISTS
Also open for bookings is Anita Larkin’s Design
Ideas for Felt workshop in April.
Martien described Anita as someone to get out of bed for! Coming from a background in sculpture, Anita
is inventive and offers unique techniques to shift, shuffle and shake your
ideas, new perspectives and a wonderful and expansive approach to design. This is a workshop not to be missed!
Soosie sought expressions of interest in a 2020 FeltWEST
Retreat in May/June, the planning for which is underway.
SOOSIE JOBSON
SOOSIE JOBSON
Soosie also encouraged all members to engage with FeltWEST’s
Facebook page. Please like it,
share it, and contribute to it.
Martien drew our attention to Felt Matters
magazine, produced in the UK by the International Feltmakers’ Association. This is a wonderfully inspirational magazine
with an international focus. Two
FeltWEST members, Martien van Zuilen and Katrina Virgona, are featured in the
current issue. You’ll find copies of
Felt Matters magazine in the FeltWEST library.
JAQUELINE GIBSON
MARTIEN VAN ZUILEN
MARTIEN VAN ZUILEN
Virginia let us know that FeltWEST member, Marie
Marshal, is down-sizing and has, very generously, donated her felting books and
a beautiful wooden hat block to our library.
She also offered fabric and a gorgeous felted christening gown to anyone
who would love and use them well.
Katrina spoke about the Lust for Lustre
exhibition at Ellenbrook Art Gallery which looks at our fascination with
pearls. Katrina’s work was included in
this exhibition.
We received some sad news just before Christmas that one of our Life members has passed away. Val was instrumental in setting up a felting group in Bunbury and helping Feltwest evolve int the amazing organisation we have today. There is an article here with more of the story.
Whilst Val hadn’t attended many meetings in the last few years she is remembered fondly by those who knew her and as felters well owe her our thanks.
GILMOUR (Valerie): Passed away peacefully at SJOG Hospital Bunbury on 24.9.2019. Dearly beloved wife of Jim (dec). Loved mother of Ian and Jean, mother-in-law of Rosie and Craig.
Peta
Korb gave a Mini Demo on making Christmas decorations using wet and needle
felting techniques in time for our fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis in November.
Peta
demonstrated:
Wet Felting with Resist
Stocking
Baubles
Needle Felting
Snowman
Santa
Elves
Pointers from Peta
Turn mistakes into design
changes!
The enzymes in saliva and milk will
remove blood and red wine from fabric and wool.
Wet Felting
To make baubles, lay wool diagonally
over resist.
Once resist is removed, you can cut
soft plastic into strips and stuff it into the form using a chop stick.
Laying wool for the stocking
Baubles
Needle Felting
No need to force the needle, do it
gently in all aspects and angles
Stab in and out on the same angle,
gently.
With making balls, tie a knot with
wool to give firm base. Do several knots
to bulk out and establish a firm base and larger size.
Use darning needle to remove wool
that’s not in the right place
Blend colours, just like paint.
You can use scissors to cut wool and
to cut prefelt into shape.
Making the Santa
Peta in action
FELTING
NEWS
Toss N Tell
Soosie greeted everyone and detailed upcoming events in particular her Art of Adornment workshop on 5 -6 October.
Martien spoke about her Expanding the Surface workshop on 2-3 November 2019.
Martien talked about the Royal Show, thanking members for their contributions to the FeltWEST stand in the Centenary Pavilion and explaining display opportunities and obligations.
Soosie discussed the website and suggested people send any interesting upcoming exhibitions or events to Cynda at cyndaje@yahoo.com or Liz at info@feltwest.org.au.
Soosie made suggestions to members as to how they can assist at and after meetings – many hands make light work!
Taking notes at Toss N Tell
Sweeping up
Taking rubbish out
Dishes etc.
Soosie mentioned the Christmas wind up would be at the November meeting. No meeting in December!
TOSS
N TELL
Renita Mroz and Sue Espie showed vessels made at Pam Hovel’s Earthy Felted Vessels workshop.
Liz Odd mentioned the Mundaring Arts Centre (MAC) Exhibition encouraging members to attend
Katrina Virgona also recommended visiting the MAC exhibition. She showed seeds, pods she’d been making, and which are featured in the current edition of Felt magazine.
Jill Jodrell talked about the Kings Park crocheted floral arrangements at the botanical gardens.
Soosie opened the workshop by talking about the
importance of connecting with what we love and bringing this passion into our
work. She stressed that it is the
stories behind our work that makes them truly resonate with us, transporting us
in time and place and connecting us with others.
Exploring the Campfire theme
Soosie brought along her award-winning Campfire
Beanie and read the story that had inspired it to demonstrate this. Participants had been invited to bring along
something that they loved as a starting point for their work over the weekend.
During the first day of the workshop Soosie talked about exploring design themes then went on to demonstrate transfer printing, stenciling, direct painting onto felt and masking as well as the use of embossing powder. Participants then had the opportunity to explore these techniques on felt samples, vessels and other finished items they’d brought along.
The second day of the workshop started with a bit
of bling – applying foil to felt. Soosie demonstrated ways
to achieve a variety of stunning effects with foil
sheets, from subtle to seriously shiny.
During the day she covered more design
theory including the magic of numbers. Using odd numbers,
Fibonacci and fractals and how these also occur in nature.
Another transfer technique with fabric
crayons was explored creating more wonderful surface design options.
Stitching and beading methods were covered
in the afternoon with Soosie demonstrating 4 of her favoured
stitches and a few beading basics. Participants
then spent a relaxing afternoon continuing to
embellish their various felt pieces.
Interspersed with all the various surface
design techniques and theory, Soosie also shared
tips on laying out, fulling and shrinkage. Participants finished
this workshop armed with an arsenal of techniques and samples to
give them embellishment ideas for a long time to
come.
August
30, 2019 saw the start of a three-day workshop with Pam Hovel who is an
accomplished innovative textile artist living in rural Victoria. Her work is
influenced by her surrounding as can be seen in her choice of wool, colours and
methods in her Earthy Felted Vessels.
Over
the three-day workshop participants were treated to the delights of felting
with Pam, who gave clear instructions and offered continuous guidance
throughout each day. Starting with the drafting of patterns for vessels, Pam
also covered different layout techniques and a variety of surface design
elements through to the finer points of finishing each piece.
Pam
was a delightful tutor, generous in her time and teaching of her techniques
ensuring everyone created several unique vessels they can be proud of, showcasing
all the techniques learned over the three days.
The
techniques and extra tips Pam gave throughout the three days were exactly what
everyone wanted based on their comments:
Just what I needed to learn
The perfect workshop for me, I have
wanted to know how to create precise vessels for a long time
These are the techniques I need to
take my felt work further
Hello my name is Soosie Jobson and I am the new President of Feltwest. Nice to meet you all. It is lovely to be back on the committee after an absence of 3 years and would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the new members from the past 3 years. I have been a member of Feltwest (and a felter) for some 20 years and have spent nearly 15 years as a committee member. I look forward to working with our new committee to facilitate all of the amazing events and gatherings that we hold throughout the year and welcome any input from our membership. Please feel free to come and speak to me or any of the committee at any of our regular meetings with your ideas, thoughts r concerns. We would love to know.
I look forward to seeing you at Toss n Tell this Saturday.
Our Team
President Soosie Jobson Vice President Jean Mckenzie Treasure Lenore Farfield Secretary Cynda Empsall Workshop Co-ordinator Renita Mroz Online Communications Liz Owens Margaret Bryan Sara Quail Vimol Imsanguan
Sub committee Team Members Rep. at APCH meetings – Louise Nidorf New member liason officer – Alison Gomes Introduction workshops – Alison Gomes Library – Jill Jodrell WA Craft Fair – Jan Stroud, Jill Jodrell Royal Show – Martien van Zuilen, Peta Korb, Jean McKenzie, Marion Finneran, Margaret Bryan
On Friday 2 August this year thirteen very enthusiastic FeltWEST members gathered at Craft House to learn from a very experienced tutor.
Wendy has over 25 years’ experience as
a felter and has been co-editor of “Felt” magazine. She
is currently co-ordinator of the Australasia region for the
International Feltmakers’ Association and runs her own business
– The Felt Studio, in Brisbane.
Over the 3 days of the workshop, which Wendy described
as an “experimental class” (and boy, was it!), everyone settled down and
worked, worked, worked: cutting, slashing, embossing, using different
fabrics, yarns, threads, trapping different objects under silk or muslin.
I am sure she showed at least 50 different ideas, particularly on
embossing. I think everyone managed 4 to 10 samples each.
Wendy was well prepared
with comprehensive notes for everyone and a table full
of samples to inspire participants. She also brought along finished
scarves to illustrate many of the techniques covered by her at the
workshop.
Wendy’s extensive knowledge and
experience showed through in her presentation. She was generous with
her time to all participants; answering all questions and stopping to help
where required. This was reflected in the feedback given by participants
at the end of the workshop. All feedback was positive, as can be seen
from these few examples:
This workshop will keep me experimenting for a long time. So
many ideas and options. Fun to be able to share with many creative
individuals.
Your guidance and patience in the class is much appreciated.
I will go away with a wealth of information that will be used for years to
come. Thank you, Wendy.
Finally, someone teaching Sampling – what a great way to
extend your own creative direction.
Great inspirational workshop. Able to adapt techniques shown
into felting work, told to try everything, there are endless
possibilities; some challenges; and results positive and/or negative are
always a learning opportunity.
Brilliant workshop – start of a wild and wonderful journey of
exploration. Sampling = learning2
Thank you, Wendy, for an amazing and informative workshop.
The venue was exactly what you want for a retreat, the food was very tasty and made with love, the accommodation worked a treat.
I think we all agreed, we had a great time felting and laughing and enjoying ourselves doing what we love, felting.
Pictures of attendees at various times over the 2019 Retreat
Sorry we missed a few
Retreat 2019
Not quite all of us at the retreat were in these photo’s, and if you would like me to add some photo’s you took please send them to info@feltwest.org.au and I will add to our slide shows.
Katrina Virgona gave the workshop which enthralled us all.
Complete inspirations
Inspirations
inspirations galour
the making of lariot rope
Its a secret!
covering chain
creation of flowers
covering wire
adding spikes
Some of the work produced at the retreat 2019. We had a lot of fun and did a lot of work too.
Our bird friends visited Am Pm and Lunch time always making a lot of noise. Magnificent in their presence.