one-day course

felt making for beginners & returners


location: nr Sudbury, Suffolk

Felt making is an ancient textile process. Come and learn, in one day, how to transform washed and combed sheep's fleece into beautiful, tactile, durable felt; using nothing more than soap, water and friction!

Course outline

We will start the day learning the secrets behind the felting process, why some breeds of sheep felt better and faster than others, and why felt shrinks so much. The morning session will be spent learning and doing the "how to" of felt making; using pre-dyed combed and carded wool fibres. We will go through making up felting soap solutions, laying out the wool, wetting out, creating pre-felts (half felt) and fulling (shrinking) the finished felt. There will be plenty of opportunity for experimentation and we will make at least one roughly A3 sized sheet of flat felt before lunch. There will be a selection of books provided to get the creativity flowing if you get stuck for inspiration.  Those who have the basic knowledge of felt-making will have the opportunity of creating something more complicated.

In the afternoon session we will build on the skills learnt earlier in the day and each make a felted bowl or vessel using a seamless three dimensional felt making technique.

Neither piece of felt will be totally dry at the end of the day, so some plastic to wrap the felt in to transport it home is advised. Also please wear comfortable, sturdy non slip shoes as you will be up on your feet and someone always spills a little bit of soapy water!

Special, but only for those who have some previous experience:  Frances will teach you how to make a hat

All materials will be provided at a charge of £12 for beginners, £15 for returners, per person, to be paid on the day.

Tutor Frances Barker is an artisan felt maker and exhibiting textile artist. She has experience of using both traditional and innovative felt making techniques, and often combines her felt with small amounts of restrained machine embroidery executed on an antique Singer sewing machine.

dates: see 'book online' below

more on felt making


how to book:
 

if you can't open the booking form, you need Acrobat Reader - it's free

arrive:
 
for a 10am prompt start
depart:
 
after the course finishes at 4.30pm
directions:
 
sent with booking confirmation
what to bring:
 
work clothes; pen and notebook
let us know:
 
if you have any special needs
price:
 
£80 Materials will cost £20 payable on the day.
Refundable up to 3 weeks prior to course (minus £30 admin fee)
No refunds for cancellations within 3 weeks of course
lunch:
 
provided
car sharing:
 
visit our car sharing forum to offer or request a lift
 



 

 

 

 

 


 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the venue is a 70-acre organic farm near Sudbury in Suffolk