Feltmaking has many different techniques, throughout this workshop we will explore and develop the skills that will lead you further into your felt adventures.

We will start the week off with some flat felt – prefelts, shrinkage, nunofelt and surface textures.  These can be samples or a  scarf/shawl or accessory.  Moving on to experiment with 3D felt, creating pods, bags and hats – millinery.  Finishings and millinery skills will be included.  You will learn how shrinkage will give you the correct size and shape, but the end product will be your own unique design.

This workshop is ideal for all levels - beginners or extending your knowledge and skills in feltmaking.

I will have a good selection of materials available to purchase.  Merino, Polwarth, silks, luxury fibre and fabrics.  In natural or a vast range of dyed colours.

Materials for the class please allow approx.$90

You will need your own felting tools, see below.

Shona has a passion for wool & fibre, she enjoys many fibre related arts, dyeing, carding, and spinning.  She has been a fibre artist since 1991.

A member of New Zealand Creative Fibre, Shona has won many fashion awards.  She inspires others tutoring workshops of various felting techniques either at her place in Ashburton or throughout New Zealand and Internationally.

Felting is a simple process, it’s all natural and it involves just two main elements, wool and water, when completed just the wool remains.  It’s the friction the makes the wool matts together forming felt, the fun is what form you can manipulate it into and what other embellishments can you add.  Each of her creations are unique garments or accessories.

Felting various materials such as merino, silk, mohair, and alpaca, the layering of fibres and combination of rich colours create unique easy to wear clothing and accessories.  It is not just the look of the felt, it is the handle, touch, feel and drape of the felt that is most irresistible.

Please bring…

All participants will require personal felting equipment, including:

• Non-slip drawer liner, 1m x 3m  (or bubblewrap, but this will take more rolling)

• plastic painters drop sheets (1 packet approx size 3.6m x 2.6m)

• Rolling rod (wood, plastic, foam),  2.5cm diameter x 1m length

• Bucket/basin

• Several old bath and hand towels for mopping up excess water

• Old sheet or towel - size approx. 50cm x 150cm to enclose work while rolling

• Thick rubber bands or ties for closing off work while rolling(old pantyhose)

• Bamboo sushi mat

• Several hand-sized plastic bags or plastic gloves for rubbing surface of work

• Bar of soap or Small bottle of cheap shampoo/detergent

• Soft plastic bottle (600ml) with small holes poked in cap to work like a shower/shaker, for the felting solution

• Sewing kit (black, white, and red plus variety of coloured threads, needles, tape measure, etc.)  Buttons, small beads, small safety pins.

• Notebook, newspaper (for patterns), Sharpie, pencil and ruler

• Sharp scissors

• Waterproof apron

• Hand carders(optional),

If you have any questions please contact me.  Let me know if you are unable to bring some of the items and I will make sure I can get some to the workshop.

Shona Schofield

shona@feltandfibre.co.nz