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    Felting with Jennifer Hoag
March 14, 2009

A knitter, spinner and felter since the early 1980s, Jennifer Hoag has spent the past 25 years exploring fibers and what can be done with them. Much of the time her experience has been gained thru trial and error (lots of the latter and many of them very happy discoveries!), helpful advice from far more knowledgeable sisters, and also thru attendance at workshops in this country and internationally. She has won several awards for both her weaving and felting at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival and has been published in Felt Magazine (Interweave Press). She owns and operates The Northeast Fiber Arts Center in Williston, Vermont.

Talk Title: Felting, Fulling, and the Fibers Used

After reviewing the technical and aesthetic differences between traditional felting from raw fibers and “fulling” knitted or woven material, a discussion of the pertinent structural characteristics of fibers and the differences between various animal fibers as they relate to these processes will be discussed. An overview of the process of wet felting will be covered, including the materials and tools required. Lots of traditionally felted, nuno felted, needle felted, and fulled knitted and/or woven samples, as well as samples integrating traditional felting and weaving, will be shown to illustrate the points made during the talk.

Workshop Title: Introduction to Wet and Nuno Felting Techniques

First, participants will make a flat piece of felt from raw wool using traditional Scandinavian wet felting techniques. An opportunity to embellish this flat piece by “painting with wool” will be illustrated. This finished piece can be used as a potholder or trivet, folded and blanket stitched to make a soft eyeglass case, or stitched into a nice little pocket to hold needles, change, etc. Make more of these simple little samples at home and blanket stitch them into a wonderful quilt!

Secondly, participants will make a small sample to learn the basics of “nuno” felting, a process whereby wisps of protein fibers are felted into a sheer silk fabric base to create a lovely puckered and textural fabric. This piece could be turned into a small drawstring purse. Once you learn this technique doing the sample, it's easy to make scarves and shawls and fabric to cut and sew! The possibilities are endless!

What each participant needs to bring in the way of tools:

1-2 towels
Apron – optional- if you don’t want your front to get soapy & wet
Gloves – optional - if you don’t want your hands to touch the soapy wool

What each participant needs to bring for materials
1-2 ozs of 1 color of merino wool top (or a wool they know will felt easily)
Small amounts of assorted colors of merino (or a wool they know will felt easily) for painting on the flat white piece
A piece of silk gauze (3-4mm), silk paj (4-5mm), or even cheese cloth that is at least 15” x 15”

Jennifer will have available kits of these materials for $10. When you register for the workshop, indicate whether you will be bringing your own materials or if you want to purchase a kit from Jennifer at the time of the workshop.

The workshop will be limited to 15 participants. The cost of the workshop is $20, plus a small workshop fee.
 

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