What's happening at this meeting for members:
10.30am - 12.30pm Activity (see below)
10am - 1pm CRF Shop and Library
12.30pm Lunch
1pm Notices, display table, raffle
3pm Close
Activity: Inspiration - avoiding the obvious
The Ashes Challenge is a long standing CRF tradition. The ashes were originally a hand-felted teepee made by founding CRF members. Sadly it was lost in the 2003 bushfires.
Each year a theme, provocation or limitation is set for CRF members to respond to using felt-making techniques. Challenge entries are displayed during the November meeting and a 'winner' is selected by popular vote. The winner holds the ashes for the next 12 months. Entry for the challenge is free.
This year the challenge is to create something in response to 'Message in a bottle'. This does not mean that you have to put a felted message in a bottle, or make a felted bottle.... Think about your reactions to the theme and what connections you make to the idea of a message in a bottle. What might you make in response?
To help kick-start thinking, Lynn Petersen will host an activity. She will help members collaboratively explore two different techniques to promote creative thinking and develop diverse responses to 'Message in a bottle'.
At the conclusion of the session we will have a wall of ideas - words, phrases, questions, sketches... for you to be inspired by. Photographs of the wall will be shared in the following newsletter.
No need to bring anything except curiosity and a willingness to share ideas. However, you may want to have a notebook for recording or drawing ideas.
Registration is required. Payment can be done online using PayPal or by paying invoice by direct deposit to the CRF bank account. Using the Wild Apricot Members App is a quick way to register and pay.
10am - 3pm Activity
Note: this is a sewing workshop and not a felting workshop.
This workshop is designed to help you gain confidence in choosing and sewing with patterns. You will also learn how to use just a few patterns to make many different garments with a variety of fabrics. You will learn how to determine the correct size, how to make simple alterations to your pattern and how to fix fitting problems while constructing the garment, and how to assess the pattern information more critically to determine if it will give you the result you want.
Helen will also discuss how the world of sewing patterns has changed dramatically over the past few years. This will include how to download, print and use pdf patterns.
Over the two days you will construct at least one garment and, time permitting, make progress on another.
You will need to use a pattern that is suitable for felt. Helen suggests a simple cardigan/jacket/vest style such as a kimono style or pullover vest. These patterns are normally suitable for use with felt, boiled wool and similar fabrics but can also work in lighter fabrics.
Please select a pattern that comes in pdf format as downloading and using these patterns is part of the workshop. Please contact me if you need help.
If you need some inspiration to help you in choosing a pattern, Helen has provided some suggested sources below. Tessuti has a number of suitable patterns such as the Amara vest, the Avoca top and the Torino vest.
Pattern Companies
In addition to being a keen felter, Helen has sewn for almost her entire life and has made many of her own clothing since she was 12. She loves to make one of a kind wearables from her felt. She is always searching for patterns suitable for felt clothing and will share her experience with patterns in the workshop.
aitchblue@gmail.com
0403243787
Must be confident using your sewing machine.
Cancellations: see Workshop Terms and Conditions.
In nature we can find a variety of interesting shells, pods and capsules, a rich source of inspiration for hollow felted forms. We can learn a lot from them in terms of architecture and stability, important features in felt making too.
In this workshop you will experiment with an organic hollow form, like a sea anemone.
The small size of the object requires a very fine and precise layout. This will make us aware of the essential details in handling our materials. You will notice how fibre combination and their direction, as well as the amounts of wool applied to different sections, influence the final shape from the very beginning of the felting process.
Often, you can change the character of the final felt object by modifying small details only in the initial setting, and achieve a variety of interesting forms, even starting with the same, relatively simple resist!
You can look forward to a playful, experimental 1-day-workshop and expect to make 1 or even a little "family" of objects, depending on your personal pace and felting experience.
Born in Jena, Germany, Dagmar Binder has always been fascinated by art especially drawing, painting and sculpture, design and most of all textiles. While studying fine art she discovered the versatility and sculptural potential of wool and how coloured fibres can be blended in painterly ways. Her organic looking creations are skillfully shaped by hand in a seamless three dimensional process that is practically waste free. For more information see
www.textillabor.de mail: dagmar@textillabor.de
Skill Level
Some previous felting experience is helpful, but beginners can also try their hand at it!
In this workshop we will add 3-dimensional elements to a basic collar.
With special attention to fibre direction and combination of materials we'll create a well shaped item that perfectly fits the neck and shoulders and receives its individual character with 3d surface design.
You will practice on a smaller item, learn what to pay attention to when planning a garment, experiment with different forms and discover possibilities for other wearable items.
The necessary amount may vary, depending on size and amount of details. For a collar of 110 cm length:
Medium difficult
10am - 1pm CRF Shop and Library ASHES Challenge
1pm 2025 Annual General Meeting
The ASHES Challenge entries will be judged.
Enjoy the CRF Christmas lunch.
After lunch we will hold the annual AGM when a new Committee will be appointed.
At the completion of this meeting the November Business Meeting will take place.
Registration is required. Payment can be done online when you register or by paying the invoice online or by direct deposit. You can also register and pay using the Wild Apricot Members app.
Canberra Region Feltmakers Inc
Meetings: Scout Hall, Kett Street Kambah, ACT
(next door to The Burns Club)
Post: PO Box 2159 Kambah ACT 2902
ABN: 16 718 242 055
Send a message
