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My latest article on Facebook for Feltmakers has just come out in the June issue of Felt Matters. Although I would urge you to become a member of the International Feltmakers Association (after all, next year's AGM is in Switzerland....soooo exciting), you can also read the article here. 
1 Comment Last weekend saw 6 fearless feltmakers take on their second garment workshop under the expert tuition of Ewa Kuniczak. This was the second time we had embarked on such a large-scale project...and we all agreed that it helped us to make sense of the process and all the stages involved. The following pictures should give an idea of just what it means to make a high-quality felt garment. We loved it and the results speak for themselves. My second article on Facebook for Feltmakers was published in Felt Matters, issue 110. If you want to have a read of it, here it is. /uploads/7/7/9/4/7794539/facebook_for_felters_-_a_balanced__approach.pdf Here is an article I wrote for Felt Matters (the quarterly magazine for the International Feltmakers Association) about how to set up a Feltmaking Business page on Facebook.
Seabed.....handmade felt wall hanging by Heather Potten
The next big event in my felting calendar is at The Birnam Arts Centre, Dunkeld. I have been working on the piece above for weeks, so it is very exciting to know that it is now ready and has been delivered to Ann Ross, one of the organisers of this exhibition. The details below are from the Birnam website. "The Scottish Felters - Felt Excited Tickets: Free Time: 02:00pm 29 September - 3 November The Scottish Felters - a branch of the International Felt Makers Association, brought together by Scottish felter Ewa Kuniczak - are back with yet another thrilling collection of their latest work, with plenty to enjoy, amuse, and admire including items to wear, accessories and ornamental felt workss, large and small. The last time the felters were here they caused a storm.... the exhibition features a rich diversity of different types of handmade felt for home and personal use, drawing upon notions from a variety of sources, with designs to delight and intrigue...." And here's how to get there. Really hope to see you at the end of the month... Mo first bought a scarf from me at the Dalriada Christmas Fair last year. Imagine my surprise and delight when she tracked me down to our computer school and asked me to make her a special stole for a wedding she was going to in April. She came to the studio a few days later with the dress she was going to wear and we chose a stunning ombre silk in shades of green and orange. The only other stipulation was to make it stylish, comfortable and, most importantly of all, unique. In the end, I chose an aubergine merino wool for the base colour and then a range of around 15 other shades of green, pink, orange, aquamarine....too many to name. For decoration, I used a vintage champagne silk ribbon that shredded beautifully to give the stole an old-style glamour. I also found some purple lace to trim the edges with, reflecting the lace of the dress Mo will be wearing. Finally, I created a felt flower with the same colours, and embellished it with a central bead purchased in a little Spanish bead shop I visited a couple of years ago and 4 sparkling crystal beads bought in Bologna last New Year.   After taking some pictures of the finished article I then wrapped it all up and went to deliver it to Mo, fingers crossed that she would like it. She did...and here is what she wrote later in an email: I can't tell you just how much I love the felt stole - I am looking forward to showing it off at the wedding.It is not only beautiful but so comfortable to wear. Thanks, again. I admire your talent and hard work but also your thoughtfulness to produce your craft...to me this shines through your work. That makes me very happy. Thank you Mo.  So we had another successful scarf-making workshop last Saturday....I got the ball rolling by making this green silk with every-other-colour-under-the-sun nuno felt scarf. I had a whole new batch of wool with me...and in some ways, the challenge became to take risks with colour combinations. It was very interesting to see that, at the end of the workshop, the wools that hadn't been used were the more subdued browns, blacks, creams and greys. Instead my 3 lovely ladies, Els, Erin and Pam, got completely stuck into riotous hues and made three wonderful...and very different scarves.  Erin adding silk to embellish.  Pam adds water.  Concentration.
January must have been a busy month for it to have gone so quickly....usually it drags through its 31 days but this year, I can hardly believe it's gone. It's been a month of exhibitions, workshops and experiments.  First thing on the agenda was making a mobile phone cover - a commission for my husband who finally got a new phone for Christmas....tried to make the colours a little subtler for a more masculine look.  Next there was the re:launch of Gallery 1 at Art's Complex. I decided to exhibit some of my scarves and collars instead of my wall hangings...and I'm glad I did. I have now been asked to contribute to a Textiles Exhibition to be curated by CurioGalleryEdinburgh. Should be interesting....Gallery 1 certainly looks very fine now.  It's been busy on the workshop front too. I've already run a bag workshop and, just yesterday, a flower workshop. They went very well - it's always good to see other people's ideas. What was also great for me was my Felt Free-for-all a couple of weekends ago. This time, I didn't teach. I just organised a day where anyone with some experience of felting could come along and experiment - including me (see left). The exchange of ideas (and materials) was extremely valuable along with tips on what's on and where to buy supplies. In fact, the day went so well that we have already arranged to have another 3....I have plans for an even more flamboyant creation next time. And finally I had a new collection of scarves to put together for The Dancing Light Gallery and their latest exhibition which opened on February 4th.  Have just been contacted by the four sisters Mary, Jo, Jan and Anne who have recently opened their own gallery in Little Crosby, Liverpool. They saw my work at The Dancing Light Gallery and thought the scarves would be just right for them. So, without further ado, a new collection winged its way south of the border to Harkirk Gallery and can now be seen its full glory. Oh, what hyperbole!  Heather Potten scarves at Harkirk Gallery, Little Crosby, Liverpool. And just very quickly....don't miss this wonderful market on Saturday. It certainly has some of the best crafters around. Here are one or two of the things we will be taking to market.... 
Stunning red nuno felt scarf....with a nod to Liz Baxter for her bold use of red and purple. I love it!
Gorgeous pin cushions or just soft pebbles....you choose.
A brand-new collection of flowers, large and small. Have a glamorous Christmas!
| AuthorHeather ArchivesJune 2013 | ||||||
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