​When I agreed to teach on the AGWSD Summer School 2019, there was plenty of time for me to think about what I would teach and how I would teach it. I also knew that it was going to be an important test of my skills as a feltmaker and tutor. In January of this year, I started the Certificate of Feltmaking Techniques (offered by the IFA) and, thanks to my work for that and workshops attended earlier this year with Mandy Nash, I finally considered myself up to the challenge.
Here is a little diary of the week.

Askham Bryan College is an agricultural college near York, set in beautiful grounds with fabulous flowers all around. Our classroom was in the Science block....and before I could get my classroom ready for my 10 students, I had to clear the decks of various teaching aids (see below).

My own experience of learning through sampling was applied on the first day, as we worked on creating durable felt (required for bagmaking) and more flexible, pliable felt (for scarf-making). The samples were small but the amount learned was significant and could be seen throughout the days to come. 

Next up, we focused on scarfmaking. This technique combines silk with merino wool tops to make lightweight wearable felt. The focus was on colour blending, fine layering of the wool and decorative features (including prefelts) and shaping. The whole class participated in the Summer School Fashion Show later in the week. Unfortunately for me, they were the finale of the show, by which time it was getting dark and my camera couldn't cope with the twirls and bows everyone was taking. However, the last photo here is of Clare's beautiful scarf as seen on the catwalk!

The Summer School had plenty of interest for textile enthusiasts outside the classroom too. There was a total of 15 different workshops running at the same time (mine was the only feltmaking...the rest were all connected to weaving, spinning and dyeing, not surprisingly). I managed to see a few of these on the last afternoon when students set up their classrooms with all they had made and visitors came to admire. There was also a Tutors' exhibition, which I took part in, and work from recent textile graduates and students who had completed their Certificate of Achievement. The standard of work was wonderful and truly inspiring.

The final part of the week was spent making hard-wearing, structural felt. Most made bags while a couple worked on wonderful multi-resist vessels. This involved a tremendous amount of hard work and humour. By this time, the group had bonded really well....the banter was bouncing around the room and everyone was having a thoroughly good time. Notes were taken and checked regularly. Whenever decisions had to be made about the next stage in the process, these felters were able to give each other advice (including those who had started the course as beginners).
We even had a surprise visit from the President of the IFA, Sheila Smith, on the last day.
This was a wonderful week and I have the AGWSD to thank for inviting me and a tremendous group of women to thank for making me laugh so hard (and bringing a tear to my eye, on occasion). 
​Cherry, Clare, Eve, Helen, Janet, Jennie, Liz, Pat, Pauline and Wendy....see you all next year!

The days were full of excitement, ranging from workshops to talks to excursions to fine dining. I was overwhelmed by the hospitality of the Swedish people, the friendliness of the other delegates from around the world, the beauty of the region and the fabulous spring weather. 

I attended a workshop with Yvonne Habbe on sculptural objects, using a technique I had heard of but not used before. She also gave a fascinating talk about the large-scale project she worked on whilst contemplating the life of a nomad.

I had plenty of opportunity to walk around the town of Landskrona, with a tour and also with other delegates. An elegant, calm town, it was a real pleasure to visit. 

Not only is there fine architecture in Landskrona but a tremendous interest in gardening, with lovely allotments (each with its own summer house), parks and avenues. 

A couple of trips into the countryside gave me a small taste of the region...some of us even stayed on a couple of days after the conference to visit the island of Ven, where the Swedish astronomer, Tycho Brahe, had his observatory.

All in all, it was a very successful conference. Personally, it gave me the opportunity to visit a beautiful country, meet people who share my interests, make new friends, and appreciate just how much work goes on behind the scenes to organise a brilliant conference. Thank you to everyone involved. I loved it!

After months of planning, I went out to Latvia at the end of May to help Jo and Ian get ready for our first Latvia Alpaca Adventure. I stayed in their flat in the village of Ergli and went to the farm every day. Workshops were to take place in the greenhouse and, thanks to a long winter, there was a fair amount to do. Rather more than I had anticipated, in fact.

So many wonderful things happened during the week, some planned, some not. Here are some of my selected highlights.

The felt workshops were led by Ieva Prane in her studio and me in Ergli, in the local High School, and on the Griezetes alpaca farm. Jo Storie introduced us to some interesting embroidery techniques to apply to our felt. Another day spent in the peaceful sunshine on the farm.

The contrast between Riga, the Latvian capital, and the countryside around Ergli and the farm is incredible. We sampled local moonshine, sang with the Ergli choir, tasted gorgeous goats' cheese (not to mention meeting the goats themselves) and painted porcelain. 
The sun shone throughout the week, the atmosphere was serene and the Latvian hospitality was wonderful. A lovely Latvian adventure indeed.

To register interest in the next Latvian Alpaca Adventure, contact me or Jo Storie at Griezites Alpaca Farm.

Apologies for not posting this months ago...but better late than never!

In June, I ran a Hat Workshop and invited Roxanne to write a blogspot for me, recording her impressions as a first-time felter. Here is what she thought in her own words and pictures.

Thank you Roxanne!

A beautiful blue bowler hat with a soft floral trim, made by me for me.
by Roxanne

My first felt encounter

Having never felted before, I didn’t have any particular expectations but rather a curious case of creative excitement for the workshop I was about to attend. As I made my way to the workshop the optimist in me whispered, ‘Sure it will be fun to felt and sure you are going to have a great time with the ladies’ but as I got closer to St Margaret’s House, the question begged to be asked: What was felting really about? And even more so the fashionista wondered whether I would be able to create something to my own personal style so I could wear it? Today, I was surely going to learn something new, I thought.

And so I set off on the first, fine summer’s day in Scotland, felt tools in the bag and a smile on my face.

When I arrived, I passed three women on their way to get some coffee. I figured they were attending the same workshop because they directed me to where I needed to be and very kindly offered me some coffee. I declined (politely) as I was on a mission to get to the workshop on time.

If anything, be punctual.

At the workshop, Heather was all ready and prepared. Her work stations all set out with all sorts of inspirational felt books and materials to match. The room seemed like a real palette of shades. How exciting.

Today I was going to be the artist.

I then unpacked my materials at my station, laid out all my tools and like a real freshman, I had a notepad on hand ready for Heather’s instruction. Whilst I waited for the workshop to begin I saw some hat designs the other women brought with them and I compared the styles in an attempt to finalise the image I had in my mind. When I saw a picture of the famous vintage bowler hat I knew that my hat would resemble just that: a classic, bold but feminine style.

Perfectly elegant for those windy and wet days that await in Edinburgh.

Once we were all settled, Heather didn’t wait a minute longer and got us going with the mechanics of the hat. We measured our heads horizontally and vertically, cut out a template and then created the resist (I would describe this as the skeleton of the hat we removed later). Heather’s voice accompanied us right along as she demonstrated and explained every step. On the side I quickly made notes of her in-between remarks: “Remember to allow space for shrinkage”. This was especially helpful because I always seemed to have a problem with my head size and the hat sizes available in stores. Blush.

And so we were ready to start felting...

I loved how Heather explained that we should use fabric in our design that “tears nicely”. For a moment I was so mesmerised by the beautiful demonstration of tearing soft silk, so graceful and lovely it was to watch.... Apparently the space in the fibres allows the wool (which we use later) to hook itself through. Heather was making strips so that the silk can integrate even more with the wool. At this stage all my creative juices juggled ideas from the colour silks I would use, the imagery of how the fabrics bond and the wonder of how all this will make up a hat at the end!?

Speechless.

Once we placed the silk on the resist I jumped in to my favourite part- selecting the colours of wool I would use. Amongst the lovely array of merino wool colours I short listed my options and pulled out a few shades of blue that went nicely with my floral strips of silk. Recently I have really been enjoying the tranquil, cool but calm look and feel of duck egg blue so I chose the shade closest to this and complemented it with a ravishing royal blue.

Now I was ready to shade my canvas.

Through a process of clutching about three thick strands of wool, I think I may have stood for about an hour clutching and pulling pieces of mesmerising merino sheep wool. Bit by bit. Piece by piece. Following Heather’s advice: ‘Think about it as paint’, I focused my attention on pulling and placing the wool exactly how she did and laid my pieces on both sides of the resist. Pulling and placing, pulling and placing...

So gentle, so therapeutic.

But then the hard work started. Once the wool and water clung together around both sides of the resist, we had to start drying it through a vigorous process of rolling and pressing of exactly the right weight on the resist. This was no joke. I saw the girl next to me finishing hers off (she was like a machine) and I thought to myself if I don’t get a move on I am going to be here all day. I better just press and roll. Standing up, sitting down, I was determined to get it dry. But my lovely teacher was right by my side and encouraged me to ‘relax, sit down and do it from there’, systematically one roll at a time.

Ok so I struggle with a bit of patience- but how amazing is it to see this wool and water come together to make a hat!!!

The last part did require a bit of work but in the end nothing was more rewarding than seeing the finished product: A beautiful blue bowler hat with a soft floral trim, made by me for me. Heather was quite happy with how I had done and I was very chuffed and grateful for the experience. Now I can truly say that appreciate the art of felt making.