moral fibre - Spring & Summer 2008

Our new Spring and Summer 2008 brochure showing courses available from April to August is now available. Give us a ring or drop us an email if you would like a copy.

Without Seams: The Ultimate Silk/Wool Garment

January 25th/26th/27th and January 29th/30th/31st
Tutor: May Jacobsen Hivistendahl
Cost £280 for 3 days, to include a £10 silk or fibre voucher. Lunch NOT included.

We are very pleased that May Jacobsen Hivistendahl has agreed to come from Norway to teach this course. If you haven’t come across her work, just have a look at her website http://www.filtmaker.no and click on ‘galleri’ to be amazed and inspired. Her workshops at the 2007 International Feltmakers Conference in Swansea were a high point of the event.

During this 3-day course you will make an original garment to your own design. There will be lots of ideas to inspire you! You will be shown how to make the quality of Nuno felt fabric that you need for your garment, make samples to find the shrinking factor and the wool amount, construct our own plastic pattern and learn how to go through the felting process in the most practical way. Every day will start with some theory, but during the day you will work individually on your project with help from one of the best felt-garment makers in Europe. If you complete your garment, on the last day there will be an opportunity to make a hat.

All about Nuno: Silk/Wool Scarves and Wraps

23rd February: 10am -4pm
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost £55 including a £5 voucher towards fibre or silk fabric

Nuno feltmakng – laminating wool fibres onto silk or other fine fabrics - has become incredibly popular over the last few years and it’s not difficult to see why. The effects that the wool creates when it shrinks are beautiful – and it’s not such hard work as making heavier pieces! The finished fabric can be used for a wide range of purposes but on this course you will make a luxurious scarf (or two) and go home home with a wealth of ideas for innovative fabrics. You will work with silk chiffon, silk georgette, silk muslin and cotton muslin and you will learn how to create a variety of surface textures. A popular course for those of you that are new to Nuno, or those who need some tips on how to get the effects you want.

Cobweb Felt for Garments

1st and 2nd March: 10am-4pm both days
Tutor: Jenny Macaky
Cost: £130 including a £5 fibre voucher

A chance to make the lightest of all felt for light garments and wraps. Jenny will show you how to to make “cobweb” felt which is fibrous in character using linen, silk and other fibres along with the wool fibres. It’s not as easy as it looks (!) but under Jenny’s expert tuition you will be able to make your pieces into seamless clothing such as jackets by joining and thickening areas to add strength. This kind of feltmaking is Jenny’s real passion and she has exhibited her cobweb pieces all over the UK and in Europe.

Feltmaking from the Heart of Europe: Hungarian Rugmaking

26th/27th/28th March and 30th/31st March/1st April
Tutors: Istvan Vidak and Mari Nagy
Cost: £280 to include a £10 fibre voucher

A truly fantastic opportunity to learn from two of the most experienced feltmakers in Europe. Mari and Istvan organised the 2004 International Exhibition of Feltmaking in Budapest – an amazing celebration of the very best work from all over the world. They teach in many countries and have also written numerous books about feltmaking. On this two-day course you will learn all about the traditional patterns and motifs in Hungarian feltmaking and use these to make a beautiful rug.

Our feltmaking machine will be available to help you to produce a large piece. The teaching will include slildes and talks about Hungarian folk culture and its place in the feltmaking tradtion of Europe. You will go home buzzing with ideas, inspiration and lots of new knowledge.

Spinning a Yarn - focus on spinning local fleece

Tuesday 8th April
Tutor: Fiona Nisbet
Cost £55 per day to include a £5 fibre voucher. If you book 3 or more of our spinning days you will receive a 10% discount.

Had a go at spinning but never got to grips with the finer stuff? Bought a wheel but never produced the exciting yarn you had in mind? These courses offer you an opportunity to hone your spinning skills and learn to spin all kinds of exotic fibres. Each day will have a specific focus, but there will be lots of flexibility for you to pick up exactly the skills you need, whatever the day!

Fiona is a well known spinner and weaver with a truly astonishing wealth of knowledge and years of experience in passing it on. Last year’s course participants went home buzzing with ideas and with new skills at their fingertips. The spinning days are suitable for all abilities, but you do need to have your own wheel.

It’s all in the Bag

Saturday/Sunday 12th/13th April 2008
Tutor: Christine Branch
Cost £130 to include a £5 fibre voucher

You can’t have too many bags and this is your chance to make the ultimate stylish accessory. Christine is well known for the beautifully made pockets and fastenings on her bags. You will learn how to produce a bag with a really high quality finish – a bag that you will be proud to take anywhere. You will also go home with a wealth of ideas for future projects.

A Fine Day at the Mill - nuno felting into silk fabrics

Wednesday 16th April
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost £55 to include a £5 fibre voucher

A day to indulge yourself in the finer side of feltmaking. Working with the lightest silk chiffon, muslin and organza you will learn how to felt into the fabric to create stunning effects. As the wool fibres shrink the silk is drawn into beautiful patterns. A simple technique once you know how, this light-on-the-hands ‘Nuno’ type of felt is a pleasure to work with. You can make a scarf or wrap, produce silk felt fabrics for cushions or make a flowing window hanging from the finest gauze. Lots of ideas will be floating around as well as a wide range of luxurious fabrics for you to play with.

Printing on Felt

Saturday 19th/Sunday 20th April
Tutor: Lyn Griffiths
Cost £130 to include a £5 fibre voucher

This course with experienced City and Guilds tutor Lyn Griffiths offers you an opportunity to combine fabric and felt with dyeing and print in a variety of ways.
A great weekend of mixed media exploration including shibori dyeing, thermofax screen printing with natural dye extracts and a variety of feltmaking techniques.
The thermofax method allows for very fine detail and precision creating really exciting results without the difficulties normally attached to other methods of screen printing.

Feltmaking Freedom - our studio's special new course

Wednesday 23rd April
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £55 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Our special new ‘feltmaking freedom’ day is designed for those of you who want to be free to try all the different kinds of feltmaking without being tied to making any one particular thing. You can try flat felting, 3D felting around a resist, ‘nuno’ felting into silk fabric or whatever combination you fancy. Go home with anything from a scarf to a tablemat to a bag to a wallhanging … the choice is as wide as your imagination. All the technical expertise you need will be on hand to help you realise your ideas. And if you’re feeling short of ideas, we have a few of those to get you going! Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced feltmaker who wants to make the most of our space, or our feltmaking machine, this day is just for you.

Spinning a Yarn - focus on spinning Alpaca

Tuesday 1st May
Tutor: Fiona Nisbet
Cost £55 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Feltmaking Freedom - our studio's special new course

Saturday 3rd/Sunday 4th May and also running on 21st May.
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £120 to include a £5 fibre voucher

A whole weekend of feltmaking freedom!
Our special freedom days are designed for those of you who want to be free to try all the different kinds of feltmaking without being tied to making any one particular thing. You can try flat felting, 3D felting around a resist, ‘nuno’ felting into silk fabric or whatever combination you fancy. Go home with anything from a scarf to a tablemat to a bag to a wallhanging … the choice is as wide as your imagination. All the technical expertise you need will be on hand to help you realise your ideas. And if you’re feeling short of ideas, we have a few of those to get you going! Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced feltmaker who wants to make the most of our space, or our feltmaking machine, this weekend is just for you.

A Fine Day at the Mill - nuno felting into silk fabrics

Wednesday 7th May
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £55 to include a £5 fibre voucher

The Wonders of Central Asia - Felt Rugs

Saturday 17th/Sunday 18th May
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £130 to include a £10 fibre voucher

This popular course is back again for the summer. During the weekend you will explore the patterns and symbols of Central Asian felt rugs and blankets. With the aid of the feltmaking machine you will produce a rug 80cm x 120cm – or maybe two! In depth information on the patterns and techniques of the Kazakhs, the Uzbeks, the Turkmen and the Kirghiz peoples will be available, and you can design your own rug inspired by what you see. If you want to use a traditional design, ready made patterns will be on hand for you to borrow; you can make something delightfully complex without having to map it all out. This will be a rewarding weekend in which you have a chance to make something that you may not feel like tackling at home.

Collars, Cuffs and Bustles: Sculpted Costume in Felt

28th/29th/30th May or 31stMay/1st/2nd June
Tutor: Jeanette Sendler
Cost £180 to include a £5 fibre or fabric voucher

A wonderful opportunity to spend 3 days working with one of the most inspiring textile artists in Europe! Taking Victorian Fashion as your starting point, you will create modern day interpretations of collars, cuffs, bustles and more.

Jeanette is a trained Costume Designer and has for many years constructed garments for the stage. Fashion and Costume Designers have always taken their inspiration from period costumes for their designs on catwalks and in theatre. Inspired by Victorian fashion Jeanette will guide you through the 19th Century looking at historical details and how we can use them to develop new and interesting ideas.
We will take a journey into the hidden undercover of Victorian dressing habits and use the techniques that we find there such as gathering, ruching, pleating, ruffling, padding and puffing. A chance to really develop your design skills under Jeanette's expert tuition.

To see more of Jeanette's work go to www.sendler.co.uk

Spinning a Yarn - focus on spinning silk

Thursday 5th June
Tutor: Fiona Nisbet
Cost: £55 per day to include a £5 fibre voucher. If you book 3 or more of our spinning days you will receive a 10% discount.

See details on 1st May

Two Fine Days at the Mill - nuno felting into silk fabrics

Saturday 7th/Sunday 8th June
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £120 to include a £5 fibre voucher

A weekend to indulge yourself in the finer side of feltmaking. Working with the lightest silk chiffon, muslin and organza you will learn how to felt into the fabric to create stunning effects. As the wool fibres shrink the silk is drawn into beautiful patterns. A simple technique once you know how, this light-on-the-hands ‘Nuno’ type of felt is a pleasure to work with. You can make a scarf or wrap, produce silk felt fabrics for cushions or make a flowing window hanging from the finest gauze. Lots of ideas will be floating around as well as a wide range of luxurious fabrics for you to play with.

Fantastic Footwear - Felt Slippers and Boots

Wednesday 11th June
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £60 to include a £5 fibre voucher

A chance to indulge your footwear fantasies. Whether it’s slippers fit for Marie Antoinette, wild boots for a Siberian Reindeer herder … or just something to snuggle in on a cold evening, this course will provide you with all the know how and lots of inspiration. You will learn how to make a resist based on your shoe size and how to shape your slippers on a last. You can make warm boots, ballet style slippers or mules. A great present idea!

Painted Bags

Saturday 14th/Sunday 15th June
Tutor: Helen Melvin
Cost: £130 to include a £5 fibre voucher

This wonderful course is all about natural colours and natural fabrics. Using natural dye concentrates for colour, you will paint, your own felt and silk fabric inspired by the natural landscape. You will then fold, manipulate and distress your fabric to produce a beautiful asymmetrical bag, once again taking the shapes and forms found in nature as your inspiration.

Helen has twenty years experience as a textile artist. From her studio in North Wales she had been at the forefront of exploring and experimenting with what is possible using the new ranges of powdered natural dye extracts that are now available. Under Helen’s expert tuition this course offers you an ideal opportunity to learn how use these versatile dyes even if you have never painted with dyes or used natural dyes before.

Feltmaking Freedom - our studio's special new course

Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd June
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £120 to include a £5 fibre voucher

If a day of feltmaking freedom is not enough for you, here is a whole weekend for you to do just what you want. Our special new ‘feltmaking freedom’ weekend is designed for those of you who want to be free to try all the different kinds of feltmaking without being tied to making any one particular thing. You can try flat felting, 3D felting around a resist, ‘nuno’ felting into silk fabric or whatever combination you fancy. Go home with anything from a selection of scarves to a throw to a bag to a wallhanging … the choice is as wide as your imagination. All the technical expertise you need will be on hand to help you realise your ideas. And if you’re feeling short of ideas, we have a few of those to get you going! Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced feltmaker who wants to make the most of our space, or our feltmaking machine, this weekend is just for you.

Feltmaking Freedom - our studio's special new course

Wednesday 2nd July
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £55 to include a £5 fibre voucher

See details above

Resisting Nuno - Paper -Like Nuno Felt for Scarves and Wraps

Saturday 12th/Sunday13th July
Tutor: Liz CLay
Cost: £145 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Following her popular workshop with us last year, the recent publication of her book on Nuno Feltmaking and her study trip to Japan, we are pleased to be able to welcome Liz back to the studio. Liz’s work focuses on very fine felt with a papery quality and this course will explore colour, mark making and texture on this kind of nuno felt. You will consider design and scale in working with resist dyed fabric including shibori techniques and learn about a variety of ways of making marks on felt fabric. You will then use your prepared fabrics to create stunning felt cloth to use for scarves, shawls or wraps.

A Fine Day at the Mill - nuno felting into silk fabrics

Wednesday 16th July
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £55 to include a £5 fibre voucher

The Wonders of Central Asia - Felt Rugs

Saturday 19th/Sunday 20th July
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £130 to include a £10 fibre voucher

Feltmaking for Interiors

Saturday 26th/Sunday 27th July
Tutors: Jenny Pepper and Faith Roper
Cost: £145 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Spend a weekend creating beautifully designed pieces to add style to your home. Drawing inspiration from the best in 20th century design, from Art Deco to Marimekko, you will first decide on the look you want and then go on to realise your ideas in felt.
Whether you focus on the sculptural qualities of felt adding spikes, craters, loops and pockets or on strong two-dimensional design, you will go home with a range of stunning items. Cushions, storage vessels, tea and egg cosies, place setting, table runners, magazine holders ... the choice is yours

Feltmaking Freedom - our studio's special new course

Saturday 2nd/Sunday 3rd August
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £120 to include a £5 fibre voucher

A Fine Day at the Mill - nuno felting into silk fabrics

Saturday 9th/Sunday 10th August
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £120 to include a £5 fibre voucher

A weekend to indulge yourself in the finer side of feltmaking. Working with the lightest silk chiffon, muslin and organza you will learn how to felt into the fabric to create stunning effects. As the wool fibres shrink the silk is drawn into beautiful patterns. A simple technique once you know how, this light-on-the-hands ‘Nuno’felt is a pleasure to work with. You can make a scarf or wrap, produce silk felt fabrics for cushions or garments or make a flowing window hanging from the finest gauze. Lots of ideas will be floating around as well as a wide range of luxurious fabrics for you to play with.

Feltmaking using an Embellisher

Saturday 16th/Sunday 17th August
Tutor: Sheila Smith
Cost: £145 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Sheila is always at the forefront of developments in feltmaking, and following the publication of her new book on using an Embellishing machine, we are pleased to be able to welcome her back for this weekend packed with new ideas and techniques. If you have never used an embellisher before and would like to see what is possible, or if you have a machine that you haven’t made the most of yet, this course is for you. The course will focus on techniques, experimentation and sampling under Sheila’s expert guidance. You will use a wide variety of fibres and fabrics in ways that you may not have thought possible! There will be plenty of time to use your knew found knowledge to make a scarf or whatever item you wish.

Seamless Garments using Merino Batts

Saturday 23rd/Sunday 24th or Monday 25th/Tuesday 26th August
Tutor: Vivienne Morpeth
Cost: £145 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Using felt to make a seamless garment offers design and shaping possibilities not available with any other material. Your garment will have a sculptural quality to it whilst also being light and comfortable. If you’ve always wanted to make a seamless felt jacket but have felt a little daunted, then Vivienne’s method (the best we have some across) is the easiest place to start. Her sophisticated sizing system means that the garment actually fits! This course will focus on using merino batts to speed up the process and make it easier all round. Vivienne’s courses last summer booked up before we could advertise them, so don’t miss out this time round!