Moral Fibre - Courses 2009

Our programme for the whole of 2009 is now here for you to browse. Please keep and eye open for further additions during November as there are further plans for this month. We look forward to hearing from you!

Seamless Nuno Garments with May Hvistendahl

2nd/3rd/4th February or 6th/7th/8th February
Tutor: May Hvistendahl (Norway)
Cost: £280 to include a £5 fibre/silk voucher

At last - the course so many of you have been waiting for is back! Once again we are very lucky to have May Hivistendahl, one of the very best nuno garment makers in the world, coming to share her expertise. 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 and her courses here last year sold out almost immediately.

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 one to one help from May.
Places will go very quickly!

Fantastic Footwear - Felt Slippers and Boots

Wednesday 18th February
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!

All about Nuno - felting into silk fabrics

Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd February
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £130 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.
On day two you will learn how to make a small sample size garment (for a doll or a baby!) so that you feel confident to tackle something larger at home or come on one our more advanced courses. You will also learn about layering, trapping and adding decoration to both sides of your fabric with cut-outs and beading. Lots of ideas will be floating around as well as a wide range of luxurious fabrics for you to play with.
The first image shows scarves made on a previous course. The second and third show garments made by Faith.

Collars, Cuffs and Bustles: Sculpted Costume in Felt

4th/5th/6th March or 7th/8th/9th March
Tutor: Jeanette Sendler
Cost £180 to include a £5 fibre or fabric voucher

We had such a FANTASTIC TIME with Jeanette Sendler - costumier, artist, pattern cutter, milliner and general inspiration. We focused on Collars, Cuffs and Bustles of the Victorian period, but also made mantles, corsets and aprons.

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

Image 1 - Jeanette working on a collar pattern
Image 2 - Faith's cuff making table
Image 3 - Caroline's bustle making table

More pictures from Collars, Cuffs and Bustles

Image 1 - Suzanne's corset pieces made from her own beautiful felt fabric
Image 2 - Kim working on a pattern
Image 3 - Sue researching Victorian aprons

All about Nuno - felting into silk fabrics

Tuesday 17th March
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £60

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

21st/22nd March
Tutor: Lyn Griffiths
Cost £140 to include a £5 fibre voucher

This course with experienced 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. Bring photos or drawing of your choice and make them quickly and easily into printing screens.You will go home with a collection of A4 screens that are easy to use again and again. A chance to expand your feltmaking in a new direction!

More pictures from the Printing course

All about Nuno - felting into silk fabrics

Saturday 4th/Sunday 5th April
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £130 to include a £5 fibre/silk voucher

Feltmaking Freedom

Saturday 11th April
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £60 to include a £5 fibre voucher

A day for you to do just what you want! Our special ‘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 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 day is just for you.

FANTASTIC BAGS MADE OVER THE WEEKEND

The Wonders of Central Asia - Felt Rugs

Saturday 18th/Sunday 19th April
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £140 to include a £10 fibre voucher

This popular course is back again for the spring. 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.

Seeing the Light - felted landscapes

Saturday 9th/ Sunday 10th May
Tutor: Clare Diprose
Cost: £140 to include a £5 fibre voucher

This workshop will look at landscape in its widest sense, finding ways to interpret what we see through feltmaking. After collecting colour notes and visual information, outside if it¹s fine, you¹ll make a palette of felts. There will be an opportunity to work with dyes and resists on these, and on silk fibres and fabric to create layers of colour, and patterns of marks and textures. Techniques of joining these elements will be covered, alongside a gentle approach to developing a satisfying composition. You might like to bring own photos, drawings or postcards to work from. There will also be images available at the workshop. You should leave with inspirational samples and at least one finished landscape. An ability to draw is not a requirement, just a willingness to explore ways of seeing and recording.

Student quotes, 2007:

‘I came home and noticed the sun shining onto a white bedroom wall and the colours were amazing - a powder blue cast shadow and another navy/purple one contrasting with the vibrancy of the orange/yellow sun, so thank you for the reminder of what really looking is all about.’

‘After Clare's workshop, I thought - I can do anything! There are no limits.’

Clare Diprose is a textile artist with over 14 years experience as a feltmaker and tutor. She is drawn to skylines, patterns of light on water, the turn of a head or hand; small visions that enrich the mundane. She exhibits with the South West Textile Group and Bath Textile Artists and is never without a small sketchbook. Her work can be seen at http://www.southwesttextilegroup.org.uk.

All about Nuno - felting into silk fabrics

Wednesday 6th May
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £60 to include a £5 fibre/silk voucher

Felted Vessels

Saturday 16th/Sunday 17th May
Tutors: Jenny Pepper
Cost: £140 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Back by popular demand, Jenny Pepper will offer you the chance to move into 3D with a wonderful weekend focussing on vessels. You will learn how to make unusual shapes with inclusions, removable parts and interchangeable decorative pieces.
Jenny is a well known tutor with a wealth of experience and an eye for design. Her beautifully finished pieces sell at various outlets around the UK.
Pictures will follow soon. For now, the images show Jenny teaching a course on items for interiors last summer.

Seamless Garments using Merino Batts - Truly the easiest way to make a Felt Garment!

Saturday 23rd/Sunday 24th or Monday 25th/Tuesday 26th May
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!

The fine merino batts we use are specially produced in Germany and come ready layed out on rolled tissue paper. All you have to do is unroll the sheet. You save hours of work!

Fabrics for Garments – special four day masterclass (TWO PLACES UNEXPECTEDLY AVAILABLE DUE TO CANCELLATION)

Thursday 4th to Sunday 7th June
Tutor: Charlotte Buch
Cost: £295

Charlotte Buch from Denmark is well known for the quality of her work as a designer/maker and for her development of a wide range of different techniques for making felt and nuno fabrics for garments. Her book ‘How to make Felt for Clothing’ is full of new ideas. See her website at www.charlottebuch.dk to be inspired!
This four-day masterclass will cover different methods of fabric production, surface decoration and texture, pattern drafting and different ways of joining pattern pieces to produce your garment(s). A real opportunity to develop your garment making skills and find the most appropriate (and easiest!) method to get the effect you want.

All about Nuno - felting into silk fabrics

Saturday 13th/Sunday 14th June
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost £130 to include a £5 fibre/silk voucher

Feltmaking Freedom

Tuesday 16th June
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £60 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Jeanette Appleton Masterclass! (Note change of date due to scheduling problem - see also 14-17 November for the full 4 day course)

Marks and Mixes - 23rd/24th July
Tutor: Jeanette Appleton
Cost: £150

A wonderful opportunity to work with one of the most highly respected textile artists in the UK.

Jeanette will offer a two day masterclass entitled Marks and Mixes

The Masterclass will explore the potential of design ideas at each stage of the felt making process, experimenting with a range of challenging and changing sequences in the use of fibre and cloth within the felt structure. You will be encouraged to enjoy the surprises and discoveries in the transformation of materials when you layer, cut, patch and move areas as you work.

Marks and Mixes (18th/19th July) - during this course you will create exciting new textures and colour mixes by exploring marks in the structures of various natural and synthetic fibres. You will consider tonal contrasts and density by hand layering, carding and using pre felts.

This course will focus on discovering your own individual style - Jeanette will personally guide you towards developing your potential and you will go home with advice for new methods and directions in fashion, interiors or art works.

You will be able to view professional textile work, both issue/ideas based and craft based and also see powerpoint presentations showing not only work produced by Jeanette for overseas and UK solo exhibitions but also examples of excellence in felt from all over the world.

Make the most of this chance to be inspired and to receive personal mentoring from such a wonderful tutor.

All about Nuno

Saturday 8th/Sunday 9th August 2009
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost £130 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Feltmaking Freedom

Saturday 22nd August 2009
10am - 4.30pm
Tutor - Faith Roper
Cost - £60

All about Nuno

Saturday 12th September 2009
10am - 5pm
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost £60

Sculpted Wraps and Accessories

Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September 2009
10am - 4.30pm
Tutor: Caroline Turner
Cost: £140 to include a £5 fibre voucher

On this exciting new course you will learn Finnish Feltmaking techiques using hand dyed needlefelt specially developed by Elina Saari in Finland.
Caroline has studied with Elina and has brought back some fantastic techniques for producing three dimensional sculpted wraps, bags, mittens and flowers.
Caroline has exhibited in Finland and will be artist in residence at the feltmaking academy there this summer. She teaches City and Guilds feltmaking to diploma level and one of her students won a medal of excellence for her outstanding work last year. Caroline was a prizewinner in the Wonderwool Wales open competition 2008 and is also a finalist in the Charles Henry Foyle stitched textile competition 2009.
You will go home with a selection of stunning accessories or a beautiful sculpted wrap.

More pictures for the Sculpted Wraps and Accessories course

Traditional Felt Rugs

Saturday 26th/Sunday 27th September 2009
9.30 - 5pm both days
Course Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £140

This popular course is back again for the Autumn. During the weekend you will explore the patterns and symbols of Central Asian felt rugs and blankets and produce a rug 80cm x 120cm. You will learn how to build up layers to create a really solid rug that will stand up to a lot of wear and tear. We use a method brought to the studio by Istvan Vidak of Hungary. We use his 'Vidarama' felting mat which produces outstanding results with minimum impact on your arms!
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.
You will also learn how to braid and quilt your rug in traditional styles, though you will complete the braid making and stitching at home.
This will be a rewarding weekend in which you have a chance to make something that you may not feel like tackling at home.

The pictures show rugs in process on the last course. The rolling pins are only used for finishing after the final rinse!

Feltmaking Freedom

Saturday 3rd / Sunday 4th October 2009
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost: £130 to include a £5 fibre voucher

If a day of feltmaking freedom is not enough, here is a weekend for you to do just what you want! Our special ‘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 and learn some new things, this weekend is just for you.

Felt Bags

Saturday 10th/Sunday 11th October 2009
10am to 4.30pm both days
Tutor: Rachel Castle
Cost: £140 to include a £5 fibre voucher

Felt is such a perfect medium for bags but sometimes it's a challenge to get a really professional finish. Here is your chance to work on design, construction, fastenings and handles to create a really contemporary look. There will also be an opportunity to use the nuno technique for your bag if you wish.
Rachel is an extremely talented young feltmaker. Since completing her textiles degree she has specialised in working with felt and has just won a medal of excellence for her diploma portfolio with City and Guilds. She teaches art and textiles full time and has a real eye for shape and colour as well as a truly professional finish to her all her work.
An opportunity not to be missed if you want to create the ultimate accessory.

Corsetry for Feltmakers - make a fabulous show piece to wear or to exhibit

FRIDAY 16TH - SUNDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2009
Tutor: Jeanette Sendler
Cost: £180

MAKE A CORSET INSPIRED BY THE VICTORIAN ERA USING YOUR OWN FELT FABRIC
A wonderful opportunity to work with Jeanette Sendler who teaches on the costume course at Edinburgh College of Art. One of her specialisms is the Victorian era and we are delighted that she is coming to teach this three day course on corset making inspired by this period.
Felt is a perfect fabric for corset making, especially if you use the nuno technique to apply silk to one or both sides of your fabric. It is strong, and when worn feels warm and comforting. Forget all you know about tight lacing - these corsets are going to be the ultimate objects of beauty and comfort!

Corsets have traditionally been worn by women as underclothing but the corsets you will make will be designed to wear on top of a shirt or chemise. You will want to show it off.

You will learn about the history of corset making in Victorian and Edwardian times, how to make the right quality of felt fabric, how to adjust a pattern to fit, and all about the specific construction techniques associated with corsetry including inserting the boning, busk and eyelets.
Jeanette is full of ideas and ways of adapting shapes and patterns - there is no doubt that you will go home inspired for further projects!

All about Nuno

Wednesday 21st October 2009
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost £60 to include a £5 fibre/fabic voucher

Fantastic Felt Footwear

Thursday 22nd October 2009
Tutor: Faith Roper
Cost £60

Felt to Stitch - Experimental workshop with Sheila Smith

Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th November 2009
10am to 4.30pm each day
Tutor: Sheila Smith
Cost: £145

Felt to Stitch - Experimental Workshop

This course will concentrate on felt as a medium and experiment with many ways in which it can be combined with stitch. You will explore the ways in which simple stitching adds texture and interest to felt especially when treated as an integral part of the felting process.
There will also be an opportunity to have fun with shibori techniques to create unique shapes in the felt and simple dye methods to create your own colour schemes.
You may concentrate on sampling a range of techniques over the two days or if you prefer, after initial experiments, you may concentrate on designing a piece to make a book cover or small bag(to be made up after the course).
Sheila needs no introduction - she has been at the cutting edge of developments in feltmaking for many years and has written a number of excellent books. This course will focus on her Felt to Stitch book, but she has promised course participants some new techniques as well. A chance no to be missed!

Jeanette Appleton Masterclass

Lines and Layers - 14th/15th November 2009
Marks and Mixes - 16th/17th November 2009

Cost: £150 for each two day course or treat yourself to both for £290
10am - 4.30pm each day

A wonderful opportunity to work with one of the most highly respected textile artists in the UK.

Jeanette will offer two masterclasses. You can book just one or treat yourself to both!

The Masterclasses will explore the potential of design ideas at each stage of the felt making process, experimenting with a range of challenging and changing sequences in the use of fibre and cloth within the felt structure. You will be encouraged to enjoy the surprises and discoveries in the transformation of materials when you layer, cut, patch and move areas as you work.

Lines and Layers (14th/15th November) - the focus of this course will be to heighten your perception of the various mark and pattern qualities within fibre, fabric and threads. You will generate many ideas for fine and subtle cloth qualities and then go on to produce your fabric.

Marks and Mixes (16th/17th November) - during this course you will create exciting new textures and colour mixes by exploring marks in the structures of various natural and synthetic fibres. You will consider tonal contrasts and density by hand layering, carding and using pre felts.

These courses will focus on discovering your own individual style - Jeanette will personally guide you towards developing your potential and you will go home with advice for new methods and directions in fashion, interiors or art works.

You will be able to view professional textile work, both issue/ideas based and craft based and also see powerpoint presentations showing not only work produced by Jeanette for overseas and UK solo exhibitions but also examples of excellence in felt from all over the world.

Make the most of this chance to be inspired and to receive personal mentoring from such a wonderful tutor.