The Scarf - The Practical Accessory

We have been so busy felting that we have just picked up our May issue of Notebook Magazine.  Turn to page 96 to read their article on "4 Party Poopers Fixed With One Garment". They recommend carrying a lightweight scarf or wrap in your evening purse to solve all those potential disasters that can descend on us at parties to ruin our most fabulous self.

Notebook hazards include sauce and wine splashes, cold shoulders, hair disasters and wardrobe malfunctions.  The solution of course is to whisk out your wrap and voila, gorgeous again. 

We feel some nuno coming on -

Designer M Richmond

Designer C Castledine

Designer J Gibson

And wouldn't you love to find these amongst the autumn leaves -

Designer H O'Neill

Designer H O'Neill

Our Favourite Felt Blogs

One of the best things about organising the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence is that we are making friends across the globe.  It may be titled "Southern Hemisphere" but that doesn't stop us going anywhere and we love all northern hemisphere felters.  We know those cold northern winters  lend themselves to making and wearing lots of lovely felt.

So have a look at Nicola Brown's blog Clasheen  which she describes as "The diary of a rural feltmaker. I feel, I find, I felt". 

This is a picture of one of Nicola's silk nuno scarfs.

We love this use of pink and also that dry stone wall in the background. 

There is so much on the Clasheen blog that you can easily spend the day in Ireland enjoying that Irish countryside too.

Where Are They Now?

After our post on the first Bunbury Felting Convergence in 1994 we were given this group photo of the participants.

 It would be wonderful to put names to the faces.  If you can identify anyone please email us at feltconvergence@gmail.com .  If you were there let us know what you are doing now, we'd love to hear from you.

"Felt has now come out from under the carpet and adorns the body with pride"

The above quotation was given by a rather special lady in Australian felting history  - Val Gilmour in her recent speech when the Bunbury Felters honoured Val by making her a life member of the group.

Val was one of the founding members of the Bunbury Felters and was Convener when the Bunbury Felters hosted the 3rd Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence in Bunbury, back in October 1994. It was the first time this International Felting Convergence had been held in Australia and is remembered by all as a wonderful time of felt making and friendship.

The Bunbury Felters are very proud to again be involved in organising this International event. Again the venue is the Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School, perfect for holding this type of forum with its numerous classrooms for tutorials, arts area for hands on felting and auditorium for key note speakers. Here participants can live in and enjoy felting and friendship in a private bushland setting - 24/7 if they wish (and stories from previous Convergences suggest that some do)!

Felt of course has moved on since those days. It is one craft that has been constantly evolving with new techniques and styles being created as felters experiment with different "feltmaking" equipment. Felters are well known for adapting all sorts of ordinary household goods in their quest to make better, smoother, more textured, faster felt – whatever their current holy grail may be. After all, where other than a felters kit bag do you find kitchen graters, non slip matting, bubble wrap, plumbing pipes and merino wool all nestling together?

So although the program will be different and the Convener will be another Val,  the fun, the felting, the fellowship and the spirit of Convergence will be the same.

We look forward to seeing you all again in Bunbury for the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence 2nd - 7th October 2011.

If you'd like to read more about the first Australian Felting Convergence look out for future posts on this blog.  The first issue of Felt Magazine also has an excellent article written by Christine Sloan in their very first issue.

Perth Craft Fair Continued

Just to let you know that as well as the talented Wendy Bailye who is running The Felting Studio at the Perth Craft Fair next week there will also be a WAFTA stand.  WAFTA is the Western Australian Fibre and Textile Association and their members have created a very special display. 

To celebrate the International Year of Natural Fibres in 2009, WAFTA members each created a work predominantly in natural material – either a 3.6m x 50cm length of fabric or a three-dimensional piece, using their textile and technique of choice.  These spectacular designs will waft around as you view them and move from one fantasy textile to the next.

Sounds wonderful.

Wendy Bailye at the Perth Craft Fair

The Craft Fair is on next week from 19th to 23rd May at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre.

It's great fun and teaming with everything you need to fulfill your creative dreams.  Best of all the Fair includes renowned felt artist Wendy Bailye.  Wendy will be running a Make & Take Felting Studio with some hands on felting workshops.  She will also have lots of her beautiful felt creations for sale as well as some felting tools and materials.  More details are on Wendy's website http://www.wendybailye.com/.

Make sure you pop in and see her.  We will.

Beanie Festival

Following all the  hat making at Felt Central there will be plenty of entries at the annual  Alice Springs Beanie Festival  which runs  25th to 28th of June. 

Designer J Gibson

If you're not into headwear, the festival also celebrates the ancient art of the tea cosy and of course we have some of these to show you.

Traditional -

Designer D Seales

modern -

Designer K Gelmi

and totally wild -

Designer V Hornibrook