Happy Christmas

To celebrate Christmas Day with felters across the world we thought we would share these beautiful icons with you.

Mystic by S Seaman

Byzantine by S Seaman

Celtic by S Seaman

We on the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence Committee wish you all a very happy Christmas.

Felt in a Hot Climate

Do people in cool climates make better felt?

We ask ourselves this question as we see that the weather forecast for Christmas Day is 34 degrees and we are sure we will get our share of even hotter days in the summer months to come.

Of course, we don’t think climatic conditions have any influence on good felt but of course we regularly see the wonderful garments and accessories produced locally by our talented Western Australian felters. However, it is nice to have our opinion confirmed as was the case when we got an email from Sally in Tucson Arizona asking for details of the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence. Quick as a flash we checked out Sally’s own felting website  and yes, in that hot dry desert climate they do make some simply gorgeous stuff. Check this out for yourself by clicking here.

Picture courtesy of http://www.spiritedhandsstudio.com/

Do hope you can make it over to Bunbury in October Sally,we’d love to meet you and your felt in person.

Traders Hall Update - The Snowy Creek Roller Felting Machine

For those of you who read our last post and don't have access to a horse or an AFL football team to help with your rolling you will be relieved to read that Paul and Christine Harrison developed their Roller Felting Machine especially for us felters.

The Harrison's started their company Snowy Creek Engineering about 15 years ago when they escaped from Melbourne city life and bought acreage in country Victoria at Snowy Creek.  They started breeding Alpacas and got interested in felting.  Paul, with his engineering background, looked at ways of mechanising the felting process and after consulting with other felters he created his prototype felting machine.

From there the Snowy Creek Roller Felting Machine was developed, a wonderful piece of equipment that will tackle both small and large felting projects without the tiring work of hand rolling but with the same beautiful results that are achieved by experienced felters.

It sounds just what we need so click here to read all about it.   

Snowy Creek Engineering also create and sell needle felting equipment and are very kindly donating a needle felting kit as a door prize at the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence Bunbury 2011.

We hope they will be able to make it over here in October 2011 and join us in our Traders Hall.

How to Make Your Very Own Yurt

We often tell people that felt is probably the oldest textile and that once upon a time it was used to make peoples dwellings; but how many of us have actually seen a yurt let alone made one? 

A yurt is the traditional dwelling of the nomadic people of Central Asia, it consists of a collapsible wooden frame and wool felt coverings. Textile artist Martein Van Zulien coordinated a National Yurt Building project in Australia during 1998. The full scale Mongolian style yurt involved over 100 feltmakers across five states and was largely possible through donations of fleece and the use of reclaimed wood.


So we, the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence Organising Committee, are now proud to provide our readers with your very own step by step instructions for constructing your own yurt, complete with chimney. 

1.  Lay the wool out

2. Roll up the wool

3. Roll with feet - 200 times

4. Roll with horse - 100 laps of field (200 carrots)

5. Enlist the boys (200 beers)

6. Put up the framework

7. Construct centre of yurt

8. Put up roof frame work

9. Dry out wall panels  (it rained heavily!)

10. Get the panels to the framework

11. Put panels up

12. Put roof  on

13. Tie it all up

14. Stand back and admire your  finished yurt

The yurt was made at the Mittagong Textile Fibre Forum  in 1998

The group that worked on the yurt in Mittagong

Many thanks to Helen O'Neill who provided us with the photos. Helen  helped with the roof panel that was made here  in W.A.  She was also in the Mittagong class and you may spot her in a couple of the photos. 
She tells us that they made hangings for the inside of the yurt  and  there was also a pot belly stove in the centre hence the chimney.  She says it was a very calming feeling sitting in this yurt and that some people slept in it overnight.

The finished  yurt  set off on travels around Australia but we do not have any idea where it is now or know if it still exists.

Have you seen the Mittagong yurt?


For more information click here to go to Martein Van Zulien's website. 

Important Convergence Announcement - Guess Who's Coming to Tutor Pt II

Yes, the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence Bunbury 2011 promises you an exciting program of talks, workshops and master classes that will bring new strengths to your felting work.

Our world class keynote tutors include  Anita Larkin from New South Wales who will be making her first visit to Western Australia.

Anita is an experienced sculptor and felter who has exhibited widely throughout the Eastern States of Australia. She will bring a breath of fresh air to our felting fraternity, giving us new direction in our work.  We are particularly pleased that she is able to join us as many of you experienced felters told us that you wanted to focus on the artistic side of felt as a medium.

Go over to her own website for her full biography and pictures of her amazing work by clicking here.

Keep looking in to our Convergence Blog to get all the latest news on the Convergence and enjoy all the beautiful felting that we are showcasing.

Important Convergence Announcement - Guess Who's Coming to Tutor

We are  very excited about the wonderful tutors we are having at the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence. They  include some of the biggest names in felt making and design, to give you a program that will challenge and extend your felt making to the highest levels.

We are pleased to announce one of our keynote tutors will be the internationally renowned feltmaker and author Liz Clay .

Most felters will know Liz through  her book “NUNO FELT” which has to be the most comprehensive instruction book on combining wool fibres with fabrics that is available.  It is certainly one of our favourites and if you haven't got this valuable resource in your own library then we recommend you get one.  (Perhaps Liz will have some signed copies for sale at the Convergence?) 

Liz is the current president of the International Feltmakers Association and a much celebrated felter and designer from England.


In addition, Liz has been featured in Vogue magazine and has worked for the Givenchy fashion house and for the amazing Stella McCartney.

She has not visited Australia before and she is very excited about joining us at  the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence and also getting to see some of our great country. 

We are so pleased that she is able to join us .  She will be running a number of segments at the Convergence so everyone will be able to enjoy the  Liz Clay experience with their felting.

Keep tuning in to our Convergence Blog for another Tutor announcement shortly.

If you want to join us at the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence in Bunbury October 2011 you must register your interest via the email link on the right hand side bar of this Blog.

Best in Show

Like many country places we have a number of agricultural shows occurring at this time of year. Not only do they make a great family day out but also they are a wonderful place to show off our felt.


This year Joan Kent decided to put some of her creations into the Bussleton Show

Designer J Kent

Designer J Kent

She won first place for the gold chair and second place for the stool in the Furnishing Category.

She also won a second prize in the Felting Category for a nuno scarf.

So if your local shire has a Show Day enter some felt. It really seems to be the textile of the moment. Remember to send us some photos of your winning pieces!