The Amelia Project Part II

After our 11th of June post on the lovely Amelia Bearhart we were thrilled to receive an email from Pat Old of Tauranga in New Zealand.

Pat tells us that she originally made Amelia back in 1994 with help from Marion Valentine who made her clothes. Then many other felters from around New Zealand added accessories so that Amelia looked her very best to represent the New Zealand felters that couldn't attend the Bunbury Convergence in October 1994.

Amelia has been with Pat ever since. Pat says she is a little bit moth-eaten and showing her age but in Pat's words "it might be that many of us are"!  No comment Pat, we think she still looks great.

Pat  tells us that Amelia has been branching out and spindling.  This is not surprising as her creator Pat Old is a very talented textile artist and President of New Zealand's Creative Fibre.  Pat is also the author of "In A Spin", a book all about her greatest passion - spinning.  We are pleased that she also is hooked on felting and clearly she did a great job with her protege - Amelia.

Amelia still has her diary which has comprehensive notes of the 1994 Convergence and also her travels around New Zealand over the following year.  We are looking forward at getting to see this diary and wonder who's names will be in it! 

If you have any stories to tell about the first Bunbury Felting Convergence in 1994 email us at feltconvergence@gmail.com .

The Amelia Project

Meet Amelia -

Amelia Bearhart in the grounds of Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School 1994

Back in October 1994 the 3rd Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence was held in Bunbury Western Australia.  This was the first Convergence to be held in Australia as previously they had all been held in New Zealand.  

Amelia was created to enable those New Zealand felters who were unable to come to Bunbury to still  attend in spirit.  She was made of felt by one of the New Zealand felters and we think you will agree she is a rather special character.

 Left -Margie Bern (SA) with Ozzie Friend

Right Derryn Pittar (NZ) with Amelia

Amelia was accompanied by her diary.  She attended all the talks and workshops at the Bunbury Convergence and kept a day by day record of all she did.  The diary was taken  back to New Zealand  with her so that those who could not attend would still be able to participate by knowing what went on.

Amelia (with diary in backpack) on way to Convergence tutorial.

Unfortunately we have lost touch with Amelia and we would really like to have her as our special guest at the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence to be held in Bunbury WA in October 2011.  Do you know where she is?  IF her diary is still in existence it would make interesting reading - we believe Beryl Denton (pictured below) was active in helping Amelia keep her records. 

Amelia with Beryl Denton (NZ)

Can you help us find Amelia?  Do you know where Amelia's diary is?  Please send any information on to us and email feltconvergence@gmail.com with any news.

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.