felt make & wear

#WOW Arklow making felted ropes

 One of the great things about felt as a material in craft and community education is versatility. Out of a small amount of sheep fleece a lot of things can be taught and created by altering techniques of making, learning and experimentation. The Women of the World group in Arklow and I have been working together since September 2012, I am commissioned by Wicklow VEC community education and County Wicklow Partnership. This year the brief is Cultural creativity. The focus of the course is on the tradition of each others  cultures and our personal experiences of jewellery and to learn skills over a 12 week period.

#WOW Arklow,  making beads from felted rope

 I started working with the group sharing a collection of fantastic felt on Pinterest. These photographs are from our third week into the curriculum. I've designed the skills learning in a spiral, expanding and making space to look at adornment, jewellery and cultural traditions associated with jewellery.

#WOW Arklow transforming felted rope beads to necklaces

This group of women are so engaged with there learning, enthusiastic and inventive. Bringing influence from all over the world into a single point of making and sharing in Arklow on a Wednesday morning.
A big thank you the local jewellery maker Sharon Murphy, The bead and button Emporium who came to help out and will be working with us next week on claps, closing devices and crafting more wearable art!