Värtsilä..........Finland

Workshop Details...

We make highly decorative, thick, durable felts with turned edges of any shape or form.
Karoliina teaches ALL her technique and methods; which she has developed and uses as a full time feltmaker of long standing.
We teach a high degree of control of colour, design and especially form, without any supplementary cutting, sewing, or needle felting. The felts can be made thick and firm enough to be real "utility felt" (this is up to the student...) Our emphasis is on quality and control.
We can safely say that whatever design ideas a student has, we can translate it into felt, be it highly defined, geometric patterns, (Celtic knotwork) to impressionistic "painted" images. Colour blending and line control is our speciality.
We have a very "hands on" approach, with, what has been called, "a high degree of involvement..." which means, I suppose, we get on in there and do it... There is no lecture or sitting down taking notes... We believe felting is a technique that is taught uniquely by feel and touch. Of course people can and do take notes and photographs as much as they wish...
Our workshops are not suitable for beginner felters. (Unless they are intensely motivated and highly energetic.) The workshop is quite physical and very tiring... People with any kind of back problems should limit themselves to smaller pieces. It is much more useful to complete several smaller pieces, than be left disappointed with a larger, unfinished work.
We use pure Finnwool for the felt, which we can supply, with the addition of more exotic fibres and yarns for decoration if desired.

Ethos...

Practical requirements...

Firstly, the students must have some kind of design worked out before the workshop starts, just a rough sketch and colour ideas is sufficient. The first thing we make is a sample piece to try out the colours, design elements etc. This tries to answer questions about our work and felting methods. Ideally, this takes at least a day and prepares everyone for working on his or her main piece. (Design, colours, wool, pre-felts etc...)

  1. Each student needs a table...
  2. Wear old clothes and/or have some kind of waterproof apron. (Working shoes... there will be a lot of soap and water on the floor.)
  3. An old cotton or linen single bed sheet. (Larger than the work)
  4. A Bamboo roller blind (or felting mat of some kind)
  5. 2 bowls, one small for soap, one larger for water, and a bucket.
  6. a piece of plastic/nylon mosquito netting (80 x 80cm)
  7. a piece of soft, fine nylon/polyester "net-curtain" or Voile. Finer the better. (Full size of piece to be worked if possible...80 x 80cm min.)
  8. A pool "Noodle".
  9. Savon de Marseille, or similar basic, non-perfume soap. No liquid soaps or "goo" please.

Method...

Time is the biggest obstacle... To get the full benefit from our workshops we feel that 4 days is the minimum time needed to make a felt of larger size. (i.e. 160 x 85cm)
  1. Karoliina makes a sample piece to show lay up, wet out and edging techniques. Please observe this closely... Karoliina's fingers do the talking... After working with felt for so many years, certain movements become instinctual and are possibly the unnoticed thing that will make all the difference to your end result...
    Take photos, ask her to repeat things and ask questions... This is VERY important.
  2. Make your sample piece... (Also make small pre-felts for sample piece if needed.) Lay up the base, colour and design layers... We help and advise you about the limitless combinations and techniques to achieve the effect you want...
    The whole design is built up with dry fibres... One of the most common problems is not making the foundation thick and stable enough. This causes the felt to lose shape and substance when felting. Before building the design, make sure the base is how it should be...
  3. Felt and finish the samples... Felting is about a slow and gentle start, with a powerful and firm finish... Do not be too eager to rush things...
  4. For those who want to work with pre-felts now is the time to get them done...
  5. Choosing and distribution of wool, and Laying up the base for the final work...
  6. Build the design; Really, a day or more spent building the design allows you to really get to grips with the magic of wool fibre and lets you explore your design thoroughly... This is the most important and peaceful time of the process and should not be rushed...
  7. Then it's work, work, work...

Värtsilä Finland

Karoliina Arvilommi

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