We continue to introduce our volunteers to our members and followers. Nadia Rein – our Publicicty Officer has a conversation with a new International Officer Ariane Mariane in this vlog. We start from talking about Ariane’s journey into felt making, and the collaborative nature of wearing and interpreting art. Ariane also shared her experience of being asked to take on the role and her passion for connecting with artists from diverse backgrounds. We then talk about Ariane’s first involvement with IFA members’ project run by Michi Kunzfelf – a felt art hiking trail in Austria, involving the su ..read more

Welcome to “Meet the Volunteer,” a series where we shine a spotlight on the dedicated individuals who make the International Feltmakers Association (IFA) the vibrant community it is. Through these interviews, we aim to introduce you to the faces behind the scenes, their roles within the organization, and the essence of IFA itself. Join us as we delve into the stories, passions, and contributions of our volunteers, celebrating their unique journeys and the collective spirit of creativity and collaboration that defines IFA. We aim to commence this project with an interview featuring Mandy Nas ..read more

This month, in Florianópolis Island, Brazil, I had the opportunity to participate in the incredible event “Autênticas” at the beautiful store “Almanata”, invited by the owner Laura Gransotto alongside wonderful women like the speakers Luciana Rosa and Cristina Rosa. As a representative of Brazil in the International Feltmakers Association, I was invited to discuss my history with the ancestral technique of felting and its authenticity in practice. I shared my inspirations from Brazilian nature, my family’s history, natural dyeing with South American wild plants, and the intuitive way in which ..read more

One of my last activities as international officer was to visit De Schaapskooi in Schijndel, https://www.schaapskooischijndel.nl/. The secretary of the Schaapskooi foundation was interested in the IFA activities and I decided to visit her. Naturally, with some Felt Matters magazines in my pocket. The Schaapskooi is a foundation run by volunteers. It is home to several Dutch sheep breeds and when I was there, 85 lambs had already been born. You can take a walk with the sheep herd and there are educational programmes for all ages, about the plants and animals that live in and around the Sheepfol ..read more

The name of Asan came about in the conversation with Kamala Abdykadyrova when we started to work on the list of workshops for Felt and Culture Retreat in Kyrgyzstan. Kamala shown me the work. I could not take my eyes from the stunning landscapes. Asan is a member of the Union of Artist of Kyrgyzstan, and an artist whose work was presented on many exhibitions, movie sets and private collections. When I asked him for an interview he said that he will be with his wife as they work together. Sonia is a fine artist with experiences in working on stage decorations and teaching art. It is still white ..read more

The Whisper Project begins with a group of photographs, one for each chain of five or six members. The first person in the chain creates felt inspired by the photo. They then photograph their piece and send it to the next in the chain. This image inspires the next felt art and so it goes through the chain. Nothing but the photograph is sent. No previous work or the original photo is shared until the end when PDF is revealed at the zoom party. All participants were surprised and delighted to see the results! This project could be launched with any regional group. It is virtual so it can easily ..read more

The Felt Matters Archives, curated by the International Felting Association, features a series of articles centered around the theme “How to Photograph Your Work.” This intriguing topic has inspired our latest blog post, particularly relevant for those looking to enhance the publish ability of their work when submitting photos for our upcoming Online Exhibition. Our inaugural post in this series delves into a photography article penned by our chair, Mandy Nash, originally published in FM149 in December 2022. EDITING YOUR IMAGES WE ALL THINK WE ARE PHOTOGRAPHERS NOW WE HAVE INSTANT ACCESS TO T ..read more

Curious about the results of the IFA 2023 felt swap? Good news, the video with over 100 photos of felt brooches is ready for viewing. If you are a member, log in and find the video in the members’ section under “Felt Swap”. Not an IFA member (yet) but interested? Then check it out on the Instagram account “Internationalfeltmakers”. Have fun watching! Henny Article by Henny van Tussenbroek International Officer The post Video of the IFA 2023 swap photos appeared first on International Feltmakers Association ..read more

Don’t you just love the warmth of yellow colour?! To me this is like the colour of sunshine, and I simply love it. Then again I have never met a bland colour in nature. They are full of different hues, which create the richness we love so much. Today I would like to talk about my approach to ‘mixology‘ and creation of intricate colours with depth and highlights. And to do this I will use one of my recent creations, the yellow jacket, as an example I wanted to create a jacket with a rather subtle decor. So playing with colours was the obvious choice for me. First I think of which wool to use. I ..read more

Felt connects, let’s swap again! The fourth IFA felt swap is organized for 2023. In all of the previous times more than 100 IFA members have participated, which is a great result. I hope for many participants this time as well. After all, swapping your felt work is a fun way to connect with another IFA member. Following Light, Weave and Structure, the theme of this year’s felt swap is BROOCH. When making a brooch, you can use many techniques. Wet felting, dry felting and all kinds of ways to make your felt exciting. The size of the brooch is up to you. Whether you are a beginner or more exper ..read more