Photos from our Fabulous Fibre Month!

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As many of you know, in October 2014, the HeartFelt Silks studio at Seasons on St. Croix Gallery hosted a month-long celebration of all things felted, woolly, and wonderful — Fabulous Fibre Month! In addition to a special gallery exhibit of decorative and wearable fiber art (complete with a fashion show!), we hosted a series of unique felting workshops with guest instructors from around the US. If you missed live reporting on our Facebook page, here is a taste of the festivities at HeartFelt Silks in October 2014.

Our workshop series opened with Dawn Edwards‘ Eco-Printed Felted Hats, where students of all levels of experience spent two days concocting sculptural hats that were bundled to be eco-printed.

Dawn and her students used a selection of leaves for their beautiful eco-printed hats.

All Fabulous Fibre workshops took place in our retail and teaching studio, and to accommodate larger than usual class sizes, our felting tables spilled over into the beautiful Seasons on St. Croix Gallery.
In the photo above, you can see some of Dawn Edwards’ other beautifully eco-printed objects, including handbags. The scarves and wraps overhead are HeartFelt Silks-made, and the hat block in lower right corner is an original hand-crafted wooden hat block by Harry Firth.

The lovely Dawn had a selection of her one-of-a-kind felted hats on display at the gallery.

Making a (supplies and tools) list and checking it twice!

Next up was Becky Utecht’s Raw Felted Locks Throw pillow class. Becky, who is not only a feltmaker but also a shepherdess, knows her wool locks! There’s nothing quite like a handsome, fluffy, and warm felted locks pillow to add a touch of the grassy pastures sheep love to your home decor.

If you know me and my fiber favorites, you know that I simply love felting with raw wool locks! During Fabulous Fibre Month, by popular demand, I got to teach a Felted Wool Locks Shawl workshop, which was a lot of fun.

I started by prepping the gallery the night before, setting up the tables, laying out the wool bundles, and some inspiration for our shawls from fashion magazines.

The felting adventures began the following morning, in the sunlit gallery. First, the layout…

(The students felt inspired by the artwork surrounding them, as well as by the scenic setting of our town, Hudson, WI.)

Then, the felting…

And not long after that, we all had luxurious wraps to model!

A few days later, we welcomed Jan Waller to HeartFelt Silks. Jan came to teach a Felted Landscape workshop. With Jan as an inspiring (and entertaining!) teacher, the students had an amazing time.


We were again treated to gorgeous fall weather! And the autumn views around Hudson helped to inspire the colorful landscapes made in wool.

See? Gorgeous fall colors interpreted so very beautifully in felt!

Each student put their own inspiration and personality into their one-of-a-kind, unforgettable landscape.

And none of us shied away from lots of color and lots of embellishing fibers.

We reveled in each part of the process, from carding the fibers…

To using our trusty Palm Washboard felting tools…

To examining and admiring the stunning fruits of our labor.

Another student-favorite was Ruth Walker’s Hat on a Ball workshop.

Ruth is a well known teacher and felt artist, and students traveled from near and far to take her class.

What could be more fun than bouncing a felted hat to have it take shape, while surrounded by colorful wool on all sides!

It was full house for Ruth’s class, and look at the lovely hats made by all!

We also hosted Beth Marx all the way from California as a guest teacher during our Fabulous Fibre Month. Beth taught a Nuno Felted Vest class — it had a big turn-out and lots of hard-working students.

What an eventful and busy month! We took a few breaks from felting by sampling some of our local restaurants, and entertaining extra special guests, like our very own internet celebrity Mick (Firth) who came by to visit one day!

Curious about what’s coming up next for HeartFelt Silks? Visit our website, follow us on Facebook for daily updates from our studio and helpful tips, Twitter, and Pinterest, and email us any time. For the complete Palm Washboard series of felting tools, felting supplies, kits, as well as handcrafted wooden buttons and shawl pins, visit our online shops on Etsy and on our website.

We are working on bringing online lessons and tutorials to you in 2015, please stay tuned!

The HeartFelt Silks teaching and retail studio is located at 401 Second Street, Hudson, WI 54016.
Private individual and group felting lessons are available by appointment.

 

Felting Classes with Instructor and Felt Artist Robbin Firth of HeartFelt Silks

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Here are a few photos of happy students and their marvelous felted creations at my recent felting classes at the HeartFelt Silks studio and at The Textile Center. Stay tuned for our March-April 2014 class schedule coming soon!
 
Cross-Hatch Scarf Class at the HeartFelt Silks studio
 
Follow us on Facebook for daily felting inspiration, information, and tips!
Students with their new Felted Scarves at the HeartFelt Silks studio
 

Cross-Hatch Scarf Class at the HeartFelt Silks studio
 Here is a large felting class held at The Textile Center in MN.
Learn the art of FELTING! Take a felting class with fiber artist Robbin Firth at HeartFelt Silks® Studio in Hudson, Wisconsin!
Let your creativity flourish and create unique fashion accessories and home decor objects!
Location: 401 Second Street, Hudson, WI 54016  at SEASONS on St. Croix Gallery
Felting Class at the HeartFelt Silks studio
 
 
Students using their Palm Washboards to make felted scarves at the HeartFelt Silks Studio at the SEASONS on St. Croix Gallery.
 

In December, we had a great time making felted Christmas stockings!

 
Another great class! Top photo: beautiful ladies and lovely scarves made with instructor & felt artist Robbin Firth.
 
 

January and February 2014 Felting Classes Schedule at HeartFelt Silks Studio

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We have an exciting season of felting classes in store for early 2014. Here’s the HeartFelt Silks studio classes schedule for January and February. Please remember to call us to reserve your spot in the class. Follow us on Facebook to see photos from previous classes!
 
Learn the art of FELTING! Take a felting class with fiber artist Robbin Firth at HeartFelt Silks® Studio in Hudson, Wisconsin!

 

Let your creativity flourish and create unique fashion accessories and home decor objects!
Location: 401 Second Street, Hudson, WI 54016  at SEASONS on St. Croix Gallery

 

Wet Felted Scarf with 3D Effects
In this fun class it’s all about wool, sticks and embellishing fibers. You are going to create a scarf with 3D effects, combining elements of layering and a little slicing and dicing. This is all done with the use of the patent-pending Palm Washboard felting tools. We will experiment, and there will be surprises in store for all of us. Come join the fun! Bring a couple of towels.
 
 
Material fee & class fee: $65.00 
 
Saturday, January 11th 1pm-4:30pm
HeartFelts Silks Hat on a Ball
Create a one-of-a-kind hat and learn the technique of wet felting using wool roving, silk hankies & silk noils.  Never felted before? Don’t worry,  you will be able to recreate this project again and again. Want a fun project to do with friends or family? Bring a couple of towels and a bowl that fits your head.
 
Material & class fee: $70.00 
 
Saturday, January 18th 1pm-4:30pm      
Cross Hatch Scarf
Create your own lattice style scarf or wrap that looks like an open weave of criss-crossed fibers. This technique makes a beautiful scarf that looks complicated, but is easy to learn. We will use merino roving, silk embellishing threads and your own scrap yarn bits to create the design, and then wet felt with Robbin’s Palm Washboard, and her innovative non-rolling technique.There will be many colors to pick from. Please bring some towels.
 
 
Material & class fee: $65.00 
 
Thursday, January 23rd 1pm-4pm         
HeartFelt Silks Winter Frost Scarf- Silk and Burnout Velvet
Explore the world of needle and wet felting. You’ll use pieces of burnout velvet and silk, a silk scarf base, and wool roving. This is a two-part class, at two hours for each class, a week apart. Students will have some homework. The second class will be for the wet felting process.
Supplies needed for this class: Clover needle felting tool. This is the tool with 5 needles. Clover needle felting matt. Large. Both can be bought at Joanne Fabrics.
Material and class fee: $75.00              
 
Saturday, February 8th 2pm-4pm  
& 
Saturday, February 15th 2pm-4pm
Merino Prefelt Scarf/Cowl
Create an original scarf or cowl using Australian merino prefelt and many hand dyed merino silk and embellishing fibers. Robbin will show you the process of wet felting using the Palm Washboard tool. You will create a double sided design on your scarf or cowl. Bring some towels.
 
 
Material & class fee: $65.00 
 
 
Tuesday, February  11th 1pm-4pm
Wine Cozy
Create a wine cozy by using wet felting techniques and a mason jar. In this class, students will be introduced to shortcuts and taught the basics of using household items to get the shapes desired. Wool roving will be used, as well as many other fibers for embellishing.  
 
 
Material & class fee: $45.00 
 
 
Friday, February 28th 6pm-9pm  

 

Other felting classes can be arranged by appointment. Private and group instruction available. Contact Robbin at 651-263-7275 for details.

HAUTE COUTURE and HEARTFELT WEARABLES by Cristina Pacciani

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Today we are very honored to share a story of feltmaking creation from an amazing artist and friend of HeartFelt Silks from across the miles, the lovely CRISTINA PACCIANI.

Cristina is a talented and accomplished felt artist and educator. We are proud to count her among the supporters and enthusiastic users of our Palm Washboard felting tools. Earlier this year, Cristina created felted work for the internationally known Dutch fashion designer Ronald Kolk’s haute couture show. The collection was presented in a large runway show in September 2013.

Ronald Kolk haute couture. Pavlopetri 2013 Runway show. Photography by Jeroen Snijders.
Ronald Kolk haute couture. Pavlopetri 2013 Runway show. Photography by Jeroen Snijders.
Ronald Kolk haute couture. Pavlopetri 2013 Runway show. Photography by Jeroen Snijders.
Ronald Kolk haute couture. Pavlopetri 2013 Runway show. Photography by Jeroen Snijders.

You can watch the entire Ronald Kolk PAVLOPETRI haute couture Runway show HERE. The show was also covered in the news by Parool.nl. For more about Cristina Pacciani’s work, visit her website.

As a special treat, we are also delighted to share Cristina’s story about this project, her process, and inspiration. Please enjoy! Thank you so much for sharing with us, Cristina, and for being a dear friend of HeartFelt Silks!

HAUTE COUTURE and HEARTFELT WEARABLES 
 
When the word was spread that I have been asked to work with Ronald Kolk on his latest haute couture show, many colleagues/fellow artists congratulated me and told me they have been dreaming of something like that their whole life. I never did. Yet I am lucky I got this chance. Not for the glamour or glitter, which is amusing but not really my cup of tea, but because working with talented people is extremely inspiring and, in this case, a true joy.
 
What I liked the most about working with Ronald is that he freed me of all technicalities about making felt. For the first time since I make felt, I FELT the shift in my own approach to the medium, suddenly liberated of all technical luggage and ready to just create and enjoy. Mind you, the technical aspect being the foundation for all this freedom I felt. I knew that I could trust my knowledge, the materials I carefully choose for the collection and rely on a very useful tool, the Palm Washboard, to quickly make little felt samplers to show and discuss.
Copyright: Cristina Pacciani
Besides working on pieces for the collection, I was personally challenged by Ronald to make a dress for my daughter and me for the very chic black tie event. The theme being underwater world, I was lucky as it is perfect for me: I simply love the sea, its colors, its life. I was ready to dive into it.
 
Copyright: Cristina Pacciani
That was a new experience, making my own gown, as I often work on commission for others, but had never made anything for myself. For my daughter I took the trouble to make a sample dress at first, as I had designed a new pattern and needed to check if it worked first…something I usually don’t like to do. She wanted to participate in the making and specifically asked for lots of structures because she loves to use the Palm Washboard: it gives her a certain warranty that it will felt well, no matter what. It is easy and fun to work with.
 
We had much fun laying out the wool and silk and creating all kinds of surface decorations in it. The pattern worked just fine and the size was perfect, so when it was finished, I dyed it into different shades of greens….well, it turned out just what my daughter wanted, so I never got to make the real thing.
 
My dress was a big challenge: it had a long, wide round skirt and took up to twelve meters of silk. Again, the Palm Washboard allowed me to work on the surface concentrating on certain points, keeping sight of the shape without unwanted shrinkage and constructing an intricate pattern of under the surface designs.
Copyright: Cristina Pacciani
On the night of the big event, we both felt wonderful in our felt dresses and received many compliments. The collection has been very well received as well and since then it’s history. I am still working on wearables and enjoying the post haute couture inspiration, working on next year’s collection.
 
If I have learnt anything from this experience (and I think it was very meaningful) I would say that, as we all know, the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, so when designing clothes I keep comfort and colors in mind, aware that the only real elegance is in the heart.”
 
 
We are honored to know you, Cristina, and we are grateful to be part of your story. Congratulations on all your successes, and we wish you many more! — Robbin and Harry Firth, HeartFelt Silks
Copyright: Cristina Pacciani

 

Fall Schedule of Felting Classes at the HeartFelt Silks Studio

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The Fall schedule of felting classes at our HeartFelt Silks studio in Hudson, WI is now available. Please see below for details. Space at each class is limited, and classes fill up quickly, so be sure to call early to register. See you soon!

 

Learn the art of FELTING!
Take a felting class with fiber artist Robbin Firth at HeartFelt Silks® Studio
Let your creativity flourish and create unique fashion accessories and home decor objects!
Location: 401 Second Street, Hudson, WI 54016  at SEASONS on St. Croix Gallery

 

Wet Felted Scarf with 3D Effects
In this fun class it’s all about wool, sticks and embellishing fibers. You are going to create a scarf with 3D effects, combining elements of layering and a little slicing and dicing. This is all done with the use of the patent-pending Palm Washboard felting tools. We will experiment, and there will be surprises in store for all of us. Come join the fun! Bring a couple of towels.
Material fee & class fee: $65.00              
 
Wednesday, October 9, 6pm-9pm
Cross Hatch Scarf
Create your own lattice style scarf or wrap that looks like an open weave of criss-crossed fibers. This technique makes a beautiful scarf that looks complicated, but is easy to learn. We will use merino roving, silk embellishing threads and your own scrap yarn bits to create the design, and then wet felt with Robbin’s Palm Washboard, and her innovative non-rolling technique.There will be many colors to pick from. Please bring some towels.
Material & class fee: $65.00                        
 
Wednesday, October 16, 6pm-9pm                                
Merino Prefelt Scarf/Cowl
Create an original scarf or cowl using Australian merino prefelt and many hand dyed merino silk and embellishing fibers. Robbin will show you the process of wet felting using the Palm Washboard tool. You will create a double sided design on your scarf or cowl. Bring some towels.
Material & class fee: $65.00                            
 
Wednesday, October 23, 6pm-9pm
Wet Felted Double Ruffle Scarf
Create a Double Ruffle Scarf using Merino wool and the Palm Washboard felting tool. Use the new  Edge Palm Washboard along with resists and layering techniques. There will be one main layer for the base of your scarf and two outer layers of ruffles. If you love ruffles  this will be a great class for you! There will be many colors to pick from. Bring a couple of towels.
Material & class fee: $75.00                         
 
Tuesday, November 12, 1pm-5pm                           
HeartFelts Silks Hat on a Ball
Create a one-of-a-kind hat and learn the technique of wet felting using wool roving, silk hankies & silk noils.  Never felted before? Don’t worry,  you will be able to recreate this project again and again. Want a fun project to do with friends or family? This is stylish but easy to make. Bring a couple of towels and a bowl that fits your head.
Material & class fee:$70.00                           
 
Wednesday, November 6, 5:30pm-9pm
Wet Felted Christmas Stocking
Create a Wet Felted Christmas Stocking using the Palm Washboard and cardboard resist. You will be combining Merino wool roving, layering techniques and experimenting with embellishing fibers. Top the stocking off with beautiful wool locks using a needle-felting technique. There will be many colors to pick from. Bring a couple of towels, and your needle-felting tool (optional).
Material & class fee: $65.00               
 
Wednesday, Nov. 20, 6pm-9pm        
 
Tuesday, Dec. 3, 6pm-9pm

 

Other felting classes can be arranged by appointment. Private and group instruction available. Contact Robbin for details.

Busy Summer at the Felting Studio

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It has been such a busy summer here at our fiber teaching & retail studio, and at the woodworking shop too! When Robbin is not teaching a class on felting, she is either making kits, creating samples for upcoming classes, filling orders of felt scarves and wraps for her galleries, hand-dyeing silk scarves, attending to visitors and customers, or experimenting with new designs. And Harry has been very busy making many new Palm Washboards, from the Original, to the Mini, the Rounded, and the Edge. He has been making his one-of-a-kind shawl sticks and shawl pins too! Robbin and Harry have also been working behind the scenes on a brand new addition to the Palm Washboard family. Shhhh….this secret tool is not out of the bag yet, but here is a hint — it is BIG!

Below are a few pictures of Robbin’s recent nuno-felted and wet-felted cowls and scarves, as well as Harry’s latest woodworked creations.

Hand-dyed silk scarves, scarves, and cowls by Robbin Firth

 

Robbin Firth’s recent nuno-felted and hand-dyed scarves
Recently made by Harry Firth of HeartFelt Silks – Palm Washboards, and one-of-a-kind shawl pins made of many kinds of Minnesota hardwoods.

Keep up with studio news, and discoveries from the wonderful world of felting, by following HeartFelt Silks on Facebook. We have many exciting things, projects, and specials planned for the months ahead!

August-September 2013 classes at the new HeartFelt Silks studio

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Our new studio in Hudson, WI has a great and busy summer! Here are a few photos from recent classes at the studio. Our August-September schedule of classes is below. Classes fill up quickly, so be sure to call early to register. See you soon!
Lovely Students from the Wet Felting and Silk Dyeing classes at the HEARTFELT SILKS Studio.

 

Learn the art of FELTING!
Take a felting class with fiber artist Robbin Firth at HeartFelt Silks® Studio
Let your creativity flourish and create unique fashion accessories and home decor objects!


Location: 401 Second Street, Hudson, WI 54016  at SEASONS on St. Croix Gallery


phone: 651-263-7275 email: robbin@heartfeltsilks.com www.HeartFeltSilks.com


Felted Lightweight Cotton Gauze Scarf
Felting and experimenting with hand-dyed cotton gauze is the starter for this lightweight summer scarf. Fabric, merino fiber and various silk fibers go into this unique and classy summer creation. Never felted before? No problem, we will teach you the convenient non-rolling technique with the Heartfelt Silks patent-pending Palm Washboard tool. 3 hr class. Materials provided. (Bring a couple of towels.)
Material & class fee: $65.00                                               Monday, August 12, 1pm-4pm
Cross Hatch Scarf
Create your own lattice style scarf or wrap that looks like an open weave of criss-crossed fibers. This technique makes a beautiful scarf that looks complicated, but is easy to learn. We will use merino roving, silk embellishing threads and your own scrap yarn bits to create the design and then wet felt with the Robbin’s Palm Washboard, an innovative non-rolling technique.
Material & class fee: $55.00                                              Monday, August 26, 1pm-4pm          
Thursday, September 5, 6pm-9pm                                  Tuesday, September 17, 6pm-9pm
Merino Prefelt Scarf/Cowl
Create an original scarf or cowl using Australian merino prefelt and many hand dyed merino silk and embellishing fibers. Robbin will show the process of wet felting using the Palm Washboard tool. You will create a double sided design on your scarf or cowl with no rolling involved. 3 hour class.
Material & class fee: $65.00                                        Wednesday, August 21,  6pm-9pm             
Wednesday, September 11, 6pm-9pm                       Monday, September 30, 1pm-4pm
Parent and child —  Intro to feting
Never felted before? Want to try a new way of felting? This class will give you the basics of wet felting merino wool and embellishing fibers. You will create bracelets, coasters, flowers, coffee cozies, as well as learning the basics of flat surface designing. Bring a couple bath towels. 6 yrs of age & older
Material and class fee: $45.00                                    Thursday, August 15, 1pm-3pm

 

Other felting classes can be arranged by appointment. Private and group instruction available. Contact Robbin at 651-263-7275 for details.

Studio GRAND OPENING!

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Please join us at the GRAND OPENING celebration of our new HeartFelt Silks® studio!

 

Saturday, June 29, 1:00 pm – 4 pm
 
at SEASONS on St. Croix Gallery, our new studio’s home
 
 
Food, fun, drawings, demonstrations, and opportunities for experimentation!
Meet fiber artist and teacher Robbin Firth and wood artisan Harry Firth, creators of the innovative hand-crafted wooden PALM WASHBOARD felting tools.
See Robbin’s work in felt and silk, meet other fiber art enthusiasts, and sign up for felting classes!
Learn the art of FELTING!
Take a felting class with fiber artist Robbin Firth.
Let your creativity flourish and create unique fashion accessories and home décor objects!
Summer FELTING classes at HeartFelt Silks® Studio
 
Felted Lightweight Cotton Gauze Scarf
Felting and experimenting with hand-dyed cotton gauze is the starter for this lightweight summer scarf. Fabric, merino fiber and various silk fibers go into this unique and classy summer creation. Never felted before? No problem, we will teach you the convenient non-rolling technique with the Heartfelt Silks patent-pending Palm Washboard tool. 3 hr class. Materials provided. (Bring a couple of towels.)
Material & class fee: $63.00
July 17th 6pm-9pm
July 31st 6pm-9pm
Felted Silk Ruffle Scarf
Create an original silk and wool scarf. Learn the basics of three crafts – needle-felting, wet-felting, and fabric dyeing. Using merino wool and silk blend roving to create pretty ruffles. Then we will dye the whole thing with bright beautiful dyes. 3.5 hr class. Materials provided. (Bring a couple towels.)
(Supplies needed: Five prong clover needle felting tool and large clover needle felting mat. These can be purchased at JoAnn fabrics.)
Material & class fee: $55.00
July 19th 5:30pm-9pm
August 9th 5:30pm-9pm
Introduction to Wet Felting with the Palm Washboard
Never felted before? Want to try a new way of felting? This class will give you the basics of wet felting merino wool and embellishing fibers. You will create bracelets, coasters, coffee cozies, as well as learn the basics of flat surface designing. 2 hr class. (Bring a couple towels.)
Material & class fee: $45.00
July 10th 1pm-3pm
July 13th 1pm-3pm
Other felting classes can be arranged by appointment. Private and group instruction available. Contact Robbin at 651-430-2868 for details.

Wonderful Felt Art by Friends of HeartFelt Silks – Part 2

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We are continuing the series we started earlier in the month and sharing more beautiful feltmaking by our friends and colleagues! We just love seeing all the fantastic felt art being made around the world, and we are delighted to be part of their feltmaking process through our felting tools, the Palm Washboards. We regularly share many more works by a variety of felt artists on our HeartFelt Silks Facebook page, so please follow us there for even more inspiration!

Nicole Burton of Parvana Creations (based in Ashland, OR) creates hand-felted and hand-dyed works of wearable art and home decor that have a unique and dramatic style. Take a look at these Native American inspired wraps, aren’t they incredible!
Copyright Nicole Burton of Parvana Creations
Copyright Nicole Burton of Parvana Creations
Copyright Nicole Burton of Parvana Creations
And here is Nicole making one of her impressive felt pelts. You can follow Parvana Creations and Nicole’s adventures in felt-making on her Facebook page.
Copyright Nicole Burton of Parvana Creations
We are glad to count Cristina Pacciani of Cricri Felt among our felt-making friends. Cristina has a studio and store in Amsterdam where she works on wondrous felt art and teaches classes.

Copyright Cristina Pacciani
Copyright Cristina Pacciani
Copyright Cristina Pacciani

Cristina is also the organizer of the amazing Arlecchino Project — a collaborative worldwide project with felted large-scale installations in public places. You can find out more about it on the Arlecchino Project Facebook page.

Photo by Cristina Pacciani
Palm Washboard from HeartFelt Silks in use on the large-scale Arlecchino Project felt canvases

Chrissie Day is a talented knitting and felting artist, teacher, and book author from the UK. Check out these lovely creations by Chrissie. You can also follow her on Facebook.

Copyright Chrissie Day
Copyright Chrissie Day
One of our other gifted colleagues is Peter McMasters of Spry Whimsy Fiber Arts. Peter has a studio and store in Stoughton, WI, where he creates very beautiful felt art and teaches it to his students too. Check out Peter’s very cool and striking vessels below.
Copyright Peter McMasters of Spry Whimsy Fiber Arts
Copyright Peter McMasters of Spry Whimsy Fiber Arts
And here we spot one of our Palm Washboards expertly used by Peter on creating one of his original felted Easter Baskets!
Copyright Peter McMasters

More felt-making by Peter McMasters in what, as many of you know, is my favorite color 😉
 
Copyright Peter McMasters of Spry Whimsy Fiber Arts
 
 

The series of Wonderful Felt Art by Friends of HeartFelt Silks will continue soon. Please bookmark our blog and visit us again!

 
 

Robbin Firth’s Felting Classes 2012-2013

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As many of you know, I (Robbin Firth) teach wet-felting and nuno-felting classes in the Minneapolis, MN area.  For the past few years, I have been guest-teaching a variety of group classes at local venues like The Textile Center, Phipps Center for the Arts, and a few local yarn shops, including That Yarn Shop in River Falls. Most of my classes are beginner-friendly, in many of the classes you get to go home with a beautiful hand-felted accessory you finish in class, and in ALL of the classes we have a LOT of fun! Starting June 2013, I will also be teaching classes in our brand new retail & teaching studio at 401 Second Street in Hudson, WI. We use the non-rolling method of wet-felting in our classes (it’s easier on your body!), and we use our very own hand-crafted Palm Washboard felting tools. Here are just a few of the classes I teach:

  • Silk Bloom Scarf
  • Lightweight Summer Scarf
  • Cross Hatch Scarf Class
  • Winter Frost Scarf
  • Hat on a Ball
  • Felted Boot Cuff
  • Kids Felted Wristlet
  • Wet Felted Christmas Stocking
  • and more!

You can see the list of upcoming classes HERE or contact us anytime.

I want to share photos from a few of my 2012-2013 classes. Don’t my students and their felted projects look just beautiful?

Hat-making Class

 

Cross-Hatch Scarf Class
Silk Ruffle Scarf
More Cross-Hatch Scarves in the making
Hand-Dyed Silk Scarves class
More class photos of my beautiful students and their creations
Everyone’s busy working on their felted creations
Please stay tuned for the schedule of classes coming up at the HeartFelt Silks studio in Hudson, WI!

Wonderful Felt Art by Friends of HeartFelt Silks – Part 1

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Today we are starting a new series on the blog where we will be sharing with you the artwork of our feltmaker-friends from around the world. These artists are all extremely talented, and we are so happy to be sharing their work. We are also honored that they all use our felting tools, the Palm Washboards, in their work, and that they find the tools useful.

So, here it is — Part 1 of the series, and stay tuned for more beautiful felt art by our artists/friends, coming soon!

Sandra Struck-Germann is a feltmaker from Germany who creates, among other things, remarkable 3D felt sculptures and portraits.

Image Copyright: Sandra Struck Germann

 

Image Copyright: Sandra Struck Germann
Below is an amazing portrait in felt Sandra created based on a childhood portrait of our daughter Kirsten.
Image Copyright: Sandra Struck Germann
Another felt and mixed media artist whom we respect very much and whose work we adore is Jan Waller. Follow her artist page on Facebook for daily inspiration from the world of felt, and see photos of her incredible works in progress.
Image Copyright: Jan Waller
Jan also teaches felt-making, and she does custom portraits in felt too, so you can contact her for a commission! In the upper right corner in the above picture is a current-day portrait of our daughter Kirsten!

Image Copyright: Jan Waller

One of our earliest supporters is the excellent Cheryl Gentry, and we are so grateful to have had Cheryl cheering for us from the early days of HeartFelt Silks, that has meant a lot to us! Cheryl was also kind to write about our felting tools for the website Cool Tools. Thank you, Cheryl! Here’s a very cool collar Cheryl made with merino, alpaca, banana silk thread and Cotswold locks, using our Original, Rounded, and Mini Palm Washboards.

Image by Cheryl Gentry
Here’s another very special felted wall hanging by Cheryl Gentry

Another dear friend and supporter we want to mention is Cami Smith, a felt-maker and felting teacher who is also the Online Content Editor for Fiber Art Now magazine. We love seeing what projects Cami makes, and here is a color/texture study she shared with us.

Image by Cami Smith
Image by Cami Smith

We like Iona Loyola’s nuno felted designs very much, and we are so pleased to know that our felting tools have come in handy in her work. Please visit Iona’s website, shop, and see her designs at art shows in the NYC area, too!

Image Copyright: Iona Loyola

We have a lot more beautiful felt-making to share with you, so please come back to our blog soon, for Part 2 of our series “Wonderful Felt Art by Friends of HeartFelt Silks”!

See HeartFelt Silks at Shepherd’s Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival

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HeartFelt Silks will be a vendor at the Shepherd’s Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival, May 11-12, 2013! This is Minnesota’s largest fiber festival; it connects shepherds with fiber and animal lovers. There will be classes, events, demonstrations, and fun for the whole family. Both Robbin and Harry will be in attendance, and our full selection of fiber arts supplies and tools will be available on display and for purchase — wet-felting kits, hand-dyed silks, our Palm Washboard wet-felting tools, hand-crafted wood shawl pins, and much more! We hope you can visit us at this exciting event!

Location: Washington County Fairgrounds just east of Lake Elmo, MN at the intersection of Washington County Rd 15 & Highway 5. Free Admission. For more information, visit http://shepherdsharvestfestival.org/

Image Courtesy of Mpls Photo Center

We are counting down to the Grand Opening of our very own Fiber Arts Teaching and Retail Studio, coming very soon at our brand-new location on 401 Second Street in Hudson, WI, at the Seasons On St. Croix Gallery. Please stay tuned for the schedule of upcoming felting classes! In the meantime, please follow us on Facebook for regular updates, and visit our website and shop. See you soon!