Felting

​Corona – who?? During these unprecentented times it initially wasn’t a problem isolating. Creatives are always working by themselves. Studio time was used and lots of felt was made.
 I have a wonderful supportive felting group here in Kelowna and we share ideas, resources and fuzzy felt company. The fibre arts guild we belong to “Ponderosa Fibre Arts Guild” here in Kelowna is also active and we had anticipated putting on our annual Winter sale in November – but even with all the extra distancing measures we had in place – it just didn’t happen when the COVID numbers started to climb. All items are priced and packed away for a time when we are all able to gather and to show what we had been busy doing during 2020.
It has been a pleasant surprise to have several new ladies join our guild and we had been meeting (physically distanced) till December and I have been teaching a “Felt Maker’s Series-an introduction to felt” to them. It always gives me pleasure to see the look of awe and wonder on peoples face when the wool “magically” comes together and something is formed. I guess this why a love the process so much. It is really awe and magic!
The few pointers I would give a new felter are:
-don’t accept all wool gifts that someone is willing to give to you especially if you are interested in garments.
-do take classes on-line or in person and join your local fibre guild and of course FELT:Feutre!
-gather a community to help support you in your creative journey meaning extending yourself to all forms of creatives and keeping busy.
This last tip is to those who just don’t have the energy right now to create. My advice would be get things ready and just make a small vessel. What better way to combat this virus then to put our hands in warm soapy water.
Creatively
Denise Oyelese www.cozyup.ca
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Denise Oyelese resides in Kelowna, BC and is a card carrying member of Felt:Feutre since 2016 and has been actively felting for 6 years. The process of nuno applies to most items Denise makes with all fibres suspect and vintage silk saris being her weakness. Purchasing boxes of saris from India gives an immeasurable variety and rainbows of colours to work with. With the motto of “just give it a try!” and building on the instructional courses that Denise has taken with both national and international felters- Denise continues to make shawls, vessels and larger wall hangings that challenge the limits of felt.