Christmas Felt

It's New Years Eve so look glamorous as you celebrate with this exquisite wrap to keep off the chill of the night.

Designer ??

From the Convergence felt display so please let us know who the designer of this wrap is.

Christmas Felt

Brighten up your home with these fun vessels.

Artist ??

Artist ??



Unfortunately we don't know who created them, so if you do please let us know by emailing feltconvergence@gmail.com.



Christmas Felt

Another great piece of felt art from the Convergence.

Christmas Felt

A lovely nuno scarf from the Convergence.

Christmas Felt

Autumn Orient by ?

Another beautiful textile picture.  If you know who the artist is please let us know.

Christmas Felt

This exquisite picture makes us think of a Christmas decoration.  Unfortunately we don't know who created it so if you do please let us know.

Christmas Felt

Artist Sue Seaman

Wishing you all a wonderful happy and safe Christmas.

Christmas Felt

We loved this picture and thought it entirely appropriate for Christmas Eve as it makes us think of the Three Wise Men on their way to Bethlehem, but we'd love to know the real story behind the picture.

Unfortunately we don't have the artists name so if you know who created it please email us so we can correctly credit the piece.

With our Heart Felt Good Wishes for Christmas

Like everyone else we will be busy over Christmas, so we thought we would entertain you over the next few weeks with pictures from the amazing 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence.

To start things off here's a gorgeous felt heart.

Felt Banner by Val Hornibrook

Art Bra

The last of our series of Art Bra  about a “Celebrity Art Bra” event that was held earlier this year to  to raise funds for the Val Lishman Health Research Foundation Breast Cancer Survivors Project is this Bra was created by keen felter and textile artist - Davida Palmer.

Artist Davida Palmer

Davida was to be inspired by the writer Tim Winton, so her bra incorporates the printed word to communicate the important message about breast cancer.

Artist - Davida Palmer

 In the past carrier pidgeons were used to carry important messages so Davida incorporates one into the Bra. 

Davida has been collecting  feathers  from  Bronze Wing Pingeons for years as she loves the decorations on the feathers and this seem the ideal opportunity to use them.

Artist - Davida Palmer

 But it's an up to date carrier pidgeon as you can see below.

Artist  - Davida Palmer

Artist - Davida Palmer

Artist - Davida Palmer

Every thing nestles is some fallen leaves.

It's brilliant isn't it.

Art Bra

We recently published a series of Art Bra posts on the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence blog about a “Celebrity Art Bra” event that was held earlier this year to to raise funds for the Val Lishman Health Research Foundation Breast Cancer Survivors Project.

As we all have friends and family that have been affected by the disease The Bunbury Felters were keen to get involved and create some art bras for the event.

A celebrity was chosen for each artist to create a “bra” for.

Kerry Gelmi's celebrity was Luc Longley - the now retired Australian professional basketball player, who was the first Australian to play in the NBA, where he played for eleven seasons.   There is no doubt as to Luc's skills with this clever bra  -

Artist - K Gelmi

The fabric bra incorporates stitching and a hand crafted metal framework.

Artist - Kerry Gelmi

 A basket ball was included.

Artist - Kerry Gelmi

You can even score a goal!

Artist - Kerry Gelmi

RE: A Prefix - The Felty Bit

We were thrilled to find this stunning felt work at the exhibition of fibre and textile works from Western Australia, Hyogo and other parts of Japan which is currently on at the Western Australian Museum - Perth Cultural Centre, James Street, Northbridge.

Next of Kin I II and III - Artist Katrina Virgona 

Yes, it is by the talented Katrina Virgona  - based up in Perth and a very active FeltWEST member.

Some of us were lucky enough to meet Katrina when she ran a recent FeltWEST workshop and her work really is exquisite.

Next of Kin I II and III - Artist Katrina Virgona

Next of Kin I II and III - Artist Katrina Virgona

If you haven't been to see this exciting exhibition it is well worth the visit.  There are plenty more exhibits than those featured in our two posts and many by Western Australian artists such as Katrina. 

The full exhibition catalogue is available here.  The exhibition is  on until the 31st January 2012 and it will be a great place to take refuge from the January sales shoppers.

Sad News

Sarah Lawrence - a felt maker and contemporary textile artisan from Newark in the UK passed away suddenly on 2nd December 2011.

Sarah's work was recognised around the world. She was chairman of the  IFA prior to Liz Clay and has written many books. Her web presence is her blog http://sarah-lawrence.com/blog/ and her web site http://www.sarah-lawrence.com/.
She combined her innovative approach to felt-making with embroidery, beadwork and gilding to produce rich, textured pieces that have been exhibited worldwide. Bunbury Felter - Val Hornibrook was fortunate enough to meet Sarah many years ago in Perth and said Sarah's work was amazing.

Our condolences go out to her family and friends. The felt making community will be poorer without her.

A Prefix

We recently had a day out to visit an exhibition of fibre and textile works at the Western Australian Museum - Perth Cultural Centre, James Street, Northbridge.

Developed to celebrate the 30 year Sister State relationship between Western Australia and Hyogo, Japan this exhibition brings together works from 50 Western Australian and Japanese artists that reflect on the rich universal traditions embedded within contemporary fibre and textile practice.

Getting into the museum, you first have to sneak past this rather wonderful dinosaur who guards the entrance foyer -

Then straight up the stairs into the Museums magnificent Hackett Hall Gallery. This is looking up at the beautiful stenciled ceiling -

There are many textile pieces on display in this exhibition, both large -.

In forground - work by Nobuko Hiroi

Section of Wall Hanging by Artist - Trudi Pollard

Section of Wall Hanging

And smaller works -

Artist - Misako Kitagawa

Artist - Chie Sakai

Artist - Haruko Honma

Artist - Marianne Penberthy

Artist - Nalda Searles

Artist - Megan Kirwan-Ward

Of course there were also some felt pieces but you'll have to wait until the next post to see them. 

December Meeting

Many thanks to Darriel who hosted our lovely Christmas lunch. 

Sue gave a great speech thanking Val for over 6 years as Group Leader and presented her with flowers from the Group. 

Val has made a tremendous contribution to the Bunbury Felting Group and finished her tenure  being Convener at the amazingly successful 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence.

Val, thank you from everyone.

She has now handed over to Kerry who has an exciting program of felting planned for us in 2012.

See you all at the February meeting.

New Book

New to our library -

New Books

Just in to the library - the latest issue of Textile Fibre Forum.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is on Friday 2nd of December.

As it is our Christmas function it is the only meeting of the year that is restricted to members only.

If you would like to see what the Bunbury Felting Group is all about then consider coming to see us at our first meeting for 2012 on Friday 3rd February 9.30am - 3.00pm at the Stirling Street Arts Centre, Corner Charles and Stirling Streets, Bunbury, WA.

Mystic Icon by Sue Seaman

Alpaca Designer M Foss

Following yesterdays story of life on the farm,  congratulations to Maureen on a 1st Prize in the Brunswick Show with this beautiful nuno vest. 

Yes, it's alpaca of course!

Convergence - Drama in the Classroom - Life and Death with Alpacas

Were you in Maureen Foss' tutorial on "Successful Felting with Alpaca"?   

Maureen was in full flow explaining the intricacy of including alpaca in your work when her phone rang.  It was her family letting her know that there was an alpaca emergency back on her farm - one of her lovely alpacas had gone into labour prematurely and there were difficulties with the birth.

Maureen had to leave immediately (leaving Kerry to improvise and finish the tutorial) and drive home to take charge.  Unfortunately the baby did not survive.

Worse still, the mother's health declined after the birth and she lost weight dramatically.  A visit to the vet was arranged and mommy alpaca secured on the back of the trailer.  She seemed fine but between arriving at the vets and the trailer being parked she died.  The autopsy showed that the poor alpaca had a huge tumour in her abdominal cavity.

But there is a happy ending to this sad story.

Another of Maureen's alpacas has given birth.

Photo - Shane Foss

This is their new baby Carmen with her mum Chelsea. 

Carmen is Chelsea's second baby or we should say "cria" which is the correct term for a baby alpaca.

Maureen says "it's great to have another girl to add to our breeding herd, the second for this year, plus two boys so far.  We had a run of 12 boys in a row prior to this".

Photo - Shane Foss

If you want to include alpaca in your felting work you can purchase high quality product from Maureen's farm  - Rock View Alpacas. 

Felt on Sale This Sunday

Visit our stall at the Stirling Street Arts Centre's Christmas Craft Fare

When:Sunday 27th November

Time: 10.00am - 3.00pm

Where: Stirling Street Arts Centre

Cnr Charles and Stirling Streets

Bunbury WA

We'll also be giving demonstrations of felt making.

Come along and join us for the day.

This is Stirling Street Arts Centre's BIG open day and craft fare.  There will be stalls galore,  music and entertainment, sausage sizzle, refreshments and lots , lots more. 
Free entry and parking.

See you there.

Hermes and the Seamless Felt Jacket

We love seeing what's happening in the high end of fashion and regularly read the fashion glossy magazines to enjoy the amazing creations of the European Designers.

We were rather amused to read in W magazine that French fashion house Hermes has discovered the unique qualities of felt garments and has created a seamless felt jacket as part of their autumn/winter 2011 ready to wear collection.

A Mongolian Felted Cashmere Jacket from the Hermes Autumn/Winter 2011 Ready to Wear Collection

 Hermes' new designer Christophe Lemair was amazed at the 3 dimensional qualities of felt  - no seams no darts.  Of course we can't help feeling a little superior having been designing seamless felt  jackets for years but are thrilled with Hermes discovering it. 

Read the full W magazine article here .

A Convergence is Announced

Big news!!

The Illawarra Feltmakers have announced the dates of the 12th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence in New South Wales. 

Click here to get to their blog and read all about it.

Image from http://12thsouthernhemispherefeltingconverge.blogspot.com/

More November Show and Talk

Another piece influenced by tutors at the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence is this scarf by Lois O'Brien. 
.

Designer L O'Brien

Lois attended Karen Workman's "Amazing Scarves" tutorial and smartly made one to try out some of the techniques which is really the best way of recording the tutors information.

More November Show and Talk

Here's some more felt creations; this time influenced by the talented felt sculptor Anita Larkin who was one of our super tutors at the 11th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence.

Designer V Hornibrook

Val made the rings following Anita's group lecture on her dry felting method and the bag at Anita's "Unique Felted Bag" workshop. 

As you can see the front pockets mean your keys and phone will always be easy to find.

We love the knot detail on the bags strap -

Strap Detail

 The three pieces look great worn together as you can see here -

Bag/Ring designer V Hornibrook

Anita Larkin belongs to the Illawarra Feltmakers group and they will be responsible for running the 12th Southern Hemisphere Felting Convergence in 2013.  Keep looking in on them here for news on that not to be missed felting event.