A Year in Review

2014 got off to a busy start.

In March our vessel “Felting around the Elements” was very well received at the Dunsborough by the Bay Sculpture Exhibition. We even had someone ask if we could make them one in red! The vessel was also used in the publicity material for the Open Garden event at Jalbrook in Balingup this October.

At the Balingup Farm Field Day in April, our stall did well and our fashion shows and mini workshops were well attended.

May, saw the final showcase of the Common Threads Wearable Art Competition. We had 9 members enter this year, and the winner of the Open Section was Sue Seaman.

The garments then went onto the events major exhibition in Mandurah for a month.

We were also invited to showcase our garments on the catwalk at the 3 day EveryWoman Expo in Perth at the beginning of June, and the Anual Craft Fair at the Claremont show-grounds in August.

The Alice Springs Beanie festival in June saw Jane Flower, winning a prize for her hat and several members attended the event as well as giving workshops there.

Our Annual Exhibition and Sale of scarves titled “Doubly Wrapped in Felt” at Caf Fez in Bunbury proved another success with many scarves being sold.

In August some of our members participated in a Fashion Show organised by the Georgina Malloy School, and in September members sold their work at Vineyard28 over the long weekend.

Our Fashion parade and demonstration were well received at the opening night of the SSAC Fire, Fibre and Fine Arts Exhibition, again many members sold their work over the weekend.

October saw a relaxing, informal few days away felting at Camp in Augusta.

In November Jane Field’s hat won first prize at the Bridgetown Agricultural show, Maureen won first and third place for her felt work at the National Alpaca Show, first prize at the Brunswick show for felt and biscotti, as well as demonstrating how to make felt balls with the children and Val and Jane Flower held well attended felt and eco-dyeing workshops at Silk Obsessions at the Margaret River Silk Fair.

Margaret and Jane Field hosted our delicious Christmas lunch at their homes in Bridgetown. Our needle case exchange again demonstrated the wide range of talent with-in the group.

The fantastic floor cushion made by the group for the SSAC Christmas raffle was won by Maria Rodgers, and there was another successful day of sales for 7 members who were selling their work on the BFG stall.

Thank you to everyone who has helped me out this year, in big and small ways, and

remember to check out our Facebook page www.facebook.com/bunburyfelters from time to time over the holiday period. We will be back posting on the Blog in the new year.

I wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year where-ever you are and what ever you are doing, and look forward to an exciting 2015.

Happy Felting,

Sue#2

Christmas Party

Margaret and Jane hosted our Christmas Lunch last Friday at their wonderful homes in Bridgetown. We had a super lunch, with the dishes provided by those who attended.
Our gift exchange this year was needle cases, so we each ended up with a truly unique piece of work, and something practical that we are sure to use regularly.

What do you call a collection of needle cases?

Needle cases made by Colleen and Denise

Needle cases made by Penny and Sue#2

Needle cases made by Kerry and Jean

Needle cases made by Margaret and Ren

Needle cases made by Jane and Julie

Needle cases made by Emma and Kayleen

Pasty bought in two needle cases that she made for this months show and tell.

Sue Seaman's scarves have been dry felted. The scarf on the right has also been dyed with coffee, giving it a wonderfully subtle colour.

October Monthly Meeting

This month Sue#1 demonstrated how to incorporate Mohair curls into a piece of felt to add texture and design to items such as scarves, collars and garments. 

Barb Thoms from STRTETCH Arts Festival Mandurah came down to talk to the group about the 2015 Common Threads Wearable Art Competition and answered the questions that we had regarding the event.
This years theme is FABRICATION.
Anyone interested in the competition can check out the official website www.mandurah.wa.gov.au/stretchfestival.htm and download the entry forms.


Show and Tell

Some of the finished resist work that we had been started while at Camp

Bead necklaces made by Kim and Sue#1

Penny's whimsical felted birds and Margaret's nuno felted top

 Sue#2's Op shop dress, Jeans baby blanket and Margaret's eco-dyed shirt,

all done while at Camp, as was Janes top.

Balingup Garden Exhibition

Our Group Sculpture "Felting Around The Elements"

will be part of this great day out next month.

Stirling Street Arts Centre September Newsletter

Backstage at the Fire, Fibre & Fine Art Event

Last night saw the opening of the Stirling Street Arts Centres annual Fire, Fibre & Fine Art Exhibition and sale.
Kerry compared the show while our models wore our 2014 STRETCH garments. Kim and Sue#2 demonstrated a project from India Flint's book on how to cut up and reuse a man's shirt turning it into an apron. The models then paraded a selection of aprons showing just how versatile the idea is.

Our work on display at the SSAC Fire, Fibre & Fine Art Exhibition

Our 2014 Sculpture by the Bay entry; Felting Round the Elements.

Backstage before the show.

Getting ready with the STRETCH wearable art competition pieces.

Recycled aprons on the catwalk

Some of the recycled aprons

September Monthly Meeting

Emma took this months workshop and showed us how to make some  great felted beads for jewellery or use as embellishments on our felt work.
Emma does some wonderful beaded felt work and is a keen collector of all things that can be used in her jewellery making.

Although it was a small group (some members are still away, others doing workshops) it was a good relaxing day and we all got some beads made.

Emma with some of her collection of bits and bobs for bead making

Kim, Denise, Vicki, Jane and Brenda

 Emma with mum Denise and Penny