felted vessels

by dassi pintar


april 3 2021 12 - 4pm

General Meeting at 10 am, before workshop

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Wet Felted Vessel Class Description  Cost: $40 for members; $50 for non-members

Instructor:  Dassi Pintar

Dassi Pintar, current SAA president, will be teaching a wet-felted vessel class through zoom on Saturday, April 3, 2021.  The workshop will take about 4 hours, from noon to 4 pm.

A Bit of Background (but don’t quote me):

Wet felting is the process of transforming wool (in the form of roving, batt, fleece, yarn) into fabric by manipulating it with water, a bit of soap (sometimes) and some agitation. It is generally accepted that the process of wet felting was first developed by nomadic peoples of Asia and the Middle East more than 6000 years ago.  They used it to make their shelters (yurts), clothing, hats, saddles, rugs, and other items.  While there have been some changes to the process since those days (most of us don’t use horses in the fulling process), it still remains a very basic, low-tech process that nevertheless offers endless creative potential.    

Class Overview:

In this class, you will learn how to create a small wet felted 3-D vessel from wool roving created around a circular 2-D resist.  We will briefly focus on how to lay out roving to create a quality felt, and then spend the majority of the time creating our 3-D vessel.  Through the magic of webcams and zoom, you will be able to see my work surface and I will walk you through the process, step by step.  We will keep our projects relatively simple so that you can learn the basics which can later be applied to making more complex objects, if you desire to do so.

Check out the materials list for everything you will need for this class.

Cost of Workshop:

$40 for members; $50 for non-members

Please register on or before February 27 so the instructor has time to send you a piece of Foam Underlayment, required for the class.

About the Artist:

“I have been experimenting with felt as a creative medium for about 8 years.  The more I felt with wool, the more possibilities I see for new ways to create with it. I love the repetitive and rhythmic process of making felt.  For me it is like a dance, involving my mind, body, and soul, as I first experiment with design and then count, roll, rub, and nurture those wool fibers to become something new.  The process is both meditative and joyful for me.  In my journey, I have been fortunate to take many workshops from amazing felt artists who have taught me a lot!  There are many exceptional felt artists out there who teach workshops and I continue to absorb and incorporate their knowledge into my practice over time.”

“At present, I am most interested in exploring the sculptural potential of felt as a means of artistic expression.  However, as a recent widow and covid self-isolator, I also appreciate the value of felt-making as a way of soothing myself and engaging many aspects of my being in the process – sometimes by making something very simple.”





Beginner Felted Vessel Workshop Materials List

Fiber:

  • If you need to buy roving, I recommend you buy 1 ounce each of 3 different colors of 19-micron (also called superfine) roving (see resources below)

  • If you already have merino roving you want to use:  3 oz of fine or superfine merino roving (make sure it is NOT superwash!) in one or more colors; should be between 19-23 microns.  Ideally, one oz each of 3 different colors preferred but not essential. 

  • Optional embellishment:  small amount of wool yarn (not superwash and not synthetic).  Just a small amount goes a long way.  

    • I want to keep this simple so you don’t feel you need to buy lots of stuff you may or may not use again, but if you have something you want to use, like silk hankies or silk roving, we can talk about it.

Tools & Supplies:

  • 2 squares of bubble wrap 12” X 12” or more (should be small bubbles)

  • 10-inch diameter circle of flooring underlayment to be used as template (if you don’t have this, I will get it to you or send it to you)

  • 12-14 inch-long piece of one of the following:  skinny pool noodle, narrow pvc pipe, wooden dowel (about 1” diameter or less, although pool noodle will probably be 2”) – or a rolled up dish towel

  • Bowl or container to hold water and soap (I recycle large yogurt containers or old tupperware containers that have lost their lids)

  • Another bowl or small tub for rinsing your vessel (you can use anything from the kitchen, since you will just use it for rinsing wool and dish soap)

  • Used plastic bottle (e.g., quart or pint plastic milk container, sports drink container) and poke 3+ holes in cap to sprinkle water (not a spray bottle)

  • Dishwashing soap like Dawn, Seventh Generation or Palmolive.  Optional addition: a bar of soap 

  • 2 old bath size towels

  • Sponge

  • Digital kitchen scale (if you already have one)

  • Tape measure

Where to Work

I work standing up at a kitchen counter-height table.  It is easier on my body to felt standing rather than sitting.  You can work directly on a kitchen counter if you like.  You can also work sitting if that is your preference.  Depending on your work surface, you can put some plastic on the table, and then we will be working on top of a bath towel.  Water will be well controlled so you won’t have spillage.

Resources:

  • Roving sources online:  living felt, weir craft, sarafinafiberart.com, to name a few, and lots more on etsy (feltrite, Big Sky Fiber Arts).  Just pay attention to micron count, since a smaller number means easier to felt, so 19-19.5 would be best (typically called superfine).  

If you want to buy in person in the San Fernando Valley: My Creative Outlet in Chattsworth - https://www.mycreativeoutlet.net/collection-of-collections

The deadline for signing up is march 27.

If you wish to pay by check, please make it out to SAA and mail it to Naila Sanders, 356 Vinehill Drive, Altadena, Ca 91001. The cost is $40 for members and $50 for non-members.