Learn how to make felt, links to Pat's Instruction Pages:

Wet Felting Information
3-D FELTING WITH A CARDBOARD RESIST (Baby booties used as a sample project);
CENTRAL ASIAN MOSAIC FELT TECHNIQUE
CHART OF WOOLS FOR WET FELTING
EXPERIMENTS WITH HAT ON A BALL;
LAMINATED FELT SCARF (a thin, flexible felt scarf where fine wool is attached to a background of flexible cloth);
MAKE A PATTERN for a Pair of Boots;
MAKING FLAT SHEETS OF FELT USING BUBBLE WRAP ;  
MAKING A PRE-FELT GROUND (For the Crocus Sampler);
MAKING A FELT TEST SAMPLE
METHODS OF MAKING MOTIFS ON WET FELT
SILK PAPER NOTES;
TESTING your fleece for its felting ability.  

Needle Felting Information
FIBER CHOICES FOR NEEDLE FELTING
Needle Felt a Rose Scarf
Pictorial Needle Felting
PREPARING MERINO TOP FOR NEEDLEFELTING

General Felting Information
Feltmaking Terminology in North America
Fine Crafts, A Short History
Preparing Wool for Felting or Spinning
Feltmaking in North America and The International Connections- A Short Overview
 

Link to the Feltmaker's List FAQ page for more information on making felt .

Biographical Information

Patricia Spark, whose MFA is from the University of Washington, is a practicing artist with areas including feltmaking, watercolor, monotypes and drawing. She has exhibited her art work both nationally and internationally. Author of the books, "Fundamentals of Feltmaking", "Scandinavian Style Feltmaking" and "Making Faces Using Wet and Dry Felting Methods". Ms. Spark also translated the Swedish felting book by Gunilla Sjoberg, New Directions for Felt, for Interweave Press.  In addition, she translated the felt sculpture books "Dimensional Felting" and "Felted Sculpture" by Danish artist Birgitte Krag-Hansen for Fine Fiber Press. Recently, Ms. Spark wrote two chapters for the book, "Needle Felting, Art Techniques and Projects" by Anne Vickrey.
        Ms. Spark was a university art professor for 16 years, teaching all of the fiber art areas as well as drawing, design, and color theory. Currently, she teaches workshops in felting and design. She has taught internationally at the World Symposium of Traditional and Contemporary Felt Art (Lakitelek, Hungary, 2004); the Georgian International Felting Conference (Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, 1999); the Finnish International Felting Conference (Petajavesi, 1999); and the International Felting Festival (Korro, Sweden, 1990). She has taught several times at Convergence (the biennial conference of Handweavers Guild of America, HGA) and at regional conferences in North America. Ms. Spark is a former HGA and Association of Northwest Weavers' Guilds Board Member. She is currently the editor of the North American Felters' Network, a triannual publication for felt enthusiasts.

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Exhibits and Teaching, Upcoming and Current

Teaching/Lectures by Pat Spark

I teach privately, from my studio in Albany.  See below for more information.

OREGON CLASSES

For classes sponsored only by Fine Fiber Press Studio   Register through Fine Fiber Studio, mailing address: 604 SE 1st Ave; Albany, Oregon 97321 USA www.finefiberpress.com  finefiberpress@comcast.net    Payment: Please mail, email or call with questions or to register.  Fine Fiber Press & Studio accepts PayPal, money orders (US dollars drawn on US bank), checks drawn on US banks, or credit cards. Pre-register at least two weeks prior to class.  Questions? Contact Kathe at Fine Fiber Press Studio at 1-541-917-3251 (finefiberpress@comcast.net) or Pat at 1-541-926-1095 (spark@peak.org).   Fine Fiber Press Studio is located at 101 SE Jefferson Street in Albany, Oregon. There are many motels and one nice Bed and Breakfast in Albany if you need a place to stay overnight. Just contact Pat Spark or Kathe Todd-Hooker if you need information about this.  There are restaurants in nearby Historic Downtown Albany (Oregon), or you can bring a lunch.

 Note: Pat Spark teaches private felting, spinning or weaving classes by appointment.  Students can choose from one of the subjects in the list of seminars and workshops (see below) or we can talk about special interest areas which could be explored.  Private instruction is $200 per day for a 6 hour workshop. With 2-3 students the cost is $125 each per 6 hour day.   If a student wishes to meet on a weekly basis for an hour or so, the fee is $35 per hour. Class times are arranged at the convenience of the student and the instructor. A non-refundable 50% deposit is required to hold that date with the balance due one week prior to class. Classes are held in Fine Fiber Studio, 101 SE Jefferson Street;  Albany, Oregon.  All materials and the use of tools are included in the cost of the class.   

List of  Pat's Workshop Descriptions;  Seminars: Titles and Descriptions which can be given for a group, or for private instruction.    

CLASSES AT FINE FIBER PRESS STUDIO

Classes must have a minimum of 4 students, maximum of 7, unless otherwise noted.

Registration Information for Fine Fiber Press classes: Register through Fine Fiber Studio, see address, telephone and email below.  Payment:   Please mail, email or call with questions or to register.  Fine Fiber Press & Studio accepts PayPal, money orders (US dollars drawn on US bank), checks drawn on US banks, or credit cards. Pre-register at least two weeks prior to class. www.finefiberpress.com  finefiberpress@comcast.net   Questions? Contact Pat at 1-541-926-1095 or spark@peak.org  Fine Fiber Studio is located at 101 SE Jefferson Street in Albany, Oregon. There are many motels and one nice Bed and Breakfast in Albany if you need a place to stay overnight. Just contact Pat Spark or Kathe Todd-Hooker if you need information about this. 

CLASSES IN OTHER PLACES

People sometimes wonder where I'm teaching, so here are some of the upcoming venues. 

June.  My classes at the Association of Northwest Weaver's Guilds Conference in Salem, Oregon are all full. But here is the link so you can come see the vendors, exhibits, etc., if you are in the area. http://www.exploringfiberhorizons.com/

July.   July 21 - 24, 2011; Fort Lewis College; Durango, Colorado Intermountain Weaver's Conference.  There is still room in my workshop: Color Explorations for the Feltmaker (3 days).  Learn interesting possibilities of working with color in felt (a unique textile because of how colors interact during the entangling process inherent in its making). By blending and layering differently colored fibers, create distinctive effects. Obscure layers by veiling or cut into them to reveal new possibilities. Cut felt apart and reassemble to force colors into new positions and relationships. Learn optical blending in feltmaking by hand blending fiber, carding fiber, and blending through layering techniques. Learn inlay methods: pre-felt inlay, cloth inlay, wet and dry inlay, and needle felt inlay.  http://www.intermountainweavers.org/Conference/workshop_detail.php?ID=16

September.  I am teaching  Watercolor Felt at the Gail Harker Creative Studies Center this fall, Sept. 9-11, 2011. Here is a blog which gives a lot of information about the course. http://gailcreativestudies.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/real-fibers-unreal-results-guest-blogger-sabrina-bradley/      http://www.gailcreativestudies.com/documents/brochure-watercolorfelt2011.pdf http://www.gailcreativestudies.com/documents/Registration-WatercolorFelt2011.pdf

October. October 2-8, 2011. I am teaching at Spin Off Autumn Retreat (S.O.A.R.) in Manchester, NH.  October 2-8, 2011.  I am teaching: Workshop: Watercolor Felt Technique (3 day workshop); Thursday Workshop: Viking Knit and Felt Bracelet;  Retreat: Optical Color Blending for Feltmakers and Spinners  http://www.cvent.com/events/soar-spin-off-autumn-retreat-2011/custom-19-b88eebe6f07b4a7da408279eadda8b55.aspx

October 22,23, 2011.  I will be teaching a workshop and giving a lecture for the Whatcom Weaver's Guild and Whatcom Museum.  This contact is still being developed.  The workshop will be on color in felt.  The lecture will be on my work and how it has developed over the last 40 years.

Exhibits