• Watercolor Felt - What is it and how do you do it?

The felting needle has opened up a new world for feltmakers. By using these needles and combining them with traditional wet-felting techniques, one can make photo-realistic images in felt. Pat has developed methods for making these realistic images even if you don’t know how to draw. Come see how she does this. (Up to 300 people, all levels)  See her gallery page for images using this felting method.  Gallery of Patricia Spark

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• Kyrgyzstan - Land of Felt

Located in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan is a melting pot of cultures. The people are highly skilled in feltmaking. Traditionally, they made wonderful felt carpets and yurts which are still in production and because of their felting knowledge, the Kyrgyz are entering the commercial world of the west with their felt accessories, dolls and other items. This slide show will feature images of felt from Pat’s recent visit to this country. (Up to 300 people, all levels)

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• Scandinavian Feltmaking

This is a slide lecture which is specifically about the three-dimensional feltmaking done in Scandinavia. The cold climate calls for thick wool boots, hats, and mittens. The fleece they use is different than that of North America, and it enables them to do some interesting felt technique variations. (Up to 300 people, all levels)

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• Mosaic Felts of Central Asia

Mosaic felts are beautiful patchwork textiles made of handmade felt which are important in the lives of the nomadic peoples of Central Asia. The mosaics are used in the yurt as walls, rugs, and sitting cushions. In slides, the lecture will cover how they are produced, how they are used, and some possible explanations for the ancient meanings of the motifs used. These felts are unique, and are rarely known outside of Central Asia. (Up to 300 people, all levels)

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• Overview of International Felt Meetings and Camps

(THE LECTURES BELOW ON INTERNATIONAL EVENTS ARE COMBINED INTO THE FOLLOWING LECTURE:)

When making textiles together with other people, the fiber process itself becomes a universal language. Because feltmakers often work in isolation when they are developing their techniques, the individual felter's language can be a solitary one. When you come together with others to share information and make felt together, amazing things can be learned. Because of people's isolation, there is a tendency on the part of experienced felters to think that their knowledge is the full extent of the knowledge available. Others may be making felt totally unlike they are, using different tools, methods and materials. What some people may believe to be commonplace knowledge, is totally unknown in some other parts of the world. Even talking to one another without actually making felt, can be misleading because sometimes the words used to describe a process will have very different meanings from one felter to the next. This slide lecture features the highlights of information gathered since 1988, from several international felting events. (Up to 300 people, all levels)

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• Feltmaking in the Republic of Georgia.

• International Feltmaker's Symposium, Holland, 1994

This slide lecture is about the Felting Symposium held in Tilburg, Holland, at the Textile Museum. There were approximately 80 people from around the world at this four-day event. Slides include the exhibition, and the processes taught in the two days of workshops. Also included are slides of the two '94 Hungarian Biennials, the International Mini-textile Exhibition and the Hungarian Textile Exhibition. Some interesting felts were included in these exhibitions as well as many wonderful tapestries. (Up to 300 people, all levels)

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• International Feltmaker's Festival and Conference, Scandinavia, 1990, 1999

This slide lecture covers the three major feltmaking events which took place in Scandinavia in the 90's. (The International Felting Festival in Korro, Sweden, The International Felters Conference in Århus, Denmark and the International Felters Conference in Petajavesi, Finland, 1999.) Felter's from all over the world came together to exchange information, attend lectures, exhibit their work, and share techniques. One of the exciting surprises was the wonderful three-dimensional felt works being done by the Scandinavians. (Up to 300 people, all levels)

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• International Feltmaker's Camp, Hungary, 1988 World Felt Meeting 2004

This slide lecture covers the 5 week felter's camp which was held in late summer, 1988. Felters from all over the world came together to exchange information, make felt, and work on a traditional yurt. There are slides of Hungarian textiles as well as slides of the techniques and processes covered at the camp. In 2004, there was an anniversary of the Hungarian Feltmaker's Camps of the 1980's.  The images from this event have been added to the first camp images.  (Up to 300 people, all levels)

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• Hat Variations, International Felt Hat Symposium, Germany

This slide lecture covers the week long handmade felt, hat makers symposium held in the summer of 1998 in Lenzen, Germany. A group of professional feltmakers from around the world met together to make felt hats for an exhibition. Everyone had a unique approach to hat making and the resulting exhibit was quite wonderful. (Up to 300 people, all levels.)

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Lectures (Professionalism) 

• The Modular System of Making a Portfolio

This is a lecture on a simple method of building and maintaining a portfolio. Portfolios are important for all fiber artists who wish to show their work to galleries, or for commissions etc. This method of making a portfolio is designed to take up as little time as possible, so that the fiber artist can spend the time in his/her studio. (Up to 100 people, all levels)

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• Exhibiting Your Artwork: How, What, When, Where and Why!

This lecture covers a systematic approach to building your resume through exhibiting your work. What kinds of exhibits are there? Why should you exhibit? Where do find out about exhibits? When do the exhibits occur? How do you enter an exhibit? There is no mystery about this process. You can plan a strategy and achieve the goals you would like. (Up to 100 people, all levels)

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Hands On Study Hour (For Guild Meetings/Conferences) 

• Handmade Felt Beads

This hands-on miniworkshop will feature a new approach to making handmade felt beads, bracelets and brooches. Merino felt beads are wonderfully soft against your skin, but they hold their shape very well. They are useful as decorations on hats, and purses; as buttons; as beads for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings; or as anything your imagination can come up with. This method will allow you to make several beads of the same size with very little effort.  Participants will need a washcloth, a small towel, a bar of soap, a small yogurt or cottage cheese container and space at a table to work on.

Materials fee = $1 per person.

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• Testing Your Fleece to See if it is a "Good Felter"

There are many types of fleece available to the fiber worker. Some of this wool will felt well while others will not felt at all. How do you keep from being "burned" by buying a fleece which does not felt well. How can you test your fleece at a conference or shop to see if it will felt? Do you have fleece at home which you are unsure about? Perhaps something someone gave you, but you have no idea what it is? Bring it along to this hands-on study hour and Pat will show you the method for testing it to see if it can be made into felt. Want to learn the method but you don’t have any wool to test? Pat will bring some wool for you to practice on. Participants will need a washcloth, a small towel, a bar of soap and a small yogurt or cottage cheese container.

Materials fee = $1 per person.

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• Overview of Needlefelting

Well-known to the textile industry for years, but newly discovered by the home-craft community; felting needles are a miracle tool for adding yarn or fiber to a fabric background.  Come and this marvelous tool with a fast overview of its potential.  Lesson takes 1 1/2 hours.

Materials fee: $10 per person which includes: felting needle sample pack (with 7 needles); dyed prefelt backgrounds; fiber.
 

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FEES.....

Workshops = $350.00 (US Funds) per day; plus expenses, including travel and room/board. The fee can be adjusted for conference situations. (For instance: if all conference workshop leaders are to be paid the same amount).
Lectures/Study Hour = $200.00 (US Funds) plus expenses. The fee can be adjusted for conference situations. (For instance: if all conference seminar leaders are to be paid the same amount).

Private instruction: 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 $150 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, 604 SE 1st Ave.;  Albany, Oregon.  All materials and the use of tools are included in the cost of the class.   

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS......

Workshops = No minimum, maximum 12 people, 13 in emergencies. (When this happens, it is best to have a workshop assistant to handle the small problems that come up.)
Lectures/Study Hour = See individual lectures for numbers.

LENGTH OF TIME......

Workshops = at least 8 hours per day; (Such as 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.). (Some people may need to go longer than 5:00 in order to get finished, but most will finish by 5:00.) I often show slides during lunch, so it is good for folks to have sack lunches. Don't forget that I need one too! I also like the workshop organizers to have some wrapped hard candies, chocolates, apples and/or other afternoon treats for the workshop participants. Feltmaking is hard work, and people expend a lot of energy. A little bit of hard candy or fruit to munch on as they are working may give them a little boost of energy. For cleanliness, the snack should be wrapped.
Lectures = Unless otherwise stated, most lectures are for 1.5 hours, but time can be adjusted to longer/shorter periods. (I actually prefer a 2 hour format, but most groups prefer shorter times.)
Study Hour = 1- 1 1/2 hour.

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SPACE NEEDS ......

Workshops, Feltmaking =

• large, sturdy tables. (approximately 3 square feet per person)
• We do not use much water in my feltmaking workshops, but the tables should be covered with a heavy plastic such as shower curtain liners, or 4 mm plastic sheeting.
• chairs (one for each person, including me!)
• water access, and a place to pour out buckets of soapy water
• a way to heat the water, such as a stove or hot water can be brought to the
• site in large portable, insulated coffee urns, or if electricity is available,
• a large electric coffee pot can be used.
• three large tables for my display of felt items
• slide screen (or screens)
• extension cords (if needed for equipment)
• projector which uses universal carousels (Some slide lectures require two projectors, see specific slide shows in lectures list.)

Workshops, Design =

• large, sturdy tables. (approximately 3 square feet per person)
• chairs (one for each person, including me!)
• black board with chalk and eraser
• projector which uses universal carousels
• slide screen
• extension cord (if needed for equipment)

Lectures =

• two large tables for display
• two slide screens, or one large screen
• two Kodak Universal slide projectors, Zoom lenses if possible
• slide control extensions
• lectern, placed at the side of the room, not the front (This is only needed if I am talking to a large group.)
• microphone, if talking in large space to large group
• extension cords (if needed for equipment)
• glass of ice water

Study Hours/ Set up needs for both study hours =

• 1. People need to work at a table, but they do not need too much room at that table, probably only 24 square inches. So several people can work at each table.
• 2. Each table will need a container of water, enough for each person to fill their small containers, 3/4 full. A thermos of hot water or hot water from a coffee urn would be good, but not absolutely necessary.

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For participants materials/equipment needs, contact address below.

Patricia Spark
Copyright © Spark Fiber Arts.  All rights reserved.
Contact address: 1032 SW Washington Street; Albany, OR USA 97321
spark@peak.org
Revised: November 10, 2006