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Wet Felting a Wool Pouch w/ Colleen Hewlett
March 29 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
About the Workshop: Wet Felting a Wool Pouch
Immerse yourself in the wonderful world of wet felting and discover the magic of turning fluffy wool fibers into a beautifully crafted, seamless felted wool pouch. In this hands-on class, you’ll explore the ancient art of felting, a skill rooted in tradition that predates the technology of spinning and weaving. Join beloved expert instructor Colleen Hewlett, renowned fiber artist and basket weaver, as you learn how to wrap wool roving around a resist and use friction to form your pouch, embellish it with flair, and finish it with practical and decorative touches like a button closure and leather strap.
Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals on this small-scale project, you’ll have the confidence to tackle larger, more complex creations like hats, bags, mittens, and even slippers!
Highlights of What You’ll Learn:
- Explore the history and cultural significance of felt as an ancestral craft.
- Understand fiber basics, including which types of wool will felt and why.
- Transform loose wool into fabric using hot water, soap, and agitation.
- Master troubleshooting techniques to handle challenges during the felting process.
- Add finishing touches, like sewing on buttons or decorative elements.
- Incorporate leather straps using rivets for added function and style.
- Take home a completed, ready-to-use felted wool pouch you’ll be proud to show off!
Whether you’re new to crafting or looking to expand your skills, this class is the perfect blend of tradition and creativity. Reserve your spot now and start your journey into the fascinating world of felting!
This class will primarily be held outdoors under a covered shelter with indoor facilities used for portions of the workshop on Saturday, March 29, 2025, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm near Asheville, NC.
This class is suitable for beginners! The minimum age is 15.
About the Instructor: Colleen Hewlett
Colleen Hewlett has been working with wool for nearly thirty years. She moved to her farm twenty years ago with the dream of having her own fiber animals. Currently, she has a small flock of predominantly Shetland sheep whose wool she dyes, spins, knits, and felts into many different products from hats to three dimensional sculptures. She sells at regional art and craft shows, and has been teaching at earthskills gatherings for nearly 10 years.
Equitable Pricing Model $135 – $70
* Please click here to learn about your pricing options before you register for your first Perennial Workshop. The pricing options are the same for all events, so you only need to do it once!
In order to make our workshops more accessible, we offer two price options for each class, with an additional Equity Discount for qualifying individuals. Please consider these options and select your price at checkout.
- Sponsor Price $135: For those who have enough to share, thank you for being a Sponsor. This is an opportunity to contribute towards the cost of the class for someone else.
- Standard Price $105: The Standard reflects one person’s share of what it costs to produce the class and cover basic expenses.
- Equity Discount $70: We offer an additional Equity Discount for those from the following communities who support reparations and/or an equitable redistribution of wealth and would not have access to this workshop without this discount:
- Indigenous or Native American, Black, Latino/a/x
- Other peoples of the global majority, or racialized communities
- Ethnicities underrepresented in the Southeastern earthskills community
Thank you for helping transform the world into a culture of abundance, resilience, and opportunity for all.
Which Price Option is Right for You?*
*Please check your pricing options before you register for your first Perennial Workshop. The pricing options are the same for all events, so you only need to do it once!
