Feltmaking at wooler FIRST School
Thursday, 14 July 2011

Feltmaking in Schools
9 local schools have been visited by Anna Turnbull and Paula Constantine, 2 artists experienced in feltmaking, to involve the children in working with wool from local breeds of sheep, collaborating on the creation of a number of felt wall hangings.
The finished hangings have been displayed in their schools and in various community locations over the summer including The Glendale Show, Berwick Slow Food Festival, Etal Show, Kiknewton Show, The Glendale Festival, Bamburgh Show, Belford Show, Horncliffe Harvest Festival, Crookham Community Lunch, Belford Harvest Festival, The Cheviot Centre Wooler and a Heritage Music Event in Wooler.

Wooler First School, Years 3&4
The class planned a hanging depicting the sea, and had already created drawings of underwater life.
The first step was to redraw their pictures in wool, selecting fibres prepared from a variety of local sheep breeds. A wool fibre outline was laid down first.

It was then in filled with various patterns and textures made with coloured wools.

They created a sea background with seaweed, rocks and sand, and then proceeded to lay their pieces onto it.

It was all sprinkled with warm, soapy water, then covered with more bubble wrap and sheeting.

It was tightly rolled around a pipe so the felting could begin as the children took turns to roll the piece.

All were pleased with the finished piece.