Hello, welcome to my website !
I am a felt artist, and Art and Design teacher.
If you are looking for Art Lessons click here
Lock down has given me the chance to slow down time with family, get projects done at home and think more carefully about the way I work - and although it is going well it has been challenging doing everything all at once!
I have wanted to raise money for charity and use my skills to make scrubs for the hospital too (Like many fab volunteers- around 1000 !) Currently I have made three sets, and I need to finish the next ones...
Like many of you out there and your children, I have been busy creating and making with my boys. Since the start of lock down we have done pebble painting, potato printing, baking bread and peppermint creams, woodwork, sowing seeds and dug a vegetable patch. I am so excited to see my potatoes are now flourishing ! We have made a screen print design for our tatty old kitchen chairs, to re-furbish the cushions, and started a forest school of our own and have toasted dampers on the fire (which didn't taste as good as the biscuits with chocolate in but still..)
We have started many projects and it's exhausting ! But keeping busy is essential for focus and even the smallest amount of drawing, sewing or gardening can make us feel as if we have achieved something, in these uncertain times.
Rainbow Felt Kits
Here is a film showing how to lay out wool fibres to make your rainbow
Make a felted rainbow at home! I am really missing teaching my felt making workshops, working at Birmingham Children's Hospital, and with patients at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire. It is usually a busy time for felt making for me. Naturally I am eager to continue being creative especially in regards to making felt, which I have been doing now for over 20 years! The whole process energises and inspires me. It's also a great activity to do for the benefit of mental health, without the worry of 'having to be good at art', as so many people say at my workshops!
So I would like to inspire you to get stuck in to a creative project at home, with your family, or send it to your family or friends as a present. Order a kit and and help to raise some much needed funds for two hospitals. I am selling Rainbow felt kits for £10. £5 will be to cover wool costs, and the other £5 will go to either UHCW, or Birmingham Children's Hospital, via my Just giving pages. Select the one below which you would like to give to. There is no set amount for the charity donation and do feel free to give more if you would like.
Ordering
Please order by filling out the form below. I will then send you my details so you can make the £5 payment. The donation to charity is made by just clicking on either of the links below. There will be two separate payments, as I am unable to split the cost from the charity pot. When you click on the Just Giving page links, they will receive your all your donation.
NHS Superheroes at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ursula-westwood
Birmingham Children's Hospital
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ursula-westwood1
Delivery & Postage
Postage for 1 kit will be an extra £1 on top. Once you have paid the amount, via online banking (with 'Rainbow and your full name as reference) I will then locally deliver or post the kit. I will then email out easy to follow instructions, to make the felt rainbow at home on your kitchen table!
With your permission I would like to create a virtual 'Felt rainbow gallery' to post your pictures on my website and other social media sites, please do let me know if this is OK! Thank you so much and looking forward to seeing your beautiful rainbows!
Ursula
Here is my film showing you how to lay out the wool fibres to make your rainbow.
Face masks
I am also making face masks for £10. Like the rainbow kits as detailed below, half of that money will go to the charities, either at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, or Birmingham Children's Hospital. Order as the felt kits, just give me the details of colour preference. All have black elastic and are a much more sustainable choice than disposable masks. They will be one size only and fully washable at 60 degrees.
Other Felt Kits
If you would like to order some wool for another felt project, a 3D felt flower or landscape, picture of something you have in mind, I can supply you with the wool and instructions. Fill out the details on the contact form. I also teach felt making workshops online so do get in touch, let me know what you are looking for.
Felt Parties !!
Last Summer I did a felt making party for Emma's birthday. It was lovely- felting outside with wildlife themed designs. The children wanted bright backgrounds and crazy colours amongst the natural colours. They were really happy with the results and excited to see the finished pieces. I think they all did really well ! I left feeling that they'd had a relaxing and fun party and all of them could take home their felt and be proud of it- great fun and a happy afternoon !
Parties are £ 15 per person, with a minimum of 7 taking part. Party bags are £4 each with a free one for the birthday boy or girl ! Please fill out the contact form with your enquiry if you would like a felt party!
Last Summer I did a felt making party for Emma's birthday. It was lovely- felting outside with wildlife themed designs. The children wanted bright backgrounds and crazy colours amongst the natural colours. They were really happy with the results and excited to see the finished pieces. I think they all did really well ! I left feeling that they'd had a relaxing and fun party and all of them could take home their felt and be proud of it- great fun and a happy afternoon !
Parties are £ 15 per person, with a minimum of 7 taking part. Party bags are £4 each with a free one for the birthday boy or girl ! Please fill out the contact form with your enquiry if you would like a felt party!
Previous workshops- Christmas felt
These are the results from my felt making workshop at Charlecote Park - National Trust, last year. The colours are vibrant enough to persuade anyone to get right into Christmas cheer ! It was a lovely afternoon, we ate many mince pies and mini rolls, and everyone was relaxed and enjoyed learning how to make felt. Also I have to say how proud I am of my youngest son who helped hand out those said mince pies and carry everything to and from the car, like a little elf ! He is definitely on the nice list this year! More dates for 2018 at Charlecote to be announced soon.
'Felted Spooky Scene' Workshop at Ryton Pools Country Park October
Some fantastic felt was made at half term- proving that Hallowe'en provides masses of inspiration for rich colours, and images depicting cool spooky scenes! Well done to those that made all these beautiful creations, I hope you will show your friends, family and perhaps your teachers what you did over the half term holiday ! Felt making is fun and educational too!
Some fantastic felt was made at half term- proving that Hallowe'en provides masses of inspiration for rich colours, and images depicting cool spooky scenes! Well done to those that made all these beautiful creations, I hope you will show your friends, family and perhaps your teachers what you did over the half term holiday ! Felt making is fun and educational too!
|
'Spooky Scenes' Hallowe'en at Charlecote Park
Absoloutely beautiful designs today at Charlecote - such intense colours- I love the purple with the orange ! Well done everyone, I had a fab afternoon helping you create your excellent felt! More pictures over on my Facebook page. |
'' I would love to do it again !''
''It's amazing what you can do with a pile of wool!'' This is some of the feedback I have had from people on my workshops who have really enjoyed felt making ! |
Pippa's felt making party
A great time was had by all at a felt making party. It was Pippa's birthday party with an animal theme. She was very excited and loved choosing the colours for her felt picture of her hamster in it's red hamster ball ! Her brother did Hedwig, which I think is fabulous! Other designs were lovely too, dolphin, unicorn, cat and rabbit. It was such a lovely creative afternoon. Contact me if you would like a party for any occasion or age.
A great time was had by all at a felt making party. It was Pippa's birthday party with an animal theme. She was very excited and loved choosing the colours for her felt picture of her hamster in it's red hamster ball ! Her brother did Hedwig, which I think is fabulous! Other designs were lovely too, dolphin, unicorn, cat and rabbit. It was such a lovely creative afternoon. Contact me if you would like a party for any occasion or age.
Summer fun felt making workshops
It was lovely to meet so many keen people and make some beautiful designs during the Summer, at 'Art in The Park' in Leamington, and at Charlecote Park, Stratford. I really enjoyed seeing the creativity flow and it is always so joyful seeing how people get into their felt 'zone!'
What is lovely with teaching workshops is chatting to people and when finding out if they have stressful jobs or no time for being creative, and how the time spent working on a piece of felt is beneficial to them, helping them to relax and focus on something. This could be as simple as forming the design element to their piece, or which colours to choose. All these workshops get me out and about, talking to people, hearing their stories and for that I am so grateful. It feels like in a way we help each other as we have time to have fun reflect or just enjoy the process.
Look at the pictures below and here on my Facebook page to see examples of felt work made on my workshops. Please do like my Facebook page as well if you are interested in all things felt.
Please do share and tell your friends. Felt making is such a lovely craft to do. It's so versatile, its really quite simple and its fun ! It is for everyone and all ages. I do parties too, for all ages, I am a mobile felter! I also do school workshops, craft groups, talks, and so on. Do get in touch if you have any questions and I'll see what I can do for you.
Thanks, I hope to see you at one of my future fun felt workshops!
Ursula
|
Fun felt making in all weathers at Art in The Park making felted flower brooches. You make them upside down, and it's quite tricky but everyone managed to persevere and got some excellent results!
|
|
|
|
|
Festival felt making at Lunar Festival The Lunar festival in Tamworth in Arden, Warwickshire is a lovely small festival with a family vibe. I was there felt making and I met some lovely people who just wanted to get right into that creative zone! They made some gorgeous designs in felt and loved having a piece of artwork to be able to take home as a souvenir of an inspiring weekend. We had wonderful weather and little breeze to stir the woolly tops so it was superb felt making conditions !! Look at the gorgeous felts these lovely mummies made with their daughters at my workshops, at Ryton Pools (below) and the Lunar Festival. (right). Just the ticket for a bit of bonding and an hour or two of harmonious creative time together ! |
|
|
Look at my Facebook page and like me ! For loads of photos and updates. https://www.facebook.com/ursulasfeltmakingpage |
WORKSHOPS
I teach felt making workshops for all age ranges and abilities. The workshops are open to everyone from children from age 5+ . It is a particularly lovely activity for parents and children to do together. I offer a variety of workshops in making felt. Please see my schools page for workshops in schools. Drawing with fibres, vessels and bowls, resist and seamless felt, felt flower brooches and Nuno scarves. If you let me know which you would like to learn I can arrange it for you. Workshops can also be arranged for small groups at your home. Please contact me for details. Do also look at my page for children's parties which are a great success with parents and children! |
Lunar Festival felt making !
I had an amazing time teaching lots of lovely people of all ages, everyone was in the right mood to have a go at making a felted festival souvenir. It was easy to be inspired and in the beautiful countryside. See the results of last year's felt fun below.
I had an amazing time teaching lots of lovely people of all ages, everyone was in the right mood to have a go at making a felted festival souvenir. It was easy to be inspired and in the beautiful countryside. See the results of last year's felt fun below.
Felt making is great fun for everyone whatever the age. You don't even have to be creative, just enjoy the time out to relax, learn a new skill and enjoy the active process of making the felt.
If you want to explore the artistic side of drawing with the wool, there is so much scope for creativity and detail. Felt making has become so popular in recent years. I teach and pass on my skills to individuals, friends groups, WI groups, arts and craft groups, Brownies, children's parties, hen parties, team building sessions, those who want to learn a new technique, or just want to do something different! I do workshops outside in the sunshine, which is just lovely.
The history of felt making is fascinating, there is so much to learn. The method of scrubbing, rolling and wringing the wool and really going through that physical process is very therapeutic.
If you want to explore the artistic side of drawing with the wool, there is so much scope for creativity and detail. Felt making has become so popular in recent years. I teach and pass on my skills to individuals, friends groups, WI groups, arts and craft groups, Brownies, children's parties, hen parties, team building sessions, those who want to learn a new technique, or just want to do something different! I do workshops outside in the sunshine, which is just lovely.
The history of felt making is fascinating, there is so much to learn. The method of scrubbing, rolling and wringing the wool and really going through that physical process is very therapeutic.
The workshops are great fun and educational too. I can show those of you who have made felt before and would just like to learn some more advanced techniques. The workshops are designed loosely so there is room for scope within what you will actually make. If there is something particular about felt making you would like to learn, please do get in touch. It might be that I can incorporate it into a workshop, or plan an advanced one for the future.
Nuno felted scarves
Learn how to make a beautiful Nuno scarf, adding wool fibres to a piece of silk. Create a wonderfully soft wearable creation using beautiful colours of Merino wool. Your silk scarf will be totally unique and require no sewing at all ! A wonderful present for a friend or yourself !
Learn how to make a beautiful Nuno scarf, adding wool fibres to a piece of silk. Create a wonderfully soft wearable creation using beautiful colours of Merino wool. Your silk scarf will be totally unique and require no sewing at all ! A wonderful present for a friend or yourself !
3D Felted vessels and bowls
Come and learn how to make a sculptural
felted bowl or vessel, using the wet felting technique
which will provide a wonderful centrepiece for your table.
