CTArts | Felts

Felts

When I first came to Settle, I joined a workshop group that explored different crafts and techniques each month. The Felting Day opened me up to a new hobby - wet felting using bubble wrap to do the hard work to felt a picture created from layers of merino wool tops. I did a Scottish scene of the hillside behind Tormore, our holiday retreat on the Isle of Skye for thirty years, and was pleased enough to frame it for the bedroom. It a first became a peggy purse for me and is now a camera cover, such is my waste not want not style of life.

And then, a year ago or so, I took along my little group of older ladies who lunch for birthdays to a new outlet on the approach to Settle for our latest celebration. On the walls of the restaurant were the most stunning felts by Andrea Hunter from Hardraw, near Hawes. Not long after, there was an exhibition of her originals, cards and book. I bought her book and started my own.

I practised a few small sheep and hills, mostly in black, greys and whites using a friend's own fleeces off her sheep but it did not felt well. I then resorted to paying out for merino tops and the results just got better and better.

Gradually, I developed the techniques and eventually decided to create a set of six rams we can see in North Yorkshire and a Herdwick for just over the border in Cumbria. I practised different types of dry stone walling, mosses and lichen covered too, to reflect the limestone, millstone grit or slate of the hills. Family and friends in Settle began to buy them.

Taking the tups by the horns, I got cards made of a few, took them and one or two felts I could let go of down to the local art shop in Settle and he offered to display them and see what happened. The first one I took, he didn't even have time to display it! Someone bought it that day. Someone who I didn't know actually paid good money for my work! Not only I was surprised.

I have made more, sold more, made the set of tups (first 6 pictures in the Gallery below) into placemats and coasters which have been old locally, to family and friends and to raise money for the 120+ Project at St John's Methodist Church for their development of a new chapel and community centre. I am considering other options in this field of selling. But, for now, I do variations on those already done or am willing to reproduce a favourite photo for people I know or friends of family.

I have now branched out to having cushions made with images of my felts printed. They are another way to celebrate the colours and scenes of this most beautiful part of the world we live in.

So, please look at the gallery and see what you think of it all so far!

The Gathering A combination of the view off Penyghent and a Christmas picture of sheep appearing round a corner to come home lifted my inspiration to do this huge and most complicated of my felts, 2ft by 4ft and graces the best room. I show it first, to see how I have progressed in about 10 years from Josie's wools and sheep on Crookacre Field. NOT FOR SALE		Crookacre Sheep up Banks Lane This is my very first attempt at felting using Josie's wools from her sheep in Crookacre field up Banks Lane. They are Jacob, Gotland and mixed. I found the process using them heavy, some of the wool wouldn't felt, so I put it in the washing machine and it toughened up but merged the detail. I added by hand, a snow covered fencing and gate to improve the background. And, undaunted, I put it on a frame and took it down to the shop and it sold to someone who knows them well! You just never know. Thanks to her for such a surprise and my first taste of earning from a stranger. SOLD

Swaledale Ram This fabulous ram was grazing by the roadside in Deep Dale on the way to Dent when I whistled at him to look into the camera and he obliged. This breed is used as the logo of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. NOT FOR SALE		Dalesbred Ram This ram was a winner in the Malham Show a few years ago. His owner proudly told us of the breed's development to suit the Dales' landscape and that his fleece had been coloured brown for the show. It is normally long and raggy cream. NOT FOR SALE

Wensleydale Ram This was taken from a picture on the internet and is a true likeness! The breed has wonderfully long dreadlocks in cream that cover the blue face of his Blue-faced Leicester parentage but this one had his fringe cut for showing. He is now up for sale in the local art shop in the market square, Settle. FOR SALE UNDER GLASS SILVER FRAME 22" x 18" £150 (buyer collects) SOLD to a tourist, thank you.		Texel Ram In a field by the valley bottom around Settle stood this lone ram. The farmer nearby was impressed I knew the breed's name but not impressed when I asked the ram's name. 'Name?' he said. No name. We took a photo and here he is, captured in a different way now in wool and felt. He was bought from the Art Shop in Settle by a tourist from Norway for £150! Thank you very much! SOLD

North of England Mule This breed is a cross between other Dales' breeds, found to be so suited to the landscape it has been given its own name, as in other parts of the country. Its familiar speckled face markings and long fleece are very common along High Road just behind us. He is mounted and on sale at the shop in Settle, unframed. FOR SALE IVORY BACKGROUND, 2" MOUNT 20" x 16" £95 (plus postage if desired)		Herdwick Ram This breed belongs to Cumbria mostly but I put him in the collection to appeal to people over the Lakes District and my sister in Ulverston. The walls are therefore echoing slate this time, straight and evenly sliced along their planes for roofs and walls alike. A friend came for coffee and grabbed this one for her birthday! Thanks, Elva and sorry, Rosie, who said she would have it when she got a house. SOLD

Rosalie's Swaledale Here is another version of a Swaledale ram for Rosalie, developed with her colour scheme in mind of her sitting room where it adorns from above the fireplace, pride of place. I am particularly pleased with the facial sizing on this one, and another go at a different walling. Thank you sister for your commission and more to come from up Heddon way! SOLD		Castlebergh in Winter This is the first felt that I sold in the art shop in Settle, even before it was on the wall. I had experimented with pre-felting of tree bark and shadows in the snow with not too much detail. The buyer loved the ability to feel the fibres so that was the type to concentrate on. Thank you, whoever you are for giving me an early boost in confidence. SOLD

Millie by Ingleborough This was the first picture I did using pre-felting for the hill of Ingleborough from Chapel-le-Dale, wet stringing out for definite lines and using just a few strands of tops to merge together to show the heifer's coat and sheep fleeces in the wind. The surprise when I revealed it after the rolling process was terrific! I could do this! Other landscapes followed, using favourite photos of places we have walked and got to know around Settle. It was eventually cropped to show just the main parts, framed and kept for home with details being put into the coasters and placemats, much loved. NOT FOR SALE		Matt's Wood in Winter I wanted to try and capture shadows in winter. Matt saw the exhibition and loved the winter woodland scenes so I decided to have a go. He wanted a big one, of course, so this one taxed me for the size of table I have. He wanted it fully framed in glass but I did it in acrylic glass because of the weight. He likes it and likes that his friends like it, too. And I like it that they all like it, too.

Pen-y-ghent in the snow This was my very first sale: a commission from a photographer friend who had taken a much lauded photo of Pen-y-ghent one wintery day that they wanted reproduced in felt. I was not happy with my first attempt but later used it in other pictures, one of which these friends also bought! I learnt much from doing this first commission. Many thanks, Margaret and Michael! SOLD		Castlebergh in Autumn I used remnants from the first attempt on the Pen-y-ghent commission in this autumnal representation of the trees, using cut up hillside in odd colouring (see wall lines, field systems, hill sides vertical as tree bark) with a view of Banks Lane in the distance that we walk up towards Langcliffe along the fields and limestone outcrops. Our friends bought it for the colours and the connection with their first picture. It took a while to let it go. But more thanks, Margaret and Michael. SOLD

Home late Again, this was one of my first attempts using Josie's wools and some merino to experiment with coloured skies. I put it through a wash in the machine to help the felting but it was not successful overall. I cut the detailed sheep bits up into squares and gave them to Josie as table mats of her own wool.		The Ribble Valley This is obviously another early try with coloured merino but I used Josie's wools as the first layers and the overall felting was not good. After the attempt to harden it up in the machine, it spoilt it, so now the little corner of the sheep is all that remains as yet another mat in the drawer for hot plates. But this view is one I want to do, big and bold with lots of colour, as it is one of my favourite views as we walk along the fields to Langcliffe.

Jacob Ram Josie, my pal in Settle with 6 pet wethers up Banks Lane has two Jacob sheep. I tried to do one for the set of 6 local rams but it ended up too small so I put it on a frame and took it down to the shop. It sold to someone I know who loves it looking at her while she washes up in her kitchen! Thanks Pat. SOLD		Ingleborough from Wharfe Wood One of our favourite walks is up out of Feizor, through Wharfe and Oxenber Woods and round for tea at Elaine's Tea Rooms back in Feizor. This view is covered in bluebells in spring. I loved doing a big one with trees, shadows and the snow again but have let it go to the shop in preference to having my Fig spot in Castlebergh back. Sorry Richard, who said he would have it when he has a house. I can always do you one when you settle down somewhere! It was on sale at the shop but didn't sell. I took it home, cut it down to just the top half, recycling the rest for pre-feltings. Then out of the blue, Pat Taylor in Settle asked to see more for sale for her sister-in-law and bought it. Thanks to Pat again. SOLD

Storm coming over Ingleborough This is my very first commission, from Tisha for her, with Tess rounding up the sheep with Ingleborough in the background. I did this at Tormore very early on, experimenting and playing with small pieces to use all merino tops. It worked so much more easily, so this one set me going! Thanks Tisha. SOLD		The Three Peaks This was the first of my attepts at felting as big as the kitchen table would allow, 2ft by 4ft. We had just signed up to be volunteers at Ribblehead Station on the Settle to Carlisle Railway and to keep the garden and tubs in order. And, with fabulous views of all three peaks from there, together with the Ribblehead Viaduct and neices and nephews coming up and gradually doing all peaks individually, and Rosie, then Philip with Richard, beating them all and completing the 26 miles of The Three Peaks in one day, I just had to celebrate it all. NOT FOR SALE

Val and Kev's Dalesbred Ram After seeing my coasters of the sheep, Rosalie's friends, Val and Kev, commissioned a big felt based on the Dalesbred one. Here he is finished, worked with browns and green to fit the decor of the sitting room where he will grace the wall over the fireplace, staring out and scaring everyone. This breed is indeed a fiersome character. Thanks Val and Kev. I hope you cope with him! SOLD P.S. On a sudden whim, I entered him, mounted and framed, in the Langcliffe Show 2014 in the Art section. He came 1st and now sports a lovely red rosette and endures lots of fame!		Giggleswick Chapel from Castlebergh in Spring I still love doing trees and our wood behind us, Castlebergh, is a special place to nip to. Again, leftovers were used in this and it shows a favourite spot that I take Fig to every morning. On a clear day, Giggleswick School Chapel can be seen through the bare trees. I took it down to the shop reluctantly, knowing I can't have all my work on our walls, but it didn't sell. I didn't mind, I still wanted it so it is now home to stay. NOT FOR SALE

Cotton Grasses A dark and windy moorland views of late autumn with cotton grasses bending in the wind has proved very satisfying. I am saving it for Rebecca when she suddenly says she wants one of my felts. NOT FOR SALE		Rosie's Highland Heifer Happy 30th birthday, Rosie, with this cute young Highland Heifer peering over a beautifully mossy limestone wall.

Malham Cove This large felt of 2ft by 4ft of Malham Cove helped me work on trying to reproduce a real location but it is not satisfying. It needs sheep to give a personalisation but I don't have the patience for it now it is felted. It may end up as a gilet, who knows.		Malham Cove felt revamped After trying to sell the Malham cove felt unsuccessfully I left it unhappily sitting by the wall until Lockdown Covid 19 of 2020 hit us when life stood still with time on my hands for playing with design. The result is a very warm waistcoat out of the felt and some old denims - different!

Malham Cove felt revamped - back		Swaledale Cushion The first of my try at using my felts for a different product is proving very satisfying. Babs has ordered one of these.

Cotton Grasses Cushion A larger cushion here of a version of the landscape felt shows up the colours really well. I have sent a smaller one to Rebecca to grace her new flat in Singapore. She loves it.		Rosalie's Swaledale Cushion I want to keep this one for our chairs.

Ribblehead Cushion Rosalie chose this view of the part of the large Three Peaks felt. It has picked up the colours of the dark browns and the sheep thoroughly. I will order one of these for our chairs too.		Penyghent and Sheep After a walk up to the sharp end of Penyghent from the road and receiving a Christmas card from Pat and Ian of sheep on the fells, I was inspired to merge the two images in the largest felt to date.

Penyghent and Sheep in the Sitting Room My largest felt deserved framing and on show!