From Wool to Connection

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A journey of healing, creativity and community through felt

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I discovered felt almost by accident at a Christmas market in Malmö in 2011. I remember looking at delicate scarves where wool seemed almost ‘glued’ to sheer silk and wondering how these two completely different materials could become one.

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I didn't know the term nuno felting then, but I was fascinated. I bought a small felted flower brooch and came home determined to learn more.

My connection with fibre had actually begun a year earlier, during treatment for leukaemia. Knitting and crochet gave me something calming and creative to focus on through treatment and recovery. Later, as I experienced post-cancer depression, feltmaking became an important part of my healing.

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After more than 70 rounds of chemotherapy, I had very little physical strength, so I began by making small, lightweight pieces. This naturally led me towards nuno felting and eventually shaped the work I create today — fine, lightweight wearable felt, full of colour, texture and movement.

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Over time, feltmaking also brought me back to people. I discovered how powerful creating together can be — supporting, inspiring and connecting us.

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In 2024, my solo exhibition, Felting Connections, brought my journey together: from growing up in Ukraine and a corporate career, through cancer and recovery, to finding a new direction through felt. At its heart was an installation of yellow and blue felted flowers sent by feltmakers from around the world in support of Ukraine.

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Today, I create and teach from my garden studio in the North East of England. Through my online classes, Felt With Lena Club, workshops and masterclasses, I share the techniques I have developed and encourage other feltmakers to experiment, develop their own style and enjoy the process of creating.

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For me, felt is not just about creating textiles — it is about creating connection.