Creating Reversible Nuno Felted Tunics with Feltmakers Ireland

I was privileged to be invited by Karen and Belinda, members of the Feltmakers of Ireland board, to teach a two-day masterclass in creating a reversible nuno felted tunic. I know both through my Felt With Lena Club, so it was a pleasure to meet in person and share two days of creativity.

Our group included ten women with a range of feltmaking experience. My aim was to introduce them to the world of felted garments and make the process as simple and approachable as possible.

Creating a large garment can feel daunting, particularly within two days. I wanted to show how the lengthy process can be divided into manageable stages, while making the physical work more comfortable. This included laying out wool and silk while seated and learning how to roll felt effectively to reduce strain on the body.

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Preparation began well before we arrived at the workshop. We met on Zoom to go through the materials and tools, making sure everyone had what they needed and had an opportunity to ask questions. I also shared videos demonstrating the layouts we would use, so participants could become familiar with the techniques beforehand.

They prepared their silk using the simple dyeing process demonstrated in another video I shared. We also set up a WhatsApp group to exchange questions, advice and encouragement. The participants found this preparation helpful, and it gave us a good foundation for our two days together.

During the workshop, the women learned a variety of useful garment-making techniques, gradually transforming their wool and silk into individual reversible tunics. Completing such a substantial project in two days was a challenge, but they embraced the process and did a fantastic job.

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It was also lovely to meet Elizabeth, the chair of Feltmakers of Ireland, who came to see us and look at what we were creating.

To encourage everyone to continue exploring, I gifted each participant access to my online class, Fine Felt with 3D Embellishments. We decided to keep our WhatsApp group going, and it has been buzzing with conversation and creativity ever since. It is wonderful to see the connections and enthusiasm continuing beyond the workshop.

We are already planning another workshop in Ireland next year, this time focusing on a felted sweater.

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A heartfelt thank you to Karen and Belinda for organising this masterclass so thoughtfully—from setting up the group and helping everyone prepare to finding a fantastic hall where we could work comfortably for two days. Thank you, too, to all ten participants for their hard work, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

For me, teaching is about sharing skills, building confidence and helping people discover what they can create. These two days in Ireland brought all of that together.

See you soon Ireland.