The focus of this 3-day workshop is on designing and making fashionable Nuno-felted merino wool and silk garments that are wearable pieces of art.

Students will make one of the following three choices: 1) a tunic dress and a shawl, 2) a short vest, a skirt and a shawl, or 3) a long hooded vest and a shawl. You will be creating a complete outfit!

On the final day of the workshop, students will have the opportunity to eco-dye the garments that they felted during the first two days. Or, you can use the final day to complete your felting if needed.

Students will use the instructor’s simple but effective techniques to customize felting patterns for themselves. Surface design will be included in the felting process, using different techniques and materials to make very creative items. All materials are included, but you may bring additional embellishments for your garments (wool yarn, locks or roving; silk fabric).

PREREQUISITE: Basic felting experience is required! We have a beginning felting class scheduled on March 10th, which will satisfy the prerequisite. Or, if you have learned felting elsewhere, that’s fine too. No sewing needed.

Food & Drink:

Coffee and tea will be provided each morning. There will be a potluck lunch each day, allowing time to socialize with the instructor and fellow students, so please bring something to share. (If you are flying from out of town, please let us know and we can work out an alternative to bringing potluck.)

The location:

West County Fiber Arts is the studio of felt artist Heidi Harris, on a beautiful 1-acre property in rural Sonoma County, California. Classes will take place both indoors and in the garden.

Overnight accommodations are not included in the tuition, but are plentiful in the vicinity — from nearby hotels to camping at the Russian River. See our Food & Lodging page for suggestions.

The instructor:

Charity van der Meer studied fashion and knitwear design at Nottingham University of Art and Design in the UK. She then moved to the Netherlands, where she developed her own unique style of creating garments using felting, sometimes combining felting and knitting in a true celebration of textile techniques.

Charity goes beyond traditional felt making and dress making, exploring endless possibilities and constantly researching new materials and techniques. Her one-of-a-kind creations are breathtaking combinations of natural fabrics, raw materials and organic fibers. Her commitment to the sustainable use of wool inspired her to create the Sharit Ethical Fashion line, which is rapidly becoming a recognizable brand in the Netherlands.

She loves to share her knowledge of garment felting — an ancient method of garment creation — using her own found and tested techniques, and has taught in Africa, North and South America, Europe and New Zealand.

Sharit Ethical Fashion: sharit4.net

Visit Charity’s Facebook page here: facebook.com/sharit.vdmeer