Wet Felt hat making - from Beginner to Master in 5 days
This course is designed to teach the basic art of wet felting with merino wool fibres.
This technique will then be used to create simple flowers which will become a brooch.
Once the wet felting is mastered we will go onto learning how to felt with a resist and then block and shape the felt into a hat.
2 hat styles will be taught – cloche and small brim. The week will culminate in learning surface embellishment techniques that can be used to decorate/enhance an additional hat.
Each student will make a selection of flowers that can be used to decorate their hats and 3 hats made from Australian Fine Merino - a cloche, small brimmed and hat style of their own choice.
AGE: Suitable for ages 18 to adult
SKILL LEVEL: Everyone - Suitable for a range of experience and skill. Tutors understand that there will be varying skill levels and will adapt to the needs and interests of all students.
SCHEDULE: Full Days - Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
VENUE: Bellingen High School
This course is designed to teach the basic art of wet felting with merino wool fibres.
This technique will then be used to create simple flowers which will become a brooch.
Once the wet felting is mastered we will go onto learning how to felt with a resist and then block and shape the felt into a hat.
2 hat styles will be taught – cloche and small brim. The week will culminate in learning surface embellishment techniques that can be used to decorate/enhance an additional hat.
Each student will make a selection of flowers that can be used to decorate their hats and 3 hats made from Australian Fine Merino - a cloche, small brimmed and hat style of their own choice.
AGE: Suitable for ages 18 to adult
SKILL LEVEL: Everyone - Suitable for a range of experience and skill. Tutors understand that there will be varying skill levels and will adapt to the needs and interests of all students.
SCHEDULE: Full Days - Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
VENUE: Bellingen High School
This course is designed to teach the basic art of wet felting with merino wool fibres.
This technique will then be used to create simple flowers which will become a brooch.
Once the wet felting is mastered we will go onto learning how to felt with a resist and then block and shape the felt into a hat.
2 hat styles will be taught – cloche and small brim. The week will culminate in learning surface embellishment techniques that can be used to decorate/enhance an additional hat.
Each student will make a selection of flowers that can be used to decorate their hats and 3 hats made from Australian Fine Merino - a cloche, small brimmed and hat style of their own choice.
AGE: Suitable for ages 18 to adult
SKILL LEVEL: Everyone - Suitable for a range of experience and skill. Tutors understand that there will be varying skill levels and will adapt to the needs and interests of all students.
SCHEDULE: Full Days - Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
VENUE: Bellingen High School
course info
Please read all course information below before purchasing tickets for this event.
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DAY ONE
Introduction to felting, fibres and techniques, make small sample/simple flower.
DAY TWO
Lay up fibres for cloche style hat, felt and full your hat.
DAY THREE
Lay up fibres for small brimmed hat, felt and full. Decorate /finish off cloche style hat from day 2. Demonstrate different surface decoration techniques.
DAY FOUR
Lay up fibres for hat of choice, felt and full. Finish off small brimmed hat from day 3.
DAY FIVE
Finish off hat from day 4. Create a selection of flowers using different techniques.
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Please bring the following on your first day of class:
4 towels
Basic sewing kit - hand sewing needles, tape measure and scissors (only if you have them)
Table top mirror
Any scarves, buttons, feathers or brooches that you may like to use on your hats
This class has an extra materials cost of $185, which is payable directly to the tutor.
Once you book your ticket, the tutor will be in touch to arrange payment.
Cost of $185 includes:
Australian Fine Merino
Bubble wrap
Resist material
Soaps
Brooch pins
Wire
Ribbon and kangaroo leather for 1 hat (additional supplies can be purchased)
Lace and silk fabrics
Hire and use of all patterns, blocks and equipment
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No previous skills or experience necessary. Anyone with a love of fibres or who would love a new hat.
“I thought the course was excellent and I hope that future Camp Creative years include this course run by Jo Barr. It was well structured, informative and Jo was very knowledgeable of her subject and managed to allow all students to work at their own pace. I was amazed that I came away with three beautiful felt hats. ”
YOUR COURSE TUTOR
Jo-Anne Barr
Jo Barr is a Milliner and farmer based in Currabubula, she has a studio near Walcha NSW. She runs a small millinery business called JAMB Hats and Millinery.
She has qualifications and experiences in a range of areas including textiles, education and training and agriculture.
She has had a passion for textiles most of her life, that began with her grandmother teaching her to sew as a child. She studied Textiles and Design throughout her schooling and then went on to study Applied Science specialising in textiles at University. This led to her being employed in a textile mill (spinning, knitting, dyeing and finishing mill) as a technician. Her work within the Textiles Industry continued for many years where she took on many different roles for various companies.
She has always had a love of fibres, textiles, fashion and agriculture. An interest in hats and learning the art of felting has enabled her to blend these passions, where she gets to work with Australian agricultural produce (fibres) to create beautiful hats. She has been making hats for over 18 years and has been creating wet felt hats for 5 years. She has recently given up her full-time high school teaching job to allow her to focus on her farm and on her Millinery business, specialising in wet felt hats.
Having an education background, she was always interested in opportunities to share my skills, love of Australian Textile fibres and experiences with others. So they too can appreciate the benefits of the great creative art of felting and hat making using beautiful fibres.
She has run workshops across NSW and in 2023 will be teaching throughout NSW and in Central Queensland. She has also been invited to exhibit her work at the Deepwater Art Show and at Merriwa Art Gallery.
