JC13 Felted Jewelry

with Renate Maile-Moskowitz

In this one day class we will make felted jewelry using all three felting techniques: wet felting, needle felting and Nuno Felting. These 3 techniques will be combined, applied, and experimented with on several smaller objects, such as necklaces, rings, wristlets, brooches, and Fibula Pins. Beginners as well as experienced Felters will find various challenges in felting and learning how to embed or apply metal findings into their felt. We will also address simple metal/ jewelry finishing techniques, such as closures, which are always hard to find in the right size, color or texture for felted objects.

Participants bring: Hand towels, and possibly any felting equipment they already own (as well as rubber gloves and an apron if handling hot water and soap are of concern). Students are also welcome to bring their own fine wool, fiber adornments, fabric scraps and any button, bead or other jewelry finding they would like to use in this class, but the instructor will provide everything you will need to make your felted jewelry.

About the instructor: Renate Maile-Moskowitz was born, raised, and trained in Germany in just about every textile tradition available at the time (spinning, weaving, embroidery, appliqué, knitting, sewing, lace making etc.) She researches the nearly extinct techniques of felt making, silk and sericulture production, and natural fiber processing, which she developed into a teaching pursuit at a very young age. An international textile expert, she has won several prizes and varied recognition. Many of her art pieces and performances have been created through a collaborative exchange, crossing boundaries in terms of media, audiences, art, and science. She has now combined her love of fabrics and textiles with her equal passions for folklore, teaching, research, theater, dance and storytelling – an exciting combination and exploration germane to many curriculum areas and an ideal artistic venue.