Vilte nuno felt workshop in the Blue Mountains

I recently travelled to Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains for a three-day nuno felt workshop with Vilte, a Lithuanian feltmaker.  On the way I called into the wonderful Sensational Silks warehouse in western Sydney to choose some silk chiffon, gauze and Paj suitable for nuno felting.  Of course I was very tempted to buy a lot more silk there, but this will have to wait for next time.

I had wanted to go to the Blue Mountains for a long time to experience the landscape there.  Michelle Snowdon organised accommodation close to lookouts and walking tracks, and early one morning I walked past beautiful old homes and gardens down to the lookout to see the views.

Steps in a bush track

Eucalypts in the early morning

Distant view of Blue Mountains

Looking down at the sandstone rock face

Cliff face above the early morning fog

Gate with drywall fence

Came across this delightful garden

Gateway, early morning

interesting old metal gazebo

Garden urn

On the first day of the workshop we all made nuno felt samples with ruffles, rivers and roses using layers of sheer silk fabrics and superfine wool fibre to create wonderful felted surface texture.  My samples were mainly white, and other people made gorgeous samples that were much more colourful!

Nunofelt samples from people at the workshop

For our nuno felt garment we carefully measured ourselves before making our pattern.  I designed and made a scale drawing of my felt tunic that has (hopefully flattering) vertical stripes of contrasting textures.  I worked with sheer white silk fabrics in some areas, adding yarns and fibres I had dyed in other areas.  Wool fibre was laid on the bias so the tunic could stretch when being worn and drape better.

My nunofelt in progress

On the last day everyone worked hard to finish off their nuno felt garments.  We didn’t have much time for taking photographs but here are a few feltmakers at the workshop.

Minna, Carolyn, Bernice on the last day

I was able to lay out most of my tunic by the end of the workshop, but had to very carefully roll it up still very wet in a huge plastic tarp for the trip home.  My next blog post continues the story.

Partly made nunofelt wrapped in plastic sheet