School felting project

Although I haven't been blogging very much recently, I have actually been quite busy. I was looking at my photo back log and thought I should Share some of the fruits of my hard work..

Last month, I was involved with a school arts project with a local school in Darlington. My brief was to make a collection of banners with the reception and nursery department, and include every child, all 120 of them!!!

Felt was the obvious material of choice, so very tactile, and even the smallest hands can get stuck in.

The first reception group made a beautiful bright rainbow, we laid out the fibres in the morning, then in the afternoon poured on the hot soapy water. It still fascinates me when the fibres, turn to felt. One little girl said ' The rainbow's melted' when she saw the finished product! I know what she meant!

Next day,with the second reception group we made a sun burst(by this time I was famous, all the children knew my name!!)
This one had so much warmth and texture in it.




Then I worked with the Nusery school, this was so much less structured than reception. As they were younger the children's attention was much shorter, they dropped in for a few minutes then went off to play with something else. we did manage to make some fantastic hangings though






All the hard work was worth it when I saw the hangings pinned up on the wall in the corridor