Let’s Explore – Coasters, cords, buttons & beads

We will be exploring the art of wet felting with Robyn Delaney.  Robyn will demonstrate some basic techniques to make small items such as coasters, cords, buttons and beads. These can be easily made with small amounts of wool tops or pre-felt.

While coasters can be made for their own sake, for Robyn they are usually a by-product of making samples for larger projects. They can be a way to hone colour choices or to learn how to make straight edges and square corners.

Felted cords, buttons and beads can be used on their own, embellished with hand stitch or incorporated into other textile and fibre projects.

Inspiration

What to bring

We have provided a list of materials to bring. Please don’t buy anything. Robyn will bring extras of most things. Just bring what you already have in your stash!

• A small amount of wool top/roving in the colours of your choice or what you have available.
  Please don’t buy – Robyn will bring some of her stash for the price of a gold coin donation.
• 2 square-ish pieces of bubble wrap. These don’t need to be larger than 40×40 cm each.
• A 20cm square card or paper with a dark outlined edge (your “template”) if you want to make coasters.
• A small old towel or two to put on your table and under the bubble wrap etc, to keep the floor dry.
• A small amount of soap or detergent (there will be some to share).
• A small/medium container for the water/soap mix – eg a 1kg yogurt or ice-cream container.
• An implement to transfer small amounts of soapy water to your project. This can be a plastic bottle with a few holes in the lid or a scrunched up plastic shopping bag.
• A thin pencil, chopstick or thick piece of wire or similar to form or maintain a hole in any beads you make. Alternatively, you can make them directly onto your new cord.
• If you want to make lots of beads, then a bowl with a lid to rattle the soft beads around would make them faster.
• You could also bring some small pieces of thin silk or open weave cotton or other fibres to use as embellishments if you wanted to.
• Your lunch (there are also shops nearby if you prefer) Note: your membership provides tea, green tea, instant coffee, milk and mugs

• Alternatively, bring your choice of another project

Upcoming Explore Days

• 6 April – Lift Your Art Supplies Game!
• 4 May – Tasmanian Flora
• 8 June – TBA
• 6 July – Social Stitch Day
• 3 August – TBA
• 14 September – TBA (NOTE: 2nd Sunday due to Father’s Day)
• 5 October – Social Stitch Day
• 9 November – Dyeing Threads (NOTE: 2nd Sunday due to Tasmanian Craft Fair – Deloraine)
• 7 December – TBA

How to join KWC and attend our regular Explore Days

• Anyone who is a financial member of the Kingborough Women’s Club (KWC) ($40 per annum) is welcome to join our monthly Let’s Explore Sundays at no extra cost.

• If you aren’t already a KWC member you can apply here then scan or photograph your form and email it to sandbmemberships@gmail.com with “KWC Application” in the header.
  Alternatively, you could bring the form with you on a Let’s Explore Sunday.

• Once we reply to your email, then please make payment directly to KWC.
  The annual fee is $40 and is due 1 July each year.