Felt Matters

As Season 4 of the podcast Felt Matters draws to a close, Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten discuss some of the highlights of Vivienne’s life as a feltmaker. They chat about her initial encounter with felting, the role of family and mentors, and the support and inspiration from the International Feltmakers Association. She stresses, too, the importance of teaching through experimentation. This h...

In this episode of Felt Matters, hosts Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten discuss the art of Nuno Felting. Vivienne shares insights into how she crafts her signature felt dresses. Early on in her felting career, she utilised inherited scarves and sewing patterns. However, she soon developed her own way of creating seamless dresses with hand-dyed silk and fibre, techniques she describes in her upc...

As Felt Matters launches its fourth and final season in its current form, Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten talk about friendship, art, and facing life's challenges. Vivienne, whose treatments for cancer have failed, has decided to spend her remaining time completing her book and creating this last set of podcast episodes. Together they touch on the balancing act of discussing death openly while...

In this episode of Felt Matters, hosts Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten explore Heather's deep-rooted connection to Orkney. Heather shares her fascination with her Orcadian heritage and jewellery from her childhood, specifically pieces by the innovative designer Ola Gorie. As they discuss their shared love of Celtic and Norse art, the conversation evolves into a felting project primarily inspir...

In this episode of Felt Matters, hosts Heather Potten and Vivienne Morpeth explore a unique felting project led by Jeanne Osnas in Anchorage, Alaska. Inspired by Episode 1 of the podcast, Jeanne worked as an artist-in-residence, introducing elementary students, aged five to eleven, to the art of felting. Over two weeks, students created colourful flat felt pieces, later transforming them into mosa...

In this episode of Felt Matters, hosts Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten discuss artistic collaborations, featuring an insightful interview with Lydia Needle. Needle, whose name serendipitously echoes her craft, shares her journey from teacher to needle felting artist. She elaborates on the ecological and artistic inspirations behind her ambitious 50 Bees project, which raises awareness about be...

Felt Matters hosts, Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten examine the dynamic of collaboration in their latest podcast episode, marking the start of the third season. As they recount their journey to becoming podcasters, they highlight the spontaneity and joy of unscripted dialogue. The episode further explores the creative synergy between Vivienne and artist Alun Kirby, who together embarked on a p...

Join Heather and Vivienne in their virtual studio for a peek into the creative process of felting. Listen to their three guests, Liz Riley, Wendy Bailye and Ellen Silberlicht as each offers an insight into their process. Be inspired by tips on three-dimensional sampling with Liz, sampling, mixed media and the creative process with Wendy and the joy Ellen found through working with clay and felt. E...

It's no secret to us that feltmaking helps promote a sense of wellbeing and connection. Vivienne and Heather talk about the benefits of making (and teaching) feltmaking with examples from their lives and those of their three guests. Louise Curnin talks to Tasmanian feltmaker Mary Brake, about a felting project she and her family did for the arrival of a new baby. Heather talks to Niamh Britton abo...

In this 3-part episode of Felt Matters , Vivienne chats to feltmaker, Olga Exley, about her top tips for making the perfect slipper. Louise Curnin and fellow feltmaker, Jackie Stringer, discuss their impressions of the West Hungary Felt Tour run by Flóra Carlile-Kovács. And finally, Heather shares with us the fabulous workshop she attended with Janna Turner; working with Gotland fleece to make a l...

Heather and Vivienne return to the studio, sharing their reflections on the completion of the first season of their podcast, 'Felt Matters.' The episode centres around Vivienne's honest and heartfelt account of her health journey, giving listeners a glimpse into the emotional and physical challenges she faces. Their conversation navigates the complexities of living with cancer while remaining pass...

In this episode of Felt Matters, hosts Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten welcome Louise Curnin, a key figure behind the International Feltmakers Association's Discovering Feltmaking courses. Louise explains the rationale behind focusing on foundational skills instead of solely project-based learning. She highlights the critical aspects of fibre variability, shrinkage rates, and the importance of...

Join Heather Potten as she dips into the archives of the journal of the International Feltmakers Association. From the journal's origins in 1986 as 'Echoes' to its current form, 'Felt Matters,' the archive features a rich history of global feltmaking innovation. Heather shares inspiring stories, including the revival of feltmaking in Armenia and international collaborations. The episode also cover...

In this engaging podcast episode, hosts Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten of the International Feltmakers Association share their passion for felt making. They discuss the significance of their felting tables as Vivienne recounts her serendipitous acquisition of a perfect felting table, adding a personal touch to her crafting space. The discussion moves onto sourcing and dyeing silk and the joy...

Heather Potten and Vivienne Morpeth take listeners on a journey through the vibrant world of feltmaking. They talk about their inspiration for starting the podcast and how their love for felting drives their creative processes. Heather shares her experiences from attending the felt school in Wales and the joy of interacting with other feltmakers. The episode also delves into practical tips for fel...

Hosted by Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten, the Felt Matters podcast is a new and exciting addition to the felting world. The podcast aims to provide a platform for conversations about all things felting. Both avid felt makers themselves, our hosts share their experiences, tips, and inspiration, while also featuring conversations with other feltmakers. Listeners can expect to explore the art of...