Today I was at mama’s pride  free entrance festival in geleen. They asked me if I could entertain the kids with some felting. And being a mother and teacher I said yes. A nice opportunity to get my name out again

So off I went at Mothersday,  8,45 h in the morning, no time for a motehrs’day breakfast at bed or gifts from my kids, we postphoned it to upcoming Thursday when we are all free.

 In geleen the whole park was still empty and I saw it getting busier and busier with people and bands during  the day,

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Today was a felting meeting in Kaarst/ Vorst  in Germany a good hour drive from my place. Three years ago I was at a meeting in Hattingen  and last year I was in Bonn and for today I hoped to see some of the felters from there back and I did

the entrance of the old farmersbuilding/house and its grounds

In the left down picture you can see a little of the spot we were working , too bad it rained all day but at least we were working under a roof hafway the afternoon  we had a nice talk about herbaltreatments and how to make medicins of them. “Heilkrauter” it was called. This lady talked about the “Lowensahn” and the “Brennesselbusch”  Very interesting

I started working with this resists, but after making one I decided to cut the other just round .

 As you can see we all got 3 bags of dried flowers; a potporrie , lavender and a  mixture against moths.

I descided to make something for the anti- moths mixture and was eagerly to use my fresh shorn wool

 this was the result nice white locks  dried it in a spinnermachine and  cut a small hole in the bottom and filled it with the mixture, sewn it and ready!!

and after the herbal talk I started on this small one: also the mergellandwool and some potporri inbetween the layers , not sure jet what it would become. Now it need to dry as soon as possible .

Need some sun again!!

I really had a great day thanks to the ladies whom organised it and whom were there!!

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As a felter I work with mostly wool. Wool which I normally buy in a shop. It is washed, carded and dyed.  Two years ago I learned how to felt with raw unwashed wool from Heidi Greb. And since that time I love to work with raw wool too.

Last december I did a presentation at a Pecha Kucha evening and one of the other speaker’s father had about 100 sheep to keep for “Limburgs landschap” a nature care organisation.  They have “Mergelland” sheep  a local breed of sheep which was nearly extinct some years ago, but because of their efforts now back to a good number. He said to me call me in March and you can join me one day. So I called and made an appointment.

Today was the Day! My husband, my oldest daughter, our niece and our nephew went along. I made sure to have something to eat and drink with us so nothing could be in our way of having a nice day. Even the weather was promissing a nice day: sunny and warm.

The small group of sheep all with their wool still “on” and than we started shearing theis sheep with 2 people at the same time.  Soon our hands and arms felt like lanoline too, so soft , but sticky. Washed very easilyy off in some cold water.

This was the coat of one sheep!! and as we shaved 3 sheep I was able to take one and a half fleece like this home

After we were done shearing we had some nice “Vlaai” to eat  and went off to take this small group to another place to stay. Kids and us after the sheep. They loved it!!

Our area is so beautyful and  stupid thing is: we always want to go far away, but we have so many nice things to see here as well….  should do this more often:  explore our area.

We continued feeding the other flocks of sheep. These were with lambs, so cute . We had to catch 2 sheep , one needed medicine and the other needed to get her nails cut.

Conclusion: we had a Super day everybody really enjoyed it. Tomorrow I ‘ll be going to felt in Germany… Cannot wait to get felting with these fleeces.

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So today my first fair from this year… And I must admit I was afraid I didn’t have enoug new things.. sold a lot last Christmas season and didn’t have time to make loads of new stuff  so far. Last Saturday and Sunday I managed to nuno felt 4 scarfs in one “rolling- go” and they came out great I think… hoping I would sell them today  but.. I still have them

  Will be uploaded soon in my etsy shop.

Back to the fair again. When my daughter and me arrived there we found out we were placed besides this beautyfull “Basiliek “church. The local marching and “schutterij” stopped in front of our  table to bring a serenade to all the people whom were decoreted with a medal of Honor by the Queen the day before.  We were so to say first rang audience

just before the music came and many  visitors I managed to take this picture of my table,

J. was joining me as she wanted to sell her selfsewn necklaces…. eager to sell she also made text boards in Dutch AND in English!!  ”You never know Daddy!! We also need English for the non Dutch people”…… oh and the word for “ketting” is  I know , I know!! wait wait… .. Necklace!! ”

 She finally sold 3 necklaces , one to my husband .

She also took a picture of me at the end of the day with me felting a flower

It was a super nice sunny day and I hope to be invited next year too .

Thanks to the organisation of Oranje Comitee Sittard

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Upcoming Monday it will be April 30th and that is the date we celebrate the Queen’s mother’s birthday here in the Netherlands. For that reason in many cities all over the counrty are special fairs and games to play, parades with decorated bicycles for kids , live music and last but not least a free/ flea market. Where you  can sell anything you like. Most often kids empty their cupboards and try to sell their toys. A bussy day for many

 my studio now also has a sewing station as my youngest daughter learned how to sew necklaces and made 10 already, ready to sell

I and my duaghter will be participating at an ART FAIR in Sittard on the “Oude markt” . Last year I was there too and really enjoyed myself there. Let’s hope it will be a dry and sunny day Monday.

Have a nice weekend!!

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