Workshop "Asian Felting Techniques"

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Teacher: Liisa Kallam

Liisa Kallam (born in 1977) received her Master’s degree from the design department of the Estonian Academy of Arts in 2004. The topic of her thesis was ‘Ancient Fibres – New Solutions. Rediscovered Felt’. She has done felting since 2000, conducted different workshops, and created various felt products. She is a co-author of the book ‘Felt Rediscovered’, which was published in 2010.

Liisa works as a textile artist at the Emma Leppermann studio, which mainly makes small amounts of handicraft textile products. She also works as a handicraft and art teacher at the Rocca al Mare School and the Old Town Educational College.

In this course, we will focus on ways of creating different felts and processing felt. The tradition of felt carpets, which took shape over a long period of time, has been sustainable and is widespread throughout Central Asia today as well. Asian-style design techniques and principles of creating patterns can also be adapted for producing contemporary objects and patterns characteristic of Estonia.

We will learn the techniques for creating one of the most popular and strongest mosaic-type carpet (called shyrdag in Kyrgyzstan). These kinds of carpets with double-layered quilted ornaments are among the most durable and ornate. They were made by women for weddings – their own or their daughters’.

Inspired by Asian-style carpets, we will make larger, and stronger, two-dimensional felts, from which we will create a small carpet or other home interior textile executed in mosaic technique. In addition to felting, we will learn an aesthetically pleasing technique of bordering felt and other techniques that at once adorn and strengthen the felt. In addition thorough study of carpet techniques, we will also go through a faster and more picturesque technique likewise inspired by Asian carpet techniques. Unlike mosaic technique, this will highlight the blend of wools and patterns characteristic of felting.

The participation fee includes all the necessary materials for felting. The course is suitable for beginners and intermediates.