Wool Archives - Jane Mercer Felt Artist

How exciting to be taking part in my first virtual exhibition

I like to take part in an exhibition, but this is the first time I take part in a virtual exhibition. ReConnect opens today and I am exhibiting two pieces. The exhibition is organised by the International Feltmakers Association, of which I am a member. The exhibition coincides with the AGM of the organisation it was to have been held in France, but along with so many things has become virtual. I am inspired by the title ReConect. It is so very appropriate to so many of us, who have spent much of the last year isolated from friends and family. Isolation wasn't easy but reconnecting is also going to require relearning old ways and will take time and patience. Sculpture My sculpture piece uses Bluefaced Leicester, Masham, Welsh, Grey Shetland and Swaledale wools, all with such beautiful natural colours. I made 15 different elements to represent different people, isolated in small…

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28/03/2021

madder / Natural dyeing / Wool / Woolfest

Can I extract the true red from madder roots ?

For a number of years, I have grown my own madder from a plant that I bought at woolfest from fiery felts. I have tended the plants carefully and as they matured started to harvest the roots. Here is my madder bed looking a bit weedy in the snow. So far using these madder roots I have only been able to achieve peachy reds which I find a bit frustrating. I thought I’d try again. First I read up about the factors which affect the colour extraction process for madder. I reread "Wild Color" by Jenny Dean along with the pages about madder on the website of the wild colours company. I also checked the history of dyeing with madder in the wonderful book "Natural Dye" by Dominique Cardon. What a lot of options there are. True red was the desired red colour to be obtained from madder…

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07/02/2021

machine stitching / Natural dyeing / Textile art / Wet felting / Wool

Why did I get inspiration from painted fields ?

I have always loved to stand on the top of a hill or a ridge and look down at the patterns formed by the fields in the valley. So it’s not surprising that when I visited The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle I found inspiration in the pictures that were being exhibited by Rob van Hoek. His pictures reminded me of the landscape in the Netherlands where I used to live. They also made me think of standing on a hill looking down on the field patterns in the UK. I loved the lines he had scrapped out of the paint to mark out the different fields. I wondered two things. First could I make a similar piece with my naturally dyed wool. And secondly, could I find similar inspiration for pieces in the North York’s Moors where I live. One step at a time. It is the depth of winter here and…

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27/01/2019

Armley Mill / IFA / Natural dyeing / Wet felting / Wool / Yorkshire

My fantastic time at Armley Mills as artist in residence

I have recently spent a fantastic week as artist in residence at Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills. When I first visited the museum with the IFA in April 2017 I did not think that I would enjoy the luxury of a week in the museum , dyeing and felting. How lucky I have been. Armley Mills , was once the world’s biggest woolen mill. It is therefore a very appropriate venue for an artist in residence with a love of wool and a passion for felting with naturally dyed materials. I am fascinated by most machines, but especially those which process wool. My felt pictures using commercially dyed wool inspired by the machines are in the current exhibition at Armley Mills. As artist in residence, I wanted to take this work further. But also limit myself to using naturally dyed wool fibres. A…

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23/08/2018

Wool

Armley Mills once the world’s largest woollen mill

Last weekend I visited Armley Mills in Leeds. I am going to be involved in a felting project associated with the mill over the next 12 months. This project is organised by region 10 of the IFA and I wanted to get a feel of the place before the project starts in a couple of months. I certainly was not expecting the Mill to be such a large building, stupid really as it once was the world's largest woollen mill. It was huge. Sited between the river Aire and the Leeds-Liverpool canal, it was almost as if the water was following under and through the mill itself. In my head, Armley Mills was a solely used as a woollen mill, and indeed that was its original purpose. But that was not true. As the woollen industry declined Armley Mills was used for alternative purposes. These included munitions and garment making. I did not…

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19/02/2017

Eco Dyeing / Natural dyeing / Wet felting / Wool

How I forage for beautiful natural dye materials

The collection of natural dye materials moves with the seasons. You must harvest fruit when it is are ripe and flowers as they bloom. Harvesting opportunities arise quickly and are short-lived. It is not always possible for me and maybe for you to dye straight away. So I store the dye material away ready for a dyeing day. I have been collecting for quite a while ! In fact I can't really stop myself when the opportunity presents itself. Except I make it a rule only to harvest any natural dye plant material if there is an abundance of the plants , flowers or berries. If I can only find one if two plants , I just walk away. Harvesting lichens for natural dyeing Last week in the UK the weather was windy and wet. This week was cold and dry. As I walked in the woods on Tuesday and there…

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11/12/2016

Fibres / Wool

Counting Sheep

The book called "Counting Sheep" by Philip Walling is a fascinating read for anyone like me who has an interest in wool. Based on some of the 60 native wool breeds that live in the UK it charts their development , their history , and the realities of sheep farming today. Although I cannot convince my family of the fact it is a really interesting read , I recommend it - there is even a chapter on different kinds of sheepdogs . Historically sheep were kept for their wool. Wool was the mainstay of the UK economy for four centuries. Fortunes were made on wool production and export of the wool to Europe. As the demand for meat grew , new breeds were developed , often with an impact on the quality of the wool. Today sheep are almost exclusively bred for meat and the value of the wool although…

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05/07/2015

Fibres / Wool

A rainbow of fibres

For the last two days I have been at Woolfest , soaking up all things related to sheep , wool and fibres , meeting old friends and making new friends and buying a few things too.! One thing that really struck me was the beautiful displays really showing both fibres and colour in all their glory. Here are a few examples: Great event to visit , well organized by the wool clip. I will be back next year. 🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏

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27/06/2015