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University of Wolverhampton   2005/2006

Jenny Fergusson

I am a feltmaker, working mostly with merino wool fibres, silk fibres and sheer fabrics. Over the last few years I have been developing methods of producing very fine felted fabrics, some of which are almost see-through. Recent pieces have been given a richly textured surface using a variety of silk fibres and patches of sheer fabrics. I also sometimes add to this using free machine stitch.

As part of a project for an exhibiting group, I have been exploring ways of incorporating printed, photographic imagery into the fine felted fabric. After a variety of trials, using different transfer techniques, I have discovered a method of printing onto sheer fabrics, using the A3 printer with my computer. However, this can produce rather unpredictable results and there are restrictions on size.

During the AA2A project I had two main aims: I would like to explore a variety of techniques to combine printed design or imagery with handcrafted felt, including the use of laminated and felted-in sheer and other fabrics.