"My Felting Story" and AGM
Tuesday 14 May 2019
The weather was a warm reminder that summer is just around the corner so this was our final meeting til September; our AGM business was carried out by ladies from Gargunnock.
Our current President Anne Artis welcomed members and friends and provided a report and reminder of all of the activities over the previous 9 months – she acknowledged the Committee but also all of the other members who are willing to help with anything that is asked of them – such is the nature of Ruskie Rural. After hearing about the health of our finances from Christine Bauer (the bank balance is moving in the “right” direction!), we welcomed our speaker for the evening – Mairi Campbell from Aberfoyle who shared her personal felting journey.
Mairi’s inspiration came from a Millennium Project felted Yurt followed by a chance discovery of an artist while on holiday in Yorkshire whose felted tryptic is still something Mairi aspires to (although we all think her work is just as beautiful!) She shared the different versions of heavy felted designs made for use in yurts (or even cosy insoles for boots!) but also the more delicate and detailed techniques used in felting with silk, or to create banners and other artefacts for Creative in Callander. Mairi’s passion for wool (and sheep!) was shared by the Ruskie audience and her samples of Beaumont wool fibres and her grandfathers plaid were available for us all to see. Mairi told us how she learned the principles of felting with a “resist” to make a basic pocket, a technique which can be used for making many other objects eg slippers or jackets; and how she is learning how to make sustainable “sheepskin” rugs which are felted on the underside so only use the fleece from a living animal. Mairi then brought us up to date with her current project for Creative in Callander SummerFest, and invited us to look at some of the wonderful objects she had brought to illustrate her story.
Our new committee was announced, and we are fortunate Anne Artis was confirmed as president for another year.
The meeting ended on the usual high note of a delicious Ruskie supper provided by Val Graham, Marjorie Baxter, Norma Brewster and Isobel McGuire.
Competitions
Puskie Plate: One 6 inch Triangle for Bunting: Winner Elizabethg Dykes
Three Suggestions for the Syllabus : 1) Pamela Deans 2) Pamela Deans 3) Sharon McRobert
