The Wraparound became my signature piece of feltwork very soon after completing my textile studies.  It is a large piece of felt that is worn as a wraparound, often taking the place of a coat, or a summer evening wrap, or a sarong, or a travel rug…!

Drawing is at the core of my practise.  I make colour studies of land and seascapes, using a limited palette of oil paints, so that I mix the colours as I see them.  This intense colour study results in paintings that form the colour source for my wearable felt pieces.

Nunofelt is a type of felt that uses a fabric as a base layer into which wool fibres are worked, using the traditional soap and water, heat and friction type of feltmaking methods.  The resulting felt can be very light and drapey, with subtle and unusual textures that result from the shrinkage of the fabric.  I dye the fabric before felting in blended, commercially-dyed fibres – a lengthy process that helps to explain why I wouldn’t then cut up the felt and stitch it into a garment – it would be very difficult to produce a range of sizes, colours and styles! Furthermore, wherever possible, I avoid the use of stitching, the seamless possibilities of feltmaking are most compelling.

I am particularly drawn to the idea of the human form being wrapped around, swathed, in the fabric of landscape.