tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915Sun, 20 Sep 2026 22:57:15 +0000FeltingCreativityFeltmakingChildren's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsSchoolsOutreach ActivitiesChildren's Craft ProjectExhibitionsFelt making in SheffieldSeamless Felt ProjectsFelt-making courses in West MidlandsFelting Workshops for AdultsKid's Birthday PartiesCraft PartiesSewingArt in HospitalChristmasFestivalsLichfieldArts Week ActivitiesD&TDesign and TechnologyDisability ArtsEasterFelting Tutor in LichfieldSculptureSewing Machine SkillsTextilesAdult Learner's WeekChildhoodGarment MakingMental HealthNunoNuno feltingOFSTEDSENDSpecial NeedsSpecial SchoolsNews from Kirsty E Smith's creative workshops with adults and children. Kirsty's mission is to,"Nurture and encourage creativity in a fun and enthusiastic way" and her enthusiasm has been described as infectious. Based in Sheffield, Yorkshire, UKhttp://allsensesart.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)Blogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-8232563074260772414Wed, 01 Apr 2020 18:33:00 +00002020-04-03T10:15:35.847+01:00CreativityD&TDesign and TechnologySchoolsSewingSewing Machine SkillsTextiles ‘Yellow-Red-Blue’ painting by Wassily Kandinsky 1925&nbsp; Like many people who are currently unable to go into their places of work because of Covid-19 I have done my fair share of tidying and sorting stuff at home.&nbsp; One of this week's activities has been sorting through photographs on my computer and I decided that I really wanted to share these photos of some Y8 Design and http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2020/04/kandinsky-inspired-cushions-colourful.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)2Sheffield, UK53.381128999999987 -1.47008553.078144999999985 -2.115532 53.684112999999989 -0.82463800000000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-5799696366378460711Sun, 03 Mar 2019 22:12:00 +00002019-03-03T22:29:56.430+00:00Art in HospitalChildren's Craft ProjectChildren's Craft ProjectsCreativityD&TDesign and TechnologyGarment MakingSchoolsSewingSewing Machine SkillsTextiles<!--[if gte mso 9]> 96 <![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2019/03/first-sewing-machine-garment-making.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)1Sheffield, UK53.381128999999987 -1.4700850000000453.078144999999985 -2.11553200000004 53.684112999999989 -0.82463800000004006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-7331908274601205977Tue, 13 Nov 2018 13:09:00 +00002018-11-13T13:25:24.284+00:00Felt making in SheffieldFeltingFeltmakingNunoNuno feltingSchools Close up of the beautiful textured surface and 'halo' edge around cut pre-felt shapes. This was one of my Y10 BTEC student's very first piece of nuno felt and when I put this photo online earlier this year one of the hashtags I gave it was&nbsp; #theydon'tknowhowgoodthisis &nbsp;&nbsp; Completed sample piece of nuno felt.&nbsp;Approx dimensions 40cmW 45cmH Pic on the Left = Front http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2018/11/nuno-felting-specialist-textile.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0Sheffield, UK53.381128999999987 -1.4700850000000453.078144999999985 -2.11553200000004 53.684112999999989 -0.82463800000004006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-155854160191546091Wed, 11 Jul 2018 20:14:00 +00002018-07-12T08:57:57.276+01:00CreativityDisability ArtsFelt making in SheffieldFeltingFeltmakingOFSTEDSENDSpecial Schools Finished wallhanging measured 95cm wide by 210cm deep&nbsp; As I’m planning ahead to another exciting felting day in a Special School next week I’ve been reminded that I never did write about any of the felted wall-hangings that were made by my students while I was the Textiles Teacher at Brantwood Specialist School in Sheffield.&nbsp; So better late than never … The above Excalibur http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2018/07/king-arthur-themed-wallhanging-made-by.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0Sheffield, UK53.381128999999987 -1.4700850000000453.078144999999985 -2.11553200000004 53.684112999999989 -0.82463800000004006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-3442087996440582529Wed, 27 Jun 2018 15:10:00 +00002018-06-27T16:13:40.108+01:00Children's Craft ProjectChildren's Craft ProjectsCreativityFelt making in SheffieldFeltingSchools My exemplar mask to give students an idea of how they might combine some techniques&nbsp; Here I am finally catching up and uploading my final selection of photos of student BTEC Level 2 Module Carnival Project work. This is a follow-on from the previous post which showed some of the students’ inspiration images and also how their first pieces of wet-felted base fabric turned out.&nbsp; http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2018/06/completed-btec-level-2-textile-masks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0Sheffield, UK53.381128999999987 -1.4700850000000453.078144999999985 -2.11553200000004 53.684112999999989 -0.82463800000004006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-4749680133734690860Thu, 01 Mar 2018 09:18:00 +00002018-06-27T14:04:22.492+01:00Felt making in SheffieldFeltingFeltmakingFestivalsSchools I'm excited to be teaching wet-felting to a new group of students.&nbsp; I joined their BTEC Carnival project after they had already experimented with a few other textile techniques; so far they have experimented with, reverse appliqué (mola), stitch and slash and trapping sequins and threads in heat-bonded angelina fibres.&nbsp; An inspiration image - Venetian Harlequin Mask&nbsp; This http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2018/03/wet-felting-as-textile-technique-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0Sheffield, UK53.381128999999987 -1.4700850000000453.078144999999985 -2.11553200000004 53.684112999999989 -0.82463800000004006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-8569165990123682578Mon, 28 Aug 2017 22:08:00 +00002017-08-29T12:38:29.697+01:00Children's Craft ProjectChildren's Craft ProjectsCreativityFelt making in SheffieldFeltingFeltmakingSchoolsSeamless Felt ProjectsSpecial Needs Left: inspiration- a computer generated image of a Fedora found on the internet. Right: the hand-felted reality (made by L, a 12 year old student) I love working with kids; I love their ambition and enthusiasm; and there’s no where quite like a Special School to find young people (with Autism) who are determined to complete their vision.&nbsp; While working as textiles teacher athttp://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2017/08/fabulous-hand-felted-fedora.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)2Sheffield, UK53.381128999999987 -1.4700850000000453.078144999999985 -2.11553200000004 53.684112999999989 -0.82463800000004006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-90126193752168982Wed, 09 Mar 2016 22:42:00 +00002016-03-09T23:42:45.650+00:00Children's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsFelt making in SheffieldFeltingKid's Birthday Parties Cute Owl - dry fibres BEFORE wetting and felting&nbsp; &nbsp;AFTER the wet-felting process Every year mums (and dads and carers too) want to do their best to make their children’s birthday celebration memorable and extra special.&nbsp; It is quite a challenge but if your son or daughter likes making things and being creative then a good start would be to Google, ‘Kids creative birthday http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2016/03/perfect-craft-parties-for-creative-kids.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK53.381128999999987 -1.4700850000000453.078144999999985 -2.11553200000004 53.684112999999989 -0.82463800000004006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-5316053158898757262Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:29:00 +00002015-01-28T22:20:57.793+00:00Felt making in SheffieldFelting Workshops for AdultsFeltmaking Moira's lovely sunny studio, complete with spring flowers!&nbsp; Felting is such a versatile medium and it has given me the opportunity to work with all sorts of people in all sorts of places. Sometimes I am working with large groups in a school, sometimes I am working in amongst the books in a busy library and others (like this really enjoyable Saturday) I was doing a one-to-one session http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2015/01/one-to-one-felting-sessions-make-what.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 4QP, UK53.4044263 -1.511643000000049153.403242799999994 -1.5141645000000492 53.4056098 -1.5091215000000491tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-3614697747091688607Sat, 23 Aug 2014 23:07:00 +00002014-08-24T00:22:23.094+01:00Art in HospitalChildren's Craft ProjectChildren's Craft ProjectsCraft PartiesCreativityKid's Birthday PartiesOutreach Activities 3 colour lino cut print. Design was inspired by a slapstick circus routine I’m an artist who enjoys working with a wide range of materials.&nbsp; Back at Lichfield College when I had finished my Foundation Course in Art and Design the external examiner commented that because of my abilities in such a wide range of techniques and materials I actually had a choice of artistic directions that I http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2014/08/childrens-art-and-craft-workshops-using.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-7166819749620130218Tue, 08 Jul 2014 13:06:00 +00002014-07-08T14:15:14.637+01:00Children's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsCraft PartiesKid's Birthday Parties A fab collection of hand-felted cushions made at Aimee's 11th birthday party. Brilliantly creative kids! I know it sounds like blowing my own trumpet but I just can’t help having a warm glow inside myself when I have just finished one of my AllSensesArt felting parties; it is such a rewarding feeling to know that not only is the birthday girl or boy happy and satisfied but their friends and http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2014/07/kirstys-craft-birthday-parties-happy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-8276558705088992861Thu, 06 Feb 2014 13:11:00 +00002014-02-06T16:39:05.102+00:00CreativityFeltingFelting Workshops for AdultsMental HealthOutreach Activities A sneak preview of one of the countryside inspired felted pictures made during our day in the Peak District. Borderland Voices, the Leek-based Community Arts for Health and Mental Wellbeing charity is an amazing organisation!&nbsp; When I first read about it and the work that it has done over the past 16 years I knew that I wanted to work with them if at all possible. &nbsp;Based in Leek http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2014/02/mental-health-improved-by-wonderful.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-4256906008052785409Wed, 29 Jan 2014 22:26:00 +00002014-01-29T22:34:16.453+00:00Art in HospitalChildren's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsFeltingOutreach Activities 'Magic' Ball mini-beasts are one of my most popular felting activities and are especially good for drop-in sessions Since 2008 I have been one of the artists who have had the privilege of working with young people while they have been in Birmingham Children’s Hospital; these creative sessions have been some of my most rewarding experiences.&nbsp; I am sensitive to people’s needs and http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2014/01/fun-and-rewarding-creative-sessions-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-7478232826237803866Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:53:00 +00002014-01-22T21:24:16.934+00:00Arts Week ActivitiesChildren's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsCreativityFeltingFeltmakingSchools This impressive felted wall hanging was made in a day by 24 &nbsp;four and five year olds (120cm W, &nbsp;85cm H) It’s great that I love working with children!&nbsp; One of my fun days last summer was working with 24 Reception/Year 1 children at Beech Street Primary School in Eccles (on the outskirts of Manchester).&nbsp; Teacher and School Arts Week Co-ordinator, Gill Douglas, contacted me http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2014/01/felted-wall-hanging-inspired-by-monets.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-6604131487985758583Fri, 19 Jul 2013 17:54:00 +00002013-07-19T18:54:33.820+01:00Arts Week ActivitiesChildren's Felting ProjectsCreativitySchools Felted portraits made by pupils in year 4 (8 and 9 year olds). Paul Klee was their inspiration. ‘Taking a line for a walk’ is an expression that everyone who has ever attended a college art class has heard, but up until recently I had no idea that it was Paul Klee who first coined the phrase. One thing about doing activities for schools’ Arts Weeks is that you get the chance to do projects http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2013/07/wonderful-paul-klee-inspired-felted.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-7180266761770322358Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:37:00 +00002013-04-23T22:43:27.599+01:00Children's Craft ProjectsCreativityExhibitionsOutreach ActivitiesSchools Primary school pupils adding their own handmade cups to the carousel made by Kirsty E Smith and Wendy Johnson I was recently invited to contribute to a really interesting project in Derbyshire. There were plenty of reasons why this project was right up my street. Firstly I got see behind the scenes of the&nbsp;Derbyshire Schools Library Service Collection&nbsp;(more about this later), http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2013/04/ceramic-and-textile-carousel-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-408915797894391950Tue, 20 Nov 2012 08:39:00 +00002012-11-20T08:39:29.525+00:00CreativityFelt-making courses in West MidlandsFeltingFelting Tutor in LichfieldFelting Workshops for AdultsFeltmakingLichfieldSeamless Felt Projects Bryony models one of my spotty big bags- notice the mauve colour that I used for the inside. I have often seen bag making felting workshops advertised but when I have checked the dimensions of the bag I have realised that it is a very small bag; and even some felting kits that are available online are for tiny bags, the kind of bag that I call a ‘wedding handbag’.&nbsp; So I decided that http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2012/11/roomy-and-stylish-hand-felted-handbags.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-6052044426945776405Thu, 07 Jun 2012 23:24:00 +00002012-06-08T00:26:56.862+01:00Children's Craft ProjectChildren's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsFeltingFeltmakingSchools Paintings by contemporary Aboriginal artist Minnie Pwerle were the perfect inspiration for my very young felters Wow working with children is so rewarding and so exciting! Children have so much energy and so much enthusiasm and this is especially great because sometimes in a school creative felting session we have to work quickly.&nbsp; Last week I was invited to work with all of the http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2012/06/felting-fun-for-australian-themed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-6042786914178160491Sun, 19 Feb 2012 23:02:00 +00002012-02-19T23:32:02.766+00:00Children's Craft ProjectChildren's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsCraft PartiesKid's Birthday Parties Yesterday I had a fun day at a Children’s Party Event in Dorridge, (near Solihull). 'Get The Party Started' was an event organised by Melanie Bramich.&nbsp; Melanie like many mums feels that it is really important to meet face to face with the people that you are entrusting your child’s birthday party to. So, yesterday’s event at Dorridge Village Hall was fantastic as parents were http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2012/02/fantastic-creative-craft-parties-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-7701637050945097686Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:40:00 +00002011-12-27T21:40:48.367+00:00Children's Craft ProjectChildren's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsCreativityFeltingFeltmakingOutreach ActivitiesSchoolsSeamless Felt ProjectsSewing It seems that I am always describing my felting projects as fun and exciting... but really they are!&nbsp;Wouldn’t you say that these felted slippers are spectacular? They were made by 25 year 4 children from St Mark’s Primary School, Shelton, Stoke on Trent. That means that the children were all aged between 8 and 9 years old. Wow! they did a fantastic job. There are lots of reasons why this http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2011/12/spectacular-felted-slippers-socks-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-8897453002101704047Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:41:00 +00002011-12-13T11:49:22.490+00:00Children's Craft ProjectChildren's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsCreativityFeltingFeltmakingSchoolsOne of the felting projects that I am most proud of is the nuno felted den which was made by year 6 pupils at Model Village Primary School, Shirebrook, Derbyshire. Back in September 2007 I began my weekly felting sessions with year 5 and 6 pupils at Model Village school. I had already been felt-making for 9 years at that point but this was when I really learnt about devising interesting http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2011/12/nuno-felted-den-fantastic-school.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-1902320991883042775Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:22:00 +00002011-11-25T00:52:44.100+00:00CreativityExhibitionsFeltingFeltmakingOutreach ActivitiesA's impressive felted mat I get a buzz out of working with all types of people but I have to say that working in situations where you feel that you are making a positive contribution to people’s lives is absolutely the most rewarding. In the past I have worked with young people in various mental health wards at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, I have led a few sessions at adult day centres for http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2011/11/therapeutic-powers-of-felting-patients.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-2316219559943341865Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:03:00 +00002011-07-22T20:08:29.753+01:00Children's Craft ProjectChildren's Craft ProjectsChildren's Felting ProjectsSeamless Felt Projects I love teaching felt-making and I especially love working with people; people of all ages and abilities. Sometimes people say to me, “Felting... mmm?&nbsp; That’s fine for girls but what about boys?”&nbsp; So here’s the evidence that boys get lured in by the magical sensory process of felt-making too!Earlier this year I led a felted pictures session at Bilston Craft Gallery. So what do boys likehttp://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2011/07/felting-for-boys.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-4556924093713580286Mon, 09 May 2011 12:20:00 +00002011-05-09T13:38:47.901+01:00Children's Craft ProjectChildren's Felting ProjectsCraft PartiesFeltingKid's Birthday Parties Kate and her friends with their own gorgeous handmade cushions. Kate is one of those girls who has lots of interests, fashion, dancing, and just having fun with her friends&nbsp;As it turned out Kate and her friends had lots of fun at her Hand-Felted Cushion Party.People often ask me, “What exactly do you do at a Felting Party?” and, “How does it work?”&nbsp;Sometimes if the party is for http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2011/05/kates-perfect-hand-felted-cushion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360060455289831915.post-1821606019076549500Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:04:00 +00002011-04-01T23:38:48.669+01:00Children's Craft ProjectChildren's Felting ProjectsCreativityDisability ArtsEasterFeltingOutreach Activities It’s almost Easter and so with this extra long Easter Holiday there’s even more time for creative craft projects with your children.Last weekend I was pretty busy with, not one, but two parties for Staffordshire’s Children’s Disability Service for their G8way Project. G8way certainly know how to get a party atmosphere going with a disco, games, stories, food and of course face painting. But http://allsensesart.blogspot.com/2011/04/easter-chicks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AllSensesArt)4