Marilou Moschetti has taught workshops at The Tin Thimble since 2013, and we’re honored to be hosting her again for her (super cool) Dimensional Techniques for Making Felt workshop on October 8th & 9th. Marilou is a wealth of creative energy, ideas, expression and felting knowledge and we always encourage our customers to nab a spot in her workshops while they can! We wanted our customers and students to get to know Marilou a bit better so we asked her a few questions.
What type of art did you first learn and who taught you about fiber arts?
Our mother signed us up for local art classes, which included drawing, and water color plus some ceramics. I enrolled in 4-H at age 9, and my mother taught sewing, so that was my first exposure to fiber art. My mother-in-law always had a crochet hook or knitting needles in her hands, and taught me both. I loved crochet, and because I couldn’t read the patterns well, I improvised by copying doilies. I made shawls and scarves combining a variety of yarns..
When you’re not felting, what hobbies could we find you doing?
I love gardening, hiking, sewing and beach combing when I’m not in the studio.
What is your favorite part about teaching others how to felt?
When students see the amazing texture using “Nuno” techniques, it acts as a catalyst to inspire them to let go, get wild, think out of the box, and play with the materials. I find that once students master the early theory behind the why and what for of felt making, and how to handle the wool to achieve the end result, then I can step back, and turn them loose to explore more advanced techniques. Watching them produce a finished garment vessel, or wall art, there is a sense of accomplishment!!! They always want to learn more, so others can look at their art and ask “how did you do that”!
If you have taught at The Tin Thimble before, what do you enjoy about teaching in our store?
The staff at the store are absolutely the best when it comes to making instructors feel welcome. It is friendly, warm, and the shop is FULL of wool and embellishments to satisfy everyone’s needs during a workshop. Thanks to all for all you’ve done to make my experience nothing but amazing.
How do you find inspiration? Nature, magazines, dreams, etc…
Nature inspires me the most, with rich textures, colors and ample samples in and around my home, garden, and particularly underwater marine life. I study photographs and experiment using sampling to see if a technique will give me the intended results. I do dream of colors for a project and then try to dye my fabrics for that specific project.
What are your favorite types of fibers to work with? Silk, mohair, merino, corriedale, romney, etc…
I have fallen in love with Short Fiber Merino for sculptural work for making vessels or other standing objects. But for garments, its all about 15.5 micron count fine Merino wool that I choose each and every time. Although it comes in just white, I combine it with fine silks and then over-dye the entire garment to meet my own color standards. I also love working with needle felt batt for sculptural elements that can be wet felted and combined with other work.
Is there another art form that you’d like to do more of? It doesn’t need to be fiber relate have fad.
I might like to try water color or painting with acrylics in the future. Its all about combining abstract elements and color for me. Making my own paper to use as a canvas or perhaps shred and combine with painting would be really fun. Its messy like felt making, and that is what I love about the textile work, it produces the unexpected, which is the most exciting for me.
Here are some examples of Marilou’s upcoming Felt Fest workshop. Interested in grabbing a space? Better hurry, there’s only 2 left! Call us at 916-652-2134 to sign up or ask questions.
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