Hand Felted Story Play Mats

On Tuesday night, the girls from the last MamaMoontime Club group (Moontimers) came to begin "Term DEF" of the program.  Yes, we are embarking on the next 10 sessions of Creativity, building upon our work from last year.  I am honoured to have them join me for this next step.  I truly LOVE their company, humour, vivaciousness and desire to play and learn.  Wonderful women, all of them!

We began this new year of creativity with a workshop on 'how to make a hand felted storytelling mat'.
This is a workshop I often run as a stand-alone.  It is a favourite of mothers who see the endless possibilities for imaginative, creative play for their children.

I have been asked if I would host one again for women in the local region, and I am more than happy to do this for 4-8 people on Thursday 25th February from 6.30-9.30pm.  It is open to anyone, from first timers to more seasoned felters.  The cost is $40 per person which includes all materials, tuition and supper. 

Keiko's rainbow playmat had 7 pockets (including a big one in the cloud)- one for each day of the week.   She designed it to help her little one to recognise and remember the names of the days of the week.

Cath made a story play mat for her little girl.  She included a river, a golden sun patch, a vegie patch complete with rows of vegies, a flower garden and a pathway, with a few hidey holes for little dolls and figures.  Later, she will needlefelt some reeds along the riverbank and some tufts of grass, but Cath strived to keep it as open-ended and open to possibility as she could for her little one.  I'm sure she will love it!

Sara's Fairy Cave includes a Rainbow cave (big enough to fit a small doll) and a few hidey holes for 'fairies' in the mushrooms.

Carrie's tree has little pockets for a little bird (in the nest), a pocket for a pencil and one in the base of the tree for a little root gnome or elf. It reminded us all of the Tree of Knowledge (the Bodhi tree).

The great thing about storymats is that they can be used either horizontally (like looking down on a scene from above, and using 3D props to create another dimension) or vertically (eg like a wallhanging).  You can prop it up on a chair or hang it on a doorway and children use it like they would drawing on a blackboard. 

Lena has a cave, a fireplace and a place for the fish to swim through in the river.

The girls worked so hard. Their muscles were pumping!  It is great to see how quickly people can fall in love with, and become proficient at, the great art of felting.

Felting has endless possibilities- I have had people do underwater scenes, make an Advent Calendar, make a desert, create beaches and waterways, design a scarf, felt soft toys, design placemats and coasters, wallhangings, name charts, create felt paintings from photos- it really is up to the individual.

And the best thing- unlike painting or drawing or fine arts- felt is forgiving.

You can't go wrong. It is the creative person's favourite friend!

If you would like to come along, or know someone who would like to learn the marvellous art of felting, please contact me via email at amber.greene@hotmail.com or on my home phone 07 55338915.