Comments on: get felt depressed?? http://www.rod.4felts.com/blog/archives/2007/03/get-felt-depressed/ Quality Felting, The hows, whys and wherefores... Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:40:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Dianne http://www.rod.4felts.com/blog/archives/2007/03/get-felt-depressed/#comment-5 Dianne Wed, 14 Mar 2007 21:49:00 +0000 http://www.rod.4felts.com/blog/archives/2007/03/get-felt-depressed/#comment-5 Unfortunately, Andrea is right. There is little that anyone can do aside from doing their own work and educating the public when opportunities arise. For instance, the now infamous "Whimsical Wrap" is still, today, labeled as a form of feltmaking. In spite of communication from numerous feltmakers around the world, the people marketing this kit persist in calling it felt and any number of people will read the advertising and/or buy the kit and believe that felt can be made by simply dipping stitched together ribbons and threads in water. The growing popularity of felt and feltmaking is a truly double edged sword! On the positive side, "real" feltmakers are finding that more and more people are receptive to the idea of buying, collecting or using their hand made felt. Felt has become fashionable - things made of felt are"in". On the negative side, hand feltmaking's rapid rise from relative obscurity has produced a boom in the marketing of the craft of feltmaking by people with very little real education or experience in the art to people with none. The current popularity of feltmaking will pass. In due time, "crafters" will become fascinated by some other technique and flock to it. All we can do is hope that feltmaking's reputation will not be permanently tarnished by all the mislabeled, poorly made felt being produced. Unfortunately, Andrea is right. There is little that anyone can do aside from doing their own work and educating the public when opportunities arise. For instance, the now infamous “Whimsical Wrap” is still, today, labeled as a form of feltmaking. In spite of communication from numerous feltmakers around the world, the people marketing this kit persist in calling it felt and any number of people will read the advertising and/or buy the kit and believe that felt can be made by simply dipping stitched together ribbons and threads in water.

The growing popularity of felt and feltmaking is a truly double edged sword!

On the positive side, “real” feltmakers are finding that more and more people are receptive to the idea of buying, collecting or using their hand made felt. Felt has become fashionable - things made of felt are”in”.

On the negative side, hand feltmaking’s rapid rise from relative obscurity has produced a boom in the marketing of the craft of feltmaking by people with very little real education or experience in the art to people with none.

The current popularity of feltmaking will pass. In due time, “crafters” will become fascinated by some other technique and flock to it.

All we can do is hope that feltmaking’s reputation will not be permanently tarnished by all the mislabeled, poorly made felt being produced.

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