hermit felt 
Carmen Ditzler 

Imagine focused time to work side by side other felters for fun, support and inspiration.   Creston is beautiful in the spring.  It is likely to be green and warm earlier than many other parts of interior BC.   We’ll be based out of the West Creston Hall that is surrounded by trees and a creek with lots of windows for light, beautiful views, and nature breaks.   

 

We’ll make our own self-directed projects with the intention of playing with the alchemy of acid dyes on felt and eco-print on felt.

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Your facilitators:  Carmen Ditzler and Gina Ebelher

Carmen has been felting for 15 years and Gina for 10 years.  They met when Carmen moved to Creston and started to teach felting and knitting.  They are fast friends, fibre freaks and love felting together.  They do lots of experimenting with new ideas in felting, dyeing and eco-printing- some of which turn out! 

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What:  Three days of felting, talking felt, acid dyeing, eco-printing and more felt.  We’ll make samples of white wool with additions- fabrics, fibres, silks, and then submersion acid dye and/or eco-print them. (a few different times so you can make more samples to test)  

You’ll work independently on a felt piece(s).   Large, small, multiple, 3D- it’s up to you. Each person will have access to two large tables. By the end of the weekend you will have the option of submersion acid dyeing your entire piece and or eco-printing it or not!   The possibilities are endless.   This is a working, experimental weekend, not an instructional class.  We will all have skills and ideas to share and show.

 

Acid dye (all supplies included)

Silk and wool grab dye differently and cellulose very little. 

We play with these characteristics using hot acid dye submersion. 

Examples:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecoprint (using the dirty pot method) 

No powdered mordants. 

Set up and materials provided.

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When: April 18-20, 2025        9 am-5 pm Friday/Saturday.                 9 am-4 pm Sunday.

 

Where: Creston, BC, West Creston Hall.

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Cost: $350

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Includes: Facility rental, coffee, drinks, lunch, snacks, dye supplies, eco-printing set up.  Facilitation.  (let us know any dietary requirements) 

Deadline to register is March 22, 2025.   Deadline for the group order is March 23, 2025

10 spaces available.  Minimum 7 required.    

Register at:  submit this form   Questions: Carmen ditzsmall@gmail.com  250-254-4234

 

You will be responsible for your accommodation and breakfasts and suppers.  Participants can eat supper out as a group, small groups or individually.   We will convoy/car pool from Creston to the hall which is about 10 min out of town.   There is an airport in Cranbrook. 

 

You supply: 

• An open mind, a sense of adventure and basic felting skills. 

• Your preferred felting tools and materials. 

• White wool roving or batts, silk fibres, other plant fibres.   Fabrics suitable for nuno felting including silk.   You may also want to experiment with colours that are then overdyed or ecoprinted.

• Random bits of fabric and fibres for a share pile.

• Table risers if you have them.

• Apron, rubber gloves for dyeing, 4 L bucket.

• Previous felt work for show and tell.   

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Materials:  There will be white 19 micron Merino roving, undyed silk gauze, silk habotai, cotton cheesecloth and Margellan silk available for purchase. 

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Bonus:  Creston is 15 min from the US Border.  There is a parcel depot you can ship to if you want to order from the US and save the Canadian shipping and customs.   Sometimes depending on the dollar amount you order there is GST/PST at the border crossing.   We can let you know how to do that.  You’ll need your passport and plan to go the day before the workshop.

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Group Order:   We will be making a bulk order from Dharma Trading and Outback Fibres which you can join.  More info when you register.

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Download the brochure-  share with friends! 

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Deadline March 22, 2025.  Register:  Here:   

Questions: Carmen ditzsmall@gmail.com  250-254-4234

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Refund Policy:  If you cancel before the March 22, 2025 deadline there will be a full refund given by e-transfer.   There is no refund beyond the March 22, 2025 deadline. If you can no longer participate you are responsible for finding someone to take your spot and exchange funds. Then confirm with Carmen and Gina.  If we do not have enough registration to proceed with the retreat, or if for some reason we have to cancel there will be full refunds issued.