Feltmaking

Felt is a homogenous fabric composed of densely matted animal fibers. When the fibers are wetted, tiny scales on each hair open like petals, and as the damp wool is agitated, the scales catch each other, entangling the countless threads on a microscopic level. When the wool dries, its scales close back up, locking the fibers into place and creating a sturdy fabric.

Feltmaking is one of the most ancient technologies, predating weaving and other yarn-based textiles. It is a process that occurs naturally to some extent, but in Central Asia, where sheep were first domesticated the technology was refined into an art form. Techniques for decorating the felt, using differently colored wools to create intricate patterns, were developed and passed on through generations of craftsmen. Jo and Kent use traditional methods which they learned in Turkey to create modern and distinctive area rugs.

JO HESSE

Jo Hesse attended the Freie Hochschule Stuttgart for textile crafts in Germany, before deepening her study of feltmaking under mentorship of Unesco-honored master feltmaker, Mehmet Girgiç, and Theresa Girgiç in Konya, Turkey. She has exhibited at A.P.E. Gallery and been published in Fiber Art Now, and Rug Insider. She teaches at the Bowsprit Foundation in Maine, and Sanborn Mills Farm in New Hampshire, as well as offering group and private workshops at her home studio in Northampton.