Mad Hats - Wet Felting Workshop

New year.... well almost the end of January and we have a 'Mad Hats' felting workshop on Saturday. 

I always think of felting as being creativity combined with excercise  - my two most favourite things (after chocolate).  That makes felting an ideal New Year's 'resolutiony' kind of a thing to do.

The 'Mad Hatter'  - In the old days when felt hats were made from rabbit fur, mercury was used in the felting process. And over time, many Hatters did indeed develop a neurological condition from exposure to these mercury fumes. According to Wikipedia  "It is commonly characterized through behavioral changes such as irritability, low self-confidence, depression, apathy, shyness and timidity, and in some extreme cases with prolonged exposure to mercury vapors, delirium, personality changes and memory loss occur as a result"  Hmmmmm - I don't need the mercury , I already have most of these.

Well, I am pleased to say that we no longer use rabbit fur and we no longer use mercury.  In fact, I think that making felt is a highly therapeutic activity. All that soap, warm water, rubbing and rolling- it's all very sensory.

And hats are fun!  Hats can be silly, they can be elegant, they can be a statement of your individuality, they can be cute, or they can be a cosy head warmer for walking the dog.   And on the subject of cosy, if your hat is too mad to wear, just pop it on the teapot.

Thanks to Kate for being a very beautiful teapot!

Anyway,  Saturday 27 Jan at Cottenham Village College - here's the link:    Saturday Schools 
If you scroll down to 'Mad Hatters'  and click on the right hand box it will take you to a pdf with more details.

Or go directly to contact to book a place.