Question 1

Do you make everything yourself?

Accepted Answer

Yes!
The rugs and the cushions are all made by me in my small workshop in Arrowtown.
At the present moment it is just a one woman operation!
The only thing I don't produce myself are the art prints. These are done by professional printers in Queenstown and Auckland.
However all the original fibreworks art is created by me.

Question 2

Do you have an online shop?

Accepted Answer

No, not at this time.
I have had an online shop in the past but it is no longer operational at this stage.
I have found it is easier to manage stock levels through private orders.
Please email me info@lovefelt.co.nz (info@lovefelt.co.nz)if there is something you would like to order or enquire after.
You can also message me through social channels.
I can ship all around NZ easy peasy 😊
Unfortunately shipping outside of NZ is not available at this stage.

Question 3

Do you teach classes or run workshops?

Accepted Answer

Sorry, I do not have time to do that at the moment!
But it's definitely something I would like to do in the future.

Question 4

What's inside your cushions?

Accepted Answer

Wool! I add wool to the inside of the cushion when I am making it.
I find wool is far superior to any polyfill type stuffing.
It has great supportive properties which is exactly what you need when you've got a hard seat that needs some cushioning.

Question 5

Where do you get your wool from?

Accepted Answer

The wool I use for the cushions is all NZ grown and a large proportion of it is sourced from Southland and Central Otago.
The fleeces for the rugs come from local sheep.
The wool I use in the Fibreworks is more varied, I incorporate a lot of spun yarn in these works and much of that is vintage tapestry yarn that I've collected over the years.

Question 6

If I bring you a fleece can you make it into a rug for me?

Accepted Answer

Possibly. This is a tricky one. It depends on so many variable factors that it's impossible to say until I've seen the fleece in question and evaluated it. This can result in disappointment if it turns out that your fleece is not a good specimen for rugmaking. It also means you need to live locally as sending raw fleeces through the freight is not recommended.
 
Some things that you can do to improve the chances of your fleece being workable:
-Keep your sheep away from thistles, matagouri, low hedges they can push under and long grass that's gone to seed.
-Don't feed hay in racks or nets - feed it at ground level and well spread out so your sheep don't chew over each others backs. Hay that gets into the fleece is almost impossible to get out. 
-Have a good de-lousing regime so your sheep are not scratching and rubbing the fleece against fence posts etc.
-Fleeces from young sheep, first or second shear, are generally unusable. These fleeces are too light and soft.
-Fleeces from older sheep are better.
-Anything that has Dorper or Wiltshire or similar shedding type breeds mixed into it are not suitable.
-Fleeces need to have a whole year of growth and be long and full. 
-Keep your feed levels up during times of stress and consider pre-lamb shearing if you have a ewe in lamb and want to use her fleece. Sheep can develop a break in their wool as a result of stress. A break is a weakening of the wool fibres and can affect some or all of the fleece.
-Lastly, use a good shearer!

If you think you have a fleece that might be suitable please get in touch. Rugmaking season is Dec-Feb.

Question 7

I've got an idea for a cushion - do you do commissions?

Accepted Answer

No, sorry I don't.
The time it takes to draft and proof a design is considerable and not economical unless you are wanting to order many many cushions of the same design.

Question 8

Do you do art commissions or pet portraits?

Accepted Answer

Sorry, no I don't.
The Fibreworks are very much a sideline at this stage and have to be fitted around everything else. 
I only have time to work on a small number every year so commissions are not possible at this stage.

Question 9

Can I pat your Dog?

Accepted Answer

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2f2086_94d6c25cf4bc4ed99b6a414e2667298b~mv2.jpg
My most frequently asked question!
Yes!
If you are at the market, and Raffi is with me, you can pat him 😊
He is just a young dog but has been coming to markets with me since he was 8 weeks old so is a seasoned pro and loves to socialise.
Raffi is a springer spaniel and an all round Good Boy.

He has his own bed complete with snuggle sack for cold mornings and is able to advise your own dog on the selection of a suitable sleeping rug 😉

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2f2086_eab14d8a9fed474e84a66ff1fb9c2306~mv2.jpg

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2f2086_cfee9f778cfe4e14bc18269f8e18f88c~mv2.jpg

Question 10

Where can I find your stuff?

Accepted Answer

I mainly sell through the Arrowtown Market. It's a Sunday market Oct-Apr every year with selected dates in the wintertime.
I also attend a lot of local Shows, Festivals and Events around the Lakes District region.
Outside of that, the Gallery Shop at the Lakes District Museum & Gallery has a great selection of my work and are always trying to squeeze more in ❤️
There are also other galleries, gift shops and pop ups that I supply from time to time - check out the social media for up to date info on these.

Question 11

Can I visit your workshop?

Accepted Answer

No, sorry not at this stage.
It's small and busy and not really suitable for visitors right now.
Hopefully in the future though!

Question 12

I've lost my cushion care instructions - help!

Accepted Answer

No bother, these things have a habit of disappearing!
Check out the Cushion Care section of the FAQ page.

Question 13

My felted fleece rug has had an accident :(

Accepted Answer

Oh dear!
Try checking out the Rug Care section of the FAQ section or email me.

Question 14

How can I frame my new prints?

Accepted Answer

Lots of ways!
You can go cheap and cheerful and visit one of the big box stores for a frame or you can take it to a professional framer and get it done that way.
All the prints are standard sized so they're easy to frame.
The postcard sizes often work well in a multi-photo, collage style frame.
Bigger A4 and A3 sizes look nice in a larger sized frame with an A4 or A3 matboard surround, you can order different colours of these online if you don't want white (most purchased frames only have white matboards).

Question 15

Do you sell the original Fibreworks?

Accepted Answer

No, not at this stage.  I don't produce them fast enough.
I'd like to have an exhibition one day and you can't have that without plenty of original stuff!
So I'm hoarding all my originals 😁

Question 16

Can you ship overseas?

Accepted Answer

Not at the moment.
The shipping cost is sky high and the process quite complicated.
Maybe in the future.

Support

FAQ

Love Felt
Artisan Feltmaker
& Fibresmith

info@lovefelt.co.nz

Support

FAQ

Love Felt Artisan Feltmaker & Fibresmith

info@lovefelt.co.nz

Love Felt
Artisan Feltmaker
& Fibresmith