Eithne O’Dea

Eithne O'Dea is a self taught artist, exploring the world of felting, and also working in paint and mixed media.She is excited by the possibilities felt offers in texture, colour and technique, and enjoys that it's creation is both physically active and tactile.Eithne's love of nature is evident, and is influenced by her career in horticulture which spanned more than three decades, but she also enjoys to create pieces that are pure flights of fancy!

Q&A

What craft do you work with?

I am a textile artist, working in wet and needle felting. In my previous life as a horticulturalist my employer arranged a wet felting workshop as a social event, and I loved it! During Covid lockdowns my escape was my craft, which quietly took over my life!

What inspires you to work with this craft?

I love the colours and textures of nature, and find great inspiration outdoors. Felting uses natural materials, wool fibre and other recycled fabrics, worked with warm water and olive oil soap, or needling. It’s a physical, tactile process which I love.

How do you start your creative process?

Inspiration is all around- garden, landscape and sea, as well as an abundant imagination! Deciding on colour palate , sketching the overall concept on paper, and occasionally making paper templates for cutting my precepts if used, are the initial steps. Then laying out layers of wool fibres, wetting, soaping and rolling to create the felt. I add more details using barbed felting needles, and working in prefects also. When making 3D items I usually use a resist to work the felt on initially , and then shape the piece when the resist is removed.

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

My workspace is my kitchen and weather permitting, my garden. I live near the sea so often it is too blustery, and fibre layouts can blow away!! I have a love /hate relationship with my barbed felting needles….great for adding details, but SO sore when you prick your finger!!I can’t do without lots of old towels, bubble wrap ( to work the fibres) water and olive oil soap

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

I would like to try more nuno felting, and also making larger pieces. I would also like to experiment with new materials, and to use hand stitching as a decorative finish.

What have you learnt or the best advice you have received that you would like to share with fellow crafters?

When people say that you learn from everything you do, it is absolutely true!