Join us on our fleece to felt course.

Over four days we will guide you through all the steps necessary to turn raw sheep fleece into durable, tough, highly water resistant naturally dyed felt that can be used for a range of applications, including mitts and moccasin liners. We will take you through all the stages washing, scouring, mordanting, dying, carding felting and furling. You’ll make over 30 different shades on this course using a range of natural dying techniques.

Timings: 9.30-5pm Course contact time – There is the opportunity to camp in the woods each evening or there are a number of local accommodation options as well.

Running in 2026 6th-9th October.

Email us at hello@pippinandgile.co.uk to register your interest in this course for beyond 2026.

Aged:14 and over Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.

Location: South London Woods – CR3

This course can be split into two parts which can be booked separately:

Part 1: Days 1&2 6&7th October 2026 £225

Processing and Naturally Dyeing Raw sheep fleece, and an introduction to carding techniques.

Part 2: Days 3&4 8&9th October 2026 £225

Felting: processing clean fleeces into carded fibres and then felting and furling them.

Full Course: Days 1-4 6-9th October 2026 £400 – Saving £50!

Processing and Naturally Dyeing Raw sheep fleece, and an introduction to carding techniques. Felting: processing clean fleeces, and your dyed creations into carded fibres and then felting and furling them.

Course Outline

This course has been carefully structured to give you plenty of hands on teaching time, without feeling rushed or pressured. You’ll have plenty of time to complete the projects you set out to achieve, but not will you be sitting under a tree listening to the birdsong without something to keep your hands busy.

Over the four days we will guide you through all the steps necessary to turn raw sheep fleece into durable, tough, highly water resistant naturally dyed felt that can be used for a wide range of future applications, including mitts and moccasin liners. We will take you through all the stages washing, scouring, mordanting, dying, carding felting and furling.

Part One: Processing and Naturally Dyeing Raw sheep fleece, and an introduction to carding techniques.

You will start with the raw fleece straight from the sheep’s back and process it ready to be turned into felt. This includes learning how to sort, store and clean the fleece, ready for the next stages.

During the course you will make five dye baths from natural materials many of which you’ll forage for. This will lead to, creating at least 30 different shades of naturally dyed wool. After that, you can choose to use these to decorate your felt. For the dyes, we will use a mix of traditional plants and more recent introductions that are commonly found. As well, will take a stroll over to see the sheep whose fleece we are using, These sheep, are part of the conservation grazing for the local protected chalk grasslands.

Part Two: Felting: processing clean fleeces into carded fibres and then felting and furling them.

This part focuses on creating the felt. Using the techniques of carding, combing, furling and finally felting itself. During these two days, we will take you through this transformational process. These steps turn the soft, wispy fleece, into durable, tough felt. This is the time for your creativity to flow, as you worked the natural and the dyed fibres into felt. You’ll have the chance to create flat sheets of wet felt, seamless pouches and have a go at needle felting three dimensional shapes too.