Felt So Right in Easthampton, Massachusetts

Massachusetts is the first stop 

of my 2015 summer hat classes !

Took a red-eye into Boston and 

landed just as the sun was rising.

Just wanted to show off this awesome pic I snapped out the plane window

My felt hat class in Easthampton didn't start until the next day 

so I got to explore Boston...

450 Harrison Ave #67, Boston, MA 02118

and chanced upon a wonderful hat shop in the

 SOWA ( South of Washington ) artsy area of Boston

named Galvin-ized Headwear.

Marie Galvin

Galvin-ized Headwear is the store front and studio 

of the amazing Boston based Irish milliner,

Marie Galvin

www.galvinizedhats.com

Marie has a wonderful selection of all original hats 

in different shapes, sizes, and materials.

2009 Hatty Award hat by Marie Galvin

 Marie was extremely nice even though she was very busy making hats for custom orders.

She asked me not to photograph her inspiring studio work area because she felt it was 

in disarray.

Meeting milliners always inspires me and makes me envious.

Marie Galvin is making beautiful hats

and I'm still learning. 

A quick stop for cannoli in the North End of Boston 

at the world famous Mike's Pastry 

helped lift my spirits.

Two hours and 30 minutes east of Boston I finally found 

the quaint, little town of Easthampton where.

84 Cottage St. Easthampton, MA 01027

my hat felting class was at New England Felting Supply which is located in an old theater.

New England Felting Supply has a cozy, cute storefront and I thought 

"Egads, THIS is what I flew across the country for ?? "

www.feltingsupply.com/

 And then I walked into the back and entered a felting oasis !!

It was awesome and inspiring.

The classroom area had beautiful, fanciful felt hats everywhere I looked

 and the hats were all the work of an extremely talented 

fiber artist from Michigan who specializes in 

" exceptional, fun, out-of-the ordinary felt hats ";

Dawn Edwards

Felt So Right

www.feltsoright.com/

Shopping at the wall of Merino wool was like being in a dream

Dawn is a wonderful teacher and genuinely nice person.

She freely shared her techniques, ideas, and tips for felting success.

Something Dawn shared was a technique to add character to any hat during felting.

Of course I had to try it...

I kept soaping and wetting and agitating...

until it was all successfully felted. 

And then I cut it open to reveal...

a giant flower growing out of the side of my hat!

My flower is pretty hideous but, the technique I learned 

has lots and lots of possibilities.

My new friend from class also made a flower grow out of her hat :)

After felting and laughing and talking for two days we all were friends.

I definitely know that felting will 

be a big part of my millinery process.

Art hats are not my goal but,

Dawn taught very valuable techniques 

that will greatly improve my future felting.

First hat class of Summer 2015 was a success!