Nuno felting Course - 28 February 2026

Nuno felting (Japanese for "cloth" or "fabric") is a wet felting technique that involves combining fabrics with wool (or another animal fibre), creating hybrid textiles. It's a fusion of techniques, materials and textures, during which we guide the migration process of the wool fibres through delicate cotton, silk or linen structures. In this very rich dialogue between the solidity of felt and the ethereality of light weaves, we explore forms, expressions and aesthetics that bring even more plasticity to a raw material that is already as eloquent as wool. 
This process has an alchemical quality in the fusion between materials that gradually transform and mutate under the hands that know, until they become something inherently unique.

The course is taught by Ana Rita de Arruda, whose artistic work is primarily based on felt, but not exclusively. She has unrivalled technical knowledge of wool and felting techniques, making this workshop a very special learning opportunity.

Course content:
- Introduction to Nuno felting and its origins
- Understanding the concept of fusing wool fibres with a woven base
- Identifying the different types of wool fibres suitable for Nuno felting
- Introduction to various fabrics that work well as a base material. How to choose?
- How to prepare the base, including cutting and laying out for felting
- Preparing wool properly, layering techniques on fabric
- Understanding the layering process to achieve different effects
- Practical instructions on the process from stabilisation, felting and fulling
- Basic concepts of colour theory and how it applies to Nuno felting
- Creative considerations for building patterns and textures into the final piece
- Identifying common problems and challenges in Nuno felting
- Solving problems during the felting process
- How to preserve the integrity and longevity of the finished piece

Teacher: Ana Rita de Arruda
Day: 28 February 2026 (saturday)
Hours: 9.30am-1.30pm and 3.00-6.30pm (7.30 hours)
Location: Saber Fazer, Rua da Aliança 112-114, Porto
Price: €95