Susan Tornheim, Fiber

First Name:

Susan

Last Name:

Tornhiem

Media:

Paper and Textiles

City, State:

Newton, MA

Artist Statement

I delight in the color and texture of hand-felted wool. It is important to me to control the felting process¾an ancient technique for making fabric that predates weaving and knitting. The process starts with raw wool fleece, which I wash and sometimes dye to obtain rich, permanent colors full of depth and subtlety. I further clean and brush the wool, then make layers of the cleaned fiber and place decorative additions on it such as contrasting combed wool, prefelted shapes, and yarns. Next the layers are secured in a netting, wet with hot water and soap, and rolled, rubbed, and pressed until the wool fibers tangle together into a permanent fabric. After the fabric is rinsed, ironed, and dried, it is ready for final finishing.

I learned to felt in a workshop in 1977 and have been experimenting and learning about the technique ever since. My focus is on the surface design: combining and coordinating colors, and adding shapes that I have cut from prefelted wool or knitted or handwoven material. Mohair or brushed wool yarns add linear elements and contrasting color. All these additions become part of the final fabric as they meld with the combed batts of wool underneath them during the felting process. I shape the felt in the wet stage. Some hats have a quirky small point in the center. Other hats are conical. By pressing, squeezing, and rolling, I coax the felt to take the desired form.

Once the fabric is dry and trimmed, I add hand-knit portions to certain hat styles in part because I love to knit. These knitted areas echo the colors in the felted part; often the same yarns appear in both. Knitting also helps shape my hats. The Star Hat, for instance, is a hexagon when I start to knit onto it. Careful decreases and increases in the knitting pull the felt into six points around the edge and add to the star design with six radiating lines in the knitted area. Soft wool and mohair yarns make the knitted areas feel cozy around the bottom of the hat and over the ears. In addition, I make felted earbands, scarves, balls and pillows, as well as all-knit hats.

I have recently begun making mixed-media and two-dimensional fiber pieces that have been shown in Boston area art exhibits.

Recent News

Current Focus

I work with fiber and textiles. My main focus is to create hand-felted wool material with special attention to color, texture, and shape. Controlling the total process, I dye raw wool fleece, make the felt—incorporating various yarns and other design elements—and then form hats, pillows, and accessories from the felted fabric. I especially enjoy combining knitting and felting and am currently exploring depicting nature and adding embroidery to my work.

Exhibits (partial listing)

“Members Juried 2, Concord Art, Concord, MA, 2/17–3/17; Juror’s Award

“Family Ties/Memory,” Belmont Gallery of Art, Belmont, MA, 3/16–4/16

“Members Juried II,” Concord Art Association, Concord, MA, 3/13

“Members Juried II,” Concord Art Association, Concord, MA, 3/12

Fairs (partial listing)

Paradise City Arts Festival, Northampton, MA

ACC Crafts Fair, Baltimore, MD

ACC Crafts Fair, West Springfield, MA

Crafts Park Avenue, New York, NY

WBAI Holiday Crafts Fair, New York, NY

Fine Craft Cooperatives