Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea
Joyce Jackson to Demonstrate Wool Felted Hats at Kentucky Artisan Center

On Saturday, January 12, Joyce Jackson of Lexington will demonstrate wool felted hats from 10:30 – 3:30 at the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea.

Joyce Jackson learned how to knit and weave early in her life and eventually made clothing for her three children. She began making things to sell in the early 1980’s such as knitted hats and scarf sets. Joyce taught herself how to felt wool, dye cloth, and spin the many fibers that came her way. Today she provides both a service and a product to a wide array of customers by teaching classes and selling her finished works.

Joyce uses mainly Alpaca fiber when creating felted works. She also creates felted items using mohair. Starting with the raw wool from sheep, she washes, cards, and dyes it to get the many vibrant and natural colors used in her finished clothing. “Felting” is made when fibers are agitated. The resulting felt can be shaped in many ways and Joyce will be creating hats by needle felting over molds during her demonstration at the Center.

Works by Joyce Jackson can regularly be found at the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, located just off Interstate 75 at exit 77 (Berea). The Center’s exhibits, shopping, and travel information areas are all open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and the café from 8 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Admission is free. The Center currently features works by more than 650 artisans from 90 counties across the Commonwealth. For more information call 859-985-5448 or visit the Center’s web site at www.kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov  

The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is an agency in the Commerce Cabinet.