Students felt their way into new art form
Mount Union fiber artist holds workshop at MCHS
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LEWISTOWN -- What began as a handful of colorful wool fibers quickly transformed into flowers, animals and landscapes as Mifflin County High School students discovered the creative possibilities of needle felting during a recent hands-on workshop with fiber artist Kari Roslund.
Students enrolled in the school’s Wearable Arts program spent two class periods learning the technique from Roslund, whose work has been exhibited internationally. Using wool roving, specialized felting needles and plenty of imagination, students created wearable pins inspired by nature.
The workshop offered more than just an introduction to a new artistic medium. It gave students the opportunity to slow down, collaborate and create alongside one another in the art room.
“Students loved the workshop because they had the chance to stay and work together in the art room for two class periods,” said Mifflin County High School art teacher Sara Sutton. “They were able to chat while they worked to create their own pins.”
Beginning with nature-based concepts, students transformed soft wool into detailed works of art, crafting images of flowers, wildlife and outdoor scenes. For many, it was their first experience working with fiber as an artistic material.
That unfamiliarity quickly became part of the appeal.
“Students enjoy felting because it is a new material for most of them, but extremely easy to get the hang of and improve quickly,” Sutton said. “You can really see their progress between their first and second pieces. Some are now on their fourth, and they don’t want to stop.”
Roslund, a recognized fiber artist and gallery owner in Mount Union, said one of the most rewarding parts of sharing the craft is seeing students embrace a medium that may be unfamiliar at first but quickly becomes approachable.
“One of my favorite parts of teaching felting is watching students discover how quickly they can turn a handful of wool into something meaningful,” Roslund said. “It’s a very tactile, hands-on process that encourages experimentation, and I love seeing their confidence grow as they realize what they’re capable of creating.”
The excitement generated by the workshop has extended well beyond the classroom visit. What started as a single lesson has sparked an ongoing interest in fiber arts, with students continuing to create additional pieces and experiment with increasingly detailed designs.
For Sutton, the experience was just as rewarding.
“This material is new for me too,” she said. “I enjoyed learning beside them and I am excited to include felting into my curriculum.”
She also praised Roslund’s ability to connect with students and make the creative process accessible.
“Kari was a wonderful addition to our classroom,” Sutton said. “She is extremely knowledgeable and great with students.”
Roslund’s own artistic journey began in Woolrich, Pa., a community known for its rich textile heritage. Surrounded by a culture rooted in wool production and handcrafted goods, she developed an early appreciation for natural fibers and their artistic possibilities.
After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art and a teaching certification from Lycoming College, Roslund and her husband settled in rural Pennsylvania, where they operated a small hobby farm. Raising sheep provided an opportunity to work directly with wool, from shearing and processing fleece to dyeing fibers by hand. Along the way, she discovered the unique artistic potential of felting and began combining her background in painting with fiber-based techniques.
Today, her work incorporates wool, silk, paper, wood and metal to create textured pieces inspired by nature, memory and community.
“I’m fascinated by the way materials connect us to places, memories and communities,” Roslund said. “Wool has a unique ability to tell those stories, and I enjoy sharing that process with students so they can explore their own creativity through fiber art.”
Those themes resonated throughout the workshop as students carefully shaped and layered wool fibers into finished designs. The tactile process encouraged patience, experimentation and attention to detail while providing a creative outlet unlike many traditional art projects.
By the end of the workshop, the art room was filled with completed pins, proud smiles and students already planning what they wanted to make next.
For a group of young artists eager to try something new, a few strands of wool became the beginning of a creative journey. Thanks to a visiting artist with deep Pennsylvania roots and a passion for sharing her craft, students discovered that even the simplest materials can become something meaningful in the right hands.