Carine Mertes

Felt maker

©Romain Bouschet

©Henri Goergen

©Romain Bouschet

Translating ideas

Carine explores felting through shapes
She washes and cards the raw wool herself
Her vases look as smooth as ceramic pieces

Carine Mertes' atelier, located in a former stable behind her farmhouse, provides the perfect setting to create her felt pieces whether they are fine vases, wall panels or delicate fashion accessories. Different types of wool are used depending on the object. “Wool is so versatile, there are so many kinds from fine merino to coarser wool from mountain sheep.” Initially specialised in dying and painting on silk, Carine gravitated towards wool after discovering the "nuno” technique which combines wool and fabrics like silk. Seeking to learn more, she enrolled in a felting school in Germany. Her work is regularly exhibited and she was one of the artisans selected to represent Luxemburg in the Salon des Révélations 2019 edition where the Grand Duchy was guest of honour.

Interview

©Romain Bouschet

What attracted you to felt making?: The endless possibilities. You can create fine felt for a fashion accessory but also more robust felt for a shopping bag or a sculpture depending on the wool used. Felt is considered a little old fashioned, so I wanted to show a modern way of working it.
Where does your wool come from?: Fine merino and silk fibres come from warmer regions of the world. Lately, l also work with local breeders who want their fleeces to be used and no longer thrown away. I like to know where the raw material comes from and that no harm is made to the animal.
What is the wet felting technique?: People often think that felt is made by knitting or crocheting yarn. This is not the case. I only use wool, hot water, a good olive soap and my hands to create the thinnest or the sturdiest object. Washing and preparing the wool before felting also matters.
Which piece has been the most challenging so far?: A Christmas tree to for a charity auction in Luxemburg city. It was felted in one piece so it took a long time to finish and there was a lot of testing beforehand. Finally, after all the hard work, I was happy to have reached my goal.

Carine Mertes is a master artisan: she began her career in 2005 and she started teaching in 2017