Ghislaine Garcin

Maille & Feutre

Felt maker | Marseille, France

In the mood for wool

Ghislaine has been a keen knitter since childhood
Her production today is entirely artisanal and eco-responsible
She was featured in magazines and television programmes

Ghislaine Garcin works exclusively with wool, employing a technique that blends knitting and felting. She creates wet felt using traditional methods, but the resulting fabric stands out due to the way the fibres interlace within the knitting, giving the surface a rich texture and relief. Ghislaine designs cosy, handmade objects and collections for the home, merging craftsmanship with design. Formerly a graphic designer, her passion for textiles led her to teach herself this new craft. What began as an artistic curiosity soon blossomed into a vocation, and in 2016, she opened her own workshop. Drawing inspiration from her keen eye for interior design, Ghislaine creates a wide range of items, including rugs, wall hangings, cushions, small furniture, baskets, and more. Her singular aesthetic is recognised by its texture and tactile appeal, and by organic, imperfect shapes.

Interview

©Fabien Merillon

©Zoe Forget Lainamac

What are the inspirations for your work?: I am very sensitive to the colours, textures and patterns that nature generously offers us. But I can also be touched by the way other people look at the world, and a work of art can echo what I am feeling and trigger a desire to make something.
Would you say you are preserving an ancient craft?: Wool felt is the oldest fabric in the world. By promoting wool in a way that is both aesthetically pleasing and committed to noble materials, handmade products and time-honoured methods, we are responding to a deep-seated need to return to nature.
What made you change careers?: Wool arts such as knitting, crochet, weaving, embroidery, and so on have captivated me since childhood. After spending part of my career in graphic design, I discovered a new technique, wool felting, which encouraged me to devote myself entirely to this passion.
Do you have a favourite technique or material?: After combining knitting and felting, and then adopting natural dyeing into my practice, I recently took on a new design field: basketry with felt stems. I am still exploring materials and gestures in this new way, and it delights me.

Ghislaine Garcin is a rising star: she began her career in 2016 and she started teaching in 2017