Ahhh felt... just saying it makes our hearts go fuzzy! Like us, we know that so many of you feel exactly the same way - so we thought we'd shed a little light on that very special fabric that we've all come to love so much!

Did you know felt is a non-woven cloth that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers. While some types of felt are very soft, some are tough enough to form construction materials. Felt can be of any opaque color, and made into any two-dimensional shape, size or thickness.In the Western world, felt is widely used as a medium for expression in textile art as well as design, where it has significance as an ecological textile.

WE'VE GOT SOMETHING EXCITING IN STALL. World Fair Trade Day is an international celebration of Fair Trade products, with events organised worldwide. On and around the second Saturday of May every year, IFAT member organisations based in 70 countries, along with Fair Trade shops and networks, host events including Fair Trade breakfasts, talks, music concerts, fashion shows and much more, to promote Fair Trade and campaign for justice in trade. Fair Trade products from marginalised communities in the majority world (Africa, Asia and Latin America), including coffee and tea, clothes, jewellery and beautiful handicrafts (like heartfelt products) which will be showcased on this day. 

This year we supported this initiative in the Uk at the Oundle Fairtrade Market - St Peter's Church. Take a look at what we got up to here by reading more.

After just one exhibition, held in May 2007, Beadex has established itself as the Premier Beading Event in South Africa. From the 16 – 18 May this year, Beadex will once again invite all those (including HEARTFELT) to join them and share knowledge, set the trends and place beads at the centre of an aspirational and innovative lifestyle.This year, not only are the Heartfelt ladies exhibiting and selling their products, but Martha, Rose, Nthabiseng & Grace will be taking part in a Fibre Art Bead Embroidery beading workshop.

No pre-registration needed. Tickets available at the door. Entrance ticket includes a free copy of Your Family magazine. Find us at the Cultural Village www.beadex.co.za

VIEW OUR PICTURES HERE

It's true what they say, charity begins at home. And to us home is Makapanstad. It's where our heart beats and our children live. Here at the heartfelt project everytime an order comes in there is a warm happiness that resides over each woman. She feels excited and proud. Something that just over six months ago wouldn't have happened.

This is where we'd love your help. If you know of, work for, or are a large company or corporation who would like to donate money to a very good cause - building a workshop for self-employed women in an underprivileged community to be exact - then we'd be delighted if you could help. With an already existing brick structure the size of a large room from where the ladies work, we would like to create the perfect working environment for them by adding a roof, windows, small kitchen area and a lick of paint. 

YOU CAN VIEW PICTURES OF THE WORKSHOP HERE

The ladies at heartfelt have been asked by the Africa Foundation - through CC Africa - to create and design a safari themes felt board which 50 children within these rural communities can learn and play with. Designed on a green felt background (with beading around the edges & the Africa Foundation logo embroidered in one corner), the board comes complete with: a crocodile, a couple of hippos, a lion, an elephant, a giraffe, an owl, an ostrich, village people, a village scene, a conservation fence, a fire, a tree, grass, a dam, a sun, a safari vehicle and a lot of colour! 

TAKE A LOOK HERE