Workshop "Industrial Yarn Making"

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Teachers: Astri Kaljus and Ave Matsin

Astri Kaljus graduated University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy on Native Textile curriculum (2008) and MA curriculum of Native Crafts (2017). She instructs courses that deal with older textile in Viljandi Culture Academy, folk art society Viljandimaa Rahvakunstiühing and Estonian Folk Art and Craft Union. She teaches apparel fabric weaving in Viljandi Culture Academy and is a member on NGO Lossi Gild.

Ave Matsin is a graduate of the Estonian Academy of Arts with a master’s degree in textile art. Since 2001, she has served as the head of the Native Textile department at the UT Viljandi Culture Academy and a member of the teaching staff in the textile speciality. Ave’s main research areas are techniques for making archaeological textiles and handicraft research in general.

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In 2016, the Viljandi Culture Academy’s Native Textile department opened a small wool mill where all processing in industrial wool processing can be performed, from washing to plying and spinning the yarn. The mill’s equipment was custom manufactured for the Academy by Italian manufacturer Ramella and allow to produce semi-worsted yarn. The main objective of the wool spinning plant is to enhance the value of local wool and make yarn suitable for contemporary weaving of historical textiles.

Over the two days of the workshop, participants will be able to take part in all stages of the process: sorting, washing, picking, carding, pindrafting, spinning, plying and winding. By the end of the second day, two yarns with different qualities will have been produced. All participants will be able to take 100-gram skeins of the yarn home with them.

The participation fee includes 200-gram samples of woollen yarns produced during workshop. This workshop is suitable for beginners.