In the context of The Grand Tour, House Belsito (Arpino, Italy) and Bureau Europa are organizing a workshop on Thursday, September 19, focusing on working with a unique but until now underappreciated Dutch brown wool.
Alexander van Slobbe and Guus Beumer have launched a new label called "Bruin" as an ode to a natural yet unpopular color of wool. This label not only sells unique handmade designs based on this Dutch waste wool and its color, but it also offers the opportunity to create them yourself. The necessary skills can be acquired through various workshops. The first was part of House Belsito's materials program, and now, as part of The Grand Tour, Bureau Europa is offering a follow-up. The focus will be on wool from breeds like the Blue Texel, a historic breed whose wool is rarely used for clothing today due to its coarseness. However, Van Slobbe is convinced that this coarseness will be appreciated in the near future for adding volume to our clothing. He believes, however, that the yarn should feel soft and not scratchy. Nathalie Comans of Ministry of Knits has developed an artisanal yarn by blending this Dutch wool with 20% Dutch Alpaca fibers to meet this need. The result is a coarser yarn that still feels soft.
The workshop will be short, and Van Slobbe has developed special, easier-to-make designs for it. A supporting video has also been created for the workshop. Interestingly, the yarn itself, and therefore the coarser wool, will be central to this workshop. The workshop is not exclusively focused on knitting but also includes crocheting and tufting. Participants can choose how they want to work with the wool yarn, or they can combine methods. Additionally, Nathalie Comans will give a brief introduction to the yarn she developed.
About The Grand Tour:
Four different locations in Europe have been developed from scratch in recent years. In Italy and France, these initiatives arose from private efforts, while in Germany and Maastricht, a commission served as the impetus for revitalization. Curators and architects developed a unique and distinctive narrative. Although these projects differ from one another, all four initiatives are indirectly focused on the region and the relationship between heritage and public engagement, with architecture or design often taking center stage.
House Belsito is a place in the picturesque mountain village of Arpino in Italy, where hospitality and local culture are central, and materials such as wool define the current agenda. Château du Fresne in France is a cultural venue where the region itself provides the ingredients that breathe new life into the historic castle. The program of Ornamenta deliberately transforms a series of villages in the Black Forest, Germany, into a public platform for contemporary culture, while the former concrete factory ENCI in Maastricht prompts the architecture firm Rademacher de Vries to reflect on the historically shaped aesthetics of the location. The Grand Tour transcends geographical boundaries by literally bringing these four different spaces together at Bureau Europa. Zooming out reveals unique landscapes and converging histories, and thanks to attention to the periphery, the almost infinite differentiation of European identities based on local culture and heritage becomes visible.
Date September 19, 2024. Doors open at 1:00 PM, with the event ending around 5:00 PM.
Location Bureau Europa, platform for architecture and design. Boschstraat 9, Maastricht.
Participation €75.00 per person, including yarn and needles. Register via info@bureau-europa.nl.