
Have you heard of “Yarn Bombing”? This movement, initiated in the USA, brings together volunteers with a passion for everything wool & yarn, who share the idea of taking part in a collective work of art. They knit (or crochet) lots of pieces which, once assembled, transform street furniture, fountains, trees, fences, etc. The knits ‘paint’ the town and make wool reign supreme!
Wool is centre staged in Felletin which, along with Aubusson, is the cradle of Basse-Lisse loom tapestry. You can discover this expertise by visiting a craftspeople’s fair (over 130 spinners, mattress-makers, felt-makers, bonnet-makers, weavers, etc.) and attending demonstrations of Basse-Lisse loom and needlepoint tapestry, plant dyes, knitting and spinning.
Fancy trying your hand? While your kids have fun with a giant knitting spool or scoubilaine, take time out at Café Tricot with passionate knitters or sign up for a textile course to take advantage of craftspeople’s and creative artists’ know-how and sound advice.
The National Wool Days in Felletin also invite you to:
- a retrospective exhibition tracing the Pinton Manufacture’s 150 years of textile production, where blending Basse-Lisse loom weaving and up-to-the-minute rug hand-tufting,
- visits to businesses to discover the secrets of transforming wool and making Basse-Lisse tapestry and Oriental needlepoint rugs,
- a botanical stroll where Thierry Thévenin shares his knowledge of tinctorial plants,
- a conference-dedication led by Marie Marquet, dyer, historian, independent researcher, author of "Guide des teintures naturelles" (Natural Dye Guide).
To find out more: https://journeesdelalaine.wixsite.com/felletin