Blog
Spinning wool with D.Benta
On one of my trips to Salto, with the purpose of visiting the Pisão de Tabuadela (The Tabuadela Wool Stomping Facilities), where the last burel blankets made by the Women of Bucos were felted, I had the chance of meeting D. Benta.
Pisão of Tabuadela
Yesterday was my first visit to the Pisão of Tabuadela and to a pisão all together. I met Mr.Francisco, who is a “pisoeiro” and owner of the “pisão” he inherited from his father, who explained to me a couple of things about how it works and a few more about wool and “burel” - the traditional portuguese fabric made of woven felted wool.
The flock of Casa da Lã
Last monday we went to see the sheep where the wool spun by the Women of Bucos come from. Over there, the women have only two terms to differentiate the wool they work with: the “lã brava” (something like wild wool) and the “lã meirinha”.
D.Ilídia’s wool blankets
Before I went on vacation and while the Casa da Lã was closed, I went to Bucos to visit Ilídia at her house. It felt nice to have a slow afternoon just talking about everything. She was willing to tell me new things and I was eager to listen.
How a Fulling Mill Works
A technical drawing and a precise description of the mechanics and operation of a fulling mill, from a chapter titled “os pisões de Barroso”, written by Joaquim Fernandes Figueira, in volume XIII of the publications of the Congress of the Portuguese World.
Baskets from Portugal
Was snooping around the first floor of an old book shop in Guimarães when I came across an old magazine, that was a suplement from a weekly portuguese newspaper in the early 90’s, called “Artefactos”.
Making Thread from Boar Bristles
When I first visited him, José Machado showed me the basics of a technique I found interesting: making a hemp sewing thread from scratch with two boar bristles tips traditionaly used to sew shoes or other leather goods.
Women of Bucos
At the Casa da Lã (house of wool), the wool is still transformed through artisanal processes by a group of women that gets together every thursday to work and talk – the Women of Bucos.
Lower quality silk
Adding to the high quality silk production process, there’s a lower quality silk process: This one doesn’t require the death of the butterfly.
The Silk Cycle
While it wasn’t the only place to produce silk in past times, right now, Freixo de Espada à Cinta has the only Crafts Centre in our country that still develops the cycle of silk in its entirety.
Instituto Monsenhor Airosa
Spinning and Weaving are two things that have this mesmerizing power over me. I don’t know how to do any of the two, yet, but when I see the fiber turning into yarn, and then the yarn into fabric I can’t help thinking that there’s a mystical aura about it that hypnotizes me.
José Macha, Clog Maker
To be completely honest, I’m not a clog fan, but these made me look twice – I had noticed them a year ago. I think they caught my attention because they look so monolithic, but then they have these little decorated details, and a white leather trim finished with nails that look so strong as uneven.
Machado Handmade
The artisan’s workshop is always a magical place. Of course, it’s even better when the artisan is not only excellent at his work, as he’s very generous in spending some time talking about all the little details that make his work so special.
The flax field of Corredoura
Last saturday we went to the “Linhal”, a festivity where all the phases of production of Linen are performed by the Folclorical Group of Corredoura, in S.Torcato (Guimarães). It happens once a year, in the first saturday of July, during the afternoon.
Casa do Trabalho do Nordeste
As time went by, wool has become my favourite material to work with. Although I don’t use it in all its varieties (I don’t knit, for example), I have come to discover many of its possibilities, qualities and beauty.