"Esparte" courses
"Esparte" courses
Recovering tradition.
It is easy to understand that this website was unnecessary a few decades ago. The teaching and learning of these arts was unnecessary in an explicite way. In the "esparto culture" all was integrated in such a way that it was not needed a determinate period of time for the learning of it. This was done here and there in the comes and goes in the everyday rythm of work and rest, alternating days and nights, in the middle of the seasonal cycle of winter and summer. At the same time, tradition was fixed in the own familiar transmission and it didn't seemed very necessary to go out and look for anything else.
The new situation that we live makes necessary a time and space to learn deliberately these snippets of tradition that the daily work vertigo that pull us up even without our notice. It is for this that it is offered here the possibility to approach and learn diverse esparto weavings as I have been compiling and receiving from my teachers, a lot of them with their warm presence.
Crushed esparto
Crushed esparto - Beginning.
Crushed esparto - Beginning.
Activity: we will work with the crushed esparto and weave, at least, two pieces shown here.
It will be learned to weave the thread and "recincho" (cerneja thread).
Estimated time: about 15 hours.
Crushed esparto - Advanced.
Crushed esparto - Advanced.
Activity: we will work with crushed esparto (picao). It is about how to cover a bottle, a carafe or weave a vase. The objective is learning how to lift the "wall" of the piece.We learn other types of weaving like the seven strands thread, the four strands small threads (rabogato), and also the 5 strands and 8 strands ones.
Estimated time: about 15 hours.
Crushed esparto - Esparto sandals.
Crushed esparto - Esparto sandals.
Esparto sandals weaving is one of the most laborious activities the esparto craftsman is confronted with. To weave them ask a certain amount of will and tenacity from us because long threads and "recinchos" are required. This activity is dissapearing because of its complexity.Activity: to weave a pair of esparto sandals.
Estimated time: about 40 hours.
Raw esparto - Pleita
Pleita - Beginning.
Pleita - Beginning.
To say "pleita" in esparto craftsmanship is saying a lot. Pleita is the work par excellence. If tidiness and coherence presides our work it is not a very difficult weaving.Activity: the work is begun weaving the very strap of pleita with what we will weave a tablemat with.
In this course we learn how to start pleita with some delicacy and simplicity.
Estimated time: about 18 or 20 hours.
Pleita - Advanced.
Pleita - Advanced.
There are many pieces that can be woven with pleita but the mayority of them can be collected in two groups: flat work and works with a "wall" in them. In this course we will learn how to lift a wall. Also we will learn how to pass from 15 to 17, 19 to 21 strands in a tidy way and without stridences.Activity: we will weave a breadbasket or a medium bowl.
Estimated time: about 18 or 20 hours.
"Pleita" - To cover carafes.
"Pleita" - To cover carafes.
In this course, the difficulty is in the combination of flat weaving and lifting the "wall" of the work. Also we have to add the thing of sewing with an incorporated piece (carafe). And to cover the "neck" adds some difficulty.
Activity: a carafe will be covered.
Estimated time: about 15 hours.
Pleita - The lamp.
Pleita - The lamp.
It is a practical and simple piece that nowadays can be integrated in the domestical and semirural atmospheres that we try to bring closer to our homes.Activity: elaboration of a lamp.
Estimated time: about 8 or 10 hours.
This course can be integrated in other pleita courses.
Pleita - The "serón".
Pleita - The "serón".
The "serón" is a piece that truly has fallen into disuse but there is always some group or people interested in this work. This course can be incorporated in other when the organization requires it. It doesn't require special skills if the pleita weaving is well known.Activity: elaboration of a "serón".
Estimated time: about 10 hours (plus the weaving of pleita and threads). It can be incorporated in other pleita courses.
"Cofín" work or "Capacho" work
"Cofin" tablemat.
"Cofin" tablemat.
It is the typical work for the old olive oil stores and cellars. It is not a difficult work although it requires to manage well the hands in order to put the stitches in their correct place.Activity: elaboración of a tablemat using the cofin stitch.
Estimated time: about 12 or 14 hours.
"Cofin" breadbasket.
"Cofin" breadbasket.
Once the cofin stitch is learned, to raise a "wall" with this is more simple. Although it is well known that it requires its ways and practice.Activity: elaboration of a "cofin" basketbread.
Estimated time: about 10 hours.
The course of a "cofin" tablemat can be integrated in a longer one: about 25 hours.
The "cachulero" or "cernacho".
The "cachulero" or "cernacho".
The "cachulero" is a typical piece in the East of Spain, concretely at the Southeast. It is a work that asks skill and control of the "cofín" stitch.Activity: elaboration of a "cachulero" or "cernacho" (for snails).
Estimated time: about 16 hours.
It can be possible to integrate this course in the previous courses about "cofín" work..
Esparto - variety
Chickpea work.
Chickpea work.
It is a work easy enough that can be attractive because of the spiral forms that it defines. Not very big efforts are required to weave it. It is frecuent to find it in the cover of bottles and carafes.
Activity: covering of a small bottle.
Estimated time: about 6 hours.
This course can be integrated in some of the previous ones.
The sling
The sling
It is a tool that have fallen in disuse because of the disappering of shepherds (the majority of them used to work with it). In spite of this, nowadays there is some interest for recuperate it, even it has become a federated sport in some places in Spain.
Activity: elaboration of one or some slings.
Estimated time: about 4 hours.
This course can be integrated in some of the previous ones.
Melon bag
Melon bag
To preserve a melon since it is riped until Christmas can be a difficult task. The melon bag avoids contact with other elements and can suspend it in the air avoiding its descomposition.
Activity: weaving of a melon bag with crushed esparto.
Estimated time: about 6 hours.
This course can be integrated in some of the previous ones.
Beehive work
Beehive work
The beehive stitch is an easy enough work. At the beginning it was done with straw. Its flexibility allowed the easy management. Where no straw was found it was changed for similar materials like esparto. These works have great consistency.Activity: weaving of a tablemat or a small bowl using beehive work.
Estimated time: about 10 or 12 hours.
This course can be integrated in some of the previous ones.
Comb woven
Comb woven
It is a work that can be a transition between esparto and wicker. Both weavings are similar. The only difference is in texture and "behaviour" of each material. Both works share one modality of weaving. In some moment they become estranged: when finishing the weaving or in changing the main scheme to do some aesthetical operation.Activity: to weave a bowl with "Comb work".
Estimated time: about 12 or 14 hours.
This course can be integrated in some of the previous ones.
Wicker
Wicker - Beginning
Wicker - Beginning
The wicker is somewhat different from the esparto one, except the comb weaving. In this first initiation course we will learn the elemental technics to begin. We will weave a base and raise the "wall" with simple rods. It is a basic course in classical basketmaking.Activity: weaving of a small basket with thread clossing.
Estimated time: about 12 or 14 hours.
Maximum people: 8 persons.
