J288 The Journal for WSD

Third EWA Study Tour to Finland May 2023 Gillian Thomas, Gwent and Online Guilds

which Satu dyes using her environmentally friendly products. Back at base we had a felting workshop with Ritva Heino using local wool to make mobile phone cases. The afternoon workshop was traditional woven Ryijy rugs with Jenni Vanhanen. In a neat solution to stop the skill dying out, school pupils are taught to use a commercially available base and a needle to stitch the 'rya' knots. We came away with samples, kits and enthusiasm! On Monday Ian and Amy from the British Wool Board judged a display of fleece sent by local farmers. This competition during previous tours reinforced the message: simple steps such as keeping the fleece clean can add value to your flock. Whilst judging was taking place we enjoyed a dyeing demonstration and joined a spinning session. There might have been tea and cake, too! On Tuesday we travelled to Lapua to the paper mill at Lappajärven Värjäämö Oy. Paper strips from sustainable sources in Canada are spun into different thicknesses of yarn. The company and Natural Indigo Finland have worked on the development of natural dyes such as willow bark and woad. We saw the first cones of wool dyed with food waste from Finnish coffee roaster Paulig. We were sworn to secrecy until the launch on 7 June!

The European Wool Association is a non-profit, non governmental organisation founded in 2022 aiming to give back value to wool produced in Europe. This Study Tour was to Kannus. The previous ones were to Bergen and Bradford. We stayed in a traditional Finnish house, with lots of snow! Our base was the old school in Eskola, now a Community Hub. On Friday Roger of Wålstedts Ullspinneri in Sweden opened the Tour. Satu and Mari then introduced the traditional Finnsheep we would see at Isokumpu Sheep Farm. The highlight was meeting the pupils from the Silmu class. Their display of sheep-related art and crafts included rolags and a competent demonstration of spindle spinning. In much of Scandinavia sheep live indoors in the winter and are sheared in autumn. On Saturday we saw their spring trim demonstrated by the Finnish National Shearing Team. Lauri, Satu and Anni went to the Royal Highland show in June. After Finland’s Eurovision success they felt under pressure! At Lohtaia the tough local sheep have been used for coastal landscape grazing. The area is now clear and hosts a variety of wildlife, including migratory birds. On Sunday Sami showed us his spinning mill at Isokummun Kehräämö. He uses vintage machines to produce a range of yarns

Springtime shearing of traditional Finnsheep

Finland after landscape grazing

Photos: Gillian Thomas

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Journal for Weavers, Spinners and Dyers 288, Winter 2023