Make your own sheet of paper from pure cotton. Cotton is the most durable paper due to the high amount of cellulose in the fibre and is used by many artists.
Everyone goes home with one sheet of handmade paper, decorated or not with a few flower petals. Although the sheet is still wet, it is given along in a cover.
Paper scooping was done until about 1720, from then on a rotary sieve was used. All steps, from making pulp, shovelling, carriage of paper, pressing, drying to satinising the paper can be found in a huge paper machine. Because all these steps reflect characteristics in the paper, the knowledge and craft is very important.
De Papierschepperij in Bruges has more than 23 years of experience in giving demonstrations and workshops for adults and children, both in the Papierschepperij itself and on location.
Recently, we have noticed an increased interest in handmade paper. Is it a bit of a countercurrent to the many and swift streams of communication we experience today?
Piet Moerman was born and educated in graphic arts. During his graduate studies, he was already given a lab about paper and a lab about ink. During a weekend, with the family, to the book village of Redu, he saw a paper cutter (Colpin) at work. That got stuck in his head and one thing led to another. In the “museum für papier und drück” in Basel he ordered the first professional scooping frames. In 1999, a building in the centre of Bruges was purchased to be used exclusively as a paper-making shop. Currently, the papierscheppery has an exclusive collection of handmade greeting cards printed with designs by renowned Bruges calligraphers.
By Booktopia (the current book fair in Flanders), the papermaking shop is asked for continuous demonstrations.
Leaves can transfer natural colour to fabric. In eco-dyeing – also known as plant printing – leaves from different plants are used to print a pattern on fabric. Since India Flint’s books, this dyeing technique has become increasingly common. The trick is that the leaf not only leaves a coloured stain, but that even the grain is visible in the print. At Textile Institute Hawar, we know precisely how to achieve this. Teachers Harm and Margriet will teach you about the natural dyes of different leaves and how to make a nice sharp print.
In this workshop, you will print a soft and summery scarf from Etamine de Laine with your own pattern of different leaves. You don’t need to bring anything for the workshop (but you can – read on!). We will provide a wide choice of leaves. Part of the workshop is fixing, which takes an hour. Of course, you don’t need to be present for this but keep in mind that you won’t be able to take the scarf with you immediately after the workshop. If you like to experiment, you can bring your own plant, tree or flower leaves. We do not know exactly which colour each leaf gives off, but we know from experience that the surprise often makes the result even more beautiful!
Harm Harms is a teacher and owner of the family business Hawar Textile Institute, where teachers from home and abroad pass on knowledge and skills in the large and atmospheric workshop. There is also a very extensive shop and an inspiring gallery, making it an incubator where new and old materials and textile techniques are (re)discovered. During the festival, Margriet Harms will teach the workshops together with Floor de Bruijn. She was a designer at Humanoid and teaches reuse and restyling of clothes and fabrics at Hawar.
Ebru is an ancient painting technique that has been around for many centuries. With this technique we paint on water.
Marbling is done using a wet base layer on which the artist applies patterns. These patterns are obtained by allowing colors to float on the surface of water, after which the colors are transferred to a sheet of paper (or textile).
This type of ornament has been used over the centuries to decorate all kinds of surfaces. It is often used as a medium for writing official texts or in calligraphy, for posters and for endpapers. Each creation has a different pattern, which gives a unique character to the object.
Participants go home with the marbled paper they made themselves.
Demet Unlu Ancion was born in Ankara in 1971. In 1987 she studied art history and archeology at Ankara University. During her art studies, she took part in drawing workshops. She started practicing Ebru art in the studio of Esengul Inalpulat in Ankara.
This installation allows every visitor to contribute to a giant circular loom.
Just roll up your sleeves, smile, and create something substantial connecting with all those who have gone before or are following you.
Take a seat (together with your child) at an embroidery table and embroider without compromise, without prescribed rules or patterns.
Our tables were specially designed for small children to embroider on in a simple way. We find the ‘doing’ and the pleasure in doing it more important than the result.
With the help of a pocket knife, we’ll transform a raw branch into a splendid walking stick. If you have a knack for using a knife, you might even add intricate carvings and designs to your creation.
Once you’re content with your masterpiece, we’ll drill a hole and attach a vibrant, colourful rope to your walking stick for that finishing touch.
Hausgemacht is a dynamic mobile haven for handicrafts, crafts, and creative exploration in Belgium. Our mission is to guide people from all walks of life to shift from overthinking to hands-on crafting. In a world where reconnection with ourselves, natural elements, and one another is vital, we’re here to inspire you.
We prioritize utilizing residual materials as much as possible, respecting the Earth’s capacity. We believe that crafting unique and sustainable items with our hands can foster a happier world and a healthier planet.
For adults, our workshops offer a diverse array of craft techniques, including woodcarving, glasswork, textiles, and printing. Meanwhile, children have access to a plethora of basic play materials crafted from natural and recycled sources. This encourages imaginative play, where creativity knows no bounds. Our creative workshops introduce kids to upcycling and the use of natural materials while they play, all rooted in the principles of crafts and handicraft techniques.
Join us for an immersive woodcarving experience. You’ll receive a raw, basic shape of a spoon, spatula, or butter knife, and it’s time to let your creativity flow. Discover various wood types, master the use of essential carving tools, learn corresponding techniques, and achieve a beautiful finish for your carved creations.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll proudly take home your very own hand-carved spoon, spatula, or butter knife.
Hausgemacht is a dynamic mobile haven for handicrafts, crafts, and creative exploration in Belgium. “Our mission is to guide people from all walks of life to shift from overthinking to hands-on crafting. In a world where reconnection with ourselves, natural elements, and one another is vital, we’re here to inspire you.
We prioritize utilizing residual materials as much as possible, respecting the Earth’s capacity. We believe that crafting unique and sustainable items with our hands can foster a happier world and a healthier planet.”
For adults, our workshops offer a diverse array of craft techniques, including woodcarving, glasswork, textiles, and printing. Meanwhile, children have access to a plethora of basic play materials crafted from natural and recycled sources. This encourages imaginative play, where creativity knows no bounds. Our creative workshops introduce kids to upcycling and the use of natural materials while they play, all rooted in the principles of crafts and handicraft techniques.
During the festival, children can make their own mosaics from all kinds of things, like toys and trinkets that everyone has lying around.
There will be materials available for the children to choose from to form their own mosaic. The children can then choose whether to fill in a drawn silhouette or sort out the colors to create a more realistic image.
The panels will eventually form one colorful wall.
Ismaël Bils makes all kinds of works of art, mainly with recycled materials. He studies installation art at the KASK in Ghent and this workshop is part of his internship.
Years ago, Ismaël started making mosaics from all kinds of waste materials. He started with simple silhouettes, filled in with all kinds of colorful materials. First on plates and on the wall of his room. But because he enjoyed it so much, he finally decorated the entire garden wall of his house.
Pysanky are colored and decorated Easter eggs. At Easter, these decorated eggs, which symbolize wishes, are given to family and friends.
During the workshop we will write a pysanka using the batik technique. With a pencil we make a rough division on a full egg (raw egg). We cover what should not be colored with a special pen (kystka) filled with beeswax. We then immerse the egg in a dye bath and repeat the previous operation per color. When the egg is completely colored and dry, we remove the beeswax by melting it over a candle.
Loeba Rozak was born in Hasselt and lives in Houthalen, she is of Ukrainian descent and has always been fascinated by pysanky and has dedicated herself to it.
