Malamatienia Ploumi, Venetia Galanaki & Antonia Dretaki _ Weaving and Natural Dyeing Workshop

Malamatienia Ploumi, Venetia Galanaki & Antonia Dretaki _ Weaving & Natural Dyeing Workshop

Seminar Type: Workshop - Practical
Level of Participants: Beginners
Hours of Instruction:

• Weaving: 14-18 July | 11:00-13:00 & 17:00-20:00

• Natural Dyeing: 15-16 July | 17:00-20:00

Weaving
In this workshop, we will delve into traditional weaving techniques, exploring the magic and possibilities of the loom. We will focus on understanding the concepts of warp and weft, and how to weave thoughtfully in an era where speed dominates. This practice offers a return to slower, more mindful rhythms.

The workshop will cover:

• Setting up the loom

• Preparing the loom for weaving (threading)

• Basic weaving techniques and color alternation

• Various methods for creating traditional and modern designs (embroidery, kuskuses, flokati, perasto, trio-patitiro)

• Simple techniques for finishing woven pieces

We will work on traditional floor looms. Outside of the scheduled workshop hours, participants can practice on the looms and take their time becoming familiar with the craft.

Natural Dyeing (15-16 July | 17:00-20:00)
Nature offers an incredible palette of colors that can be used to create beautiful textiles. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to various plants and techniques for extracting dyes, such as onion skins, avocado pits, and loquat leaves.

This traditional process helps us recognize the origin of the fabrics around us and create unique pieces reflecting the landscape. All plants used in the workshop are sourced from local farmers, and the fabrics are either recycled or organic.

Participants will experiment with 3-4 different plants and flowers, creating a variety of colors using modifiers. You will dye samples of various fabrics and colors and receive a detailed guide on the dyeing process.

THE TEACHERS

Βενετία Γαλανάκη

Weaving and Natural Dyeing

Η Βενετία Γαλανάκη γεννήθηκε στην Αθήνα και ζει στη Σητεία. Αγαπά τα νήματα και όλες τις τέχνες τους, και ενδιαφέρεται για αργές, παραδοσιακές και φιλικές προς το περιβάλλον πρακτικές.

Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες, μπορείτε να βρείτε τη δουλειά της στο Instagram και στο Facebook.

instagram: loquattextiles     facebook: loquattextiles

Malamatenia Ploumi

Malamaténia Zervou Ploumi was born in Zonianá, Mylopotamos, Rethymno, and is currently 55 years old. At the age of seventeen, she got married. She and her husband, Manolis Ploumis, live in Sitia, Lasithi, in the village of Epano Episkopi. She has three children, two daughters and a son, and is a grandmother to three wonderful grandchildren. She is involved in household chores and agriculture. In her free time, she enjoys weaving, embroidery, and knitting. Since childhood, she has been exposed to the art of weaving because her mother, Garyfallia Zervou, was a weaver who taught her the "mito" (a type of traditional weaving technique). From the age of thirteen until she was seventeen and left Zonianá, she worked as a professional weaver. She became more actively involved in weaving again in 2013, encouraged by the Progressive Society of Sitia "Vincenzo Kornaros," which at that time supported the efforts of the University of the Mountains in the Penelope Gandhi project, in an exhibition held at the Benaki Museum. The types of weaving she works on include: triopatitiro, kouskouse, deximo, koureloúdes, kilims, and bourges. And as she humorously says, "and so on…!!!"

Antonia Dretaki
Printmaking, Bookbinding, and Natural Dyes

Antonia Dretaki grew up and lives in Sitia. She has been involved in various arts from a young age, with a focus in recent years on printmaking, bookbinding, and the use of natural dyes on fabric and paper. Her sources of inspiration include the landscape and nature, as well as the peaceful way of life that rural areas offer.

For more information, you can visit her Instagram page: antoniadre