The workshop begins on Wednesday 14 October and will take place at the Club Municipal de Mayores from 10:00 to 12 noon each day. It will be led by Lesley Bohncke, who is the only craftsperson on Gran Canaria to hold the FEDAC's official craft certificate in hat-making. The course therefore also teaches a craft that has become rare and has almost disappeared from the island.
In the practical session, participants will create their own felt hat step by step. The process begins by working with merino wool directly from the fibre. In the first stage, participants will hand-make a felt crown to serve as the hat's textile base. The piece is then shaped using steam, tension and manual moulding on traditional hat-making moulds. Finally, the hat is finished with seams, brims, ribbons and other detailing.
Lesley Bohncke works as a textile artist, craftsperson and milliner, specialising in wool and felt. Her work focuses particularly on local wool from Gran Canaria and combines research, artistic practice and the passing on of craft techniques. For many years, she has been running felting and millinery courses for institutions, local authorities and organisations in the Canary Islands and across Europe, and develops projects such as LanaLAB.
Please bring an old towel, sturdy bubble wrap measuring approximately one metre by one metre, a bar of Lagarto soap, a tea towel for drying, an apron and a basic sewing kit containing pins, needles, sewing thread and a thimble. You can register in person or by emailing [email protected]. For further information, please call 928644242.
