We are thrilled to share the Lumbungsden Summer Programme, taking place in the Community Making Space at SSW. Following on from our first Taster Programme, community feedback and our most recent Fly Cup event, we move into the Summer beginning to explore local materials, skills and knowledge – starting with fleece and wool.
Kicking off in July, Aberdeenshire’s shearing season, this programme will explore fleece as a versatile yet deeply undervalued material cultivated throughout the local area. In a year where fleeces are selling at an all-time low this programme hopes to build a different economic relationship with fleece – How can this material connect our local communities and help us explore our local history, culture, and natural environment?
Download this Sheep to Wool Glossary to introduce yourself to the language around fleece production.
Sheep to Wool Glossary
Taking place across Lumsden from July to September we will try out all aspects of preparing fleece together, learning about where it comes from, how it is processed and what products and artwork can be produced.
The programme kicks off during the Rural School of Economics Summer Camp and continues on into September.
Weaving throughout the *Rural School of Economics Summer Camp is a series of workshops and events open to all. This includes the launch of the Lumbungsden Summer Programme, a series of workshops to introduce working with wool including regular sessions in washing, carding and dyeing fleeces getting them ready for making over the winter months.
Rural School of Economics Summer Programme
The Lumbungsden Summer Programme launch
Tuesday 11 July
6pm – 7:30pm
Community Making Space
To celebrate the launch of the new summer programme we invite you to join Myvillages and SSW to hear about the programme of learning and making sessions coming up over the summer as well as the Kids Holiday Club and events taking place as part of the Rural School of Economics Summer Camp.
Rather than cutting a ribbon to announce the opening we will take time to lay a path of wool fleece to connect us together with the material and to each other. If you received some fleece in advance, please bring this along with you.
The launch will coincide with the arrival of guests to the Rural School of Economics Summer Camp and will be a good opportunity to meet with the artists staying at SSW for the week.
Drinks and snacks will be provided.
Open to all – Children should be accompanied by an adult.
Draw and Sculpt Lumsden
Wednesday 12 July
3.30pm – 5pm
Community Making Space
Join artists from the Rural School of Economics Summer Camp to draw or sculpt (using clay) a special place to you in Lumsden. This will be a chance to share with others the places you enjoy in the village and to sit together undertaking collective drawing and making. The sketches created will be displayed in the Community Making Space throughout the summer.
All drawing and making materials provided.
Open to all – Children should be accompanied by an adult.
Community Dinner and Karaoke
Wednesday 12 July
6.30pm onwards
Lumsden Village Hall
Come along to the Lumsden Village Hall to enjoy a free community dinner followed by a chance to sing your heart out in this lively and fun community evening. The gathering is a chance for villagers and folks from the surrounding areas to hang out and make friends as well as enjoy delicious food together with members of the Rural School of Economics Summer Camp.
Food is free and will involve a communal effort.
Open to all – Children should be accompanied by an adult.
Sheep Shearing Demonstration and Fleece Processing Workshop
Thursday 13 July
2pm – 5.30pm
SSW Yard and Community Making Space
Come long to the SSW courtyard to meet Jimmy and Kate from the Croft of Blairwick, who will be shearing some of their flock. Kate and Jimmy will talk about their croft and what they do there. They will also introduce the different sheep they have and the ways in which they manage them.
Following the shearing we will work with Marguerite from Westfield Croft to learn how raw fleece is processed. This is a hands-on workshop that will delve into all aspects of processing wool and will provide the basic skills we need to work with the fleece over the coming months.
Alongside the workshop and demonstration there will be a workshop specifically for children to design their own ‘sheep’ haircuts. These stylish ‘sheep’ will be displayed throughout the village following the session. This workshop will be led by artist Tyler Lewis.
The event is free and refreshments will be provided.
Open to all – Children should be accompanied by an adult.
Community Wool Processing Day & Makers Gathering
Saturday 15 July
1pm – 5pm
SSW Yard
Building on and testing out the wool processing skills learnt on Thursday this afternoon is a chance to work together to wash, pick and card wool for use over the coming months.
Processing wool takes community effort and we look forward to welcoming people of all skill levels to join this collective endeavor.
Alongside these practical, hands-on sessions will be a range of local makers and producers sharing information about what they do and sharing some of their wares.
The event is free and refreshments will be provided.
Open to all – Children should be accompanied by an adult.
*What is the Rural School of Economics Summer Camp?
The Rural School of Economics Summer Camp will bring together local, national and international artists to explore the idea of energy – both community energy and energy such as oil, gas and electricity and its impact on communities. Interweaving throughout this camp is a public programme made up of community events at the Community Making Space and the Village Hall.
Throughout these shared events we’ll discuss what brings our communities together, what role materials play in creating a place, and how they can impact and improve our rural economy & communities.
The programme also includes a summer Kids Holiday Club where young people will get to design and make a new artwork for the village. Our regular Fly Cup will be an opportunity to meet together and feed into the development and direction of the community programme and the Making Sessions and Open Sessions provide time to work in the Community Making Space learning and practicing our skills.
Fly Cup
Sunday 23 July
11am – 1pm
Community Making Space
This Fly Cup is a chance to discuss and give feedback on the Rural School of Economics Summer Camp Public Programme as well as talk through ideas and thoughts for the upcoming sessions. The Fly Cups give a space to come together as a community to reflect and discuss what happens in the Community Making Space over a cup of tea/coffee and a fancy piece.
Fly Cup
Sunday 17 September
Community Making Space
In this Fly Cup we’ll come together as a community to reflect and discuss the Summer Programme and plan what comes next over a cup of tea and a fancy piece.
Open Sessions: Fleece – Wool
25 – 28 July
and
11 & 12 August
2pm – 4pm
In this series of open sessions, we will be working with fleece sheared at SSW. Together we will skirt, wash, card, and get the fleece ready for the next stages. Participants will have time to develop and hone their skills in working with fleece at their own pace whilst socialising with a cup of tea in the Community Making Space.
Download this Sheep to Wool Glossary to introduce yourself to the language around fleece production.
Sheep to Wool Glossary
Kids Holiday Club
25 – 28 July
10am – 1pm
Kids can come along to the Community Making Space to spend the morning designing, drawing and making a new collective artwork for the village. Working as a team and supported by artist Tyler Lewis young people will work with shape, pattern and colour to design a new summer artwork.
Sessions are free.
Kids Holiday Club is designed for children aged 7 upwards.
Children under 7 will need to be accompanied by an adult.
Making Sessions: Introduction to Natural Dyeing
Sunday 13 August
11am – 2pm
Introduction to Natural Dyeing: Part 1
Join this workshop in two parts, led by Zoe Robson from Fleece 4 Ewe, together we will create beautiful colours using natural, environmentally sustainable materials to dye our washed, carded wool. Working through the process step by step with Zoe we will build a foundation of learning in the art of natural dyeing.
Sunday 27 August
11am – 2pm
Introduction to Natural Dyeing: Part 2
In this second session led by Zoe Robson from Fleece 4 Ewe, we will continue to work together to create beautiful colours using natural, environmentally sustainable materials and dyeing our washed, carded wool. Working through the process step by step with Zoe we will build a foundation of learning in the art of natural dyeing.
Sunday 3 September
11am – 2pm
Community Arts Organiser Mara will be providing a space to continue to practice the natural dyeing of wool.
