On Saturday 16 September 2023, on the occasion of Worldwide Spin in Public Day, the Luxembourgish spinning association WollMillen will organise a yarn spinning gathering in Bascharage.
“We are looking forward to finding as many spinners as possible to assemble them in Bascharage for the first time, and this is even the first time in Luxembourg such an event is held. Spinners can come with their spinning wheel or spindle to spin in a relaxed and nice atmosphere. If the weather allows it, we will spin outside!” Denise Schumann, President of WollMillen, said.
According to Denise, there are no wool spinning mills left in Luxembourg and sheep and alpaca owners in the country struggle to find craftspeople with the necessary know-how. This causes local wool to be stored long-term and potentially deteriorate in sheds or to be exported for industrial processing. WollMillen was thus created to preserve Luxembourg’s know-how regarding wool work and to enhance the value of local wool. “Sustainability and leveraging local resources are our main objectives,” Denise said.
WollMillen offers a range of artisanal and sustainable, environmentally friendly services related to the work of wools. The association believes that wool is a “noble and durable material, which deserves to be valued and handled with care.”
In the first phase, it plans to process wool from alpacas. The wool is carded, spun and washed before it is returned as a finished product to the animals’ owner. At this stage of the project, the team is mainly made up of volunteers and they work with their personal equipment which they have made available to WollMillen. In a second phase, it is the association’s hope that the project will benefit from logistical and financial support to enable the acquisition of the machines necessary to carry out the various stages of spinning.
The association’s wish is to “bring this beautiful local raw material back to life” and to inspire lovers of wool and crafts.
This spinning event will take place for the first time in Luxembourg on Saturday 16 September 2023 from 14:00 to 18:00 at the Kulturhaus Käerjenger Treff (54c Avenue de Luxembourg, L-4950 Bascharage). Anyone owning a spinning wheel can join, but the association also has a few spinning wheels on site for those curious to try it. Registrations should be made via email: denise@wollmillen.lu.
