This school aims to bring together the work of esparto grass, and the philosophy behind the use of vegetable fibres for the crafting of everyday domestic and agricultural objects, as well as more artistic pieces.

The proposed methodology is an invitation to bring together people from rural and urban environments, an opportunity to exchange knowledge, and to safeguard traditions and cultural manifestations with the intention of finding answers to the great challenges facing Postmodernism and Posthumanism.

As a school project, students will create their own baskets by first making a tomiza base (a 22 cm diameter circle made with crushed esparto grass), followed by a 15-branch pleita body, (a 65 cm long with raw esparto grass). Students will need scissors and an apron or smock. It is recommended that students bring gloves and insect repellent for our session on October 8th.

1/ ESPARTERO WALK IN VILLAREJO DE SALVANÉS
8 OCTOBER 2022 | 10:00 - 14:00 |

Departure from La Casa de la Tercia. Local craftswomen will accompany us as we get to know the landscape where the esparto grass grows, and learn about how it is harvested, treated, and prepared for use in various artistic techniques.
We will learn the difference between raw, cooked, and raked esparto grass.
● Departure from the church square in Villarejo de Salvanés.
Working with esparto grass in the Casa de la Tercia, we will create lizards and fish using the esparto

2/ MAKING TOMIZAS WITH JULIA ESPAÑA (workshop materials included)
14 OCTOBER 2022 | 16:00 - 20:00

At the Campo Adentro facilities, students will receive an introductory presentation to the use of esparto grass throughout history.
Students will learn how to make braids using different branches of cooked esparto grass. Students will then learn how to sew the braids they've created into simple circular shapes. Students will create 22cm circles which will then serve as a base to make a small basket. Examples of pieces made from tomizas will be on display.
Requirements:
Computer and projector. Each participant must bring a sack needle or wool needle (3-4 finger lengths) and scissors.

3/ MAKING PLEITAS WITH JULIÁN DÍAZ AND CONSUELO GUTIÉRREZ
21 OCTOBER 2022 | 16:00 - 20:00 | At the C.A.R.

At the Campo Adentro facilities students will see how to make complex braids called "pleitas". Participants will learn how to make their own using raw esparto grass, paying special attention to the starting point. The participants will be given the task of making a pleita of 15 branches, 65 cm in length at home, which will be used to sew a basket in the following session.
Examples of pieces made with pleitas will be shown.

4/ PLEITA SEWING WITH JOSEFINA DE LAS HERAS AND JOSÉ LUIS LÓPEZ
28 OCTOBER 2022 | 16:00 - 20:00 | At C.A.R.

In the Campo Adentro facilities participants will sew simple baskets made from the pleitas that the participants in the school have worked on during the month, following the instructions of our craftswomen specialists.
Examples of pieces made with other types of weaving "or stitches" different from plaiting, which allow us to make objects with more spherical and flexible shapes, will be exhibited.

5/ MAKING ROPES AND NETS WITH THE VILLAREJO ARTISANS
5 NOVEMBER 2022 | 11:00 - 14:00 | At the Casa de la Tercia | At the C.A.R.

A group of spinners in Villarejo de Salvanés, will teach us how to prepare the esparto grass by raking it, and show us how to make ropes of different thicknesses with the spinning wheel. Participants will meet the last remaining traditional esparto spinning group in the Community of Madrid.
Goyo Martínez will demonstrate how esparto grass nets are made by hand from ropes.
Paqui García will show us how to make fine rope or "regüeno" by hand.