Explore traditional Italian folk weaving from Tuscany, Lombardy and Sardinia in a 4 day workshop with Angela Giordano at Fondazione Lisio in Florence. Then visit textile museums, showrooms and ateliers in the picturesque Tuscan towns of Stia and Anghiari, and Citta di Castello in Umbria. This workshop is suitable for beginners through to experienced weavers.

Master weaver and founder of the "Laboratorio Tramandiamo" at Museo dell’Arte della Lana in Stia, Angela Giordano has been weaving for over 45 years. A resident of Stia in the Casentino Valley, Angela’s textile and weaving projects for the wool museum have included the recovery and utilisation of discarded native Casentino wool. Angela has been teaching weaving at Florence’s Fondazione Lisio for several years.

Itinerary

Day 1

Checkin at Hotel Pendini and join us for an aperitivo followed by dinner.

Day 2

We begin with a half-day walking tour focussing on the history and influence of Florence’s powerful artisan and merchant guilds, visiting sites such as Palazzo Arte della Lana (Wool Merchants Guild), built in the 13th century. At its height the Wool Merchants Guild included more than 300 workshops producing over 100,000 bolts of fabric per year and employing a third of the working population of Florence.

Adjacent to Palazzo Arte della Lana we visit the church of Orsanmichele, taking in the extraordinary sculpture and architecture of this former grain market and chapel of the Florence guilds. We also visit the nearby sites of Palazzo dell’Arte della Seta (Silk Weavers Guild), Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore and Giotto’s Campanile. The remainder of this day is free time. 

Days 3-6

Italian Folk Weaving workshop with Angela Giordano at Fondazione Lisio. The Fondazione Arte della Seta LISIO is dedicated to the art of traditional and contemporary weaving. LISIO is located in the hills surrounding Florence and houses antique jacquard floor looms for production and teaching, table looms for teaching, a specialist library and archive.

Angela’s 4 day course will include an introduction to the history of folk weaving in Italy, and instruction on specific techniques and styles from Tuscany, Lombardy and Sardinia. Working on 8 and 12 shaft table looms, participants will prepare warps, dress looms and weave a sampler in wool approximately 20cm x 2m (8” x 78”). This workshop is suitable for all levels, from beginners through to experienced weavers.

Workshop hours are approximately 9.30am - 4.30pm. Lisio is a 25 minute drive from central Florence, transportation between our Florence hotel and Lisio will be by private minivan. Angela will be assisted by an interpreter for the duration of the workshop. Daily lunches and refreshments are included.

Outside workshop hours there will be the opportunity to visit selected ateliers and stores in Florence with our local guide, including Oltrarno artisans, textile and yarn stores.

Day 7

Checking out of Hotel Pendini we depart Florence by minivan heading east to the Casentino Valley, home of the iconic Italian wool cloth Panno Casentino. Originating in the 14th century as a durable and waterproof rustic wool cloth, Casentino fabric was industrialised and became fashionable in the 19th century, reaching iconic status in the 20th century.

Arriving in the small town of Stia, we meet our workshop instructor Angela and take a guided visit of the Museo dell’Arte della Lana, which showcases the art of wool and the industrialisation of Casentino cloth in this historic former wool mill, the Lanificio di Stia. Whilst in Stia we also visit the current local businesses representing Casentino cloth.

In the afternoon we drive to the medieval hilltop town of Anghiari, visiting the headquarters of Tuscan fabric house Busatti in Palazzo Morgalanti, before ending our day in the Umbrian town of Citta di Castello, where we checkin at Hotel Tiferno.

Day 8

We spend the morning in Citta di Castello visiting traditional weavers and artisanal printmakers at Tela Umbra and Tipografia Grifani Donati.

Founded in 1908 to conserve Umbrian hand weaving ‘tessitura a mano’ traditions, Tela Umbra houses a weaving studio, textile museum and store. Fabrics produced here are made exclusively by hand in pure linen and wool, utilising late 19th century hand looms and Medieval and Renaissance designs.

Tipografia Grifani Donati is one of the oldest artisanal print houses still operating in Italy, founded in 1799. An incredible working museum, Grifani Donati produce fine art prints on 19th and early 20th century machinery.

Following lunch we leave Citta di Castello by minivan, arriving back in Florence around 5pm, where we depart.

Accommodation

We’ll be staying at the historic pensione Hotel Pendini in the heart of Florence, allowing the opportunity to access everything this city has to offer outside workshop hours. Shared rooms consist of 2 connected individual bedrooms and a shared bathroom, whilst individual rooms have their own bedroom and bathroom.

Hotel Pendini is centrally located within walking distance of Florence’s sights, on both sides of the river Arno. Rooms will be located in a quiet part of the hotel, away from the main piazza.

In Citta di Castello we’ll be staying at Hotel Tiferno in the centre of this Umbrian town, within walking distance of museums, restaurants and local bars.

Inclusions

• Accommodation – 6 nights at Hotel Pendini in Florence, Tuscany and 1 night at Hotel Tiferno in Citta di Castello, Umbria.

• Meals – 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 aperitivi and 2 dinners.

• Workshop - 4 day weaving workshop at Fondazione Lisio including all materials. Instructor Angela Giordano will be assisted by her interpreter.

• Transportation – Private minivan transfers between Florence, Fondazione Lisio, Stia, Anghiari and Citta di Castello.

• Museum entries and guided visits – Orsanmichele in Florence, Museo dell’Arte della Lana in Stia, Tela Umbra in Citta di Castello and Tipografia Grifani Donati in Citta di Castello. Florence walking tour of historic guild sites.

• Atelier and store visits including Oltrarno artisans, textile and yarn stores in Florence, and Busatti fabric house in Anghiari.

• Guide – Access to local Italian guide for assistance during the trip.

Cost

US$3995 Shared room - 1 place left

US$4300 Individual room

Booking

A US$250 non-refundable deposit payment is required to reserve your place in the workshop. Final payment for this workshop is due 90 days prior to the workshop start date. Please ensure you read the specific Booking Terms and Conditions for this trip below as well as our Covid-19 Policy.