Introduction to Hairwork Gimping

In this afternoon-long class, students will try out a Victorian-era hairwork technique of combining wire and hair to make decorative pieces suitable for framing or using as a pin. Practiced throughout Europe and North America in the 17th-19th centuries, hairwork was a way to memorialize loved ones and practice an intricate art with readily accessible resources. Gimping is a hairwork technique that uses a wire to loop and fix hair strands that can be easily formed into shapes like flowers. As students work, they will learn basic practices for working with hair and about the historic and contemporary practice of hairwork, especially focused in Våmhus, Sweden.

Students may also be interested in instructor Karen Keenan’s lecture the evening before.

Prerequisites:

• Physical ability: Hairwork requires hand dexterity and the ability to pinch and hold.
• Skill level: Open to all skill levels; previous experience working with needles and thread is helpful.
• Ages: Suitable for ages 18+.

Tools and Materials:

A $20 materials fee is due to instructor in class. This class will work with synthetic hair.