Workshops

This is a list of workshops held during the 2022 event. As the event is passed you may no longer attend these workshops. Welcome back in 2025!

Monday Aug 8th

Medieval stitches for beginners
10:00 – 13:00

Fia Makalös Lindblom
Language: English
Duration: 3 h
Price: 380 SEK
Previous experience: None required
Maximum participants: 10

If you always wanted to try the most commonly occurring stitches used in Medieval embroidered textiles, but was afraid to order all those expensive silks, gold threads and pearls, or felt unsure how to work the techniques – this is the workshop for you!

This workshop includes two and a half hours of intensive stitching, showing split stitch, stem stitch, couching, and how to work with pearls. We will prepare the fabric for embroidering by transferring the designs with talcum powder through a pattern design on a piece of parchment, and then fill the design with the stitches mentioned earlier. All materials used are historically accurate ones, such as silk and freshwater pearls.

Materials provided: fabric, a few meters of silk yarn each, jap gold for couching, and a short string of pearls, all included in the fee. Also provided are scissors, needles, linen thread and beeswax.

Bring your own embroidery frame if you have one. Other materials that you might want to bring include silk yarns with low twist, pearls (tiny freshwater pearls preferred) and japgold/passing thread.

Previous experience: Beginners as well as slightly more experienced participants will enjoy this workshop.
The workshop will be held in English

Fia Makalös Lindblom is an experienced embroiderer currently doing commission work, while teaching at Sätergläntan, the institute of sloyd and craft in Insjön, Dalarna.

Monday Aug 8th

Sword and Buckler
11:00 – 13:00

Tom Jersø
Language: English
Duration: 2 h
Price: 260 SEK
Previous experience: None required
Maximum participants: 12

Learn more about how to use a sword and buckler in HEMA style fighting. This interpretation is mostly based on manuscript I.33, a fight book from the 14th century. PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN SWORD AND BUCKLER.

Tom Jersø has been training martial arts most of his life, mainly bujinkan and glima. For the last 15 years he has been involved in the HEMA scene, fighting with sword and shield, and learning the body mechanisms associated with those weapons, as well as how sharp swords handle.

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Monday Aug 8th

Medieval Board Game Tournament
14:00 – 17:00

Jon Back
Language: English
Duration: 3 h
Price: 300 SEK
Previous experience: None required
Maximum participants: 10

We discuss the rules of some 13th and 14th century board games, mostly versions of tables and chess, and then play them. We cover the origins and evolution of the games, and just might give you a 13th century astrological world view explained through game rules.

The focus is on actually playing and thereby experiencing Medieval games in action. After the workshop you will be able to play a few new, rather old, games. Furthermore, one of you will earn the bragging rights to call yourself the Medieval board game tournament winner.

No special tools or experience needed – just bring an interest in playing, and we’ll bring the games.

The workshop lasts 3 hours, but feel free to stay afterwards and continue playing what you didn’t have time for during the workshop.

Jon Back is a games and play researcher working with the most modern tools, but with a strong side interest in the history of games. He will be supported by other members of the Disciples of Alfonso in this workshop.

Monday Aug 8th

Making a Medieval hood
17:00 – 19:00

Chrissie Carnie
Language: English
Duration: 2 h
Price: 300 SEK
Previous experience: Basic sewing skills required
Maximum participants: 8

Learn how to calculate and draft a small open or buttoned hood, or a hood with a bigger shoulder cape. If you have fabric for it we can then cut and fit the hood, ready for you to sew it, and we will discuss best ways to do that. Basic sewing experience required.

Bring: Cloth for making the hood. Preferably your own chalk, scissors, pins and sewing thread and needle.

Christine Carnie is a reenactor and historical tailor and runs her business “The Sempster”

Tuesday Aug 9th

Small bands and cords
10:00 – 12:00

Mervi Pasanen
Language: English
Duration: 2 h
Price: 260 SEK
Previous experience: Basic yarn handling
Maximum participants: 12

Small bands and cords are the Medieval person’s everyday zipper. Learn how to work different techniques such as tubular tablet weaving, rigid heddle weaving, braiding, and finger weaving. Basic skills in handling yarn are a benefit, but no expertise is needed.

Bring if you have them: weaving tablets, small rigid heddle. If you don’t have these tools, your workshop teacher will offer cardboard tablets for sale and rigid heddles to try.

Mervi Pasanen is a craft specialist, the author of several craft books, and specializes in Finnish Iron Age and Medieval textiles.

Tuesday Aug 9th

Medieval Archery
10:00 – 12:00

Martin Wallgren
Language: English
Duration: 2 h
Price: 260 SEK
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 10

A talk and a hands-on experience of warbows and war arrows. History and use of the warbow. Speculations on the role of the warbow in medieval history.

We will have a chance to try to draw some heavy bows and feel for ourselves how a war arrow balances.

Martin Wallgren is a warbow enthusiast and amateur bowyer.

Tuesday Aug 9th

Medieval Italian pasta
14:00 – 16:00

Matteo Moschini
Language: English
Duration: 2 h
Price: 380 SEK
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 8

This workshop will focus on the technique used to knead and pull dough in order to make Medieval pasta. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how to make at least two different types of pasta, and will also get some tips and recipes to try during your stay in Visby. Each participant will receive 500g of good Italian pasta flour to work with.

There are two fundamental tools that you will need: a chopping board (it should be at least 50cmx50cm in size) and a rolling pin. (Rolling pins can be bought from the workshop leader).

Matteo Moschini is an Italian reenactor with a passion for historical food.

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Tuesday Aug 9th

Arrow making for dummies!
14:00 – 17:00

Andreas Sundarp
Language: English
Duration: 3 h
Price: 350 SEK
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 12

In this workshop we will learn how to make a simple arrow from start to finish. You will walk away from the workshop with skills in making arrows, and hopefully, an arrow you made yourself.

No need for skills nor tools, but a sharp knife and a pair of scissors are always good things to have.

Andreas Sundarp is a reenactor with a passion for making arrows. He provides historical arrows since 2015.

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Tuesday Aug 9th

Gilt-leather embroidery – stage one
17:00 – 20:00

Maria Neijman and Amica Sundström
Language: English
Duration: 3 h
Price: 550 SEK (INCLUDES BOTH WORKSHOP STAGES)
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 16

In this workshop you will learn about how the medieval gilt leather embroideries were made. You will get to draw designs, transfer designs to fabric, cut out, sew together and decorate your work in the same way the originals were decorated.

In this workshop we will work with pattern forms from the 14th century. Wool fabric, gilded leather, thread and everything you need to be able to sew an embroidery like this are included in the workshop.

THIS WORKSHOP IS DIVIDED INTO TWO STAGES of 3 hours each, so that you have time to complete all the steps in a finished gilt-leather embroidery.
Stage one: Tuesday afternoon. Stage two: Friday afternoon.

Amica Sundström is Curator of the Textile Collections at the Swedish History Museum.

Maria Neijman is Head of Unit for the Cultural History Collections at the Statens Historiska Museer (SHM) (National Historical Museums of Sweden).

Both have extensive experience in researching, promoting and teaching textile histories, and together they form Historical Textiles, their joint business, offering a variety of lectures and workshops on Medieval textile history and historical craft techniques.

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Wednesday Aug 10th

Bröd och bakning under medeltiden
09:00-12:00 och 16:00-19:00

Lovisa Andersson
Language: Swedish
Duration: 3+3 h
Price: 550 SEK
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 6

Workshopen kommer att kretsa kring medeltida brödbak. Vi går igenom grunderna i bakning, olika typer av jäsmetoder, samt skillnad mellan mjöl och spannmål nu och då. Kursen omfattar också en diskussion kring medeltida källor. Teori och praktik varvas för att öka förståelsen för bakning som historiskt hantverk.

Deltagarna kommer att få en fördjupad förståelse för det medeltida brödet

Medtag skål/baktråg, slev, förkläde, linnehandduk.

Workshopen är uppdelad i två pass under samma dag: 09:00-12:00 och 16:00-19:00

Lovisa Andersson är en återskapare med känsla för historisk bakning. Sedan 2005 har hon arbetat professionellt med mjöl och spannmål och idag driver hon ett eget hantverksbageri.

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Wednesday Aug 10th

Distaff spinning
10:00 – 13:00

Anna Lindemark
Language: English
Duration: 3 h
Price: 360 SEK
Previous experience: Required, see below.
Maximum participants: 12

Take your spinning to the next level in this workshop! We use historical replica spindles to spin wool using a distaff, with a focus on drafting technique and spinning methods suited for the distaff setup.

This workshop is aimed at intermediate and advanced spinners, and you are expected to already be comfortable with spinning a thread (using your preferred equipment) as well as basic yarn handling (winding a ball, making a skein etc.)

All materials will be available to borrow (spindle and whorl, distaff, wool for the course duration). Additional materials available to buy.

Course lasts three hours, spinning lasts a lifetime, sorry not sorry. Actually, just tell me to stop following you around with wool when you’ve had enough.

Anna Lindemark is a compulsive spinner and wool addict, making too much yarn for the last 15 years with no sign of slowing down.

Wednesday Aug 10th

Finger loop braiding
10:00 – 12:00

Christine Carnie
Language: English
Duration: 2 h
Price: 260
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 12

Learn how to make 3 samples of basic braids in fingerloop braiding / fingerloop manipulation technique: a round one and a flat one, good to use as lacings and points, and a split one, producing 2 similar thinner ties, perfect for purse strings. We will provide wool for the sample pieces, but if you have a thread in mind you want to use bring it along.

Christine Carnie is a reenactor and historical tailor and runs her business
“The Sempster”. During this workshop she is backed up with members of the group Sundry Folk.

Wednesday Aug 10th

Ave Maria! Gregorian chant for medieval lay people
15:00 – 17:00

Karin Lagergren
Language: English
Duration: 2 h
Price: 220 SEK
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 20

Which chants from the Latin Gregorian chant repertoire might a Medieval person have been familiar with, either in how they sounded or perhaps even how they were sung? In this workshop we will learn a few handy chants from the above repertoire, or from closely related material, all manageable for lay people (i.e. ordinary people not in the service of the Catholic church).

We will sing chants common in Mass celebration, chants for the Virgin Mary, and chants appropriate for a pilgrim. All songs are sung in Latin, so everyone can join in regardless of native language.

No music reading skills are required, but notation will be briefly discussed and demonstrated. There will be plenty of time for FAQ on Gregorian chant and devotional culture in the Middle Ages.

No tools needed to be brought. A small booklet with chants will be provided, included in the workshop cost. No recording takes place during the workshop, but opportunities to record the sung items will be offered at the end of the workshop.

Karin Lagergren is a singer, pedagogue, and musicologist specializing in Medieval music. Since 2006, she is the artistic leader of the Gemma ensemble, a vocal ensemble specializing in Gregorian chant from Scandinavia. Karin combines freelance work with a position as assistant professor of musicology at the Linnaeus University. More information at http://www.karinlagergren.se and https://lnu.se/en/staff/karin.strinnholm.lagergren/

Wednesday Aug 10th

Spoon carving
14:00 – 17:00

Andreas Sohlberg
Language: English
Duration: 3 h
Price: 290 SEK
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 10

In this workshop you will learn to carve a spoon from green wood. We discuss wood as a material, and use a knife, axe and possibly a saw to make a plain spoon. During the workshop we will also look at examples of Medieval spoons. No previous experience required.

Andreas Sohlberg has a profound interest in historical crafts, with a focus on woodworking and leather. He works as a crafts consultant within Region Stockholm.

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Friday August 12th

Hand spinning for beginners
10:00 – 13:00

Anna Lindemark
Language: English
Duration: 3 h
Price: 360
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 12

In this workshop, you will learn how to make yarn using a drop spindle. Start making your own yarns for needlebinding, embroidery, and sewing. We spin combed wool with a simple, bottom-weighted spindle and explore the construction and uses of different yarns, as well as different types of wool, suited for different projects.

No previous skills required. All materials will be provided (simple bottom-weighted spindle and practice wool included in workshop price). Additional materials available to buy.

Course lasts three hours, spinning lasts a lifetime, sorry not sorry. Actually, just tell me to stop following you around with wool when you’ve had enough.

Anna Lindemark is a compulsive spinner and wool addict, making too much yarn for the last 15 years with no sign of slowing down.

Friday August 12th

Making and decorating a knife sheath
10:00 – 13:00

Rasmus Rasmussen and Hugh McDonald
Language: English
Duration: 3 h
Price: 380 SEK
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 10

Learn how to make and decorate a Medieval knife sheath. We show you how to measure and wet form a leather sheath, sew it up with an awl and linen thread, and decorate it with stamps and stylus. The workshop covers a range of sheath types and documented decoration styles. Previous crafting experience is a good thing to have but not a necessity. Set your expectations based on your existing skill level. The goal of the workshop is to learn the skills rather than finish a sheath during the workshop.

If you have a knife without a sheath, bring it and we will make one for that knife, otherwise there will be knives to practice on. If you have leather working tools bring them otherwise there will be tools to borrow. All tools necessary to finish a sheath will be there to borrow. Materials for a normal-size knife will also be provided. Leather, textile thread and boar bristles will be included for you to keep. Bring a tasty drink as well!

Rasmus Rasmussen is a knifemaker and armourer. Hugh McDonald has long experience with leather crafts and woodworking.

Friday August 12th

Plant dyeing
10:00 – 12:00

Renate Kammüller
Language: English
Duration: 2 h
Price: 420
Previous experience: None required
Maximum participants: 8

A workshop about historical dyeing with a focus on the late Medieval period.
We talk about what kind of dyes and mordants were used, and the difference between wool, silk and linen fabrics. We dye wool and silk in one or two colours and then alter the colours using different mordants.

MAKE SURE YOU WEAR CLOTHES THAT WILL SURVIVE A BIT OF STAINING!

Renate Kammüller is a German reenactor with 20 years of experience in historical dyeing.

Friday Aug 12th

Gilt-leather embroidery – stage two
14:00 – 17:00

Maria Neijman and Amica Sundström
Language: English
Duration: 3 h
Price: 550 SEK (INCLUDES BOTH WORKSHOP STAGES)
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 16

THIS IS STAGE TWO OF THE WORKSHOP THAT WAS BEGUN ON TUESDAY. YOU DO NOT NEED TO SIGN UP SEPARATELY FOR STAGE TWO.

Friday Aug 12th

Historical Treatise-based fighting
14:00 – 16:00

Martin Wallgren
Language: English
Duration: 2 h
Price: 260 SEK
Previous experience: None
Maximum participants: 10

In this workshop we will try some basic principles behind the fighting shown in the late medieval fighting treatises that have survived to this day. Bring your swords and get a feel for how to use them.

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN SWORD.

Martin Wallgren is a HEMA instructor and Geralt lookalike.