The esparto basket weaving workshop was a great success. Last weekend, 7th and 8th of October, the second proposal included in the handicraft cycle by the Department for Culture was held. In this new edition, the esparto grass basketry workshop, given by the craftswoman Sonia Lekuona, was repeated, this time with a new technique. The students learned how to make a coaster and contributed with a donation to the Mijas Food Bank. 

Lekuona's two-day proposal filled the workshop and even doubled the waiting list. According to the artisan, "today we return to esparto grass, on this occasion, mashed and boiled. They are going to weave using the 'filete' stitch, which is very simple braiding, used in basket weaving worldwide, the only thing that changes is the raw material. Here, in Mijas, we are using esparto grass". The results were very striking, as the craftswoman also dyed the grass, naturally, using turmeric, tea, coffee and eucalyptus. 

All the participants were very motivated by the explanations but, above all, when they started to practice. Saturday's session was very creative and they made very particular and different pieces. On Sunday there were many participants who were already familiar with esparto grass, so the quality of the pieces was outstanding. Some participants came as a family, as is the case of Iván Marcos and Lina Guarín, mother and son, who signed up "to share time together and to recover local crafts, so that the next generations do not forget this tradition and we recover it". 

Marina González, who also worked as a helper, is a repeat participant and already a connoisseur of esparto grass. "For me, it has been an opportunity to learn and see other techniques with my colleagues. I value natural materials. Fibre has many possibilities and I love its ability to awaken your creativity". Finally, Lina was very satisfied with her work and what she had learnt: "I've been able to make my piece, it's been beautiful, and this was the first time. The teacher has been great". 

The next workshop of this cycle will take place on the 14th and 15th of October and will be dedicated to leather goods. Places are already taken but there is a waiting list. All the workshops are charity workshops and we ask for 3 kg of non-perishable food for the Mijas Food Bank. More information at cultura@mijas.es.

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