Spinning Yarn With Spindles – A Public Workshop at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research
On the 11th – 12th March 2026, REVERSEACTION hosted a spinning workshop at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, which brought together researchers, local residents, and textile enthusiasts from across the world, to learn about traditional spinning methods. Our goal was to create a welcoming space where beginners and experienced artisans could learn side by side, try practical spinning, and connect ancient tools with living traditions.
The workshop was organised by Anne Kwaspen and Agnese Benzonelli, with support from the whole Cambridge team. It covered cotton, fique, flax, and wool spinning, with talks on the fibres, their preparation methods, and the stories behind these traditions. The main events were the practical classes, where everyone had the chance to try spinning using different tools and techniques. On Wednesday 11th, participants focused on wool and flax, with talks and practical sessions led by Johanne Høgh (Textile Artist and Designer, Denmark), Marie Ekstedt Bjersing (Master Weaver and Professor of Textile Technology, Sweden), and Katrin Kania (Textile Archaeologist, Germany). On Thursday 12th, cotton and fique took centre stage and participants were introduced to traditional spinning techniques of the Arhuaco and Kogi indigenous communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia — talks and practical sessions were led by Arhuaco and Kogi Textile Artists, Judith Marina Torres Solis, and Carmen Nuvita Coronado, respectively.
REVERSEACTION would like to say a huge thank you to all of our fabulous, enthusiastic participants, for making the journey and putting your all into the workshops. Thank you, of course, to our experts, Johanne, Marie, Katrin, Judith and Carmen, for coming so far to share your skills and insights, culture, and ancestral knowledge. Thank you also to Jimena Lobo Guerrero Arenas, Santiago Giraldo and Paula Rodríguez, for being instrumental in making this workshop possible. Thank you to the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research for providing additional funding, and of course thank you to all those in and around the McDonald Institute who contributed to the smooth running of the event.