Straw and rope

In the past, straw was a very valuable resource that was used for many different purposes. It was not only important as animal feed, bedding and thatching material. Straw was also used to make seat covers, beehives, children's cradles, sewing baskets, containers for storing grain, flour and groats, straw ropes, soles, etc.

Rope-making is a textile craft that has been known and practiced in town and country since the 1400s. Hemp plant fibers were previously the most important raw material and spinning the basic technique. Rope factories have now taken over the work and the craft has largely disappeared. The last hand-made ropes that were made in the countryside were made of harvest twine. The short pieces from sheaves of grain and straw bales were cut free of knots and tied together to form long yarns, from which ropes were made.

Museum exhibitions

Dialogue-based tour of the exhibitions, where we talk about self-sufficiency and the work with straw and making rope.

Activity 

The students are divided into smaller groups. Some start by working with ropes, where they collectively make a long rope of twine, and others work with straw. The students are instructed in using the old techniques and learn how straw mats are made from wet straw. It is possible to make trivets or small baskets from the straw mats. Soles or pot scrubbers can also be made from the wet straw. The craft is easy to learn, harder to master, and patience pays off.