I work as an education planner at Taito Pirkanmaa, an organization located in the heart of Tampere at Crafthouse Verkaranta. The association is part of the national Taito network. In Finnish, taito means “skill,” and the organization’s mission is to teach crafts and keep traditional craftsmanship alive. It offers a wide range of craft courses for people of all ages, runs a craft school Näpsä providing basic art education in crafts for both children and adults, and maintains weaving studios where people can create textiles such as rugs, towels, and other woven products.
In my work I plan educational activities, teach crafts, and support the development of craft skills. Teaching requires continuous learning, as new techniques and materials are constantly emerging. My main specialization is textiles, weaving, dyeing, etc. but I also teach ceramics, sewing, and yarn spinning.
Rug making is a traditional craft in Finland, and the Taito organization works extensively to promote weaving and other crafts across the country. Yarn spinning is often described as a meditative process: soft wool is first carded and then spun into yarn using a spinning wheel or a spindle.
Anna Puolakka 