Kihnu women’s workshops

A modern Kihnu woman does not keep her diverse skills to herself and shares them with others.

At the home of Elly Karjam, you can take part in different workshops: making lip butter and ice cream, learning traditional Kihnu ribbon plaiting as well as learn how to knit the troi (men’s woollen sweater).

At Elly's, the lip butter is made of natural fats, for example, cocoa or mango butter and beeswax to which natural essential oils are added. The process takes about an hour and the visitor leaves with their own homemade lip balm.

The ice cream is made from natural raw materials and seasonal berries. The treat is ready in about two hours and during the time that the ice cream machine is working, you can learn ribbon plaiting. Maybe harder than the plaiting is choosing the kind of ribbon to make because there are seven different Kihnu ribbons in selection.

Elly can also be invited to the mainland to conduct her workshops. For example, she has been to children's birthday parties with the ice cream machine to spread the sugary joy.

Elly, who has weaved 100 trois herself, teaches it in Kihnu as well as on the mainland. Learning is individual and very flexible. During the weaving of one troi, meetings happen as often as the student needs.

In her workshops, Annika Annuk teaches Kihnu handicraft and bakes bread.

In her handicraft workshops, you can learn how to sew a traditional Kihnu jacket, gloves, and socks as well as weave garters. The handicraft of Kihnu is also popular on the mainland and that is why workshops take place wherever the handicraft master is invited.

The bread baking workshops take place in Annika's home at Pärdi-Jaagu farm. The baking of Kihnu bread is a long process and it is not possible for the students to watch it for several days. This is why the leaven is already fermented when the students arrive and the making of different breads is half done so that the participants can take part in all parts of the process and eventually try the warm bread when it is freshly taken out of the oven.

All workshops have to be agreed in advance so that the teacher could gather the materials and also time.