Carla Campanini
Cornigliese Sheep's Wool
Cornigliese Sheep's Wool
43058 Coenzo di Sorbolo
Parma
0521.699179
Parma
0521.699179



In the beginning, the passion for yarns and the desire to recover the products of his land. Galeotto's desire to create a unique and unrepeatable bag for his daughter. This is how Carla Campanini, after a life as a freelance secretary, about ten years ago he started his second life dedicated to the enhancement of Cornigliese sheep's wool. Not a new job, but a good challenge.
The adventure begins in 2009. At the request of the Province of Parma, interested in promoting a project for the reuse of the shorn fleece of native sheep, Carla can personally follow the transformation path from shearing to spinning, up to the natural color of the processed product. «It is very complicated to create yarns that can be used to be worked and transformed into valuable artifacts, but it is absolutely possible. Indeed the results are excellent. To switch from shorn hair - which must be delivered to the spinning mill clean, checked and certified - to the skein, the process is very long and expensive ". The first experiments carried out by Carla lead her to skeins of carded wool which many consider useful only for making carpets, certainly not clothing. But determination can take us far. “It wasn't easy, but after much research, I finally came across a spinning mill in Biella that has managed to create a fine worsted yarn with which you can make from sweaters to bags to scarves and any other idea that comes to mind for those who are passionate about knitting and crochet ".
Wool in balls
with natural dyeing
with natural dyeing
It is impossible to imagine how much work is behind a beautiful skein of wool and how many proofs are hidden behind certain natural colors that have nothing to do with chemistry.. Carla Campanini does just that. First follows the complex process of creating the skein, then create new shades for those long, rough cream-colored strands with some dark speckles, the typical color of the Cornigliese sheep. Carla uses the products of her land to create unique and unrepeatable shades, respecting the typical shades of the Parma area. The first tests were with the bright yellow flowers and the leaves of the broom (widespread in the plains and hills), then she switched to wine (Lambrusco is perfect), then to a thousand other variants of flowers and native vegetation. Obviously, the Riccio di Parma tomato could not be missing, suitable for dyeing the whitish threads of the Cornigliese fleece in an intense red. The immersion of the wool in the magical mixture made of "vegetable squeezing" macerated in water in large basins - plus other alchemical secrets that only Carla knows - allows the skeins to take on unprecedented and unreproducible shades. A truly admirable cocktail of effort and passion, for the pleasure of the eyes and imagination.
