Fungal Lace Club | for Center Rog Members

The idea for this club was born from the concept of using fungal hyphae for lace-making. In recent years, fungal mycelium has been recognized as a sustainable material that can retain its shape and persist over time with proper treatment. Now, we want to explore its potential in lacemaking.

In the club, we will select lace pieces—either designed by participants or based on historic patterns from Slovenian lacemaking heritage—scan them, and create molds from the digital designs in which we will grow fungi. Together, we will explore what materials the molds should be made of, the optimal thickness, which medium to apply, and which types of fungi are suitable for this kind of growth. The fungal mycelium will grow along the lines of the lace pattern, “crocheting” a new, unique lace through its growth. Some pieces will have fully formed lace, while others will leave some spaces unfilled—the result is always unique.

We will also incorporate other bio-materials available in the Green Lab at Center Rog and experiment with transforming them into new forms. Together, we will examine the boundaries of both materials and lacemaking knowledge, and explore where and how tensions arise between tradition and new practices.

Schedule:

• Introductory Meeting: November 24, 4:00 PM at the Green Lab
• Ongoing Sessions: Every Monday from December 8, 3:00–5:00 PM

The club is organized in collaboration with the Ljubljana Lacemaking Society, with priority registration given to experienced lacemakers.

Mentor and Collaborators:

The club will be led by Dr. Simona Strgulc Krajšek, a lacemaking teacher and pattern designer, trained as a biologist, who often combines science and lacemaking in her projects. She holds an NPK qualification in lacemaking and, in 2024, co-authored the book Lace Bookmarks with Ann Margaret Keller.

Project collaborators include staff from the Green Lab, lacemaking mentor Majda Jurkovič, selected members of the Lacemakers’ Society, and Prof. Dr. Nina Gunde Cimerman, a microbiologist from the Department of Biology at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, who will contribute her expertise to the project.

***

Participants should gather 15 minutes before the scheduled start time in the entrance hall of Center Rog. Please store your personal belongings in the lockers, which the mentor will show you. Please be on time, as late arrivals disrupt the workflow. In the case of a delay, entry to the lab cannot be guaranteed.

The program will be conducted in Slovenian unless stated otherwise.

The program is intended for participants older than 14 years, except where noted otherwise.

In case of cancellation, you will be notified two days before the scheduled start.

If you are unable to attend the program, the registration fee is non-refundable, and it is not possible to change the date. You can transfer your participation to another person, but please notify us at least 24 hours before the program begins at the email address: zeleni@center-rog.si

We look forward to your company and creative collaboration.