Traditional Crafts

This class is an introduction to some basic techniques for making books by hand. Participants will make 3 different book structures: a sewn pamphlet, a hard cover fold book and an Asian style "stab" binding. The workshop will start with the making of decorative paste papers to be used for covering the book models we will make in class. Investigate the crafts employed in putting the elements of a book together. These simple bindings are satisfying and useful on their own but also employ techniques that can be elaborated on for more advanced book forms and personal exploration.

This class is an introduction to some basic techniques for making books by hand. Participants will make 3 different book structures: a sewn pamphlet, a hard cover fold book and an Asian style "stab" binding. The workshop will start with the making of decorative paste papers to be used for covering the book models we will make in class. Investigate the crafts employed in putting the elements of a book together. These simple bindings are satisfying and useful on their own but also employ techniques that can be elaborated on for more advanced book forms and personal exploration.

Learn about color theory while creating a beautiful mosaic color wheel! In this workshop students will discover how one color will affect another. They will learn to use mosaic tools and adhesives and a large selection of colorful tiles, beads and glass to create a beautiful mosaic to take home.

It's recycling and repurposing at its best! Search your closets or consignment shops and gather up 30-40 neck ties. Grab a chair that has 4 seat rails, and you'll be ready to go. You'll weave the neck ties onto the seat rails, creating a unique weaving and functional chair. Please bring a collection of 30 - 40 neck ties and a chair with 4 seat rungs needing a new chair seat. The chair should have the old seating material removed, with any repairs and refinishing completed prior to class. There will be a limited number of chairs available for a nominal fee if you are in need of one.

In this class we will make our own unique collection of small brushes and brooms from Tampico. Tampico is a stiff plant fiber from the Agave or Yucca plant. The fiber is biodegradable and is resistant to wear and tear. The Tampico will be natural and dyed.

Using broomcorn and a variety of twines, we will tie a fancy turkey wing broom in the Appalachian style. The turkey wing makes an efficient whisk or fireplace tool in addition to having an attractive design. The broomcorn will be natural or dyed.

Come and create a beautiful hall runner floorcloth (5" long) to enhance your home. You will learn to cut stencils or refresh your cutting skills if you have done it before. There are many techniques to learn that can be used along with stenciling to enhance your final creation. In the end you will have a unique and functional piece of art that is one-of-a-kind! Please wear old clothes. Janet will provide glue guns, but if you have your own you are welcome to bring it and she will provide the glue sticks.

First, we will learn how to prepare walnut ink from the husks of local black walnuts. The black walnut tree (Juglans nigra) is one of North America's most valuable and beautiful native trees. We will then learn how to temper and cut a turkey's wing feather into a fine writing tool that we can use with the velvety smooth walnut ink to create calligraphy (beautiful writing!). For the calligraphy classes we will use a chisel-shaped felt pen and learn two letter styles - Gothic, or blackletter, and the Foundational Hand, also using our black walnut ink. Other materials and uses will be demonstrated as well.

Chasing the sharpest edge possible has consumed Howard's time and efforts for the past 22 years. He started making knives in 1973 and has worked diligently to get blades of all types as sharp as possible with a repeatable process that can be replicated by other people. Over the years Howard has studied whetstones in museums around the world and amassed a huge study collection of rocks which have been used for various purposes by craftsmen around the world throughout time. All of Howard's sharpening work is done under magnification and he has invented tools and processes for sharpening quickly and to a keen edge. At the end of this presentation, students will have an understanding and hands on knowledge of: edge geometry, types of steel, heat treating, natural and manmade sharpening stones and options, and a better way to understand the intersection of blade steel, heat treatment,blade geometry, stone type and technology, and how it all works together.

Come and create a beautiful hall runner floorcloth (5" long) to enhance your home. You will learn to cut stencils or refresh your cutting skills if you have done it before. There are many techniques to learn that can be used along with stenciling to enhance your final creation. In the end you will have a unique and functional piece of art that is one-of-a-kind! Please wear old clothes. Janet will provide glue guns, but if you have your own you are welcome to bring it and she will provide the glue sticks.

This class expands on what is learned in our basic Sharpening and Honing Blades course and through individual efforts at the bench. It is more project oriented, while expanding on types of steels, testing, technique, edge geometry, stones and other sharpening tools. At the end of this workshop, you will have a deeper understanding and hands on knowledge of types of steel, edge geometry, heat treating, natural and manmade sharpening stones and options, and a greater depth of understanding of the intersection of blade steel, heat treatment, blade geometry, stone type and technology, and how it all works together. It is recommended that students have taken Sharpening and Honing Blades prior to this course.

Join Janet for a day long class to create a mini barn quilt for that special mom, grandma or mother -in- law for Mother's Day. Or perhaps to spruce up your entrance way for summer. Come and unlock your creative spirit in this daylong class. Wear old clothes and bring a smock or apron, students may wish to bring a hair dryer if they have one.