Come watch Jordan LaMothe forge a knife in just 2 hours! In this demonstration, you will be able to see a wide variety of forging and hammer techniques, from layout to material manipulation and more.
In this beginner class, students will piece together a frame that has already been cut to size. After inserting a mirror, they will cut the live edge pieces to fit inside, and finally, they will put it all together to complete a piece that is sure to be a conversation starter.
In this class students will design, shape and carve a serving spoon. Skills explored include: making a template and transferring it to a blank, carving and shaping the bowl and back of the spoon, use of hand tools such as gouges, scrapers, coping saws, and spokeshaves, and sanding and finishing techniques. Students will leave class with a beautiful, handcrafted hardwood spoon to use in their own kitchens or to give as a gift!
Learn all about Square Foot gardening from a local gardening guru. Square Foot gardening is the practice of planning small but intensively planted gardens. It combines concepts from other organic gardening methods, including composting, closely planted raised beds and attention to a small, clearly defined area. It is a high-yield, space-saving and time-saving gardening technique. Come learn from a pro, watch nature do her work, and then come back during the summer to tend your garden and harvest your efforts. Though the class is geared to vegetable gardening, the techniques discussed are applicable to other types of gardening as well. A terrific class for beginning gardeners or experts alike - and a great way to get out in the sun and enjoy our Adirondacks!
Always a popular class, Create Your Own Roasting Fork is geared towards the novice blacksmith. Blacksmith Steve Gurzler will teach basic blacksmithing skills while the students work to create a roasting fork for marshmallows or maybe even bratwurst. Bring something to roast at the end of the day with your finished product!
In this beginner class, students will piece together a frame that has already been cut to size. After inserting a mirror, they will cut the live edge pieces to fit inside, and finally, they will put it all together to complete a piece that is sure to be a conversation starter.
Using designs pulled directly from nature, we will be making hand painted leather earrings recreating animal prints native to the North Country. Students will select two different prints, then learn how to stamp patterns, apply dyes to leather, and practice their new skills. Additionally, we will add natural elements with ties to the region, such as pyrite, garnet, and freshwater pearls. To complete the earrings, we?ll add sterling silver ear wires. Rainbow Trout and Halloween Pennant Dragonfly pictured; longest earring length is approximately 3?.
In this hands-on class, students will craft a 12" dual-handled pizza knife designed for precision and durability. Students will start by firing up their coal forge, and then shape their blade from a single piece of mild steel. Once forged, the blade will be hardened using a super quench process to ensure lasting strength. Students will grind their knives to a razor-sharp edge, ideal for slicing pizza with a smooth rocking motion. Inspired by the traditional Eskimo Ulu knife, this versatile tool also lends itself to tasks such as fleshing animal hides, making it both functional and historically rooted.
No weaving experience is necessary! You will be making a Rag Rug using recycled fabric. Many colors and designs of fabrics will be available for you to choose from. The looms are dressed and ready to go: all you need to do is bring your creative spirit and you will leave with a finished one-of-a-kind rug that you have designed and woven yourself. Your rug will be 24? wide and can be up to 45? long.
Do you ever find yourself on a brisk fall hike or hunt where you could suddenly be wet from rain or fall into a creek? How about caught on a rainy day while camping? Starting a good fire isn't a skill we practice daily like people did traditionally, but it can be a lifesaving skill. Come learn the basics to make your fire starting practice perfect. In this workshop we will review different fire setups and safety measures focusing on igniting your own fire with a ferrocerium rod during our hands on portion. Participants will take home their own kits to practice with.
The Adirondack Style is unique. It combines traditional furniture making with the materials found in this region: birch bark, twigs, logs and more. Found in the earliest Great Camps of our region, the skilled craftsmen who made this unique furniture were inspired by the world around them. In this class you will be guided from start to finish: from the selection of the materials and their preparation, to the joinery required, as well as the aesthetics that will help you make a fine end table suitable for your Great Camp or home.
In this class you will design an item of your choosing (scarf, table runner, place mats, etc.) and go through the entire process to create it on a floor loom using the twill structure. Guidance from the instructor will be provided as needed. This class will include instruction on winding a warp with two threads at a time and weaving with two shuttles. Many fiber options and color choices will be available.
