Hall Runner Floorcloth
2026-04-17 09:00 - 16:00, 2026-04-18 09:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
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.

Calligraphy with Turkey Quills
2026-04-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
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.

Sharpening and Honing Blades
2026-04-18 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
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.

Advanced Sharpening and Honing Blades
2026-04-19 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
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.

Mini Flowering Tree Embroidery
2026-04-19 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Historically, wherever there was wool and fabric, there has been embroidery, and the Adirondacks are no exception! In this class, students will learn the fundamentals of crewelwork embroidery. Students will use a variety of stitches (chain stitch, lazy daisy, French knots, and long and short stitch) to create this decorative 4” x 4” crewelwork embroidery design step by step.

Rugs from Rags
2026-04-19 12:00 - 16:00
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.

Start with a Strip
2026-04-20 10:00 - 14:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Start with WOF (width of fabric) strips, create a simple block and cut and twist into a whole new block. Several options will be shared in this class. The fun will be watching as we each create different blocks by twists and turns and color design.

Introduction to Weaving on a Floor Loom
2026-04-21 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-04-22 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-04-23 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-04-24 09:00 - 13:00
Learn to weave on a floor loom. With instruction and hands on experience, you will perform each step of the process – winding a warp, dressing a loom, and weaving a cotton towel to take home and use for years to come.

Stained Glass Solar Jars
2026-04-23 09:00 - 12:30 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
In this class we will be cutting and applying stained glass mosaic pieces to a clear glass jar to create a solar jar light or candle jar. Inspiration patterns and/or photos will be provided or students may bring their own. These should be relatively simple images, and must be exactly 3? high by 10.5? wide.

Create Your Own Hardwood Cutting Board
2026-04-24 12:00 - 16:00, 2026-04-25 12:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Come create a beautiful 12″-18″ hardwood cutting board during two, half-day sessions. The class will discuss the types of wood being used, such as sapele, purple heart, African cherry and hard maple. The wood will be cut to size on a table saw. Then, using a joiner, students will make sure all pieces are the same size before gluing the various pieces together and allowing them to dry overnight. On the second day, the class will use planers to ensure that all boards are level and the same thickness. Students will then use a router to create a well and handles. Finally, the boards will be sanded.

Fire Building Basics
2026-04-25 12:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
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 Beekman Pie Carrier Basket
2026-04-26 08:30 - 17:30, 2026-04-27 08:30 - 17:30 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
This basket was designed exclusively for the Beekman Mercantile in Sharon Springs, NY. It features a large 12″ x 7″ solid bottom Shaker Cathead that, when inverted, forms the cover for this pie carrier. The base is a 13″ breadboard that will be provided. The instructor designed the component parts of the carrier to be used on a daily basis. The basket is for bread and fruit and the bread board is for cutting and/or serving. You need only store the handle (provided) and strap until ready to use as a pie or cake carrier. Students will weave the solid bottom base using a Shaker technique. The basket will then be pinned to a mold (provided) for weaving using a chase weave technique. Students will also learn to rivet leather to assemble the straps. The handle assembly will be provided. The finished size of the basket is 13″ x 8″ (without handle).

Live Edge Bowl
2026-04-26 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Come create a simple turned bowl that still looks and feels rustic due to its live edge. This course is targeted to those who have an interest in learning how to turn. The emphasis will be on learning how to use a lathe and tools safely and correctly. In this class, you will learn the basics of creating spindle-based objects and then work at turning your bowl. Leave the class with a lovely treasure that captures the “wild” feel of the Adirondacks!

Hiker (Small) Adirondack Pack Basket by Linda Scherz
2026-04-29 09:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-30 09:00 - 13:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
The Adirondack Pack Basket is one of the most recognized objects associated with the Adirondacks. Linda will teach you her version patterned from the traditional Adirondack Pack Baskets. This is a good size day pack for adults and children. This class will be fun for all weavers. This is a great intro size pack to making pack baskets. Linda will demonstrate, teach you many weaving techniques and guide you while you weave your pack basket. Students start with pre-cut spokes and do most of the weaving the first day. There will be great emphasis on shaping while weaving to create the belly on the front and the flat back. The second day students will be busy with the many finishing steps to complete the pack. Lastly, add an adjustable webbing or leather harness made by Linda and secured with skids made by students. Dimensions: 6? x 9? x 14? high. Students will be using a drawknife and other sharp tools. Leather harness is dark brown. Webbing harness color choices will be the colors available at time of class. Instructor will bring all materials to make the basket. Students should wear comfortable clothing. Baskets will not be stained during class.

What to Plant & Why
2026-04-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States

Traditional Herbal Practice: Wildcrafting-Plants of Spring
2026-05-01 13:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
As the wheel of the year turns, the delicate greens emerge. The plants of spring allow us to “lighten-up” from the comfort foods of winter. Let’s connect with nature and what she’s offering us at this time of the year, while engaging in the traditional practice of wildcrafting greens for the purpose of nourishing our bodies in and out. In this course we will discuss the Celtic festival of Beltain as well as the essence & traits of spring. Reflecting how these show up in our personal lives. We’ll harvest and then take our bounty into the classroom for making preparations in harmony with what our bodies are yearning for. In this make and take experience, you can expect to go home with two herbal preparations based on what is alive, at peak, and available for harvest. While it’s impossible to predict “who” will be available for us to work with, what I can share is that in past spring classes we’ve made: Wild Plant Pesto, Violet flower butter, Plant infused Oil for topical use, Salad Dressings. Please inform us ahead of time if you have any allergies.

Mini Barn Quilt
2026-05-02 09:00 - 16:00
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.

Perfect Pictures Every Time
2026-05-02 10:00 - 18:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Understanding photography basics is the key to taking control of your camera and knowing you got the shot when you were taking it. If you would like to take your skill level from shooting in Auto to having full control over your camera, this intensive class is for you! A step-by-step PowerPoint presentation helps teach the basic principles of photography including: camera options and set-up, peripheral equipment, image exposure and histograms, and will touch on shooting for HDR and working with motion, depth of field, and composition. The class is paced to allow time for questions and interaction, with about half of the day in the classroom experimenting with the cameras, and the other half spent in the field, practicing camera techniques and shooting options. A comprehensive handout will include all the major points covered in the presentation. While the class instruction is mostly landscape based, these techniques and principles can be applied to all photographic situations.

Paddle Making
2026-05-03 09:00 - 17:00
Come and create your own willow leaf shaped, traditional cherry wood canoe paddle or make a native double kayak/sit in the bottom canoe paddle. After some history and an explanation of the shapes, you will pick your blank and get started using only hand tools to create your paddle! The process will be demonstrated from beginning to end to ensure that you come away with a perfect paddle. Two different sizes will be available for canoe paddles – standard (29″ shaft) and long (32″ shaft). Kayak paddles are one size fits all (54″ shaft). This one-day class will give you a sense of accomplishment as you complete a paddle that will accompany you on the water. Students will need to specify their paddle choice at the time of registration. All materials are provided, material fees are included in the tuition of this class. Due to time constraints, students are encouraged to bring their own lunch.

Garden Harvest Basket
2026-05-03 09:00 - 17:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
This useful basket is beginner friendly. Students will weave a rectangular base, and learn shaping techniques that result in upright sides at the handle and very low sides on the ends. The basket is woven in continuous weave, which incorporates an oak handle as the sides grow. Students will have the option of adding runners to the bottom, if desired. Dimensions: 16? L x 9? W x 9?H at handle.

Spring Lakes and Waterways Photo Tour
2026-05-03 13:00 - 21:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
A gorgeous sunset awaits you in this one-day nature photography tour, designed for those who are already comfortable with camera basics such as the relationship between aperture, shutter and ISO settings. Start this eight-hour day with a very brief introduction and discussion, then take the rest of the day to play with photo techniques in the field at beautiful nearby Adirondack lakes and waterways. A great class for those who wish to receive mentoring while in the field.

Dovetailed Shaker Candle Box
2026-05-04 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-05 09:00 - 17:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
In this class, students will hand craft a beautiful pine wood box reminiscent of the Shaker craftwork. Students will begin with wood already prepared and cut to finished sizes for the project. They will work on the following skills: cutting and joining the sides/dovetail joints, gluing/planing and sanding the sides, shaping the lid and base, attaching the hardware (hinges), and finishing techniques.
