Traditional Crafts

Experience traditional broom making from start to finish as you prepare broomcorn and tree sapling handles and explore design and construction methods. This three-day introduction to broom-making will cover a variety of styles including full-sized sweeping brooms, whisks, cobwebbers, and more as time allows. Students will explore the usefulness of this old craft, find a new appreciation for the various decorative and functional styles of brooms, and leave prepared to take on further broom making projects with confidence – not to mention an array of brooms ready to work and beautiful enough to hang on a wall! This class does require moderate hand strength. Being able to open a jar is an example of moderate hand strength.

Required Tools

We will be working with broomcorn that has been soaked in water – please wear pants that you do not mind getting wet.

Optional Tools

Feel free to bring your favorite tools and whatever materials you might feel appropriate for this course.

• Your favorite carving knife
• Unique broom handles
  • about 1” in diameter and 45” long for the sweeper
  • about ¾” in diameter and 24” long for the cobwebber