Carve, bend, and lace your own pair of wooden snowshoes in the traditional Ojibwe style. Pointed at both ends, this snowshoe design is efficient for travel through both wooded areas or across frozen lakes and open expanses. During the evening session, students will steam bend and shape ash frames. For the remaining three days of class, students will mortise in crosspieces with simple hand tools and learn traditional techniques for lacing their shoes using lightweight, hollowed nylon cord. Traditional bindings will be provided and their uses will be covered in detail. The end result is a satisfying reflection of craftsmanship and skills handed down through the generations. This course is scheduled for a full three days in order to allow enough time for students to completely finish lacing both snowshoes and to return home with a finished project, to provide for a comfortable pace throughout the class, and to create opportunities to participate in parts of the Winterer’s Gathering and Arctic Film Festival. Students who work quickly or feel confident in completing their work at home could plan to leave earlier than 5 PM on the last day.

In the November 2020 session, students are highly encouraged, though not required to attend a session on Thursday, November 19 from 5pm-8pm to bend their frames. The frames will set-up on Friday and class will re-commence Saturday-Monday to complete the project, allowing students enjoy the Arctic Film Festival and Winterer's Gathering speakers and skill shares on Friday. Students unable to attend the Thursday evening session will have frames prepared for them by the instructor.

• November 19, 5-8pm: Optional frame bending session
• November 20: no scheduled activities
• November 21 - 23: Offical course days

You will need the following tools for this class:

• tape measure
• pencil
• leather gloves

• square
• block plane