Courses

Challenged by the skew chisel? This is the course to overcome fears and problems and discover the amazing capacity of this woodturning tool. Alan will take students through the shaping and tuning of the tool and how to create “scary sharp” edges. Next students will tackle between eight and ten…

The complexity of geometric patterns complemented by a rustic, handcrafted look best describes the craft of twig mosaic. Twig mosaic is an early American folk art form using full or half rounded branches nailed over a frame creating a geometric pattern that provides volume and intricacy, delicacy and geometry. You…

Join Unplugged Featured Performer Prudence Johnson for an introduction to an instrument that goes anywhere, anyone can play, and is guaranteed to make you and those around you happy: the ukulele! Students, including total beginners, will learn a handful of basic, easy to play, chords on the ukulele that open…

Songwriting has been part of the fabric of humanity since the dawn of time. Whether conveying legends and myths, capturing spiritual visions, or simply sharing stories of endless flavors, music and voice are powerful mediums that naturally meld together. North House's annual Unplugged event and its performers are the backdrop…

We’re no stranger to taking materials back to the source: woodworking courses regularly head out to harvest birch; basket makers can be spotted in local ditches cutting willow, sweetgrass and cattail; and we even have the occasional sheep on campus for the fiber folk. But taking metalwork straight to the…

Watching a winter moonrise over freshly fallen snow through big glass windows is one thing, but often those lovely panes of glass let in more than just light. As anyone who lives in an old house (or even a new house!) will tell you, an icy breeze and frozen window…

Lace up some sturdy footwear and head into the field to be immersed in the fascinating geology of the North Shore with UMD geology professor Jim Miller. Using only your powers of observation, we will “read” the rocks ​along the Lake Superior ​shoreline ​to unravel ​its billion year-old​ geological story…

Willow has been a prized basket making material for centuries, and after this class, you'll know why. Using traditional European style weaving techniques, students will create a sturdy, beautiful basket using nothing but willow shoots. Strong enough to haul a full load of potatoes, these baskets are made to be…

Simple and elegant, a handmade willow platter is a great way to serve fruits, breads and other foods. Made with locally harvested willow, these trays are held together entirely by tension and include additional woven details as a decorative element.  In this one day course, students will learn several basic…

Carving wooden spoons is an old folk tradition in Scandinavia, where carvers crafted spoons for home use, seasonal income and to give as gifts. The techniques, designs and embellishments commonly used today are deeply embedded in centuries of cultural history, but spoon carving is also a vibrant and growing craft…

Let your imagination run wild creating a small scene of felted things. You will learn how to make 2D and 3D items using needle felting and wet felting techniques. Create gnomes, bears, dinosaurs, mushrooms, rivers, fish…the possibilities are endless. Adults and children can create a diorama together or each create…

Birch trees are one of the most versatile trees of the northern forest. From bark to wood to sap, there are abundant uses for this easily-recognizable tree. Discover the sturdiness and the beauty of birch by weaving a medium-sized basket from its bark. In this course, students will learn the…

Whether you’re looking for a spare bedroom, office, studio, tent, sauna, summer cabin, or just looking to reduce your footprint, the yurt may be the answer. Yurts are ancient, portable shelters and one of the classic inventions of human history: simple, efficient, easy to heat, sturdy, and beautiful inside and…