Courses

Bring a favorite landscape image to class and create your own unique bead painting on felted wool (material provided). Your piece can be made into pin for a wearable work of art, or framed for display. This workshop is for all skill levels, those new to beading on fabric as…

Brightly colored seed beads have been used to embellish and brighten clothing and homegoods for centuries. Learn to make a beaded doily in this one day class and experiment with color and pattern repetition to create a unique piece. Beadwork artist Marcie McIntire will provide instruction and materials for creating…

Hobby beekeeping is growing as people realize how rewarding it can be to collaborate with the amazing honey bee. A few pieces of equipment, a little bit of training, and a lot of patience can lead to not only delicious honey for you and yours, but a new relationship with…

Minnesota's history is interwoven with the history of hat-making. Europe's hunger for beaver felt top hats drove the voyageurs into the heart of fur country. Most of the fur traded at Grand Portage eventually became felt hats. There is no softer, warmer or more pliant fiber as fur-felt. We will…

Fully experience the craft of making a traditional birch bark basket for the gathering and storage of berries or anything you please. This course includes time focused both on basket making and on material preparation. Day one includes an extended session in the woods to harvest the birch bark in…

Explore the history, construction and use of the Native American birch bark canoe in this hands-on course. Paddled for centuries on the lakes and rivers of the interior, all the necessary materials can be sustainably harvested from a healthy boreal forest: birch bark, cedar, spruce root and spruce gum. During…

In this introduction into plaited basketry, learn about the harvest and process of birch bark, by creating a small pouch out of birch bark. Students will learn the basics of the double diagonal plaited weave pattern and elaborate further by adding a woven bark flap to make a pouch, measuring…

Most birds are not known for sitting still. By learning to recognize their songs, calls and the habitats they live in, you can have a satisfying birding experience every time you step outdoors, with or without your binoculars! In this one day workshop we’ll travel to various habitats and birding…

Most birds are not known for sitting still. By learning to recognize their songs and calls and the habitats they live in, you can have a satisfying birding experience every time you step outdoors, with or without your binoculars! In this morning workshop we’ll travel to various habitats in Cook…

Many birds have left the area for their wintering grounds, but while the number of bird species may have dwindled, the possibility of spotting rarities increases during the late fall migration. On this birding scavenger hunt, we will search the Lake Superior shoreline and adjacent land areas for waterfowl and…

The market basket will take you many places: from the market to the beach, from picnics to the grocery stores. This course is an introduction to the awesome qualities of the ash tree, which we will use for both weaving the basket and making the handles. We will prepare the…

The black ash pack basket: It's beautiful, highly functional and can be made using simple materials. The first part of the class will be spent preparing black ash splint for your basket by pounding a locally harvested log. Next, you'll weave the basket and finish it with a rim, handle,…

Outfit your own blacksmithing tool chest while developing and refining your skills on the forge. In this course, you will create the set of tools needed to become a backyard blacksmith, while simultaneously learning the basics of blacksmithing. Initial tool projects will include tongs and fire-tending tools. Heat treatment, forging,…

Always wanted to try your hand at the forge? This is the place to start and continue to develop your blacksmithing skills. You will be introduced to the basic skills of the blacksmith including safety, fire control, tools and equipment in both a classroom and 'on the forge' setting. Student…

A blanket coat made from a Hudson Bay-style blanket is an inspiring & distinctive example of style and craft. In this skill-building workshop, students will gain the patterning, fitting, and sewing skills they need to create their own unique blanket coat. Made from new or recycled warm wool blankets, these…