Courses

The spoon is in the eye of the beholder. A crooked branch can become a perfect ladle; a slight bend makes a lovely eating spoon. Enjoy three days of handwork in this greenwood carving class focused on ladles and spoons. Working with birch, you’ll use simple hand tools and carving…

Traditional northern craft meets Don Draper? Fedoras are definitely back in fashion, DIY is all the rage, and in this fun course you can combine them both. Put a northern twist on a southern hat weaving tradition and make a woven cattail hat to protect yourself from the sun during…

With more than just aesthetic appeal, cedar-strip boats are known for being lightweight, strong and quick to build. Gain the know-how and confidence to complete a boat project in your own backyard through seven days of hands-on instruction building a tandem canoe with other students. Techniques involve setting up the…

Enjoy the contrast of light and dark wooden strips, the quiet lapping of water on wood and the pride of craftsmanship that stems from building your own cedar-strip boat. From start to finish, cut thin cedar planks and learn to assemble an appealing pattern for your canoe or kayak. Students…

Felt is a non-woven fabric that utilizes the ability of microscopic scales on wool fiber to attach and hold together firmly. Cobweb felting is an advanced form of felting that is made with a single layer of wool – sheer, but sturdy enough to hold together well. Cobweb felt is…

Composite canoes are light, efficient and paddle like a dream. But canoe country granite can chew them up if you’re not careful. It can seem a bit daunting to use modern resins and fabrics but fear not. We’ll take the mysteries out of repairing that faithful paddling friend safely with…

Spend a fun evening in the kitchen as you learn new cooking skills and share great culinary fun with other students who love to cook. In this hands-on, participatory cooking class, you’ll prepare and enjoy a delicious summer evening meal, including wine pairings and craft brews. Take home a recipe packet…

Coopering — the craft of joined wooden staves to create a vessel — was an integral skill in many cultures worldwide; from Japan to Ireland, every meal had a food or drink that had at some point been stored in a coopered vessel. The skill and product is still relevant…

Discover the secrets of the old Saami school of ski construction by crafting a custom pair of birch skis to meet your needs. In this course you'll learn about the origin of ski design, function and construction. We'll also cover topics such as wood grain, bending wood, types of bindings,…

Popularized today by many historical re-enactors of the fur trade era, the throwing axe is a weapon that is deeply embedded in North American history. Akin to the hatchet it offers the ability to split and chop wood but is also designed to be used as a hand to hand…

Thanksgiving is around the bend, and your cranberries deserve much more than just being cooked into a sauce, or worse, being scooped from a can.  Join Chef Graden to learn how to infuse fresh and dried cranberries into a wide variety of foods that can grace your Thanksgiving table, or…

Rediscover ancient techniques and combine them with modern expressions and materials in a 2.25 day mosaic class. Learn mosaic techniques including ceramic and glass cutting, use of different adhesives, and grouting. Each student will design and then create a small project for the home or garden. By the end of…

Great fabric lurks in closets, trunks, attics, and thrift shops: learn how to turn garments you don’t wear into a garment you will wear with the help of a pair of scissors, a sewing machine and some creative inclinations. Dig out your mother's wool skirt or the kilt you found…

A pair of sandals that fits just right is a highly prized possession—and all the better if they are attractive and one-of-a-kind. Create a pair of custom hand-stitched leather sandals to enjoy for years to come. Students will spend some time sketching ideas and discussing execution, working from a few…

Combining blacksmithing and jewelry-making, this course offers an opportunity for beginning and advanced students of any interest to develop their skills as they forge and craft a Damascus ring with a silver liner. Students will begin by forging a piece of damascus steel, a particularly beautiful and ornamental steel filled…