Courses

Students will learn the history and craft of the flintlock Trade Rifle, a muzzle loading firearm associated with the 19th-century American frontier, including the Great Lakes fur trade. Rugged, accurate yet inexpensive, it fully answered the big game shooting needs of this era and still remains a fine hunting arm.…

Rediscover ancient techniques and combine them with modern expressions and materials in a 2 ½ 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…

There's real pleasure in making an object that you touch daily and that only improves with wear and tear—a leather case is exactly such a thing. Design and sew a stylish laptop cover, journal cover or clutch from the same basic pattern. In this course, students will learn foundational skills…

Learn the foundational skills of leatherwork while making a fun and funky clutch that will turn heads at the co-op and coffee shop. This bag has pockets, a removable wrist strap, and brass hardware. We will use the traditional two-needle saddle stitch and hand tools to make a beautiful case…

Tote your tools in style in a sturdy, hand-sewn leather tool tote. This open-top hold-all is perfect for anything from carving tools to knitting supplies. In this course, students will learn foundational skills that can be applied to future projects. We will use the traditional two-needle saddle stitch and hand…

A beautiful and sturdy leather tote can last a lifetime. This class will introduce leatherworking skills and design techniques that may be applied to a variety of future projects. In this class, we will make a hand-stitched, leather tote – perfect for toting a laptop or several books. The finished…

One whisk broom is never enough! Great for cleaning off car seats or work benches, whisking dirt out of the tent while camping, sweeping those dust bunnies into the dustpan, brushing fur from clothing, or using around the wood stove for little bits of wood and ash, you'll wonder how…

Luffarslöjd is an old craft that is part of the tradition of making beautiful and useful objects for everyday use using one’s hands and simple tools. Farmers used wire to mend fences and make and repair basic tools around the house and barn. Hobos traveled across the country offering to…

The North Shore once boasted a commercial fisherman for every mile of shoreline. But the work didn’t end when the boats returned with their catch; fisherman also had to tie and repair their own nets. Get "caught up" in one of the elemental crafts of the area and learn the…

Nets aren’t just for catching fish! In this class you will learn an ancient technique to make a netted sack for everyday use. To make a net, you only need to learn to tie one knot. The craft of net making has remained unchanged for thousands of years, a universal…

Pysanky (Ukrainian-style wax resist eggs) are a traditional folk art once practiced by families to celebrate the return of spring. The eggs have a rich historic background, and the designs found on the eggs are thousands of years old and can be found in artisanal work throughout Eastern and northeastern…

Bring your worn-out chair to class and learn the nearly lost art of the traditional, seven-step method of chair seat weaving commonly known as "hole-to-hole caning." During the course, you'll have ample time, instruction, and all the tools required to restore your vintage chair by recaning the seat to its…

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…

Students will investigate the methods of relief woodblock printmaking as Nick gives an introduction to the basics of creating a multicolor woodblock print. Techniques covered include transfer, carving, reduction, and multi-block methods, simplifying the world of layers, reverse imagery, registration, and printing. Also included are guided discussions on imagery, abstraction,…