North House Folk School

Overview

Hide Week returns, with 14 courses exploring the rich and varied crafts of hide and skin tanning, finishing, and sewing. Leather is a material from which humans have created some of the very items that have made life possible, including clothing, footwear, blankets and many accessories. While there are many processes for tanning animal skins, each method reflects the culture, landscape, and knowledge of a specific place and people. Once finished, tanned hides can be sewn and embellished to create extraordinarily beautiful and functional crafts.

We are pleased to welcome an incredibly talented and diverse group of instructors to Hide Week this year. Featured guests include Karl Karlsson of Sweden, Kevin Lewis and Darla Campbell of Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation (Saskatchewan), and Matt Richards from Traditional Tanners, based in Oregon.  Each guest instructor brings a unique set of skills and knowledge, intimately tied to the landscape they call home-- from the animals they tan to the methods and materials they use in the process.  

In this unique event, we’ll feature different tanning and sewing methods through coursework,  and a free, day-long conference on May 15 with speakers, demonstrations and community events. Throughout the week, there will be many opportunities for cross-pollination and connection, fostering exchange and knowledge building across this international group of tanners and craftspeople. These courses are open to students at all skill levels, but offer an opportunity for more advanced tanners to share and learn from one another in an environment of curiosity and sharing.

On Friday, May 15, we will take a break from coursework for a Conference Day as an added benefit for students. This day is free and open to the public as well. Full details and schedule available early winter.