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The following courses are currently scheduled.
Courses are listed
alphabetically by title.
Woven
Birch Bark Basketry
Phyllis Knutson
Session Options:
. . .
7/4/2009 - 7/5/2009
Whether for proofing or baking, storage or decoration, there is
nothing like a woven birch bark basket to grace the kitchen or home.
Scandinavians in particular have long recognized the beauty and
usefulness of the white birch tree, with its tough yet flexible bark,
weaving baskets from its bark for a variety of utilitarian purposes. In
this course you will learn how to use the double-diagonal weave, opening
up the possibilities of weaving a variety of birch bark projects
including a hanging mail basket, pencil and eyeglass baskets or purses
or backpacks. Students will learn to weave in the double diagonal, by
making a bread basket to bake your bread in - creating some
spectacularly inspiring loaves. As time allows, students will explore
additional birch bark weaving projects ranging from knife sheaths to
birch bark beads.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $150
. . . Materials Fee: $40
. . . Intergenerational Age: 15+
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Birch Bark
Weaving - An Introduction
John
Zasada
Session Options:
. . .
6/18/2009 - 6/19/2009
It’s an art that has been practiced for centuries in Northern
Scandinavia and Russia and you can learn these enduring weaving
techniques during this class. Beginning with the selection and
collection of bark during a field trip to the woods, you will also learn
how to weave three types of baskets including finger baskets (rings),
round baskets, and knife or scissors sheaths. Course is limited to six
students.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $170
. . . Materials Fee: $25
. . . Intergenerational Age: 12+
. . . Level: Beginner
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Black Ash
Basketry - Introduction
Dennis
Chilcote
Session Options:
. . .
4/18/2009 - 4/19/2009
Black ash splint is extremely flexible yet sturdy, making it a most
elegant and functional material. In this course you learn the craft of
preparing splint from the black ash tree, then use it to make a small
black ash basket. Class discussion and hands-on experience includes
learning to recognize black ash trees of basket splint quality and the
technique involved in producing the final weaving material. Students
pound a log with a mallet to produce splint and should be physically fit
for the task.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition:: $130
. . . Materials Fee: $25
. . . Intergenerational Age: n/a
. . . Level: Beginner
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Antler
Basketry 
- Open Season
Cathryn Peters
Session Options:
. . .
11/7/2009 - 11/8/2009
Open this year's deer hunting season by learning the creative skills
and techniques of antler basketry. In this course you learn to weave
stunning rib-style baskets from dyed and natural rattan reed
incorporating a deer antler as the handle or focal point for your
design. You’ll learn both three-point rim lashing and Southern “cross
over turn-back” weaving techniques that comfortably introduces you to
the skills of basketmakers. Antler basketry is a creative, colorful way
to spend the weekend with friends or make friends during the course. An
emerging folk-art form, antler basketry is an aesthetic alternative to
the deer hunting season.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-3pm
. . . Tuition:: $130
. . . Materials Fee: Varies (approx. $45)
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Birch Bark
Basketry - The Berry Basket
Dennis
Chilcote
Session Options:
. . .
9/26/2009 - 9/27/2009
Create your own birch bark berry basket, a beautiful container make
from a single sheet of birch bark that is cut from a unique pattern,
folded, punched with an awl and stitched using split root. A willow rim
is used to support and strengthen the top, and is stitched in place with
root. The design of this basket is based on the traditional North
American aboriginal makok, of which there are many variations. The
instructor provides the bark, peeled and split root, bent willow rims
and all additional tools.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $150
. . . Materials Fee: $35
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Birch Bark
Boxes
Fred
Livesay
Session Options:
. . .
7/11/2009 - 7/12/2009
Create your own personal treasure chest from smooth, leathery birch
bark. The Scandinavian-style birch bark storage box is unlike other
nesting boxes - it requires no nails, just an interlocking tab of
wrapped bark and a handcrafted wooden peg. You’ll learn skills including
carving, filing, sharpening and patience to craft these decorative and
highly functional oval boxes.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $150
. . . Materials Fee: $20
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Birch Bark
Tutorial
Charlie Mayo/John Zasada
Session Options:
. . .
7/18/2009 - 7/19/2009
No patterns to choose from here - we simply offer the personal
experience of two seasoned weavers willing to pass along their
knowledge. Join Charlie Mayo and John Zasada, two birch bark veterans,
as they tailor your birch bark weaving experience to meet your desired
outcome - a simple finger ring, wall baskets and bread baskets for
beginners. Satchels, shoes or hats for experienced weavers. John, a
retired silviculturist, shares his knowledge of bark selection and
collection while Charlie shares the varied traditions of weaving bark
throughout Scandinavia and Russia.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $190
. . . Materials Fee: $35
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: All levels
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Black Ash
Basketry - Iroquois Style and Approach
Mike
Benedict
Session Options:
. . .
3/27/2009 - 3/29/2009
Discover the joy of black ash basketry - most notably for it's
durability and natural appeal - while also learning how the black ash
tree influenced American history. Mike Benedict, an Iroquois basket
maker, teaches hand weaving techniques for creating baskets based on
traditional Iroquois design - including a corn washing basket and a
berry basket. You’ll also learn to prepare splints, unique to black ash
basketry, and carve handles and rims that add function and strength to
your basket. The challenges facing black ash by the emerald ash borer
are more prevalent than ever, making the craft of black ash basketry at
risk as affected areas where black ash are growing. Increase your
awareness and appreciation for basketry and respect for this delicate
craft.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 3
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $195
. . . Materials Fee: $45
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Cattail
Basketry
- Twining and
Fishtail Plaiting Techniques
Tina
Fung Holder
Session Options:
. . .
5/23/2009 - 5/24/2009
Cattails grow abundantly in this region and have been used locally
in a variety of ways - as decoys, in mats, as baskets. The leaves of
the cattail are used to make this basket, using both the strip-plaiting
and twining basketry techniques. Though strip-plaiting is traditionally
done with palm leaves in tropical cultures, you will learn how to
substitute this northern native. The finished basket is 6 inches in
diameter and can be lined with fabric. No previous basketmaking
experience is required, just a willingness to have fun while learning a
new skill and creating a beautiful object.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $150
. . . Materials Fee: $15
. . . Intergenerational Age: 13+
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Craft Your
Own Coiled Bee Skep
Cathryn Peters
Session Options:
. . . to
be scheduled
Basket making and beekeeping traditionally go hand in hand, as
beekeepers in the 1800s housed their bees in handcrafted coiled bee
skeps. Bring nostalgia to your home or garden by crafting your own bee
skep from straw or cattail leaves, for both decorative and practical
circumstances. In this one-day workshop, you learn the traditional
coiling basketry technique to create a skep in the minature, providing
you the skills and instruction to make a full-sized skep on your own and
tailored to your bee keeping needs. Your instructor also provides a
presentation on the traditions of bee skep history and lore as she
learned from her travels throughout England.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 1
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $75
. . . . . . Non-peak Tuition (Nov-Apr): $65
. . . Materials Fee: $15
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Making a
Birch Bark Berry Basket
Dennis
Chilcote
Session Options:
. . .
6/27/2009 - 6/29/2009 -
Full, Please Call for Wait List
Fully experience the craft of making a traditional birch bark basket
for the gathering and storage of berries or anything you please. This
course begins with a session in the woods to harvest the birch bark
followed by boiling, peeling, and splitting pine root in preparation for
basketry. You then make your own individual basket from a single piece
of birch bark with stitched sides and a rim wrapped with split pine
root. The instructor provides the peeled and split root, bent willow
rims and required tools.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 3
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $225
. . . Materials Fee: $35
. . . Intergenerational Age: n/a
. . . Level: Beginner to Intermediate
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Pine
Needle Basketry
Paula
Sundet
Session Options:
. . .
2/14/2009 - 2/15/2009
Create a traditional coiled basket from locally harvested red pine
needles. Starting with either a pliable birch bark base or an elegant
Lake Superiore agate base, you will work with a variation of the spiral
stitch to form a basket with a distinct spiral pattern on the basket’s
inside and out. Samples of pine needle from other pine species, and
information on how to gather and store materials will also be
discussed. Assorted found natural objects may also be incorporated into
the basket. No previous basket weaving experience is necessary, just
your enthusiasm to learn.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: $130
. . . Materials Fee: $17
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: All Levels
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sustainable Harvest of Tree Bark For Basketry
John
Zasada
Session Options:
. . .
6/22/2009
Heard of barking up the wrong tree? Well, the purpose of this class
is debarking the tree right. Discover the wide range of northern
forest tree barks suitable for basketry - from cedar barks to spruce
barks, aspen barks to tamarack barks, maple barks to black ash barks…and
of course, the signature northern tree species, paper birch. The
relationship between the anatomy of each bark and how it is harvested
opens the range of potential basketry projects. The course starts with
a few hours indoors, but will primarily be spent in the woods getting to
know tree bark and gaining harvesting experience. The ethics of bark
harvest and how to acquire the proper permits for harvesting from public
and private land will also be discussed. A lifetime siliviculturist,
John attempts through this course to share the wide array of northern
barks available to basketmakers.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 1
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $75
. . . Materials Fee: $0 Included
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: All levels
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sweet
Grass Basketry
Paula
Sundet
Session Options:
. . .
8/15/2009 - 8/16/2009
Work with locally harvested sweet grass, cattails, and sedges during
this two-day class while learning the art of coiling a sweet grass
basket. We'll incorporate an elegant Lake Superior agate as a base for
the basket. Hands-on instruction provides students with an introduction
to the traditions and skills of basket weaving and discussion about how
to identify growing sweet grass and gathering materials for future
projects. No previous basket weaving experience is necessary, just your
enthusiasm to learn.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-4pm
. . . Tuition: $150
. . . Materials Fee: $17
. . . Intergenerational Age: n/a
. . . Level: All levels
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Cedar
Tree - A Tree For All Seasons
John
Zasada
Session Options:
. . .
10/3/2009 - 10/4/2009
In 2007, North House hosted a six-week exhibition, Of Swamp and
Bog. The exhibition featured the varied uses of the cedar tree as
viewed through the lens of traditional northern craft. The historical
record is full of traditional uses of cedar bark, wood and foliage.
Curator and retired silvicultuist John Zasada leads this exploratory
course in the craft-based uses of the cedar tree. This course will focus
on preparing bark and wood for basketry, from stripping the inner barks
for weaving to hand splitting the wood for splint. John has spent a
lifetime devoted to the study of trees, and this course is his attempt
to share the wide array of northern barks available to basketmakers.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $150
. . . Materials Fee: $25
. . . Intergenerational Age: 12+
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The
Harvest Basket - Red-Osier Basketry
Tina
Fung Holder
Session Options:
. . .
9/24/2009 - 9/25/2009
The bright burgundy-red branches of the red-osier dogwood make this
native, regional shrub a standout of the northern landscape and a prime
candidate for basket makers in the north. With straight, flexible twigs,
red-osier is perfect for learning basic basket making skills and
creating inspiring pieces. In this class, students will make a frame
basket with a handle (also known as melon style). First they will learn
how to spin cordage with sweet grass and then shape and weave the basket
using the cordage and red osier stems. Beginners are welcome as with a
little enthusiasm and no previous basket-making experience participants
leave the workshop with a fine looking basket. Experienced basketmakers
will enjoy exploring new horizons working with red-osier.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $150
. . . Materials Fee: $20
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Willow
Market Basket
Fred
Livesay
Session Options:
. . . to
be scheduled
“What a fabulous basket! Where did you get tha? I bet it cost you a
pretty penny,” she exclaimed. Get the same results when you use the
market basket that you made! Participants learn to collect and grade
willows in this class and then weave a round market basket of brown
willows (bark on). The basket is approximately 14 inches in diameter
and 14 inches tall, perfect for those trips to the farmer's market.
Students will leave class with a completed basket and the skills needed
to start up their own cottage industry making willow baskets on their
own.
Students must sign up three weeks in advance of start date to allow for
gathering and preparation of basket materials.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $150
. . . . . . Non-peak Tuition (Nov-Apr): $130
. . . Materials Fee: $40
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Weaving
Holiday Ornaments From Birch Bark
John
Zasada/Julie Kean
Session Options:
. . .
12/4/2009 - 12/5/2009
Start your holiday season off at a weekend on the North House Folk
School campus weaving traditional and contemporary ornaments from birch
bark. You will explore the range of birch bark weaving holiday projects
from the traditional Swedish woven heart to a 3-dimensional birch bark
star, both projects highlighted in North House's 'Celebrating Birch'
book. Working with colorful embellishments, learn to weave and string
birch bark beads for a traditional garland. You'll have a wonderful
collection of gifts and ornaments to share with family and friends at
the completion of this course.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $130
. . . Materials Fee: $15
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
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