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  On The Harbor in Grand Marais, Minnesota 

 
 

 

 

Basketry Courses

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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


 

General Information:1-218-387-9762
Registration: 1-888-387-9762

 

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