Weekend Workshops
Starting this winter, The Weaver's Croft will be offering hands-on workshops devoted to specific topics relevant to the weaving, spinning, dyeing, sewing, basket making and historic research.
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Click buttons below to learn more.
Willow Baskets
​taught by Bonnie Gale
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Zarzo
Intermediate | 16” x 16” x 15” varies | $85 Materials Fee
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A large round willow basket of Spanish origin with a distinctive style! The tray form was originally used by cheese makers for draining cheeses. Ten thick, long rods are set up vertically parallel in four groups. Thinner rods are used to weave horizontally to create a defined “base”, in four sets of twelve rods. Weavers from either end of the base are woven around in turn to create the distinctive style of the basket. The original stakes are brought up and across each other to create the handle. The basket is finished with two Japanese Eye rosettes.
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Summer Days Melon
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All levels | 9” x 14” x 10” varies | $80 Materials Fee
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Using unpeeled willow, students will chose two prepared and dried hoops. The hoops are attached with God’s Eye weaving. Ribs are added progressively into the weaving. This is a fun basket and shaping is on an individual basis for your own unique creation.
Dates:
September 20 - 21, 2025
10am to 4.30pm. A list of simple supplies to bring to class will be provided upon registration.
Cost: $150/day plus materials fee paid to instructor.
Flax Processing & Spinning
taught by Andrea Myklebust
In this three day class we will explore all aspects of traditional flax production, from seed selection and cultivation, to harvesting, dew-retting and water-retting, and flax dressing using hand tools. Students will have opportunities to do hands-on processing work with raw and retted flax straw, using a flax brake, scutching board and hackles to dress flax into tow and line ready for spinning into linen. Working with both hand spindles and spinning wheels, we will learn how to dress a distaff and use it in spinning line flax. Students will have plenty of samples to take home at the end of the workshop, and a packet of textile flax seed to plant in their own gardens next spring.
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Dates:
August 15 - 17, 2025
Cost: $450