Woodspirit School is dedicated to high quality craft instruction on the shores of Lake Superior, in Ashland, Wisconsin. We offer classes in Textile Arts, Wood Carving, Wood Turning, Basketry, Furniture Building, Green Woodworking and more.
Upcoming Classes & Events
Craft Night Series 2026-27 All Craft Geeks Welcome!
Schedule
$0.00
Welcome all craft interested folks! Meet our extraordinary instructors and learn about their craft and work through presentations, demonstrations, and exhibitions. You don’t need to be signed up for a workshop to attend Craft Night. Students, their companions and families, Chequamegon Bay local residents, and people visiting the area from afar are all invited.
Join us for a shared meal before the presentation. We provide the soup, wooden plates, spoons, and bowls. We ask you to bring a tasty side dish and your preferred beverage.
Schedule
6pm Doors Open—sign-in when you arrive
6:30pm Shared Meal
7pm Instructor Presentation
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Topics are subject to change
NEXT CRAFT NIGHT:
November 12 What They Wore Historical Hand Sewing overview and hand made clothing Show & Tell with homesteader and historical sewer LeeAra Anglin
2027 CRAFT NIGHTS:
April 1 Craft on the Road van life and mobile wood shop geek session with Gabe Strand
April 29 Catching Lake Superior Fish in Wood wood carving geek session with Mike Loeffler
May ? Ornamental: Wood Carving & Tree Pruning geek session with arborist Joey Traynor
May 21 Handspun Cotton & Tamba-fu from Japan demonstration and show & tell with weaver and indigo dyer Jazmin Hicks-Dahl.
June 11 Saji Fest in Japan slideshow & spoon carving demonstration with craftsman Jarrod Dahl.
June 17 Turned Round: Museum Collections geek session with wood turner Derek Brabender.
June 24 A Heap of Baskets show & tell geek session with craftsman Jarrod Dahl.
July 7 Splitting & Shaving: Splints for Baskets demonstration & geek session with craftsman Jarrod Dahl.
July 12 Japanese Folk Textiles with weaver and indigo dyer Jazmin Hicks-Dahl. Shibori, katazome, kasuri, Tanba-fu, sakiori, zanshi, hemp, ramie, and handspun from the late 1800’s will all be on display.
August 4 Split Wood Basketry: From Appalachia to Japan geek session Special Guest, basket weaver, shepherd and cooper, Micah Wiles.
August 12 Wooden Drinking Vessels: Kuksarama geek session with wood carver Alex Yerks.
August 20 Basket Mini-Mysteries geek session with farmer and weaver Emily Derke on willow basketry.
August 22 The Handmade Chair geek session with chair maker Gabe Strand.
September 23 Stays Put: Historical Corsetry geek session with homesteader and historical sewer LeeAra Anglin
— — November 13-15 — — Hand Sewing the Swedish Bocksten Tunic with LeeAra Anglin
Optional, but highly recommended!
$300.00
Related Courses/Events: Textile Courses
Dates:
Optional, but highly recommended!
Thursday, November 12, 6pm What They Wore Craft Night Series presentation with LeeAra Anglin, historical sewer, crafter, and homesteader who will talk about historical hand sewing and her other creative adventures.
Class times: Friday, November 13-Sunday, November 15, 2026 9:30am-4:30pm
Description: Slow down and go back in time while learning to hand sew a wool or linen Swedish Bocksten Tunic.
One of the best examples known to us of extant early medieval garments is from the body of the ‘Bocksten man’ who was found in a peat bog in 1936 in Varberg—an area in what we now consider southern Sweden. It is one of the most complete and significant surviving pieces of early medieval European civilian clothing, dating between 1250-1520. The wide range in centuries shows how prevalent this particular style has been throughout history and therefore how difficult it is to date. It was originally made of wool.
Similar styles have been found in medieval Greenland, Ireland, and in other countries across Europe spanning many centuries. There are even similarities in construction to an 18th century shift.
LeeAra will teach you fundamental hand sewing techniques, basic stitches, turned hems, inserted gores and pattern drafting for your specific body. No prior hand sewing experience needed!
Yardage will be determined with LeeAra based on your size and chosen length. She will contact you after registration to sort it out. You may need to complete your project on your own at home.
Please Bring:
Fabric
Bring unwashed wool fabric or machine washed and dried heavy weight linen fabric.
Yardage will be determined with LeeAra based on your size and chosen length of garment. She will contact you after registration to sort it out, including any consultation on the weight of your chosen fabric.
The Woolsome Shop is a good source for wool fabric.The Linen Lab as well. The thin twill, herringbone, or diamond weave would be historically accurate.
Machine wash and machine dry linen fabric prior to class. This assures that the bulk of any shrinking has already occurred and softens the linen for sewing.
Burnley and Trowbridge is a source for high quality Irish linen and Fabrics store is another decent source for linen fabric.
Sewing Kit
Pin cushion
Pins
Sewing needles
Fabric scissors or otherwise sharp scissors
Thread to match fabric choice if matching is desired. LeeAra suggests using natural 50/3 linen thread from Burnley and Trowbridge
Reading glasses/headlamp if you need them
Seat cushion optional
Course Fee: $300
Material Fee: None required. Students provide their own materials.
LeeAra Anglin has been hand sewing for the better part of the last 6 years. Her projects range from 18th century gowns, petticoats, and shifts to replicas of 11th century extants found in southern Greenland and much in between that catches her fancy. She was taught by a young lass named Anna Eklund, who has handsewn gowns and outfits for renowned reenactors and weddings at Colonial Williamsburg. LeeAra absolutely adores the work of the hand in the construction of garments and is excited to share this love with you. She lives in a handmade house on a homestead in Mason with children, farm animals, and gardens. @heritage.hill.homestead
1 available
——December 5—— Birch Bark Star Ornament, morning or afternoon, with Jazmin Hicks-Dahl
$40.00
Related Courses: Basketry & Textile Courses
Date: Saturday, December 5, 2026 Choose: Morning: 10am-12:30pm or Afternoon: 1:30-3:30pm
Description: Jazmin will guide you through making her design of a woven birch bark star ornament with wool pompoms and tassels, just in time to dress your Christmas tree or winter window. All materials will be provided.
Bring:
Small pointed tip scissors
Needle nose pliers (optional)
Workshop Fee: $40 Choose Morning or Afternoon Session
JAZMIN HICKS-DAHL studied birch bark weaving with Jarrod Dahl and Vladimir Yarish. She designed this star ornament several years ago and is excited to share how to make them in this class. She makes indigo dyed textiles both stitched and handwoven for Woodspirit Handcraft, a traditional craft business she runs with her woodworker husband. She spent 8 yrs teaching children in the SF Bay Area where she grew up before moving to the Northern Lands. Her background includes art & design, a love of natural materials, fine threads, folk textiles, and an obsession with indigo since her teens.
6 available
1 available
News
LeeAra Anglin, historical garment maker, crafter, and homesteader will show & tell some of her collection and work and talk about historical hand sewing and her other creative adventures. LeeAra teaches Hand Sewing the Swedish Bocksten Tunic November 13-15.
What They Wore at Craft Night on November 12
View our 2026 Calendar
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Support our developing school
We began construction in 2021, the same year we ran our first season of classes. We are almost done! Help us with storage sheds, patio paving, classroom set-up, scholarships, and expanding our offerings. Thank you!
What People Are Saying About Woodspirit School
“As a retired educator, I am really critical about the quality of instruction when I attend workshops, and Jarrod was excellent! He introduced the various spoon carving topics, performed demonstrations, and spent time one on one when needed, which is very helpful. I came away from the class feeling like I can carve the next spoon!”
— Spoon Carving Student from Brillion, WI
“It was an all around great experience: awesome instructor, beautiful workspace, and generous hospitality.”
— Danish Cord Stool Student from Bayfield, WI
“I truly appreciated Mike sharing his skills and creative process. He didn’t just have me carve a bird—he taught me skills that I will continue to use and build on.”
— Bird Carving Student from Madison, WI
“Great history/background information and examples, wonderful, casual teaching style, time well managed, left me wanting more! The classroom space was beautiful, comfortable and inviting, and the light was amazing for handwork.”
— Indigo Dyeing & Shibori Class Student from Ashland, WI