Flax Linen Day & Other Events
The Great Summer Rush is winding down in our part of the world. Days have turned cooler, leaves are beginning to redden, and we have our sights on planning next year’s course calendar already.
There are a couple events worth mentioning here for locals & visitors.
FLAX LINEN PROCESSING DAY On Sunday, September 18 from 11:30-3pm we will be processing flax into linen. If it is raining we will have a tent up. I have 5 years of flax I’ve grown in my backyard that needs breaking and hackling, plus this year’s harvest is dry and ready to ripple (that’s getting the seed bolls off) and some still in the ground that needs pulling. I will have spindles for those that want to try spinning, a band heddle to weave on and little seed packs for anyone who wants to grow some next year. All the tools will be there so you can see the process. You can watch or join in as you like. Bring a bag lunch and clothes to get dusty including dust mask or bandanna.
Details: Community Flax Linen Processing Day
Location: Woodspirit Textile & Dye Garden 1400 3rd St W Ashland, WI 54806
LAST CRAFT NIGHT & POTLUCK for 2022 is September 27 and you are all warmly invited. Details here: Craft Night & Potluck See how many different crafts were happening at the most recent one below!
A peek into Woodspirit School Craft Night & Potluck, September 2022 woodspiritschool.com
Sierra & Bjorn indigo leaf printing at our Open House, 2022
LANTERN WALK FAMILY EVENT Our first seasonal event for families and children will happen on November 4 & 5 in collaboration with former Waldorf teachers who recently moved to the area. Details here: Autumn Craft Activity-Lantern Making & Lantern Walk
CRAFT FILM NIGHTS Want to watch nerdy craft films and eat popcorn with us over the winter months? Details here: Craft Film Nights
CALENDAR UPDATES We still have 9 more classes running until the end of the year—some with openings including classes in the Seattle Area, plus we have been adding classes on the calendar for 2023 that are worth browsing, so have a look here Calendar. We are working on bringing teachers from Japan so stay tuned!
ONGOING EDUCATION We’ll also be taking a few classes ourselves in the coming months. Jazmin will make a band heddle with Kerstin Neumüller from Sweden at North House Folk School and a weaving course with Justin Squizzero at Marshfield School of Weaving in Vermont. Jarrod & Jazmin will be studying fitching willow baskets with master Steen Madsen from Denmark also at North House.
Jarrod continues to move into the first floor of his new shop.
OUR BUILDING The building project is 93% complete and we’ll be shifting focus to our other business Woodspirit Handcraft for winter sales. We had a lovely open house. Thank you to all who attended. It helped motivate us to spruce up the building and get closer to completion.
GARDEN The textile & dye garden is doing well. We harvested the flax and the indigo beds. There are a few cotton bolls forming, the madder and gromwell look healthy and the weld is ready to harvest. Someone sent me pictures of the gardens at The Cloisters and I was struck with the similarities to our dye garden—so cool. We’ll be harvesting basket willow soon too.
Purple Gromwell—the roots give a purple dye and needs 3-5 years of growth before harvest.
We look forward to seeing you here sometime in the future. Be well!
—Jazmin & Jarrod, Woodspirit School of Traditional Craft
