The Stairway to Craft—Open House on August 19
Jarrod installed these lovely stairs to the classroom last week.
Hey Friends of Woodspirit School!
It’s been busy since the last post two months ago—building stairs, installing pine floors, cabinets, a garage door and the 2nd floor bathroom, weaving willow fences, planting cotton, and harvesting flax, painting walls, and starting on Jarrod’s workshop move-in—all this on top of teaching some great classes, connecting with the local community at potluck craft nights, and hosting some informative Zoom interviews and demonstrations.
We even carved out time to visit the beach, swim, sail, grill brats, frequent the local breweries, and perform improv because each day must be enjoyed before summer’s end.
The classroom has sturdy tables and stools! Woodspirit School
The 2nd floor bathroom, Woodspirit School
Open House
Come to the OPEN HOUSE this Friday, August 19, 4-7pm.
Jarrod’s workshop, the Woodspirit School Classroom and the Textile Garden will be open for visitors. Experience fresh leaf indigo printing on linen squares, climb ‘the stairway to craft’, check out the various classes we offer—Willow Basket Weaving, Knife Making, Spoon Carving, Pole Lathe Bowl Turning, Band Heddle Weaving, Spindle Spinning, Birch Bark Weaving, Flax Linen Processing, and watch a turning demonstration by Jarrod.
We hope to see you there!
From the Classroom
Here are photos from the most recent classes.
Alex in Pole Lathe Turning Class, Woodspirit School
Jarrod, Kari, and Alex, show off their pole lathe turned bowls.
Kendall in Birch Bark Weaving Class, Woodspirit School
Rude in Crooked Knife Making Class, Woodspirit School
Rude has been helping us get ready for the Open House.
Community Craft Night & Potluck
This twice monthly event has been a great way to connect with local folks and visitors (some from as far as New Mexico and Colorado!) and to enjoy some delicious food—on wooden plates of course. Bring that project you’ve been meaning to finish and come to the next one this Tuesday, August 16.
Community Craft Night & Potluck, Woodspirit School
The best part of the woven willow fence, Woodspirit School Textile & Dye Garden
Jarrod & Scogin starting the willow fence, Woodspirit School Textile & Dye Garden
From the Textile & Dye Garden
The Textile & Dye Garden was planted with Madder, Purple Gromwell, Woad, Indigo Suffruticosa, Weld, Marigold, Sweet Grass, and two kinds of cotton—Red Foliated White and Egyptian Green, three varieties of Basket Willow, Flax Linen and Indigo Persicaria. Scogin and Axel helped us with the woven willow fence—it was a lot of work in the hot summer sun—but definitely worth it as it seems to have attracted the attention of passers by to willow weaving.
Woodspirit School Textile & Dye Garden
Jazmin harvested the linen this past week with help from Axel. Watch us harvest flax here. Now it will dry along the fence so we can harvest the seeds and continue with the next step in the process—retting. There will be a Community Flax Linen Processing Day on September 18 where we will process flax stalks into stricks of fiber to be spun into thread.
Two kinds of textile flax and Indigo Persicaria, Woodspirit School Textile & Dye Garden
Our flax harvest, Woodspirit School Textile & Dye Garden
What’s Next?
After the Open House, we have a few more classes to teach including Pole Lathe Turning, Birch Bark Canisters, Pole Lathe: Build, Forge, Turn—build your lathe, forge the tools and learn to turn bowls on a Pole Lathe, Knutkorg—Scandinavian Knot Basket. We will also be setting aside some time to start production again. We will be building inventory for Woodspirit Handcraft’s Winter Sale including urushi lacquerware. Jarrod is full of ideas and designs and excited about getting turning and improving the flow of production in the new shop space.
In October we will be getting ready to travel to Seattle to teach Pole Lathe Turning and Spoon Carving in the area. There is currently one spot left in each of those classes.
We are already making plans for 2023 including a Spoon Carving Masterclass with Barn the Spoon and Bird Carving with Mike Loeffler. Have any special requests?
Upcoming Classes
Seattle Spoon Carving Class
Spin Thread, Dye with Indigo & Weave a Band with a Wooden Heddle
Make a Birch Bark Canister
Build your lathe, Forge the tools and learn to Turn bowls on a Pole Lathe
Make a Scandinavian Knot Basket
Learn the mysteries of Forge Welding with Michael Jones.
Thanks!
Thank you for your interest, support, donations, volunteering, signing up for classes, participating in Zooms, coming to potlucks, and following us on our craft school adventures. Enjoy these summer days and maybe see you by the lake soon—
Jazmin & Jarrod, Woodspirit School
Sailing on Chequamegon Bay, Lake Superior