2-Session Workshop (must attend both)
Saturday, October 21 12:30pm-4:30pm Eastern AND Saturday, October 28, 2023 1pm-4pm Eastern
In-person

In this two-session class, we’ll create fully functional — and beautifully decorative — full-sized Shaker-style hand-stitched corn brooms (that’s a lot of hyphens, just like stitching!)  Each broom will be a totally unique piece of art, and a fantastic cleaning tool to boot! Tying a broom is a stress-reducing, full-body practice — and a great workout. You’ll use both feet to hold tension and both hands to manipulate the cord and wrap the broom tightly.

In the first session of the class, students will learn basic tying skills by making a simple round whisk before applying those new skills to tying their full-sized brooms on their broomsticks. In the second session of the class, we’ll practice stitching on our round whisks before graduating to the big brooms. Finally, the brooms will all be trimmed and finished. Please be prepared to take your unfinished brooms home to dry between class sessions. You’ll leave this class with a stitched whisk, a full-sized sweeper, and the skills needed to make many more brooms in the future!

 

Level – Intermediate: Students who have taken another broom making class will have the best experience learning the advanced skills taught in this class. All skills will be re-introduced, and this class is appropriate for students whose previous broom making experience is not recent.

Max 6 participants

Your instructor is Robert Sheckler of Redmond Philbert Handwork, an enthusiastic learner, teacher, and crafter living and working in the Portland area. Beyond the visceral joy of broom-making, Robert is interested in elevating natural materials over synthetic alternatives and loves to incorporate color into his work, making an everyday object and an everyday activity feel special, vibrant, and even fun.