Hey future broom makers! Let’s craft together. Spend some time with us learning a new craft, going deeper into broom making, or just enjoy the art of making with our digital classes. See you in the next class!
Many ways to learn.
01
Broom kits
Perfect for beginners and experienced broom makers alike, our broom kits provide everything you’ll need to make beautiful and practical brooms.
Classic turkey wing broom kit
Farm-to-home broom kit
02
Digital Classes
Our guided virtual experiences include all of the necessary materials, which are mailed to you before the class.
Make your own woven top turkey wing
Full-sized Appalachian-style sweep
03
In-person workshops
Visit us and learn traditional broom making techniques at our studio in Berea, the craft capitol of Kentucky.
Make your own turkey wing hand broom
Appalachian-style broom making
Browse our upcoming in-person and virtual workshops.
Cynthia will guide you through every step of making various types of brooms and answer questions along the way.
In-person workshop: Make your own turkey wing hand broom
Learn how to craft beautiful and useful hand brooms in this fun, accessible, hands-on class!
Appalachian broom weaving: In-person workshop
Dates:
May 4–5, 2024 9am–5pm EST both days
Please note, class size will be limited to a maximum of 8 students.
Participants will receive everything needed to make 1 full sweep.
Weaving together now! In this class, students will weave their own full size traditional Appalachian style floor broom, as well as learn how to tie several styles of hand brooms. Handles will be prepared in the class using traditional woodworking tools: axe, shaving horse, drawknife, spokeshave and knife. Care and maintainece of these tools will also be covered. No experience necessary, although some manual dexterity and a beginners mind are helpful! Classes will be from 9-5 both days, with a one hour lunch break (lunch will not be provided, although a refrigerator for classes will be accessible, and we are near many good dining options). Expect and come prepared for a very physical and full two days of crafting. This is a class intended for people wanting to dive deep in the craft. Please also dress the first morning for hiking in the woods.
Introductory Spoon Carving with Dawson Moore
May 18-19
9:00-4:00 each day
Max students: 12
This class is oriented to beginner and intermediate carvers. We’ll make sure everyone gets comfortable with carving knife grips while also having time to explore basic axe technique for those who are interested. We’ll work through successive projects building skills at each stage. We’ll move from practice sticks to butter spreaders and finally to spoons. Time and skill level permitting, there may be opportunity for additional projects.
In this class we will:
Work with green wood fresh from a log
Focus on gaining proficiency with a Sloyd knife and hook knife
Learn how to read wood grain and understand its effects on how our tools engage with it
Discuss wood species suitable for spoon carving
Discuss spoon & utensil design
Watch and discuss how to sharpen a Sloyd knife & other tools
Discuss various finish options for completed utensils
Carve a butter spreader and eating spoon
Tool List: The instructor will be providing all needed tools for this class. They will be sharp and of professional quality. In addition, students are welcome to bring their own tools whether for personal use or just to learn more about them.
Provided by Instructor:
Sloyd Carving Knives
Hook Knives
Carving Axes
Sharpies/Pencils
Spoon Templates
Fresh Wood for Carving
Bio
Dawson Moore lives and works on a 6th generation family farm in Harbor Springs, MI. He has spent the last several years learning traditional methods of working with the local trees, from log to finished everyday household items like spoons, cups, stools and chairs. The work is driven by the joy of using simple hand tools that help maintain a close connection with the wood. The final objects are meant to show plainly both this process and the full potential of the material. Glassy smooth and textured surfaces straight from the tools, and unexpectedly light, flexible components chosen carefully to be the minimum necessary to fulfill their function.
Moore is inspired by Educational Sloyd, a craft teaching system developed in Sweden in the 1870’s, which emphasizes making projects grow in degree of difficulty over a period of time through the gradual introduction of complexity of shape, procedures and tools. Low instructor intervention is meant to encourage self sufficiency and develop ones own sense of quality work. Moore teaches sloyd based wood carving courses at a handful of regional Folk Schools. His work can be seen at: https://www.michigansloyd.com
Appalachian broom weaving workshop: Virtual class
Dates:
Part 1: June 4, 2024 5:30–8pm EST
Part 2: June 11, 2024 6–8pm EST
Participants will receive everything needed to make 1 full sweep.
Weaving together now! In this class, students will weave their own full size traditional Appalachian style floor broom. Included handles are made from locally-sourced fallen limbs and prepared using traditional woodworking tools. No experience necessary, although some manual dexterity and a beginners mind are helpful! Please note, class size will be limited to a maximum of 8 students. Be prepared for very physical days of crafting. This is a class intended for people wanting to dive deep in the craft.
Make your own turkey wing hand broom: Virtual Class
Learn how to craft beautiful and useful hand brooms in this fun, accessible, hands-on class!
Make your own Rooster Tail handbrooms: Virtual Class
Learn how to make your own rooster tail hand brooms!
Appalachian Broom Weaving
Dates:
Part 1: June 4, 2024 5:30–8pm EST
Part 2: June 11, 2024 6–8pm EST
Participants will receive everything needed to make 1 full sweep.
Weaving together now! In this class, students will weave their own full size traditional Appalachian style floor broom. Included handles are made from locally-sourced fallen limbs and prepared using traditional woodworking tools. No experience necessary, although some manual dexterity and a beginners mind are helpful! Please note, class size will be limited to a maximum of 8 students. Be prepared for very physical days of crafting. This is a class intended for people wanting to dive deep in the craft.
Harvest Class
1 session, 12 people:
September 18–19
During this two day class we will Harvest and / or thresh and bale our organic broomcorn harvest from 8:30–12:30, then learn to make Appalachian style full sweeps in the afternoons. The mornings will involve using a machete at Lazy Eight Organic Farm in a field: This is our actual harvest, not a demonstration harvest. No experience is necessary, but be prepared for a fun morning of group work! Harvest days have always been my favorite for the camaraderie and joy of group work. A simple gluten free vegan lunch will be provided, so bring whatever else you might need. The afternoons will be spent in the broom shop learning to weave full sized Appalachian sweeps. The class is taught in exchange for your time in the mornings. The class is 2 days: A 25$ non-refundable deposit is required to hold your spot: You can have your 25$ back if you come to class. Class is limited to 12 participants. We will not be processing handles in this class, they will be provided to choose from.
Harvest Class
1 session, 12 people:
September 18–19
During this two day class we will Harvest and / or thresh and bale our organic broomcorn harvest from 8:30–12:30, then learn to make Appalachian style full sweeps in the afternoons. The mornings will involve using a machete at Lazy Eight Organic Farm in a field: This is our actual harvest, not a demonstration harvest. No experience is necessary, but be prepared for a fun morning of group work! Harvest days have always been my favorite for the camaraderie and joy of group work. A simple gluten free vegan lunch will be provided, so bring whatever else you might need. The afternoons will be spent in the broom shop learning to weave full sized Appalachian sweeps. The class is taught in exchange for your time in the mornings. The class is 2 days: A 25$ non-refundable deposit is required to hold your spot: You can have your 25$ back if you come to class. Class is limited to 12 participants. We will not be processing handles in this class, they will be provided to choose from.
Virtual class: Appalachian-style broom making
Dates:
Part 1: June 4, 2024 5:30–8pm EST
Part 2: June 11, 2024 6–8pm EST
Participants will receive everything needed to make 1 full sweep.
Weaving together now! In this class, students will weave their own full size traditional Appalachian style floor broom. Included handles are made from locally-sourced fallen limbs and prepared using traditional woodworking tools. No experience necessary, although some manual dexterity and a beginners mind are helpful! Please note, class size will be limited to a maximum of 8 students. Be prepared for very physical days of crafting. This is a class intended for people wanting to dive deep in the craft.
In-person workshop: Appalachian-style broom making
Dates:
Part 1: June 4, 2024 5:30–8pm EST
Part 2: June 11, 2024 6–8pm EST
Participants will receive everything needed to make 1 full sweep.
Weaving together now! In this class, students will weave their own full size traditional Appalachian style floor broom. Included handles are made from locally-sourced fallen limbs and prepared using traditional woodworking tools. No experience necessary, although some manual dexterity and a beginners mind are helpful! Please note, class size will be limited to a maximum of 8 students. Be prepared for very physical days of crafting. This is a class intended for people wanting to dive deep in the craft.
In-person workshop: Make your own turkey wing hand broom
Learn how to craft beautiful and useful hand brooms in this fun, accessible, hands-on class!
Virtual class: Make your own woven top turkey wing hand broom
Date: April 15, 2024
Time: 5:30–8:00pm EST
Duration: 2.5 hours
Supplies for one hand broom are included in the workshop: additional hand broom supplies are available.
Learn how to craft beautiful and useful hand brooms in this fun, accessible, hands-on class! Materials will be mailed to you at the start of the month the class is scheduled. Information covered includes how to size and select broom corn, talk about growing and processing your own broomcorn, and teach the ins and outs on how to weave a turkey wing hand broom. Students will walk away with at least one handmade turkey wing broom. No experience necessary, although some manual dexterity and a beginners mind are helpful! Please note, class size will be limited to a maximum of 8 students. A recording of each class will be available for students to rewatch the class. Please specify cord colors at checkout.
To create, I feel, is part of being human. To answer an invitation to play, to work together, to be curious. This is the spirit I work to hold for those who want to be a part of workshops I share. I’ve had the luck and joy of sharing craft for more than the last decade—from starting and running the job training programs and public workshops at the Rebuilding Exchange in Chicago, to leading women-centered builds around the Midwest and in Thailand, as well as sharing the crafts that I practice everyday: broom-making, green woodworking, and coopering.
—Cynthia, founder and broom maker
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