This program is designed for cooperative, hands-on learning throughout the growing season. In addition to monthly, focused group sessions, participants are invited to learn from the land itself by tending the dye gardens during the weekly stewardship sessions at EartHand’s two learning gardens.

Instructors: Carla Frenkel and Rita Kompst

Payment options: $285, $250, $215

Dates:
Sunday: March 15th (Trillium) Compost Build day & Garden Intro, 1pm-4pm
Tuesdays: April 14th from  6-8pm,
June 2 6:30-8:30
August tbd at Trillium,
Wednesdays:
May 6 6-8pm
July tbd
September tbd at MOP
Sunday Studio Sessions:
Sunday, June 7th, 11am-4pm
Sunday, Sept 27th 11am-4pm

Six monthly sessions will take the 2026 Flax Cohort from planting flax seeds to spinning linen thread. Using 2025 heirloom flax grown at Kwantlen University as “learning flax”, participants will practice growing, tending, harvesting, retting, breaking, hackling, and spinning.

Instructors: Heather Dodge

Payment options: $545, $515, $480

Dates: Sundays from 10am-2pm:
March 22
May 3
May 31
June 21
July 26
August 23

A follow up program to the popular Seasonal Gleaners Basket program in 2025. This year we are providing a one day chance to get your willow frames built and learn how to add ribs… we are setting folx up for summer weaving independence!

Instructors: CZarina Lobo & Sharon Kallis

Payment options: $180, $155, $130

Date: April 18th from 10.30am-4.30 pm

Let’s do a deep dive into lichen dying! Lichens must be foraged ethically and sustainably from fallen branches/trees. Join us as we explore the boiling water method and the fermentation method of dyeing with lichens. This will be a multi-part class where each participant will have a turn taking care of the lichen jars. We will get the fermentation going in the first class and then dye in the second class later in the year. Option to join our pouch weaving class later in the year.

Instructors: Rita Kompst

Payment options: $195, $165, $135

Dates: April 26 1-4pm, September 13 1-4pm

This weekend is best suited to those with some twining and cordage experience; beginners are welcome but may find they need to finish their hats at future membership sessions. Using rolled bath towels for hatforms, we will weave flat oval form tops, build up the side walls of hats and continue through to simple brims of 2 to 3 inches for a ‘wide fedora’ type hat. Final shaping defines your brim curves and shape to complete your hat.

Instructors: Sharon Kallis

Payment options: $315, $280, $240

Dates:
Friday, May 15th from 6:30-8:30pm
Saturday and Sunday, May 16 &17th from 10:30am-4:30pm

Over five sessions, participants will design and make their own hand-felted vest from locally-sourced Barnston Island wool.
In the first session we’ll review design options (one-piece, multi-piece) and make samples of wet-felted wool. Includes gorgeous blue/grey Gotland-cross fleeces of Magpie and Twyla, and other ‘Barnston locks’ naturally dyed in previous EartHand Gleaners programs.

Instructors: Amy Walker

Payment options: $725, $670, $615

Dates: Saturdays from 10am-4pm:
May 23
June 27
July 25
Aug 29
Sept 26 

Early in her research into working with nettles, Sharon discovered that the fifty stalks of nettles she usually harvested and processed in a work session matched the amount noted by Franz Boas harvested and processed in a session by members of the Kwakiutl nation. Although various methods are possible for how to process and strip fibres, the commonality of gathering and processing 50 has inspired the notion of this project

Instructors: Sharon Kallis

Payment options: $450, $425, $400

Dates: Saturdays from 10:30am-4:30pm
May 30
June 20
July 18
August 15

A focus on spring greens, especially tansy pre-flower, offering a lovely range from soft cool yellows through to vibrant greens. Iron modifiers and dying portions of both a white and a grey fleece will give a full range of green heathered tones.
Washing and mordanting fleeces and some harvesting for the dye session will be attended to during member socials leaving the studio day for focusing on the plant processing, dye pots and post dye modifications. Includes a share of Pease Blossom and Rosemary’s fleece for dying.

Instructors: CZarina Lobo

Payment options: $160, $135, $110

Date: Saturday, June 6, 11am-4pm

For beginners and beyond: each session highlights a different plant growing in the gardens with beautiful fibre to offer the patient human ready to step into relationship with wild fibre plants. These sessions take place in our outdoor studio under cover as required.

Instructors: Sharon Kallis

Payment options: $95, $75, $55

Date: Monday, June 8th from 6:00-8:30pm

For beginners and beyond: each session highlights a different plant growing in the gardens with beautiful fibre to offer the patient human ready to step into relationship with wild fibre plants. These sessions take place in our outdoor studio under cover as required.

Instructors: Sharon Kallis

Payment options: $95, $75, $55

Date: Monday, July 6th from 6:00-8:30pm

This weekend program is a wonderful opportunity to spend time working with the beautiful willow bark coming from the urban learning gardens under EartHand’s care. Hosted at the end of the spring bark harvesting window, participants will be able to strip some bark from our local willow, and explore basketry techniques from plain weaving, twining and more, with simple brim finishing. Expect other locally bountiful plant fibres to make some guest appearances too! Participants can expect to leave with a small completed basket (or two).

Instructors: Sandra Vander Schaaf

Payment options: $280, $250, $220

Date: Saturday & Sunday, July 4 & 5 from 10:00am-4:00pm

Build your fabric stash of beautiful botanical colours and prints for a quilt you have in mind in this full weekend/one evening plus one member social evening workshop. It will take participants through all the steps of naturally dyeing post consumer linen and cotton sheets from scouring to mordanting to dyeing. Each participant will end up with a cloth about 60×60 inches in a palette of naturally dyed colors.

Instructors: CZarina Lobo

Payment options: $360, $330, $300

Date: Friday, July 10 from 6:00-8:30pm – mordanting
Saturday & Sunday, July 11 & 12 from 11:00am-4:00pm
Wednesday, July 15 from 6:00-9:00pm – stitching and quilting

For beginners and beyond: each session highlights a different plant growing in the gardens with beautiful fibre to offer the patient human ready to step into relationship with wild fibre plants. Participants can expect to build up a small personal stash of fibres for future use; some fibres will be donated to the garden dye program for building out the Fibre and Dye library

Instructors: Sharon Kallis

Payment options: $95, $75, $55

Date: July 27 from 6:00-8.30pm

This popular autumn dye session will focus on printing on post consumer linen and cotton using tannin and alum as a mordant for bright and bold colours and prints that celebrate autumnal abundance such as coreopsis, marigolds, fallen leaves and other seasonal offerings. Linen square swatches suitable for quilting, small textile projects and patching will be provided and participants are invited to bring one small cellulose fibre garment –clean and scoured, tank tops, t-shirts or light weight linen shirts ready for a quick iron mordant before bundling. Participants are encouraged to attend stewardship sessions and the socials leading up to the program to help in the gathering and preparation for the session.

Instructors: CZarina Lobo

Payment options: $160, $130 $100

Date: Sunday, September 12 from 11:00am-4:00pm

This weekend workshop is an opportunity to use the lichen dyed wool yarn and work on a Salish frame loom with Rita. Over two days in our outdoor studio we will weave, drink tea from the gardens and soak up the shifting of the seasons: there’s a bit of time for turning weavings into pouches.

Instructors: Rita Kompst

Payment options: This program has two payment scales; one if  you’ve registered for the Lichen Dyeing program, and one if you’re taking this weaving program only. Please self-select your payment accordingly.

Sliding scale without Lichen Dyeing program:  $300, $260, $220
Sliding scale if registered for Lichen Dyeing program: $275, $235, $180

Date: Saturday & Sunday, September 19 & 20 from 10:00am-4:00pm

Two Barnston Island fleeces that are a gotland/romneyX or gotland/BFL X that will blend together well in a finished project will be split between the three single dye sessions we are offering. Based on raw wool weight, we anticipate approximately 100 gms of dyed wool going home each day with each participant. Dyeing with our local madder and coreopsis, a journey from pinks to salmons, warm reds and burnt orange brings some warmth to our cold autumn days. Includes a share of Pease Blossom and Rosemary’s fleece for dyeing.

Instructors: Sharon Kallis & Rita Kompst

Payment options: $160, $135, $110

Date: Sunday, October 3rd from 11:00am – 4:00pm

We are exploring ways to bridge the space between learning more formally in our workshops and the impromptu sharing that happens over drop-in sessions.
The creation of these focused co-learning pods is intended to be a a place for folx with a limited amount of experience in the area, already ‘in’ a project looking for a focused supportive group to stay on track towards project completion with those UFO’s, or those wishing to further hone one’s skill within a community of fellow makers. Each Pod has a different schedule, a Slack conversation space to stay connected between gathering times and maximum size that feels right for the person stepping into hosting that Pod.

Part of this Pod will be spent on gathering materials and the rest will be sharing of urban forage gleaning resources and windfalls as they happen via Slack. Participants should bring most of their own materials and may access more plant material by attending stewardship sessions.

Thursdays from 5:00 – 8:00pm:
April 30
May 14
July 2
Sept 10

Saturdays from 11:00am – 3:00pm:
June 6
July 18

Sundays from 12:00 – 4:00pm:
April 19 at MoP,
May 24
Sept 27

max of 12 participants

Facilitator: Samantha Banks

Payment Options: $90, $60, $30

We are exploring ways to bridge the space between learning more formally in our workshops and the impromptu sharing that happens over drop-in sessions.
The creation of these focused co-learning pods is intended to be a a place for folx with a limited amount of experience in the area, already ‘in’ a project looking for a focused supportive group to stay on track towards project completion with those UFO’s, or those wishing to further hone one’s skill within a community of fellow makers. Each Pod has a different schedule, a Slack conversation space to stay connected between gathering times and maximum size that feels right for the person stepping into hosting that Pod.

To be scheduled in the wake of our dye programs. The group will explore what our pigment calendar looks like. Participants can expect some personal pigments, help generate pigments towards community gifting, and for personal use.

Monday or Tuesday once a month evening sessions in the weeks of:
June 8
July 13
July 27
Sept 27
Oct 5

max of 8 participants

Facilitator: Phin Drummond

Payment Options: $90, $60, $30

We are exploring ways to bridge the space between learning more formally in our workshops and the impromptu sharing that happens over drop-in sessions.
The creation of these focused co-learning pods is intended to be a a place for folx with a limited amount of experience in the area, already ‘in’ a project looking for a focused supportive group to stay on track towards project completion with those UFO’s, or those wishing to further hone one’s skill within a community of fellow makers. Each Pod has a different schedule, a Slack conversation space to stay connected between gathering times and maximum size that feels right for the person stepping into hosting that Pod.

Running May – October with alternating sessions in personal and virtual, these are opportunities to share projects, get advice and spend time in the company of others doing all things stitch work.

Dates:
First Thursday of each month
Additional sessions:
May 14
July 16
August 20
Sept 24

max of 10 participants

Facilitator: Zane Markley

Payment Options: $90, $60, $30

We are exploring ways to bridge the space between learning more formally in our workshops and the impromptu sharing that happens over drop-in sessions.
The creation of these focused co-learning pods is intended to be a a place for folx with a limited amount of experience in the area, already ‘in’ a project looking for a focused supportive group to stay on track towards project completion with those UFO’s, or those wishing to further hone one’s skill within a community of fellow makers. Each Pod has a different schedule, a Slack conversation space to stay connected between gathering times and maximum size that feels right for the person stepping into hosting that Pod.

This is a great opportunity for people curious about tannins for either leather tanning or natural dyes. This Pod will look at bark and leaf tannins and how seasonal changes affect tannin levels. Two sessions are currently planned and will bookend more impromptu sessions taking place over the summer.

Dates:
Sunday, May 10 10:00am – 2:00pm
Summer date TBD
Sunday, Sept 20 10:00am – 2:00pm

max of 10 participants

Facilitator: Harley Slade

Payment Options: $90, $60, $30

We are exploring ways to bridge the space between learning more formally in our workshops and the impromptu sharing that happens over drop-in sessions.
The creation of these focused co-learning pods is intended to be a a place for folx with a limited amount of experience in the area, already ‘in’ a project looking for a focused supportive group to stay on track towards project completion with those UFO’s, or those wishing to further hone one’s skill within a community of fellow makers. Each Pod has a different schedule, a Slack conversation space to stay connected between gathering times and maximum size that feels right for the person stepping into hosting that Pod.

Join in to show and tell about your recent spinning, get tips or tricks and problem solve. Participants who share the love of spinning will be encouraged to try new styles and methods while spending time spinning together.

Thursday nights on zoom 7:00 – 8:30pm
May 7
May 11
July 9
July 23
Oct 1
Oct 8
Oct 22
Oct 29 and every Thursday concluding on Dec 10

max of 10 participants

Facilitator: Heather Cameron

Payment Options: $90, $60, $30

We are exploring ways to bridge the space between learning more formally in our workshops and the impromptu sharing that happens over drop-in sessions.
The creation of these focused co-learning pods is intended to be a a place for folx with a limited amount of experience in the area, already ‘in’ a project looking for a focused supportive group to stay on track towards project completion with those UFO’s, or those wishing to further hone one’s skill within a community of fellow makers. Each Pod has a different schedule, a Slack conversation space to stay connected between gathering times and maximum size that feels right for the person stepping into hosting that Pod.

People who want to set aside time for their carving projects, this is for you! Bring your own wood and tools, (some tools and wood available). Some instruction and project planning available but please note this is a carving club and not a class.

Fridays from 6:00 – 8:30pm
May 8
May 29
June 26
July 24
August 14

max of 6 participants

Facilitator: David Gowman

Payment Options: $90, $60, $30

We are exploring ways to bridge the space between learning more formally in our workshops and the impromptu sharing that happens over drop-in sessions.
The creation of these focused co-learning pods is intended to be a a place for folx with a limited amount of experience in the area, already ‘in’ a project looking for a focused supportive group to stay on track towards project completion with those UFO’s, or those wishing to further hone one’s skill within a community of fellow makers. Each Pod has a different schedule, a Slack conversation space to stay connected between gathering times and maximum size that feels right for the person stepping into hosting that Pod.

For individuals interested in making and researching distaffs and other spinning tools. Participants will get together to share information and techniques and to demonstrate spinning. There will also be a shared digital space for file references and articles.

Fridays from 6:00 – 8:30pm:
May 29
June 26
July 24
August 21

max of 15 participants

Facilitator: Mhicaella Lopez

Payment Options: $90, $60, $30

We are exploring ways to bridge the space between learning more formally in our workshops and the impromptu sharing that happens over drop-in sessions.
The creation of these focused co-learning pods is intended to be a a place for folx with a limited amount of experience in the area, already ‘in’ a project looking for a focused supportive group to stay on track towards project completion with those UFO’s, or those wishing to further hone one’s skill within a community of fellow makers. Each Pod has a different schedule, a Slack conversation space to stay connected between gathering times and maximum size that feels right for the person stepping into hosting that Pod.

Join in the tending of plants at Trillium or MoP garden, grow along on your balcony or home garden and participate in studio dye sessions to learn more about the science and art of extracting indigo.

Saturdays from 1:00 – 4:00 pm
April 25
May 30
June TBD
July 18
Aug 22
Sept 5

max of 8 participants

Facilitator: Erin Brown-John and Heather Young

Payment Options: $105, $75, $45 (This cohort has an additional cost to enable the collective purchase of dried leaves from a local grower.)