EartHand’s theme for 2016 is ‘Crafting a Seasonal Living Practice in the City.’ As garden stewards, we live by a seasonal rhythm of tasks and tending; and as artists, within this rhythm we find unique opportunities to learn new skills and be creative with the gardens’ abundance. In EartHand’s Urban Weaving Retreats we embed the gathering and stewardship of the plants in with the creative making skills as often as possible, so that the origin of the materials becomes an integral part of the experience of crafting objects.
In addition to programs at Trillium North Park (corner of Malkin and Thornton Streets), we are proud to partner with both Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA) and Oncle Hoonki’s Fabulous Horn Shop for several of the programs offered at our sister site, Means of Production Garden (MOP, 6th Ave at St.Catherines), or at Maclean Park Field House (710 Keefer Street).
Again, EartHand members receive a discount on workshop costs and subsidized spaces exist for low income participants. Visit our main workshop page for details.
Upcoming:
Art Rope to Woven Bag
Sat/Sun April 2/3 1-4pm Trillium North Park
This weekend intensive gives time for playful rope making using a wide variety of gleaned materials, including everything from recycled soft plastics to various barks and plant leaves. Day One will focus on rope, showing various methods for 2 and 4 plied rope; Day Two is an exploration in weaving, braiding and tying rope into a net market bag, soft basket or carry pouch. Instructor: Sharon Kallis
100 Mile Baskets — Weave Your Own Bike or Market Basket
Saturday April 16, 11am-6pm – $115 – @ Homestead Junction 649 E Hastings
Tickets: http://www.homesteadjunction.ca/products/20160416-bike-market-basket-weaving
Shop at the farmers’ market and tote your purchases home in the ultimate 100-Mile style: in your very own hand-woven bike- or small market basket! Learn how to make sturdy rib-style baskets out of local plants such as willow, red osier, hazel, and ivy. This course is suitable for beginners, and hand strength is an asset; bring a bagged lunch for break. Instructor: Rebecca Graham
Stewardship Club at Trillium North: Do you work odd hours and look for outdoor opportunities occasionally mid-week? EartHand has an informal stewardship club that meets periodically when the weather is favourable, often for spontaneous acts of stewardship: weaving fences, weeding, planting and harvesting. Email earthandgleaners(at)gmail.com with stewardship in the title to get on the list and participate!
Past Workshops this Season….
Plant-based Medicine Making for Community Immunity
Sunday January 17 1-4pm
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One of eartHand’s core values is working with the seasons, and what could be more timely than taking an afternoon as the light wanes to learn about how plants can help us keep healthy through the darker half of the year? In this hands on medicine making class will we will learn: Identification of local plants that have medicinal and other uses; ethical plant harvesting, plus when and how to harvest what; how medicinal properties are extracted from plants; how to make a tincture; how to make herbal oils and salves; kitchen medicines – how to keep you and your nearest & dearest healthy with ‘make it and take it’ community immunity vinegars. PLEASE BRING: kitchen knife (sharp) and cutting board; notepad and pen; 2x 25o ml jars; labels; rain jacket/umbrella for the plant walk
Instructor: Marina Szijarto; Location: Meet at Trillium North Park, plan to walk to Maclean Park Fieldhouse (~ 1km) — dress for the weather!
| $68- EartHand members |
Working Willow: From Harvest to Fence and Woven Form
Sat/Sun January 30/31 10am-1pm
Willow is a primary weaving crop with numerous varieties useful for many applications, and traditionally used anywhere it grows. This two-day intensive begins with the harvesting process, touches on weaving with living willow, and culminates in making a Catalan tray. Workshop is outdoors rain or shine, dress for the weather!
Saturday- at Means of Production Garden
Harvest willow in the garden. Learn about stewardship and sustainable harvest methods of pollarding and coppicing. Demonstration of planting clipped willow whips for creating woven fences and other living structures. Participants leave with a small bundle of willow for personal use. Instructor: Sharon Kallis
Sunday- at Trillium North Park- (under shelter, outdoors)
Day two involves weaving a Catalan tray from our local willow. Weaving experience is helpful, but not required. The small woven trays are beautiful and useful objects, and the method taught is based on the traditional Catalan form. Instructor: Rebecca Graham
Woven Slippers
Saturday February 6, 9.30am-6pm at Maclean Park Fieldhouse
The workshop we have all been waiting for! Starting off with paper samplers, students learn the dynamic principle of taking plain weave to a diagonal and shaping into an asymmetrical shoe form, as done by Russian and Scandinavian weavers. Final shoes will be woven in either felt or plant fibre. +Pre-req: diagonal plaiting intro workshop or by permission of the instructor. Half hour lunch break, bring a bagged lunch. Course fee includes $15 for materials. Instructor: Rebecca Graham
‘Bush to Bark’ Art Rope
Sat. Feb. 27th *10am -1pm & Sun. 28th *12pm-3pm
*note different locations and start times.
Early spring is a good season for both pruning and bark harvesting from a wide variety of plants. Join this weekend workshop intensive to learn about the plantings in the native tree section at Means of Production garden and make rope with our seasonal harvest. This is an excellent workshop for those wanting to deepen their knowledge of local wild fibres and which plants can provide strong bark. Plants include: various willows, Mock orange, Ocean spray, Indian Plum, Oregon grape, Red Osier Dogwood. Rain or Shine, dress for the weather.
10-1 pm Saturday- Means of Production garden:Learn appropriate pruning methods and explore various useful fibres through hands-on tactile learning as we strip bark from our branch clippings.
12-3 pm Sunday- Trillium North Park (under shelter, outdoors):Make art rope using various barks and plants for changing colours and textures in 2 or 4 plied rope. Participants will find their rope useful for future weaving workshops or to just enjoy and use at home- you can never have too much rope! Instructors: EYA/ Sharon Kallis
Weed and Weave- Hands in Soil Day at Means of Production Garden!
Saturday March 5 10am-2pm, drop in- free activity
This is the time of year that the bind weed pokes up and is easy to remove! Come out to help pull weeds from our planted and maintained areas at MOP, and stay for weaving and repairing our woven garden bed edges. A short pot-luckish snack break midday- bring something to share.
Garden hosts: Sharon Kallis and David Gowman
Community Stewardship Day at Trillium North Park
Saturday March 26 10am-2pm, drop in, free activity
Originally planted in 2013, there are a few areas of this park that are ready for attention. Some plants just didn’t like where they were placed and have not survived or need a transplant, so it is time to get out the shovels and open up space for new plantings. A great chance to see what is on site- lots of species that we will be using for future weaving workshops! Spring planting with Strathcona Elementary Students will be happening in the weeks following this community work party. A short pot-luckish snack break midday- bring something to share. Garden hosts: Sharon Kallis and David Gowman
Art Rope to Woven Bag
Sat/Sun April 2/3 1-4pm Trillium North Park
This weekend intensive gives time for playful rope making using a wide variety of gleaned materials, including everything from recycled soft plastics to various barks and plant leaves. Day One will focus on rope, showing various methods for 2 and 4 plied rope; Day Two is an exploration in weaving, braiding and tying rope into a net market bag, soft basket or carry pouch. Instructor: Sharon Kallis
Weave Your Own Bike Basket
Saturday April 16 9.30am-6pm Trillium North Park
Shop at the farmers’ market and tote your purchases home in the ultimate 100-Mile style: in your very own hand-woven bike- or small market basket! Learn how to make sturdy rib-style baskets out of local plants such as willow, red osier, hazel, and ivy. This course is suitable for beginners, and hand strength is an asset; bring a bagged lunch for break. Instructor: Rebecca Graham
Includes $15 material fee.
Stewardship Club at Trillium North: Do you work odd hours and look for outdoor opportunities occasionally mid-week? EartHand has an informal stewardship club that meets periodically when the weather is favourable, often for spontaneous acts of stewardship: weaving fences, weeding, planting and harvesting. Email earthandgleaners(at)gmail.com with stewardship in the title to get on the list and participate!