Events

A hands-on, four-day retreat for quilters, artists, and anyone interested in exploring how quilts can hold stories, memory, and history. Guided by Cody Cook-Parrott, you’ll spend time sewing, learning, and discussing the quilt as a living archive — how it documents time, care, and community. Itinerary: Arrival: Friday 4 - 6pm Check in and join […]

Enjoy your garden goodies for seasons to come, learn the basics from canning simple fruits and vegetables to more complicated pressure canning processes for canning soups, meats, and sauces. This class is designed to introduce the home cook to the basic fundamentals of home canning. Whether new to the idea or renewing one’s interest in […]

Calling all spinners! No, this is not a cycling class. Nor is it another intro to spinning or drop spindle class. We asked fiber expert Amy Tyler what kinds of spinning classes spinners would actually want to take. Her answer? Mechanics of Your Wheel. These marvelous machines have been around for nearly 1,000 years. Each […]

Ritual is craft. It arises out of our human needs — whether that be to bear witness to transformation, a rite of passage, to tend our grief, or to become present to ourselves and all of our relations. Have you ever been left feeling like there was a void of spiritual practice? Like you didn’t […]

Storytelling is one of the most foundational crafts of humankind. Stories have helped us interpret and understand the world, one another, and ourselves. The craft of bookmaking and binding also has a long and rich human history. Inside and out, these vessels are an important part of cultures all over the world. In this class, […]

Carve a bench! In this course, students will craft a bench using the techniques of green woodworking, utilizing freshly cut wood in shaping the legs and tenons. We will witness the magic of shrinking wood and relative ease of working with hand tools. Legs will be shaped using a draw knife, spoke shave and shaving […]

Have you ever been curious what your land is trying to teach you about itself? Are you curious about learning the language of your wild spaces you interact with whether your backyard, acreage, farm, or just the places you hike and walk? Megan Gilger of Perma Studio will be teaching just how to wander and […]

In this full-day, hands-on workshop, we’ll explore the local and seasonal plant life of Cedar, Michigan to create unique, functional watercolor paints. Working with both cultivated and foraged plants from the surrounding landscape, this class is a sensory exploration of place, plant knowledge, and sustainable creativity. Throughout the day, you’ll learn the complete process of […]

Join us for a hands-on, heart-centered dive into the world of the ancient folk medicine, Fire Cider, and immune-supporting herbal remedies. In this class, we'll explore the rich history and healing potential of kitchen herbalism, and uncover natural ways to support your immune system. Each participant will leave with 1 quart jar of fire cider, […]

Back by popular demand...Described by artist Claire Wellesley-Smith as “no rules, no projected outcome. A record of days, but not a daily record.” Slow Stitching or stitch journaling is not necessarily about having a plan or creating an item, but it is a meditative approach to stitching. This fiber-based equivalent to journaling or a sketch book […]

Do you feel stuck knowing what to do with holidays that feel complex? How do we do Thanksgiving with family when we are committed to pushing back on colonization? How do we spend our day on July 4th when patriotism is linked with authoritarianism? Perhaps Christmas feels like an automatic practice rather than one linked […]

Discover the timeless art of band weaving in this immersive one-day workshop designed for beginners. Using a rigid heddle backstrap loom, participants will learn the foundational techniques of weaving narrow bands that have been used for centuries to create functional and decorative textiles such as belts, straps, and trims. These beautiful bands can be used […]

Come down to the folk school on Saturday December 20th from 5pm - 7pm to craft shadow puppets for the Solstice Festival Puppet Show (Sunday, December 21st at 5pm). This event is open to community members of all ages! Feel free to bring your own scissors, tape, and paper, but everything needed for the puppets […]

Akash, in Sanskrit, translates to “sky” or “ether.” In Hindu philosophy, Akash is known as the fifth element - alongside earth, water, fire, and air. Modern science points to the existence of this energetic field, one that permeates the entire Universe and subtly influences all that exists. In essence, The Akashic Records are your soul’s […]

Join green witch and naturalist Summer Hennessy for a guided journey through The Wheel of the Year, an ancient cycle of eight seasonal festivals marking the solstices, equinoxes, and their midpoints. For centuries, these celebrations have offered people rhythm, meaning, and connection to the land, the seasons, and one another. Together, we’ll explore the origins […]

We are outraged by the political violence happening at the hands of the state. When the world feels scary, it’s important that we gather, share our skills, and build a strong and united community. Join us for CRAFTIVISM OPEN STUDIO at Green Door Folk School on Friday, January 30, from 6pm-8pm. The doors to our […]

Learn the craft of the beloved winter sport of cross country skiing! In this day long workshop, we'll cover the basics of cross country skiing from equipment to clothing, waxing, and technique. We'll spend some of the day out exploring on skis! This is a great opportunity to learn more about your own pair of […]

The vision of a space that feeds the whole ecosystem and yourself is a dream for many. Plucking apples from trees that grow amongst berries, flowers, and plants that feed the soil microbes below so the process is simpler, easier, and more holistic. Come learn just how to create a space that does just that […]

Feeling alone or isolated? Feeling like you need to make art but don’t know where to start? Feeling like you just need to be with people, but don’t want to have to work at conversation? Itching to sing? All great reasons to join Firelight Embodiment's monthly song circles!

Enjoy a living room style folk dance show by Nic

Learn the ancient art of making yarn by hand using simple tools. In this two-day class, you’ll explore the basics of spinning on a drop spindle, transform raw fleece into beautiful yarn, and sample a variety of spinning tools from around the world. Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned fiber artist looking for […]

Add some new life to well-loved clothing using basic darning and mending techniques! Students can bring some of their own clothes to darn and mend using tools and supplies provided by instructor Riley Kleve. Students will learn to select materials, use various tools, and care for mended and darned clothing in class. Students will leave […]

Come join Riley Kleve, teaching fiber artist and Minneapolis resident, for an evening presentation on notes and lessons learned from Minneapolis. Minnesota has mounted a beautiful resistance against political violence, incorporating mutual aid, rapid response networks, direct action, and even art and song. We have a lot to learn from Minnesota about public safety, community organizing, […]

In this two-day workshop, you will make your own beautiful, unique, asymmetrical basket. Suitable for willing beginners and also for those who have made a basket before. You can use this basket for a variety of purposes, from gathering things from the garden to storing kitchen utensils or tools, holding a sewing project, foraging, etc. […]

Learn the basics of sewing by hand for a variety of uses in this half-day mini course. Have you ever wanted to do some basic mending? Would you like to create small projects by hand? Would you like to sew some of your own wardrobe, but don't have a sewing machine? In this class you will […]

Learn the craft of fly tying in a region with a wealth of freshwater streams and rivers! Go beyond the sport of fly fishing. Discover the world of hand-sourcing and crafting flies using natural or found second-hand materials. We'll begin with introductions and share our backgrounds and interests in fly tying and fishing. Then we'll […]

In this class, you'll learn the foundational skills needed to approach the craft of hand sewn leatherwork. You'll begin by creating a pattern, selecting your leather, and stitching a small piece together before moving onto a second small project. With a balance of demonstration, hands on practice, and instructor guidance, you'll leave this class with […]

Join storyteller and coach Shea Petaja for a hands-on, heart-centered day of crafting stories that connect, move, and matter. Whether you’re re-writing the stories you tell yourself, building storytelling skills for your social or professional life, or preparing to bring your stories to the world in a bigger way, this workshop is your invitation to […]

As the earth begins to thaw, and your mind turns to imagining your spring and summer gardens let Megan Gilger’s expertise in permaculture and regenerative garden design help guide your garden plan. This popular course is a practical hands-on exploration of native and locally adaptive plants that create vibrant and productive gardens and ecosystems. Leading […]

Transform fluffy wool into a sturdy, whimsical sauna cap! Sauna caps are designed to support the ritual of sauna by regulating your body temperature. Just in time for Traverse City's Sauna Festival, you'll learn about the properties of wool, and how the material lends itself to being the ideal sauna cap. You'll also gain introductory […]

Practice the craft of willow basketry while creating the perfect vessel for hiking in the woods or toting things around town. In this three-day workshop, you will learn to make a willow backpack with straps. We'll begin by making an oval base and inserting stakes. Then we'll weave the upsett, and begin weaving the sides, […]

Imagine stepping into your backyard this summer and harvesting fresh mushrooms you’ve grown yourself. Join Dr. James Reznich and Julie Botsford as they guide you in making shiitake and oyster mushroom logs. In the beautiful setting of J2 Farms at Cedar North, gain hands-on experience in preparing, inoculating, and caring for the logs and benefit […]

This class is a beginner's introduction to basic woodworking skills using power tools found in a standard workshop. The day will culminate in a completed charcuterie board that each participant can take home and enjoy for years to come. Everyone will be required to bring their own safety glasses and hearing protection. We’ll start the […]

Learn the magic of radio! Students will experience what it takes to tell stories in an audio-only format. Broadcast journalists from Interlochen Public Radio will reveal the secrets of radio from how they catch the stories in their microphones, to editing and mixing for the airwaves. Your stories might even end up on the radio! […]

Learn the basics of oil painting “en plein aire” with artist, Erin Wakeland. Erin will begin by introducing the basics of oil painting: how to mix paints, thin paints, and familiarize students to the basic tools and guiding principles of oil painting. Erin will teach her go-to observational techniques and processes of starting paintings while […]

Tree bark is a powerful material in basketry, and can be harvested from a wide range of trees in the world around us. In this workshop, we will learn to harvest and work with tree bark from different invasive/displaced plant species in a way that promotes the health and resiliency of our local ecosystem. We’ll […]