Ready For Winter - The Lost Skills Autumn Symposium
Lost Skills Symposiums feature folk and traditional arts that are rarely seen in our modern daily life, but daily life is where these skills were meant to be used.
Our Autumn theme; "Ready For Winter" is a gathering for those interested in learning about traditional arts that will prepare you for winter, or give you a new hobby to try this winter! At the end of this workshop you should be able to replicate any of the skills learned without a fancy workshop or expensive tools.
Dates: October 14-16, 2016
Location: Lost Creek Folk School, Cornucopia Wisconsin is our meeting place with a short drive required for getting to some of the workshops.
WORKSHOPS
Knitting for Beginners & Intermediate Yarn Lovers
with Ellie Kolodzieski, an avid knitter and lover of fiber arts
Come spend a cozy October day learning to knit your grandma’s favorite washcloths in our off-grid workshop. You can focus on completing one washcloth or make swatches of various patterns that you can work with later. We’ll focus on basic stitches and skills as well as fixing boo-boos that usually arise (those darn dropped stitches!) If you’re an intermediate knitter, we can work on some new techniques or perfect those basic skills. Cotton, worsted-weight yarn and size US 7 - 4.5 mm bamboo needles will be provided for washcloths and swatches as well as project patterns.
4 hours.
Material Cost: $10 (inc. patterns, yarn and needles) Material fee payable to your instructor.
Bow-Drill Fire Making
with Alex "Alyosha" Breslav
In this class you will first learn how to shape chunks of wood into a bow-drill kit using a knife and an ax, and then you will learn proper body technique to bring forth the gift of Fire! Your instructor, Alex "Alyosha" Breslav, has been teaching bow-drill fire-making at various gatherings and work shops, which he originally learned while using it as the only method of making fire during a year in the wilderness.
6+ hours
Felting Winter Clothing
with Greg Weiss
Felt is one of the warmest fabrics that you create with wool, water, and elbow grease. In this class you will have the chance to make mittens, boot liners, hats and more. It is up to you if you want to spend the time and finish your project in class or take it home to finish.
6+ hours.
Material cost $20/lb for Wool. Mittens may take $10 worth, while boot liners may be $30.
Create You Own Leather-Bound Journal
Keeping a journal is one of the best activities one can do to reflect on life’s meanings, preserve the moments of time, or record observations for future reference. In this workshop, participants will create a personalized leather-bound journal. The front and back cover, along with the binding, will be shaped from leather and stitched together to make a one-of-a-kind creation.
4 hours
$15 material fee
The Story Bundle
From the dawn of time we have used and recorded myths and stories as a means of education and understanding of the world around us. They play an important role in how we relate to our surrounding environment both physically and ethically. Through the course of a few hours, we will learn and experience new ways to incorporate metaphors and stories into our lives. We will explore myths, sacred symbols, personal stories, ancient skills, and legends. Each person will also create a personalized story bundle leather pouch as a keeper and reminder of the life-story we all take part in. This bundle is made from leather and decorated with a design of your choice. It can be worn as a necklace or used as a little medicine pouch to hold your stories in.
4 hours + open-ended story sharing after conclusion
$15 material fee
Animal Tracking Basics
What is the glue that holds tracks together? Water! Since we most likely won't have snow during the symposium we will use beach sand as our medium to explore types of tracks and gaits. This is the foundational knowledge needed to progess in tracking in more difficult mediums.
4 hours
Crocheted Beanie Hat
Ray Sems has been crocheting since her grandmother taught her as age 6. Though she is comfortable with other fiber crafts, crochet is her go-to for simple, functional projects.
This class will cover the basics of crochet and provide the basic patter for a beanie hat (and many other patters crocheted in the round). You will leave with a "G" hook, the most common size hook, enough yarn for a had, and with some concentration, a finished hat!
Materials fee $15.
Snowshoe Making
Lace your own snowshoes with a ready made frame.
Two Days.
$60 material fee
Read more via PDF download
Seasonal Regional Herbalism
- Apothecary-keeping. Checking supplies, getting it organized, and giving it good energy.
- Nature Intelligence and Intuitive Herbalism. What have you been able to harvest a lot of? What herbs have had an exceptional year? And so what might be coming?
- Regional Herbs for Seasonal Ailments. Keeping it local, keeping it simple.
- Basics of the Menstruum (Medicine-making). Our regional, seasonal menstruum apple cider vinegar for extracting herbal constituents. And some guidelines for considering constitution differences for children, adults, and the elderly.
- Ethics. Honoring our teachers, showing credentials with honesty, and being realistic. "Seven Kinds of Medicine" and individualized wellness.
Materials fee $10
Read More (PDF)
Other Workshops in the works...
Winter Survival Shelters TBD
Cooking without metal TBD
Hide tanning with Scogin
Crochet with wool with Ray Sems. Hats/scarves/cowls. Maybe the drinking mason jar cozy also.
Meat Processing
Wild Edibles of Fall
SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE
Friday October 14th
12pm - Meet and greet.
1pm - Head off to workshops.
Knitting for Yarn Lovers
Bow Drill Fire Making
5pm - Workshops end for the day.
6pm - Campfire
Evening activity
Saturday October 15th
8am - Meet for coffee & scones
8:30am head off to workshops
Animal Tracking Basics - 9 to 12
Create your own leather bound journal - 9 to12
Snowshoe Making - All day.
The Story Bundle - 1 to 5
5pm - Workshops end for the day
6pm Chili dinner. Bring your own drinks
Sunday October 16th
8am - Meet for coffee
8:30am - Head off to workshops.
Felting Winter Clothing - All day
Snowshoe Making - Part II - All day
Seasonal Regional Herbalism - All day
Crocheted Beanie Hat - All day
3 or 4pm - Workshops come to a close.
LOGISTICS AND REGISTRATION
The Cornucopia area has several options for camping and lodging. The best resource is at visitcorny.com. We have camping space at headquarters, but it's just a space. No ameneties are available.
Symposium Fees
Tuition: $145 early bird, $165 after October 1st. Includes any and all workshop instruction and listed activities. The materials fees listed are payable directly to your instructor at the event.
Can't attend the whole event? Daily Rate: $60 per day early bird, $80 after October 1st. Includes all events for the day(s) you are registered for.
Crooked Knives