Adirondack Folk School

Forging Small Garden Tools
2022-06-18 09:00 - 16:00, 2022-06-17 09:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Learn to forge a garden trowel, fork and rack from carbon steel. Eliminate the hassle of cheap garden supply tools that often bend and break. You’ll learn some basic forging techniques while making quality tools and have the satisfaction of using tools you’ve made yourself.

Blanket Basket
2022-06-18 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
This large basket uses wide stakes and weavers for strength and durability, yet the base lifts slightly in the classic “Cathead” shape. The basket is woven with reed, and students may incorporate accent strips for color and interest. Generously sized and perfect for storing throws, pillows, towels etc., the basket is finished with a hand-carved oak handle.

Large Copper Embossing
2022-06-17 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Learn the discipline of Metal Working known as Embossing. Students will transfer an image of their choosing from a paper template to a sheet of copper by using various sizes of stylus and other hand tools to create a textured picture. Students will find that copper is a very workable material. Your finished piece will fit in with any Adirondack decor or even in a rustic birch frame! This piece is 12″ x 12″.

Weaving 101: Introduction to Weaving on a Floor Loom
2022-06-16 10:00 - 13:00, 2022-06-14 10:00 - 13:00, 2022-06-09 10:00 - 13:00, 2022-06-07 10:00 - 13:00 | NY
Students will learn to weave through instruction and hands on experience! Students will learn about equipment, terminology, and the procee of weaving, including planning, winding a warp, dressing a loom, weaving and finishing. Students will make a sampler of plain and twill weaves. No prior look experience needed.

Open Forge Night
2022-06-15 18:30 - 20:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Interested in blacksmithing but unsure how to start? Open Forge Night is the place for you! Every third Wednesday of the month during our blacksmithing season, come see demonstrations by expert blacksmith Steve Gurzler. Observing the demonstration is free and open to the public. If you want to try your hand at blacksmithing there is a $20 fee to cover the cost of materials. Safety precautions must be followed – including hard shoes with no open toes, long pants, goggles (supplied) and gloves (supplied).

Harp Making
2022-06-12 09:00 - 16:00, 2022-06-11 09:00 - 16:00 | NY
Come build a Paraguan harp. This harp is characterized by a large soundbox with a rounded base, very light weight, closely-spaced light tension strings (usually nylon), a relatively flat harmonic curve, and with the strings running up through the center of the neck, which are tuned with gear-style tuners (like a guitar). Almost all harps of this style are played with the fingernails, in very rhythmically intricate music. This is the national instrument of Paraguay, and is commonly found throughout South America, Central America and in parts of Mexico. Students will be using tools from the past and today, to fashion an instrument that will last a lifetime. After this class you may even want to learn to play your beautiful new harp!

Beginning Crochet - Make a Dishcloth
2022-06-11 13:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Learning to crochet is a snap! Don’t feel intimidated by the lovely creations that you see. You can learn to make them, too. Patricia will help you learn several different stitches as you make something beautiful for your home or a gift. Ages 8 and up.

Hardwood Spoon Carving
2022-06-11 09:00 - 17:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
In this class students will design, shape and carve a serving spoon. Skills explored include: making a template and transferring it to a blank, carving and shaping the bowl and back of the spoon, use of hand tools such as gouges, scrapers, coping saws, and spokeshaves, and sanding and finishing techniques. Students will leave class with a beautiful handcrafted hardwood spoon to use in their own kitchens or to give as a gift!

Beginning Knitting - Make Coasters
2022-06-11 09:00 - 12:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Have you always wanted to learn to knit but thought it was too difficult? Don’t feel intimidated! Our instructor will help you through the process of learning the two basic kinds of stitches as you make at least one lovely coaster. If time permits you may make all three!! Ages 8 to adult.

AFS Sewing Circle
2022-06-09 10:00 - 14:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Calling all fiber artists! Do you have a project you’re in the middle of? Want some company while you work? Sounds like AFS Sewing Circle is the place for you! Quilters, knitters, and fiber artists alike are welcome to join us every month for an afternoon of quilting and camaraderie. Bring your works in progress, and enjoy sharing your experience and the company of your fellow quilters. Pre-registration is not required. All are welcome!

Rugs from Rags
2022-06-05 12:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
No weaving experience is necessary! The looms are dressed and ready to go, all you need to do is bring your creative spirit and to leave with a finished one-of-a-kind rug. Students will have a choice of making a traditional Rag Rug using recycled fabric strips or making a Sock Rug using remnants from a sock factory. Colors and choices of fabric and remnants vary from class to class depending on availability. The rugs are 24″ wide, and up to 45″ long.

Camper's Frying Pan
2022-06-05 09:00 - 16:00, 2022-06-04 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
In this 2-day class students will learn basic sheet metal forging and riveting while creating a small camper’s frying pan. Well start with a disk of heavy  guage sheet metal and forge a frying pan suitable for campfire or stove top use with a decorative forged handle. This class is recommended for students who have taken a basic course or who have some blacksmithing experience. Quality hearing protection is recommended, along with leather gloves.

Fly Fishing - Casting Basics
2022-06-04 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
The goal of this class is to help you get started in fly fishing or better your casting. We will go over different types of fly rods and when to use them. The proper way of lining a fly rod will be taught. You will be doing the over hand cast, roll cast and side arm cast, for a few examples. You will need to bring a hat and a pair of glasses or sunglasses. If you have a fly rod please bring it, otherwise one will be provided. To end, students will get a chance to try different fly rods.

Med. Picnic
2022-06-02 09:00 - 17:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Weave your own picnic basket. The basket has a solid woven base to keep everything secure for transport. The sides are a plain weave pattern. Lash the rim on, add the webbing handles made by Linda, and bottom runners to secure the handles. The medium size is new this year! This basket fits in a shopping cart making it easy to shop, check out and carry out. There will be a selection of webbing colors. Instructor will bring all materials to make the basket, students should wear comfortable clothing. Approx. dimensions: 11″ x 13″ x 10″ high.

A Taste of the Forge
2022-05-26 18:00 - 20:30 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Would you like to try blacksmithing, and get a taste of the craft? Join instructor Steve Gurzler for 3 weekday evenings to learn how to operate a coal forge to bring metal to incandescent heat and shape it with hammer in hand. This class will use the Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America (ABANA) curriculum to teach the basics of blacksmithing. Students can expect to create 2 or more projects during the 3 evenings. Class size is limited to ensure all can advance at their own pace.

Mountaineer (Large) Adirondack Pack Basket by Linda Scherz
2022-05-25 09:00 - 16:00, 2022-05-24 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
The Adirondack Pack Basket is one of the most recognized objects associated with the Adirondacks. These versatile baskets were used to carry just about everything the guides, hunters, and trappers took with them into the woods. Create your own pack basket patterned from the traditional Adirondack Pack Baskets. The Mountaineer pack is a large pack, a great size for adult men and women for trips to the farmer’s market, hunting and hiking.
The first day students weave a plain weave base with the pre-cut spokes and then weave the sides. Linda will be guiding students as they concentrate on shape, creating a belly while learning to continuous weave. The main weaving will be done on the first day. The baskets will sit and dry overnight. On the second day, students will pack baskets tight, level the top, weave a false rim, cut and tuck spokes, and fit the rim to the basket and lash the rim. A leather handle will be put on the pack and an adjustable webbing or leather harness secured with skids. Linda will guide you and teach you many tips and techniques. Students will be using a drawknife and other sharp tools. Instructor will bring all materials to make the basket. Baskets will not be stained during class. Approximate dimensions: 9″ x 12″ x 20″ high.

Principles of Herbal Medicine
2022-05-22 10:00 - 16:30 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
The use of plants for wellness, nutrition and balance has been practiced for thousands of years in the Adirondacks and cultures around the globe. Join Margo for an exploration of Basic Principles of Herbal Medicine through the lens of intimately getting to know 6 easy to identify plants from our local region who may be growing right under your own feet! (And in your own garden!)
In this class you will have an opportunity to gain intimate knowledge of plants and traditional methods of working with them, while building your wild skill set in identification and transforming raw (plant) material into beneficial preparations through hands-on experiences. Your work in the classroom will continue at home. In each class you will receive a rooted specimen of the plant we work with, along with the earthwork of establishing your own medicinal herb garden.
This class is recommended for those who are: curious, herbalists, gardeners and/or plant lovers, ages 13 and up, beginner or experienced.

Relief Carved Door Toppers
2022-05-22 09:00 - 16:00, 2022-05-21 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Carve a decorative door topper for your interior or exterior door. Learn to design, lay out, and carve, a scenic design or welcome sign for the top of your door.

Blacksmithing 103: Coat Rack
2022-05-22 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
This final intro to blacksmithing class uses all of the forging techniques taught in the previous classes to create a small coat or pot rack, with hand forged hooks riveted to the base. This is also an introduction o joinery, as students will learn how to rivet pieces together. Other techniques including pass-throughs and mortise and tenon will be demonstrated and discussed.

Hang Up Basket
2022-05-22 09:00 - 15:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
This is a very practical and handy small wall basket that can be hung up anywhere or sit on any surface. Done in a plain weave, a decorative triple twining at the top adds a touch of color. The matching leather handle fits to the lashed rim. 3″ wide x 7.5″ long x 9″ high with handle.

Lidded Birch Pouch
2022-05-21 09:00 - 16:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
This is a fun project to learn about weaving with birch bark. This version of Dona’s “Lidded Pouch” is delicate and light weight and has leather hinges on the back to be able to open and close. Woven over a mold, you will then embellish with additional pieces to lid, choosing from several stitching options and hang it from a leather cord. Pouch is designed for decorative use only. Individual pieces will vary. 5″ long x 1″ deep x 7″ high not counting leather.

Square Foot Gardening
2022-05-21 09:00 - 15:00 | Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, 12846, United States
Learn all about Square Foot gardening from a local gardening guru. Square Foot gardening is the practice of planning small but intensively planted gardens. It combines concepts from other organic gardening methods, including composting, closely planted raised beds and attention to a small, clearly defined area. It is a high-yield, space-saving and time-saving gardening technique. Come learn from a pro, watch nature do her work, and then come back during the summer to tend your garden and harvest your efforts. Though the class is geared to vegetable gardening, the techniques discussed are applicable to other types of gardening as well. A terrific class for beginning gardeners or experts alike – and a great way to get out in the sun and enjoy our Adirondacks!
