About the workshop

This is an exploration of many ways to start and weave a decorative medallion, hair pin, or earring, all in natural materials. Students will learn a few decorative starts, ways to add and change colors, rim treatments, backings, and stringing. Techniques will include plain and twill twining, three-strand twines and braids, wrapped twining, and false embroidery.

All levels will be able to create a simple medallion.  Advanced weavers can work on techniques of their choice. Materials include rushes, sedges, roots, beargrass, split shoots, ferns, and barks of many kinds. 

About the instructor

Margaret Mathewson is a scholar, teacher and basket maker.  She did post-doctoral work at the Smithsonian studying old basketry collections and working with tribes to revive traditions.  She continues to attend Western Native weavers’ gatherings and works for tribes in several states on issues of land management, access to weaving materials and ancestral food plants and on cultural resources education.

Her own basketry work is a mix of ancient and modern and reflects her studies of the traditions of Europe and Japan as well as North America.  All her work uses natural materials.

Time and Place

Saturday and Sunday, October 21 - 22
9am - 4pm with a lunch break each day.
Multnomah Arts Center Room TBA

Cost

Class Fee:  $56
Materials fee: Two options:  payable to instructor at the class.
Basic beginners kit $40 (includes sedge, rush, beargrass, barks, split redbud).
Advanced kit $80 includes the above plus fancy materials like roots, ferns, and some dyed items like quills.
 

Open to

Registration for this workshop is open to Guild members only.
All skill levels welcome.
Registration is required. 

What to bring

• Scissors
• A small knife
• An awl or packing tool
• Flat pliers
• Large-eyed needle
• Towel
• Work light
• Soaking bowl
• Beargrass trimmer, if you have one.