Travel Features

Old Time Skills Workshops Planned at the Homeplace

December 23, 2019 | Staff Report

The Friends of Land Between the Lakes invite you to start out the new year learning a new hobby at the Homeplace 1850 Working Farm! Plus, help preserve old time skills that our ancestors had to know to survive.

Three workshops will be available during the winter season at the Homeplace. Cost for each session is $25 a person. Space is limited for these affordable workshops so register soon. Workshops will be held in the Homeplace Interpretive Center. Included in the workshop, and only for workshop participants, is a walk around the historic farm during winter.

All workshops are subject to cancellation for inclement weather or hazardous road conditions. With the exception of these special workshops, the Homeplace is closed to the public during the winter season.

The workshops include Basic Flint Knapping on Saturday, January 18; 1850s String Quilting on Saturday, January 25; and Beginners Spinning on Saturday, February 8. Full details are below. Please call 270-924-2020 to register or for more information.

Basic Flint Knapping Workshop
Saturday, January 18, 2020
11am – 3pm

$25. Registration and full deposit required. Limited to 6 participants. For more information and to reserve your space, call 270 924-2020. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Bring lunch. Must bring leather gloves and safety glasses. Last day to register is Friday, January 17, 2020

Stone tools were used by all cultures, it is truly a humanity wide skill and art form. The manufacture of stone tools is called flintknapping. The Homeplace invites you to our first flintknapping workshop, taught by Primitive Skills Expert and Homeplace Interpreter, Michael Daniels.

In this workshop you will learn the basics of lithic reduction, how to turn a raw stone into a usable tool such as an arrowhead, drill, chisel, hand axe or fine blades used to skin game. We will also cover the kinds of ‘knappable’ stone and the history and use of stone tools.

Participants will receive the basic tools necessary to get started and some raw material to practice with in class and hands on instruction in making your first arrowhead. The workshop also includes a copy of ‘the’ book on flint knapping, Flintknapping, The Art of Making Stone Tools.

1850s String Quilt Workshop
Saturday, January 25, 2020
11am to 3pm

$25.Registration and full deposit required. Limited to 10 participants. For more information and to reserve your space, call 270 924-2020. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Bring lunch. Last day to register is Friday, January 24, 2020.

What could be more fun than making a quilt together on a cold winter’s day? Perhaps learning an old technique of hand sewing a quilt block called ‘string’ quilting! In the 1850s, ‘string’ quilting technique was used to make a quilt block from small pieces of fabric that were hand sewn on to paper. The pattern we are using is based on a historic string quilt from our collection called ‘spider web’. All the skills from piecing quilt tops to perfecting the hand quilting stitch will be taught by the Homeplace staff quilters.

During this four hour workshop, you will learn this unique method of piecing a string quilt. Later, add a batting and backing and learn the traditional quilting stitch to create a table runner. Choose your favorite fabric from the Homeplace reproduction cloth stash to make a block that is uniquely you! Then, learn simple hand sewing stitches to ‘hand piece’ your quilt block. Later you will add the batting and backing material and learn the traditional quilting stitch.

All supplies are provided. Take home a string quilt “spider web” block table runner! String quilt blocks are so fun to sew that you will want to make several more and create an heirloom quilt that will be enjoyed by your descendants for years to come.

Beginning Spinners Workshop
Saturday, February 8, 2020
11am to 3pm

$25. Registration and full deposit required. Limited to 10 participants. For more information and to reserve your space, call 270-924-2020. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Bring lunch. Last day for reservations is Friday, February 7, 2020.

Learn the ancient craft of spinning in this four hour beginner’s workshop, taught by traditional fiber artist and Homeplace historical interpreter Cindy Earls.

Class members will learn the basic techniques of spinning using a drop spindle and then how to prepare wool and other fibers for spinning. Once you have mastered the spinning technique on the spindle, try your hand spinning on a treadle and walking spinning wheel. Also included is a discussion about natural dyeing. A drop spindle and Homeplace wool for practice are yours to keep. For knitters or crocheters there is nothing better than using your own hand spun yarn. All supplies are included in the cost.

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