Appalachian Woven Broom | Saturday October 24th and Sunday October 25th | 10am-4pm

Instructor: Jone Stathopoulos

Like many fiber crafts, brooms have a beauty in their utility. In this two-session workshop, students will learn to weave and stitch a traditional shaker-style appalachian broom. We will briefly explore the regional history of broommaking before learning the hands - on techniques involved. Using natural sorghum fibers and simple handmade tools - students will learn to select their fibers, soak and prep them, basket weave them onto a wooden handle, and stitch their brooms flat.

This is a dexterity-intensive workshop and will require the mobility and articulation of both hands and legs as well as sitting for extended periods. At the end of the workshop, students will take home a beautiful, fully functional handmade broom that will last them for years with proper care.

Instructor Bio: Jone is an Ohio-based maker working at the intersection of wood and fiber. They first discovered traditional Appalachian broommaking at the Cabbage School in North Carolina and have been passionate about keeping this heritage craft alive ever since. With a background in carpentry and fiber arts, Jone teaches students the essential techniques of broom and brush making while encouraging them to find their own creative rhythm.