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Design & Craft

Folk School

The craft subjects of a Northwoods folk school - timber framing, Scandinavian building and coatings, green woodworking and sloyd, weaving, baskets and caning, and blacksmithing - taught as practical lessons.

204 lessons ~13 h 12 courses

0 of 204 done
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Who it's for

Anyone who wants the hands-on traditions taught at schools like North House and Driftless Folk School.

Course 1 of 12

Green Woodworking and Sloyd

Swedish sloyd and green-wood craft, the gateway skills.

0 of 17 done
Unit 1

Foundations

5 lessons · 21 min

  1. 1 What Sloyd Is 4 min Start
  2. 2 Axes and Hatchets: Choosing and Sharpening 5 min Start
  3. 3 The Sloyd Knife and Knife Grips 4 min Start
  4. 4 Riving with Froe and Wedges 4 min Start
  5. 5 The Shaving Horse and Drawknife 4 min Start
Unit 2

Spoons and Small Things

5 lessons · 20 min

  1. 1 Butter Knives and Spatulas 4 min Start
  2. 2 Carving a Spoon 4 min Start
  3. 3 The Kuksa 4 min Start
  4. 4 Chip Carving 4 min Start
  5. 5 Kolrosing 4 min Start
Unit 3

Containers

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 Shrink Pots 4 min Start
  2. 2 Bentwood Boxes 4 min Start
  3. 3 Birch Bark Work 4 min Start
Unit 4

Turning and Bowls

2 lessons · 8 min

  1. 1 The Pole Lathe 4 min Start
  2. 2 Carving Bowls with Adze and Hook Knife 4 min Start
Unit 5

Furniture

2 lessons · 8 min

  1. 1 Stick Stools and Benches 4 min Start
  2. 2 A Three-Legged Stool 4 min Start

Course 2 of 12

Scandinavian Carving

Flat-plane figures, the Dala horse, acanthus relief, ale bowls, mangle boards, and the kubbestol.

0 of 7 done
Unit 6

Figures

2 lessons · 8 min

  1. 1 Flat-Plane Figure Carving 4 min Start
  2. 2 The Dala Horse 4 min Start
Unit 7

Ornament

2 lessons · 8 min

  1. 1 Gouges and Relief Carving 4 min Start
  2. 2 Norwegian Acanthus Carving 4 min Start
Unit 8

Carved Objects

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 The Kjenge Ale Bowl 4 min Start
  2. 2 The Mangle Board 4 min Start
  3. 3 The Kubbestol 4 min Start

Course 3 of 12

Traditional Paints and Finishes

Linseed oil paint, milk paint, Falu red, pine tar, and lime wash.

0 of 16 done
Unit 9

Linseed Oil

5 lessons · 24 min

  1. 1 How Coatings Protect Wood 5 min Start
  2. 2 Raw, Boiled, and Polymerized Linseed Oil 5 min Start
  3. 3 Making Linseed Oil Paint 5 min Start
  4. 4 Applying Linseed Oil Paint Indoors and Out 5 min Start
  5. 5 Oily Rags and Spontaneous Combustion 4 min Start
Unit 10

Milk Paint

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 How Milk Paint Works 4 min Start
  2. 2 Mixing Milk Paint from Scratch 4 min Start
  3. 3 Milk Paint on Furniture: Layers, Wear, and Topcoats 4 min Start
Unit 11

Swedish and Norwegian Coatings

3 lessons · 15 min

  1. 1 Falu Red and Swedish Flour Paint (Slamfärg) 5 min Start
  2. 2 Pine Tar and Tar Mixtures 5 min Start
  3. 3 Lime Wash 5 min Start
Unit 12

Oils, Waxes, and Resins

3 lessons · 13 min

  1. 1 Soap Finish 4 min Start
  2. 2 Beeswax and Oil Blends 4 min Start
  3. 3 Shellac from Flakes 5 min Start
Unit 13

Color

2 lessons · 9 min

  1. 1 Earth Pigments: Ochres, Umbers, and Oxides 4 min Start
  2. 2 Rosemaling and Kurbits 5 min Start

Course 4 of 12

Timber Framing

Heavy-timber frames, including Norwegian grindbygg and small-frame projects.

0 of 18 done
Unit 14

Frames and Traditions

4 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 What a Timber Frame Is 5 min Start
  2. 2 English, Dutch, and German Barn Frames in America 4 min Start
  3. 3 Norwegian Grindbygg: Frames Without Mortises 4 min Start
  4. 4 Reading Frame Drawings and Timber Lists 4 min Start
Unit 15

Timber and Tools

3 lessons · 13 min

  1. 1 Green Timber, Species, and Grading 5 min Start
  2. 2 Framing Chisels, Slicks, Mallets, and Saws 4 min Start
  3. 3 Boring Tools and Power Tools for Framing 4 min Start
Unit 16

Layout Systems

3 lessons · 11 min

  1. 1 Scribe Rule 4 min Start
  2. 2 Square Rule 4 min Start
  3. 3 Mill Rule and Modern Layout 3 min Start
Unit 17

Joinery

4 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 Pegged and Drawbored Mortise and Tenon 5 min Start
  2. 2 Braces and Knee Braces 4 min Start
  3. 3 Tying Joints: Posts, Tie Beams, Plates, and Rafters 4 min Start
  4. 4 Scarf Joints 4 min Start
Unit 18

Projects and Raising

4 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 A Timbered Bench 4 min Start
  2. 2 Small Shed and Sauna Frames 5 min Start
  3. 3 Raising Day: Assembly, Rigging, and Safety 4 min Start
  4. 4 Foundations and Enclosure for a Small Frame 4 min Start

Course 5 of 12

Log and Nordic Building

Scribed log work, stave building, sod roofs, and saunas.

0 of 8 done
Unit 19

Log Building

3 lessons · 11 min

  1. 1 Scandinavian Full-Scribe Log Building 4 min Start
  2. 2 Notches: Saddle, Dovetail, and Lock 3 min Start
  3. 3 The Dovetail Log Cabin 4 min Start
Unit 20

Nordic Structures

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 Stave Construction 3 min Start
  2. 2 Sod and Birch Bark Roofs 3 min Start
  3. 3 The Wood-Fired Sauna 4 min Start
Unit 21

Foundations

2 lessons · 8 min

  1. 1 Stone Foundations and Dry-Laid Masonry 4 min Start
  2. 2 Siting and Drainage 4 min Start

Course 6 of 12

Weaving, Basketry, and Seat Caning

Loom and band weaving, baskets, and seat caning.

0 of 16 done
Unit 22

Loom Weaving

4 lessons · 15 min

  1. 1 How Cloth Is Built: Warp and Weft 3 min Start
  2. 2 Rigid Heddle Weaving 4 min Start
  3. 3 Floor Looms and Weaving Drafts 4 min Start
  4. 4 Rag Rugs (Trasmattor) 4 min Start
Unit 23

Band Weaving

2 lessons · 7 min

  1. 1 Inkle and Band Looms 3 min Start
  2. 2 Scandinavian Band Weaving 4 min Start
Unit 24

Baskets

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 Black Ash Splint Baskets 4 min Start
  2. 2 Willow Baskets 4 min Start
  3. 3 Birch Bark and Pine Needle Baskets 4 min Start
Unit 25

Seats

5 lessons · 20 min

  1. 1 Hand Caning: The Seven Steps 5 min Start
  2. 2 Pressed (Spline) Cane 3 min Start
  3. 3 Rush Seats 4 min Start
  4. 4 Shaker Tape and Danish Cord 4 min Start
  5. 5 Hickory Bark Seats 4 min Start
Unit 26

Fiber

2 lessons · 8 min

  1. 1 Nalbinding 4 min Start
  2. 2 Wool from Fleece to Yarn 4 min Start

Course 7 of 12

Blacksmithing and Toolmaking

Forge work and making your own tools.

0 of 15 done
Unit 27

Forge and Fire

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 Coal, Coke, and Gas Forges 4 min Start
  2. 2 Anvils, Hammers, and Tongs 4 min Start
  3. 3 Heat Colors and Working Temperatures 4 min Start
Unit 28

Basic Operations

5 lessons · 18 min

  1. 1 Drawing Out and Tapering 4 min Start
  2. 2 Upsetting 3 min Start
  3. 3 Bending and Scrolling 4 min Start
  4. 4 Punching and Drifting 3 min Start
  5. 5 Forge Welding 4 min Start
Unit 29

Steel

2 lessons · 8 min

  1. 1 Carbon Steel and Hardening 4 min Start
  2. 2 Tempering, Annealing, and Normalizing 4 min Start
Unit 30

Projects

5 lessons · 17 min

  1. 1 Hooks and S-Hooks 3 min Start
  2. 2 A Fire Poker 3 min Start
  3. 3 A Knife Blade 4 min Start
  4. 4 Hinges and Latches 3 min Start
  5. 5 Making Carving Tools 4 min Start

Course 8 of 12

Leatherwork

Tanning and leather weights, hand tools, saddle stitching, edges, dyeing, wet forming, and carving.

0 of 7 done
Unit 31

Leather and Tools

2 lessons · 7 min

  1. 1 Leather and How It's Tanned 4 min Start
  2. 2 Tools, Cutting, and Skiving 3 min Start
Unit 32

Sewing and Finishing

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 Saddle Stitching 4 min Start
  2. 2 Edges: Beveling, Sanding, and Burnishing 3 min Start
  3. 3 Dyeing and Finishing 3 min Start
Unit 33

Shaping and Decorating

2 lessons · 6 min

  1. 1 Casing and Wet-Forming a Sheath 3 min Start
  2. 2 Stamping and Carving 3 min Start

Course 9 of 12

Natural Dyeing

Plant dyes on wool: alum mordanting, the dye bath and fastness tests, walnut, madder, cochineal, the indigo vat, and top-dyeing.

0 of 7 done
Unit 34

Fundamentals

3 lessons · 15 min

  1. 1 Dyes, Mordants, and Fibers 5 min Start
  2. 2 Scouring and Mordanting Wool 5 min Start
  3. 3 The Dye Bath and Testing for Fastness 5 min Start
Unit 35

Colors from Plants

4 lessons · 18 min

  1. 1 Yellows and Oranges: Goldenrod, Onion Skins, Marigolds 4 min Start
  2. 2 Browns and Grays: Walnut, Butternut, Bark, and Iron 5 min Start
  3. 3 Reds: Madder and Cochineal 4 min Start
  4. 4 Indigo, and Dyeing One Color over Another 5 min Start

Course 10 of 12

Soap, Candles, and Brooms

Household crafts: lye soap from rendered fat and wood ashes, dipped candles, and broomcorn brooms made by hand.

0 of 6 done
Unit 36

Soap

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 Fat, Lye, and Handling Lye Safely 4 min Start
  2. 2 Making Cold-Process Soap 4 min Start
  3. 3 Soap Day the Old Way: Lye from Ashes 4 min Start
Unit 37

Candles and Brooms

3 lessons · 14 min

  1. 1 Dipping Tallow and Beeswax Candles 4 min Start
  2. 2 Broomcorn: Growing, Cutting, and Curing 5 min Start
  3. 3 Making a Broom by Hand 5 min Start

Course 11 of 12

North House Class Projects

Long North House classes rebuilt for home: sash window, Norse pram, white oak basket, work shirt, bucket, skis, frame saw, rug, twined mittens, and a kick sled.

0 of 36 done
Unit 38

Build a Norwegian Sash Window

5 lessons · 18 min

  1. 1 The Norwegian Sash Window and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Cutting the Sash Joints 4 min Start
  3. 3 Glass Rebates, Mouldings, Mitres, and Assembly 4 min Start
  4. 4 The Casing: Planing, Rebate, and Dovetails 3 min Start
  5. 5 Glazing and Linseed Paint at Home 3 min Start
Unit 39

Build a Norse Pram

5 lessons · 18 min

  1. 1 The Norse Pram and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Bottom Board, Transoms, and the Garboards 4 min Start
  3. 3 Planking by Eye and Riveting 4 min Start
  4. 4 Frames, Trunnels, and Fitting Out 3 min Start
  5. 5 Boat Soup and Launching 3 min Start
Unit 40

Make a White Oak Basket from the Log

4 lessons · 14 min

  1. 1 White Oak, the Right Tree, and What You Need 3 min Start
  2. 2 Riving the Log and Making Splints 4 min Start
  3. 3 Natural Dyes, the Base, and the Sides 4 min Start
  4. 4 Handle, Rim, and Lashing 3 min Start
Unit 41

Sew a Busserull Work Shirt

4 lessons · 13 min

  1. 1 The Busserull and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Cutting, the Lined Yoke, and the Placket 3 min Start
  3. 3 Sleeves, Gussets, and Side Seams 3 min Start
  4. 4 Collar Band, Cuffs, Hem, and Buttons 3 min Start
Unit 42

Make a Coopered Cedar Bucket

3 lessons · 13 min

  1. 1 The Coopered Bucket and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Riving and Shaping the Staves 4 min Start
  3. 3 Raising, Hoops, the Croze, and the Bottom 5 min Start
Unit 43

Make a Pair of Birch Skis

3 lessons · 14 min

  1. 1 Birch Skis and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Bending the Tips and Camber 4 min Start
  3. 3 Shaping, Pine Tar, and Bindings 6 min Start
Unit 44

Make a Norwegian Frame Saw

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 The Norwegian Frame Saw and What to Buy 3 min Start
  2. 2 Making the Frame 4 min Start
  3. 3 Sharpening, Setting, and Using the Saw 3 min Start
Unit 45

Weave a Rölakan Rug

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 Rölakan and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Graphing a Design and the Double Interlock 3 min Start
  3. 3 Weaving the Rug and Finishing the Ends 3 min Start
Unit 46

Knit Twined Mittens (Tvåändsstickning)

3 lessons · 14 min

  1. 1 Twined Knitting and What to Buy 5 min Start
  2. 2 Casting On and Twining 5 min Start
  3. 3 A Striped Twined Mitten 4 min Start
Unit 47

Build a Birch Kick Sled

3 lessons · 12 min

  1. 1 The Kick Sled and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Laminating the Runners 4 min Start
  3. 3 The Chair, the Handlebar, and Riding 4 min Start

Course 12 of 12

Nordic Folk School Class Projects

Finnish and Scandinavian classes from other folk schools rebuilt for home: ryijy, krokbragd, primstav, knife, straw crowns, kantele, bow, lace, linen, warp-weighted loom, rosemaling, Leksand and Hardanger embroidery, bands, birch bark, nålbinding, brushes, and the tine.

0 of 51 done
Unit 48

Weave a Finnish Ryijy

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 The Ryijy and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 The Ground, the Knot, and Color Blending 4 min Start
  3. 3 Finishing the Ryijy 2 min Start
Unit 49

Weave a Krokbragd and Rosepath Rug

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 Boundweave and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Threading, Sheds, and Color Order 3 min Start
  3. 3 Designing, Weaving, and Finishing the Rug 3 min Start
Unit 50

Carve a Primstav Calendar Stick

3 lessons · 11 min

  1. 1 The Primstav and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Laying Out the Year 4 min Start
  3. 3 Kroting, Chip Carving, and Finishing 3 min Start
Unit 51

Make a Norwegian Work Knife and Sheath

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 The Norwegian Knife and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Fitting and Shaping the Handle 3 min Start
  3. 3 The Wood-Lined Leather Sheath 3 min Start
Unit 52

Make a Himmeli and a Swedish Straw Crown

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 Straw Crowns, Himmeli, and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Threading a Himmeli 3 min Start
  3. 3 Making and Balancing a Straw Crown 3 min Start
Unit 53

Build and Play a Five-String Kantele

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 The Kantele and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 Building the Sound Box 3 min Start
  3. 3 Stringing, Tuning, and Playing 3 min Start
Unit 54

Make a Holmegaard-Style Bow

3 lessons · 11 min

  1. 1 The Holmegaard Bow and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 From Stave to Floor Tiller 3 min Start
  3. 3 Tillering, the String, and Finishing 4 min Start
Unit 55

Make Scandinavian Bobbin Lace

3 lessons · 9 min

  1. 1 Scandinavian Lace and What to Buy 3 min Start
  2. 2 Winding, the Pricking, and the Stitches 3 min Start
  3. 3 A Torchon Edging, Finishing, and Mounting 3 min Start
Unit 56

Grow Flax and Spin Linen

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 Flax, Linen, and What to Buy 3 min Start
  2. 2 Growing, Pulling, and Retting 4 min Start
  3. 3 Breaking, Hackling, and Spinning 3 min Start
Unit 57

Build and Weave on a Warp-Weighted Loom

3 lessons · 10 min

  1. 1 The Warp-Weighted Loom and What to Buy 4 min Start
  2. 2 The Border, Warping, and Heddles 3 min Start
  3. 3 Weaving a Boat-Rug Sample 3 min Start
Unit 58

Paint Telemark and Os Rosemaling

3 lessons · 7 min

  1. 1 Rosemaling and What to Buy 3 min Start
  2. 2 Preparing the Wood and the Strokes 2 min Start
  3. 3 Painting the Design, Liner Work, and Varnish 2 min Start
Unit 59

Sew a Leksand Embroidered Pocket

3 lessons · 8 min

  1. 1 Leksand Embroidery and What to Buy 3 min Start
  2. 2 Appliqué and Laskning 3 min Start
  3. 3 Making Up the Pocket 2 min Start
Unit 60

Stitch Hardanger Embroidery

3 lessons · 7 min

  1. 1 Hardanger and What to Buy 3 min Start
  2. 2 Kloster Blocks and Cutting 2 min Start
  3. 3 Woven Bars, Dove's Eyes, and a Bookmark 2 min Start
Unit 61

Weave Pick-Up Bands on a Band Heddle

3 lessons · 7 min

  1. 1 Band Weaving and What to Buy 3 min Start
  2. 2 Warping and Weaving a Plain Band 2 min Start
  3. 3 Pick-Up Patterns 2 min Start
Unit 62

Weave a Birch-Bark Basket

2 lessons · 6 min

  1. 1 Birch Bark and What You Need 3 min Start
  2. 2 Strips and the Diagonal Plait 3 min Start
Unit 63

Nålbind a Pair of Mittens

3 lessons · 7 min

  1. 1 Nålbinding and What to Buy 3 min Start
  2. 2 The Oslo Stitch 2 min Start
  3. 3 A Pair of Mittens 2 min Start
Unit 64

Make Hand-Set Brushes

2 lessons · 5 min

  1. 1 Brushes and What to Buy 2 min Start
  2. 2 A Glued Brush and a Drawn Brush 3 min Start
Unit 65

Make a Norwegian Tine

2 lessons · 6 min

  1. 1 The Tine and What to Buy 3 min Start
  2. 2 Bending, Lacing, and the Lid 3 min Start