It’s Not Too Late for a Weekend Escape at Waterford Craft School
Spend a weekend in a charming 18th-century village and embrace the slower rhythms of craft. Choose from immersive workshops in basket-weaving, felting, natural dyeing & more—reserve your spot today!
It’s Not Too Late for a Weekend Escape at Waterford Craft School
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If you’re in the market for a dynamic weekend getaway, take a moment to check out the Waterford Craft School in rural Northern Virginia. The school (which we are delighted to welcome as the subject of one of our first sponsored posts) offers a stellar array of workshops for those interested in a fun and productive mini-vacation, and spots remain in a number of wonderful courses.
Registration and course information is available on Waterford’s website, so dive in and take a closer look at their hands-on courses in a range of eye-catching crafts, from bowl-carving to using natural dyeing techniques. All classes are held in the historic 18th-century village of Waterford—the perfect environment in which to try your hand at a traditional craft.
Coming up this weekend, for example, instructor Karen Wychock offers those with some previous weaving experience the opportunity to create a Shaker hexagonal “bottom basket.” These classic baskets feature prominently in Shaker craft traditions, and the finished product will surely be a treasured and useful item for years to come. Wychock specializes in Shaker basket-weaving techniques and will teach another form of basketweaving in June. Students who sign up for her Large Laundry/Storage Basket workshop will use a wooden mold to craft a beautiful and functional heirloom piece, in keeping with the school’s emphasis on artisanal skill development.
The two-day Introduction to Bobbin Lace workshop, held in late June, offers another chance to learn a heritage craft, under the guidance of expert instructors Linda Kay Benning and Karen H. Thompson. Benning and Thompson are teachers, designers, and historians who are affiliated with The Smithsonian, and this workshop promises to immerse students in the intricate world of traditional lace-making.
It wouldn’t be summer without the chance to play a little bit, too, and the time-honored craft of felting offers the perfect opportunity to do so. Dawn Edwards, a Michigan-based felt artist who teaches around the world, will lead her first workshop at Waterford in June. Felt Vessels: Inspired by Nature, offers both beginners and experienced felters the chance to create colorful, detailed pieces with a woodland theme under Edwards’ skilled guidance.
Gillian V., a recent student of Waterford’s eco-printing workshop, praised the school’s welcoming approach, noting that the “environment was supportive and encouraging.” She left the class with two lovely, hand-dyed scarves—along with the skills and confidence to practice dyeing techniques on her own.
These weekend offerings will wrap up for the season in June, so grab your spot in one of Waterford’s immersive, heritage craft workshops today.
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