Join our mailing list to learn about upcoming workshops and events at Craftfolk Collective. We offer free and paid in-person experiences at our schoolhouse in Colfax, CA. We also share stories about makers and craft traditions across the globe through our semi-monthly newsletters.
Share
Week of April 6th: Classes and Events at Craftfolk
Published 11 days ago • 4 min read
Happy Spring Crafting
Spring has officially sprung here in Colfax! We enjoyed a weekend of beautiful weather and a fun and informative class by Hannah Stephens of Dirty Boots Floral. Hannah taught us how to make calendula infused facial oil and salve and we each created a custom scent by adding essential oils. I took the class as a student, and was so engrossed in the instruction I almost forgot to take pictures! I did snap a shot of the Easter themed cupcakes baked by my husband Chris, who makes goodies for all of our Craftfolk classes and Craft Club, and a shot of me and Cassidy with our finished oils and salves. Thanks to Hannah for empowering us with the knowledge to make our own skincare products at home!
Spring table
Happy students with their finished skincare products.
If you missed this class, but want to learn to make more products for your home, there are still spaces available in this Saturday'sGoat's Milk Soap class with Sergio Navarro of The Astral Farm. Sergio is a regular vendor at our Colfax Farmer's Market and I absolutely love their soaps. I've been using their Astral Blend soap for the past year and I can attest to its quality and amazing scent. Each students will make a whole batch of soap to take home (10 bars) and will have the opportunity to custom blend their own scent.
Astral Farm soap
We added a free table to our weekly Craft Club gatherings last week and there was a vast assortment of fun craft supplies to share. We offer Craft Club every Thursday from 4 to 6pm as a free community offering and these meetups are open to everyone. Bring a work in progress and enjoy good company and treats as we craft in community.
We have a diverse lineup of classes coming up this spring, and we keep adding new workshops every week. Below is this week's teacher highlights, a list of our April workshops, descriptions of the new workshops, and some special events coming up in the community. Be sure to view our full CLASS CALENDAR to see all upcoming offerings.
Wishing you a creative week and hope to see you soon, Gretchen
Gretchen Boyce Founder, Craftfolk Collective
Meet Our Instructors!
Punch Needle Rug Hooking: A Beginner's Two-Day Workshop with Melissa Vorndran Saturday & Sunday, April 25-26, 9am - noon each day
Melissa Vorndran is a fiber and textile artist based in San Francisco specializing in punch needle rug hooking. She has been practicing punch needle for over 6 years and is a Certified Instructor through the Oxford Rug Hooking School. Her work blends playful, colorful design with traditional rug-making techniques. She has exhibited her pieces in galleries throughout California. Melissa is passionate about creating welcoming learning environments and helping students of all ages discover the joy and creativity of punch needle.
We are thrilled to have Melissa visit us from the Bay Area to teach this weekend punch needle intensive. The cut off date to sign up for this class is this week (Friday, April 10), so please don't delay if you are interested!
Handbuilt Ceramic Planters: An Introduction to Clay with Simone
Simone is a life-long ceramic artist turned teacher. She takes a playful and holistic approach to creativity. In her classes, you will find a balance of technical skill building and self-expression. Simone explains: “For me, clay is one of many ways we can feed our souls. As we dig into the sensory experience of playing with mud, we process, release and get to know ourselves a little better. This is especially powerful when done in community. I like to believe I am not the teacher, the clay is your teacher.”
Simone will be teaching our first ceramics offering in May. Join us in playing with clay and making a functional planter pot for your home.
Join us for an informal gathering of makers, neighbors, and friends. Bring your own project and work in the company of community. We offer the space, hot mugs of tea, and light snacks to enjoy.
Free! Bring your own materials/projects. Please RSVP.
Saturday, 5/2, 10am-Noon Handbuilt Ceramic Planters: An Introduction to Clay with Simone
Learn hand-building techniques as you create your own ceramic planter pot from start to finish. You'll create a finished piece ready for the kiln. We'll handle the firing after class and your completed planter will be ready for pickup within a few weeks.
Tuesday, 5/12, 6-7:30pm Embroidery 101: Absolute Beginner with Gretchen Boyce
Learn foundational hand embroidery stitches — running stitch, back stitch, satin stitch, and more — in this relaxed, beginner-friendly workshop. You'll leave with a started sampler, plus a hoop, needle and thread kit, and a stitch reference guide to continue practicing at home.
Sunday, 6/7, 1-4pm Block Printing Basics with Jill McCann
Learn the fundamentals of rubber block printing in this beginner-friendly workshop. You'll transfer a design onto a rubber block, then carve, ink, and print using foundational techniques. Materials fee includes a take-home kit with carving blocks, tools, ink tray, baren, and paper so you can keep printing at home.
Saturday, 7/11, 1-3:30pm Print and Play: A Gel Printing Workshop with Jill McCann
Explore the playful world of gel plate printing in this beginner-friendly workshop. You'll learn to create layered textures, patterns, image transfers, and one-of-a-kind prints, with plenty of time to experiment. The materials fee includes all in-class supplies plus a take-home kit with rubber carving blocks, a set of carving tools, an ink tray, baren, and paper.
Craftfolk is a community craft school rooted in local connection, lifelong learning, and the joy of making by hand. We are seeking skilled, thoughtful teachers to lead small-group workshops in a focused, supportive environment. We are currently scheduling classes for the spring and fall. If you are interested in teaching, please fill out our survey.
We are scheduling classes for the spring and summer based on your feedback! Please fill out our survey and tell us what you want to learn at Craftfolk.
a gathering place for creative community in the Sierra Foothills.
Join our mailing list to learn about upcoming workshops and events at Craftfolk Collective. We offer free and paid in-person experiences at our schoolhouse in Colfax, CA. We also share stories about makers and craft traditions across the globe through our semi-monthly newsletters.
No Kidding! Spring Classes are Here This past Saturday, a group of us learned how to make soap from Sergio and Rebecca Navarro of The Astral Farm in Grass Valley. Rebecca and Sergio brought raw goats milk from their small herd of goats and a variety of organic oils and butters for us to use and we each crafted a custom-scented batch to take home to cure. The group had a wonderful time blending and stirring as Sergio and Rebecca took us step-by-step through the process of creating our own...
Sharing Homemade Remedies What a week it has been at Craftfolk Collective! We were thrilled to welcome so many new and returning students through our doors, and the energy in the school has been inspiring. In our elderberry syrup making workshop this past weekend, we learned about the power packet berries, herbs and spices that go into the elixir and their herbal actions. We enjoyed elderberry mocktails, made a huge batch of syrup, and everyone brought home two big bottles. Part of why I...
Meeting Paper People and What's Coming Up at Craftfolk I just returned from the Chicago Stationery Fest and had such a wonderful time. I was invited by my dear pen pal Kristine, who sent me a postcard about it. We've been writing to each other for 8 years now and there is something so special about putting handwritten words to paper and the slow cadence of snail mail correspondence. I bough way too many stickers, cards, pens, and journals at the show, and left with new pen pals and friends. I...