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Craftfolk Collective

Week of June 1st: Classes and Events at Craftfolk

Published 8 days ago • 3 min read

Yesterday's The Rose Apothecary workshop was a full rose immersion! We surrounded ourselves with fresh rose petals, drank cold infused rose tea; and made rose honey, rose tea blends, rose infused oil and lip balm. We explored all parts of the rose, its petals, hips and thorns.

We talked about how information about plants was passed down through generations via the oral tradition in fairytales and folktales. Rose is featured prominently in Sleeping Beauty (aka. Little Brier Rose, first recorded by the Grimm Brothers in 1812). You may be familiar with the story, where a young princess is cursed at birth, pricks her finger on a spindle on her 15th birthday, and goes into a 100-year sleep. A thick and thorny rose hedge grows around castle while she sleeps. This gives us some insight into rose's protective properties: the thorns creating an impenetrable boundary. I love how herbal knowledge was passed down discretely through these "children's stories" (although I must admit that I was terrified by some of these fairytales as a child).

Here is one of the tea recipes I shared in class:
​ Spring Blooms Blend ​
Blend 50% rose, 50% other herbs

  • Rose petal
  • Elderflower
  • Lavender
  • Chamomile
  • Nettle
  • Hawthorn leaf

And, here are some delicious rose recipes from one of my favorite blogs, Gather Victoria:

Rhubarb Rose Pannacotta Squares​

Strawberry Rose Cake​

Rose Petal Pesto​

The class felt like a proper homage to the end of spring and this year's early rose bloom. Thanks to all the amazing students for jumping into the magic of rose with me! I'm working on new ideas for herbal classes for late summer and fall, including another round of the Fire Cider class. If there is anything specific you want to learn, just reply to this email to let me know.

Can you believe it's June!? After last week's unexpected rains, it seems we are fully moving into summer. I was disappointed to cancel Craft Club last week, but it ended up pouring rain during our usual time, so it was the right call! We resume this week at the Colfax Farmer's Market (Thursday, 4-6pm) and we'd love to see you there. Bring any project you want to work on and a chair. We provide the space and sweet treats to enjoy. It's helpful if you RSVP so we know how many cookies to bake (or just show up!)

Join us this month for workshops on visible mending, wet felted purses, and fermentation (rescheduled from May). Be sure to check out the CLASS CALENDAR to see all upcoming offerings.

Wishing you a creative week and hope to see you soon,
Gretchen

Gretchen Boyce
Founder, Craftfolk Collective

Featured Workshop:

Saturday, June 13, 1-3pm:
Visible Mending

Learn to mend your favorite clothes and household items to bring them new life! In this beginner-friendly workshop you will learn hand-mending techniques and explore the use of a mini darning loom. Students are welcome to bring well-loved items in need of mending to practice on in class.

All other materials provided. No prior experience needed.

Tuition: $50

About the instructor:
​Birdsong Sundstrom has loved all things fiber since learning to knit at age five. She has taught various crafts to children and adults for several decades. She is an experienced mender and plant dyer, among other ways to live lighter on the planet by extending and enhancing the items we use daily.

Upcoming Events & Workshops:

Thursdays, 4-6pm:
Community Craft Club (FREE!)

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 and light snacks to enjoy.

Free! Bring a chair and your own materials/projects.

Location: Colfax Farmers Market, South Main Street, Colfax.

Saturday, 6/13, 1-3pm
Visible Mending with Birdsong Sundstrom

Saturday, 6/13, 6-9pm
Summer Soiree Flower Bar Mini Bouquets with Craftfolk

Saturday, 6/27, 1-4pm
Make a Wet Felted Purse with Beth Leydon

Saturday, 7/11, 1-3:30pm
Print and Play: A Gel Printing Workshop with Jill McCann

Saturday, 7/18, 10am-Noon, Chèvre: Make Your Own Traditional Goat's Milk Cheese with Sergio and Rebecca Navarro

Sunday, 7/19, 1-3pm, Build & Weave: An Introduction to Frame Looms with Meredith Cherry

Tuesday, 7/28, 6-8pm, Drum Carding & Fiber Prep for Wool Crafters with Meredith Cherry

Interested in teaching at Craftfolk?

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.

38 N. Main Street (rear unit), Colfax, CA 95713

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Craftfolk Collective

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.

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