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 March 23rd: Classes and Events at Craftfolk
Published 26 days ago • 5 min read
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 also met so many wonderful makers and stationery enthusiasts and some of my recommendations are below.
If you will be near the Bay Area, the first annual San Francisco Stationery Fest is coming up this weekend and many of the same vendors will be there!
Mending a well-worn favorite cardigan.
At Craft Club (our free community offering) this past week, I was finally able to finish a long-procrastinated mending project on a favorite cardigan. Mending is not a task I readily reach for at home, but I don't mind doing it in the company and conversation of new friends. We have a lovely regular crew coming to Craft Club every Thursday from 4–6pm and welcome anyone who wants a space to work on their projects to join us.
Check out our full lineup of workshops for March and April on the CLASS CALENDAR and the spring workshop descriptions below. If there are specific classes you'd like to see, we'd love to hear from you. We're building out the calendar now and welcome your ideas. Just hit reply and tell us what you'd like to see at Craftfolk this spring and summer.
Wishing you a creative week and hope to see you soon, Gretchen
Gretchen Boyce Founder, Craftfolk Collective
Meet Our Instructors!
Learn to Crochet with Rebecca Navarro of Astral Farm 2 Tuesdays: March 31 and April 7, 6-8:30pm
Rebecca Navarro grew up in rural Connecticut, where she spent her summers learning classic homesteading skills like sewing, gardening, and canning from her parents. Now, transplanted to Grass Valley, she enjoys sharing her knowledge of skills that are both practical as well as beautiful art forms. In addition, Rebecca teaches English at Ghidotti High School, and runs a small local goat farm called The Astral Farmwith her husband and family.
We are so thrilled to have Rebecca join us this spring to teach beginner crochet. And also be sure to check out her husband Sergio's Goat Milk Soap class on April 11th.
Herbal Infused Skincare: Make Your Own Oils and Salves with Hannah Stephens of Dirty Boots Floral Saturday, April 4, 1-3pm
Hannah has been growing and working with beneficial herbs since 2019 when she started Dirty Boots Floral with her sister. She is passionate about naturally derived botanical ingredients in her skincare products and believes anyone can and should learn more about the natural world around them. When she is not working in the yard working with plants you can find her inside making art.
We can't wait for Hannah's class this spring and hope you will join us!
Join us for a Special Event in Partnership with Snapdragon Provisions!
March 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, hot mugs of tea, and light snacks to enjoy.
Free! Bring your own materials/projects. Please RSVP.
Saturday, 3/28, 1-5pm Beaded Brass Hoop Earrings with Teresa Gibson
Sold Out!
Learn the basics of beading and jewelry assembly while creating a wearable pair of brass beaded hoop earrings. Each participant will leave with one finished pair of earrings, plus the skills and basic tools to continue making at home. No experience needed. All materials provided.
Sunday, 3/29, 1-3pm Elderberry Syrup Making with Gretchen Boyce
Make your own elderberry syrup, a traditional herbal remedy crafted with elderberries, warming spices, and honey. Each participant will take home a 16 oz bottle of syrup plus a printed recipe handout. All materials provided. No experience needed.
Tuesdays, 3/31 and 4/7, 6-8pm Learn to Crochet: Make a Hat in 2 Evenings! with Rebecca Navarro
Learn to crochet a cozy merino wool beanie over two class sessions! Perfect for true beginners, anyone who wants to brush up on their skills, or those who simply enjoy working on a project with some guidance. Materials kits are available for purchase at registration, or students are welcome to bring their own.
Saturday, 4/4, 1-3pm Herbal Infused Skincare: Make Your Own Oils and Salves with Hannah Stephens
Learn to make herbal infused oils and salves using traditional methods in this hands-on intro to natural skincare. You'll explore the benefits of common herbs, learn the basics of oil infusion and salve making, and leave with finished products plus printed recipes to continue crafting at home. All materials provided. No experience needed.
Saturday, 4/11, 10am-Noon Goat Milk Soap: A Beginner's Workshop with Sergio Navarro
Learn to make handcrafted soap from scratch using nourishing raw goat milk. You'll choose your own essential oil scent and take home a full batch of 10 bars, plus the tools needed to cure and cut your soap at home. All materials provided. All levels welcome.
Tuesday, 4/14, 6-8:30pm Painting with Tissue Paper on Glass with Gail Weger
Learn to create luminous, permanent or temporary images on glass using layers of torn or cut tissue paper, glue, and color. This versatile technique works on any glass surface — vases, jars, mirrors, framed windows — and can be updated whenever you're ready for a new look. All materials provided, bring your own glass vessel to embellish.
Saturday, 4/18, 1-4pm Resin Earrings with Pressed Flowers & Local Materials with Teresa Gibson
Learn the fundamentals of resin jewelry making with instructor Teresa Gibson of Creature of Habitat. You'll create your own pair of earrings using local pressed flowers and American River sand, choosing from multiple designs to make the piece your own. You'll leave with a finished pair of earrings and the skills to keep making at home. No experience needed. All materials provided.
Saturdays, 4/25 & 4/26 9am-Noon each day Punch Needle Rug Hooking: A Beginner's Two-Day Workshop with Melissa Vorndran
Learn the art of punch needle rug hooking in this comprehensive two-day beginner workshop with Oxford Certified Instructor Melissa Vorndran. Working from one of three original patterns of your choice, you'll complete a mug rug coaster from start to finish and leave with the skills and confidence to tackle future projects. Materials kit included. Beginners and those looking to refine their technique welcome.
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...
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...
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...
