About

Melinda West will bring pieces of a freshly cut cedar tree to the first session so students can learn all aspects of what it means to peel their own pieces of bark. Then students will form the pieces into the folded bark pouches, which were traditionally used in the Salish Sea region for gathering berries or holding implements.  Ed Carriere, a Suquamish Elder and Master Weaver, taught Melinda to make, this type of pouch and has given his blessing for her to teach how to make them. 

Students will learn basic techniques for gathering, preparing, storing and weaving all parts of the Western Red Cedar as they are guided through the construction of the folded and sewn bark pouch. As students create their own beautiful pouches, they will learn how to remove, measure, score, and sew bark, prepare the inner bark, and form multiple flat braids as well as four-strand round braids.

Details:

• This class is appropriate for beginners.
• A materials fee of $90 is payable to the instructor at the first session. Please bring cash or a check made out to Melinda West.
  
• Students need to bring

• sack lunch
• garden gloves
• small bucket
• work scissors,
• chip-knife (if you have one)
• old towel
• clothes that are OK to stain.
  

More details on what to bring will be sent to registrants.

I

Instructor:  Melinda West, of Indianola Washington, has been practicing the art of plant-fiber weaving since 1985. She has studied with many native and non-native weavers and artists, the foremost being Ed Carriere, of the Suquamish Tribe. Her inspiration comes from nature and the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest whose cultures embrace the rich traditions of natural fiber use; knowledge in the land; and artistic skill development in all aspects of life. Melinda enjoys sharing her love of natural history, environmental stewardship, and an appreciation of indigenous cultures through the arts, teaching at the Seattle Art Museum, Olympic College, Coupeville Art Center, North Cascades Institute, Olympic Park Institute and IslandWood. Melinda’s award-winning art is on display in public private collections and her work has been featured in books and magazines.

Learn the basics of crocheting with wire. Wire is a fun departure for those used to working with yarn. It comes in a variety of sizes and colors. Wire sizing is described in numerical gauge, with higher numbers for thinner wire and lower numbers for thicker wire. Typically, wire sized at 28 gauge and above is used for knit and crochet.

We will make a basic shape that can be morphed into a variety of projects. Once the basics are learned we'll explore what contemporary artists have created with wire including beading.

Wire has memory and stiffness that yarn doesn’t have. This makes it harder on your hands and harder on your tools. Don't use your prize tools for these projects: use steel or aluminum tools since wood, bamboo and plastic will scratch.