The Finnish American Folk School (FAFS) at Finlandia University was founded in 2017 to promote knowledge of Finnish folk arts and traditional skills and ensure that they thrive for generations to come. The Folk School is based in the Jutila Center Fiber Studio and the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock, Michigan. Following the announcement of the closure of Finlandia University in March 2023 the board of Finlandia Foundation National (FFN), a non-profit supporting Finnish culture in the United States, acted to assume responsibility for the many cultural assets of the university. On June 15, FFN’s offer was accepted. The organization is now the caretaker of the Finnish American Heritage Center and its extensive archives and artifacts, the monthly Finnish American Reporter, the Finnish American Folk School, the Art Gallery, War Museum and North Wind Books store. For the latest on this transition, visit the FFN website. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter or find us on Instagram+ Facebook.
Inkle Band Weaving 2 sessions: Wednesdays, January 10 – 5:30-8:30pm + January 17 – 5:30-8pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
Class fee: $60, advanced registration required
Optional pick up project fee: $40 (paid directly to instructor)
Registration closes January 8 or when sold out Click here to register
Call 906-370-3722 for more information
Design and weave a colorful strap using a small portable inkle loom. Class one includes design work, loom dressing and how to weave. In the second session students will take their bands off the loom and finish them for the end use: belt, hat band, bag strap garment trim – even an instrument strap with prearranged fittings. Also in the second session, weavers inspired to work in a more complex structure will learn the pick-up technique to weave words or patterns and keep the looms for an additional week. All materials are included. Looms are available for use at home with a refundable deposit. No experience necessary. Open to students ages 16 and up.
Beginning Kantele
Thursday, January 11, 2024 – 6-8pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
Instructor: Kay Seppala
Class fee: $15, advanced registration required
Registration closes January 8 or when sold out Click here to register
Call 906-370-3722 for more information
If you can count to 5 you can play the 5-string kantele! Join Kay Seppala for an introduction to playing the kantele, a plucked string instrument (lap harp) that is the national instrument of Finland. In addition to learning the basics of playing, this workshop will introduce students to kantele lore. Instruments will be provided. Open to anyone ages 12 and up, no experience necessary. Younger children with some musical experience are welcome if accompanied by an adult.
Beginning Knitting Saturday, January 13, 2024 – 1-3pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio
Instructor: Clare Zuraw
Class fee: $25, advanced registration required
Registration closes January 10 or when sold out Click here to register
Call 906-370-3722 for more information
This introduction to knitting workshop is open to total beginners. Students will learn about knitting yarn, how to hold knitting needles, and how to do basic knit and purl stitches. Yarn and needles for use during class will be provided for all participants. If you have your own materials you’d like to use, feel free to bring them along. Open to students ages 12 and up. Younger students are welcome if accompanied by an adult.
Learn to Make Karelian Pies (karjalanpiirakka) Tuesday, January 16, 2024 – 5:30-7:30pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
Instructor: Riikka Hepokoski
Class fee: $20, advanced registration required
Registration closes January 12 or when sold out Click here to register
Call 906-370-3722 for more information
Learn to make Karelian Pies (karjalanpiirakka). These small savory pies are made with rye flour and rice porridge and are a staple throughout Finland. Students will get hands-on experience making the pies and can taste them at the end of the workshop. Please bring a rolling pin to use during the workshop. No experience necessary. Open to students ages 12 and up. Younger children may attend if accompanied by an adult.
Finn Horse at Sew Cranky
Sunday, January 21, 2024 – 2-5pm
Sew Cranky – 322 Quincy St. Hancock
Instructor: Ginger Alberti
Class fee: $35, advanced registration required
Materials fee: $5, paid directly to instructor
Registration closes January 18 or when sold out Click here to register
Call 906-370-3722 for more information
Learn basic quilting skills to make a pieced horse quilt block that is finished and ready to hang. The mini quilt block will be approximately 8.5 inches square. Students will use hand crank sewing machines that are easy to control and a fun step back into our past of pre-electric days! Blocks can be embellished with decorative stitching if desired. People work at different paces, so if students are not finished with the project after the initial 3 hour session they are welcome to attend a follow up session at a time to be determined with the instructor. All materials provided. Open to ages 12 and up.
August & September Events 2023
Barks & Willow Symposium
September 8-13, 2023
Join us for a week of barks and willow basketry led by artists Karen Tembreull and Poppy Hatinger. This community partnership brings together FAFS with Copper Country Community Arts Centerand Ryan Street and Pewabic Street Community Gardens to host a series of workshops and free demonstrations about growing, harvesting, and making with willow and barks of all kinds. See below for specific program details and registration information. This activity is supported by the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. Please contact clare.zuraw@finlandiafoundation.org with questions. We will use a single form for online registrations, so click here to sign up for classes.
Willow Harvesting Demonstration Field Trip Friday, September 8, 2023
10am-12pm
Calumet (address to be shared with registered participants) SOLD OUT
Come to the beautiful town of Calumet to learn how to harvest fresh willow withes from a local grower. September is a bit too early to fully harvest fresh willow, so this event will simply be an introduction to willow growing and a demonstration. Participants should expect to leave with information and inspiration rather than willow itself. Bring your pruning shears and loppers if you have them, wear outdoor work clothes, and bring work gloves. This activity will demand some hand and upper body strength. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to the site.
Keynote Lecture: Willow in the Garden Friday, September 8, 2023
7-8:30pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
435 Quincy St. Hancock, MI
Free admission, no registration requirement
Explore the possibilities of willow in the garden and jumpstart your creative process for working with willow as a sustainable resource. Experienced gardener and basket maker Poppy Hatinger will present the process from planting to harvest and construction of projects. Willow can be used to make garden structures both useful and whimsical. This amazing plant can thrive with little care even in our extreme climate and is sure to find a use in the home garden.
Garden Towers Workshop Saturday, September 9, 2023
10am-4pm Ryan Street Community Garden 416 Ryan St. Hancock, MI
Cost: $65 SOLD OUT
Build a beautiful and useful garden structure with locally grown willow. Students will learn a three rod chase weave using a pail and an empty pizza box for a jig supplied by the instructor. Please dress in outdoor work clothes and bring a pair of gloves and a sharp pair of hand held bypass pruners. Students may also wish to pack a lunch for themselves to save time during the lunch break. Some physical agility and strength is required. It can be beneficial to have a weaving partner for an extra pair of hands, so you are welcome to bring a friend to assist you with your garden tower. Open to students 16 years or older. Younger participants welcome with an adult partner.
Cedar Bark Frogs Saturday, September 9, 2023
5-7pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
435 Quincy St. Hancock, MI
Cost: $20
Materials fee: $10 paid directly to instructor REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Weave and braid a sweet little frog from finely prepared cedar bark. Tools will be available to use during the workshop. This work requires some hand dexterity. Open to students 16 years and older.
Wattle Fencing Hands-On Demonstration Sunday, September 10, 2023
1-3pm Pewabic Street Community Garden 204 E. Houghton Ave. Houghton, MI
Free admission, no registration requirements
Come out to learn the basics of a wattle fence to edge your garden or construct a push back. Using willow both dried and fresh, we will construct a low fence at the community garden. This will be a hands-on demonstration so participants can understand and try the construction of an eco-friendly fence.
Cordage Making Sunday, September 10, 2023
4-5:30pm
Finnish American Folk School Fiber Studio
200 Michigan St. Hancock, MI (Jutila Room 105)
Cost: $18 REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Learn to make cordage (handmade rope) with a variety of barks, stems and leaves. Students will create samples using the materials supplied. Instructors will also teach students how to make a small heart ornament with the cordage you make.
Birch Bark Journal Monday, September 11, 2023 9am-5pm
Finnish American Folk School Fiber Studio
200 Michigan St. Hancock, MI (Jutila Room 105)
Cost: $95 REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Make a birch bark journal beginning with stitching your unique design onto the cover with a variety of yarns. Next, edge the covers with repurposed felt. The eco-printed pages will be bound with the Coptic bookbinding stitch. This is a fun class with lots to learn. Be ready to stitch the day away! Hand strength and dexterity are required. Open to adult students. Students may wish to pack a lunch for themselves to save time during the lunch break.
Willow Beads Monday, September 11, 2023
6-8pm
Finnish American Folk School Fiber Studio
200 Michigan St. Hancock, MI (Jutila Room 105)
Cost: $25 REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Learn to use different colors of willow rods to design and create small beads. Students will make beads and string them together for a naturally beautiful bracelet to take home. Students should bring a small carving knife or pocket knife for use during class. Open to students ages 12 and up. Must be comfortable safely using a knife.
Birch Bark Seed Gathering & Winnowing Tray Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Finnish American Folk School Fiber Studio
200 Michigan St. Hancock, MI (Jutila Room 105)
9am-3pm
Cost: $70 SOLD OUT
Learn to heat and fold a basic birch bark tray. We will stitch with artificial sinew. A willow rim with a leather side handle makes for a friendly and functional piece. Tools will be available for use. Open to students ages 16 and up.
Willow Tension Tray
Wednesday, September 13
Finnish American Folk School Fiber Studio
200 Michigan St. Hancock, MI (Jutila Room 105)
9am-1pm
Cost: $50 SOLD OUT
Using dried and re-soaked willow, make a basic tension tray. Learn to make a willow hoop, and how to handle and weave willow. The weaving is secured with a fitched or twined border and wrappings are used to secure the spokes. Hand strength required. Students should bring a good pair of hand held bypass pruners, utility scissors and an apron or work shirt. Open to students ages 16 and up.
Scandinavian Birch Stars
Wednesday, September 13
Finnish American Heritage Center
435 Quincy St. Hancock, MI
2-5pm
Cost: $35 REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Learn to fold a traditional Scandinavian Birch Bark Star with flat pinwheel curls. Enough material will be provided to make two stars. Hand dexterity is needed. Open to students ages 16 and up.
Closing Gathering Wednesday, September 13
Finnish American Heritage Center
435 Quincy St. Hancock, MI
5:30-7pm
Free, no registration requirement
Gather together with Barks and Willow Symposium students and instructors to share your work and experiences during the workshops and demonstrations of the previous week.
About the Instructors Karen Tembreull is a fiber artist focused on basketry, with her medium derived primarily from
her environment. Her work combines traditional basketry applications with other historical fiber
arts and metalworking techniques such as piecework, lace making, and fabrication. Her basketry forms
are a celebration of the harmony that is intertwined between these materials and traditional methods.
Karen has been learning basketry since the 1980s and teaching since the early 1990s. Teaching
has continued to be a primary focus, and she has been an instructor at conferences and guilds
nationwide, with her work featured in multiple publications. She has work included in the MSU
Heritage Program traveling exhibit archives and recently wove a lifetime achievement award for
willow basket maker and teacher Joanna Schanz.
Poppy Hatinger has been making baskets since 1985, focusing on willow basketry – including
growing and harvesting willow – since 1990. This work with willow combines her love of both
weaving and gardening. She has studied willow techniques with German, English, Welsh,
Danish, Spanish, and American teachers. Her style combines traditional functional techniques
with experimentation in more sculptural art pieces using willow in garden structures. Poppy’s
work has been selected for the National Basketry Organization’s juried show All Things
Considered and her work has received awards from the Association of Michigan Basket
Weavers. She has been spreading her love of willow through presentations to gardening groups
for the past 15 years, presenting to the Delta County Master Gardeners, the Upper Peninsula
Master Gardeners and teaching classes for the Porcupine Mountain Folk School and the
Association of Michigan Basket Weavers.
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Finnish American Heritage Center
2pm – Introduction to Shape Note Singing Workshop
Free, no registration or experience required
7:30pm – Holy Manna Concert This concert is “come as you are, pay what you can”; there are no ticket sales
This year’s Beethoven and Banjos residency will present HOLY MANNA. This program invites the audience into the practice of Sacred Harp (“shape note”) singing through listening and participation in this music’s tradition of communal singing, and through reflections on its history and the way it resonates in the contemporary world. The Sacred Harp is a collection of 100s of years of American hymnody (the tradition of hymn composition and performance). Its songs include among the oldest American compositions (dating from the mid 18th-century), through the 19th-century up to 1980s. In HOLY MANNA, we present reflections upon the different threads of music history that come together in The Sacred Harp’s music, and welcome you into its tradition of instrumental music and singing.
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We welcome workshop requests or proposals. Scholarships or assistantships are available. Please contact FAFS director Phyllis Fredendall with all questions, suggestions, or scholarship requests: phyllis.fredendall@finlandiafoundation.org. To register please use the online registration link in each class description. If you have problems with our online registration system, please email clare.zuraw@finlandiafoundation.org
COVID-19 Policies (updated 7/10/23)
If you feel sick or have been exposed to COVID-19 before a class or other event, please stay at home and contact us to arrange a refund. If the FAFS must cancel an event, registrants will be notified, and refunds will be issued. While masks are no longer required at all FAFS events, instructors may require participants to mask during their classes. Thank you for helping us to continue offering programs as safely as possible.
Previous Events 2022-2023
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Saturday January 29, 2022 – Tune workshop + Concert
Finnish American Heritage Center
Premo is known for her rhythmically deep and rapt delivery of roots music, spanning the crossover of old-time and bluesy American traditions to darker Scandinavian sounds. Her solo performances dive deep into traditional and new fiddle music, presented on finger-style electric guitar, lap steel, and voice, musically revealing a bloom of underlying harmonic drones, minimalist repetition, and rich polyrhythms. She is a Michigan-based artist first introduced to folk music and traditional dance by her parents Bette & Dean Premo and later mentored by Joel Mabus (clawhammer banjo, Michigan), Arto Järvelä (fiddle, Finland), and Ånon Egeland (fiddle, Norway). Working with Nordic master musicians as an adult both anchored and honed artistic expression that was cultivated as she was raised in the folk culture of the Upper Midwest.
Saturday + Sunday February 12-13, 2022
In this online workshop you will get to know the lament tradition of Karelia and Ingria. Laments were sung in parting situations and in the most important rites of human life, like marriage and death. They were used to convey feelings of grief and yearning, and occasionally even those of gratitude. There were also laments for everyday life situations to relieve sorrow.
This two-day workshop will include a lecture on the lament tradition and the opportunity to learn to lament yourself with exercises. You will also write a small lament of your own that can be written in English. No experience with lamenting, singing, or Finnish or Karelian language is required. Please bring some paper and pen for notes and a cloth or a tissue to support your lamenting. Students should have access to an internet connection and a device that can support Zoom.
Emmi Kuittinen is a Finnish folk singer and musician who specializes in the Karelian and Ingrian singing traditions, especially laments. She performs laments both solo and with ensembles and has combined laments with other arts like dance, modern circus and stand up. Her own ensemble Emmi Kuittinen & Ikuisen ikävän orkesteri (the Orchestra of Eternal Longing) has given performances about Karelian death rituals, and released their first album, Itken ja laulan (I Weep and Sing) in autumn 2020. The album was nominated as the Ethno Album of the Year in Finland. Emmi is educated as a Master of Music, Music Pedagogue and Community Musician. Besides her artistic work, Emmi gives lament courses and teaches folk singing.
This class is open to makers of all levels. Beginners will design and weave a colorful strap using an inkle loom. Experienced weavers will learn the pick up technique to weave words and patterns. Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall. Limit 9 students.
Cost: $60. Class fee includes cotton warp for a 4-6 foot band and other materials. Looms are available for use with a deposit.
5 weeks: Tuesdays Feb. 8th 15th 22nd and March 15th and 22nd 2-5 pm EST
Students will learn to design and weave beautiful cloth on 4 and 8 harness looms. Loom preparation, yarn selection, color choices, and pattern drafting will be covered. For all levels. Students should be motivated to create! Open to ages 15 and up. Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall. Limit 6 students. Cost: $150.00. Class fee includes all yarns and equipment.
Tuesday, Feb. 22nd 6-8 pm and Wednesday, Feb. 23rd 6-8 pm EST
Jutila Center Room 105
Students will dye cotton fabric taking advantage of the plentiful snow we love, to make beautiful, surprising results. 2 yards of quilt weight cotton fabric and MX dyes will be provided. Students must bring their own rubber gloves and dust mask to cover their COVID mask during the dye application process. Day one is fabric prep and dye day. Day two is rinse and discover day. Open to ages 14 and up. Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall. Limit 5 students. Cost: $35
Saturday February 26th, 10am-12pm EST
This class is for learners ages 12 and up who have no experience knitting. Students will learn to hold knitting needles and yarn, cast on, and knit stitch. Instructor: Clare Zuraw. Limit 10 students. Cost: $20. Class fee includes yarn for samples. Students should bring their own set of US10 straight needles.
Weds. Feb. 9, 16, and 23, 10am-12pm EST
This class is open to makers of all levels, including beginners, returners, and experienced crocheters. Learn or review basic stitches and how to use and combine them to create original garments and functional or sculptural objects. Class will also cover yarn selection and blending and structural experimentation. Hooks are available for loan or students may bring a couple of hooks sizes F – K. Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall. Limit 10 students. Cost: $60. Class fee includes materials.
Saturday March 19, 2-4pm EST
Learn to spin your own yarn! This class is for beginners ages 12 and up who want to learn to spin their own yarn using a drop spindle. Students will learn to handle fiber and use a top whorl drop spindle to make yarn singles. Instructor: Clare Zuraw
Cost: $20 – The cost of this class includes fiber and a drop spindle for use during class.
Saturdays April 2 + 9, 1-3pm EDT
This class is for knitters ages 12 and up who can already comfortably knit and purl and are interested in learning stranded colorwork knitting. Students will learn how to hold and tension their yarn when working with multiple colors, how to follow a colorwork chart, troubleshooting, and tips for finishing colorwork projects. Instructor: Clare Zuraw. Limit 6 students. Cost: $50
4 weeks
Online – video link provided to students upon registration
This class is an introduction to playing the jouhikko, a traditional Finnish bowed lyre with horsehair strings. Students will learn how to hold and tune the instrument, use the bow, and play scales and a simple tune. Classes will take place via group video call (Zoom) and students should have access to a device with Zoom, an internet connection that supports video calls, and the ability to record, send, and watch short videos. No experience necessary. If local students do not own a jouhikko, rental instruments will be available for $20 per month and a fully refundable $120 deposit. Instructor: Clare Zuraw. Limit 5 students. Cost: $50
Wednesday, April 13, 2022, 5:30-8:30PM EDT
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
Students will learn to use a sewing machine by sewing different seams on sample fabrics. Plain, french, flat-fell, and piped seams will be introduced. A small zippered pouch will finish the session. This class precedes the coming apron making workshop and should be taken by anyone who wants the class and is not comfortable on a sewing machine. Open to ages 12 and up. Registration closes April 11th or when class sells out. Fee: $30.
Wednesdays April 20 +27th, 6-8PM EDT
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
Students will weave a small work of art using a variety of yarns on a simple frame loom. Basic and beautiful. Finger manipulation of yarns using weaving, twining and sumac techniques will be covered. Suitable for beginners. Registration closes April 15 or when sold out.
Cost: $40 + Refundable frame loom deposit: $10.
Wednesday April 27 10am-4pm
Instructor: Liv Aanrud
Students will learn basic rug hooking while incorporating some painting elements. They will create a light back painting and hook into it using a range of colorful fabric strips. The base is burlap stretched onto an 18″ x 24″ frame. Rug hooking does take some time, so the combination will send students home with something to work with, as well as another means of considering textile art. Registration closes April 20th or when sold out.
Cost: $60 in advance + $22 materials fee paid to instructor at the beginning of class. Includes a rug hook, frame, burlap and textile paint. Scrap fabric will be available, but students are encouraged to bring fabric and fabric scissors to incorporate some of their own textiles into the design. This workshop is sold out.
Monday May 2nd + Tuesday May 3rd + Tuesday May 10th, 2022, 1-4PM EDT
Instructor: Lindsey Heiden
Jutila Center Ceramic Studio
In this class students will learn how to make a set of three decorative wall tiles, out of clay. By using hand building techniques such as slab building, pinching, coils, slip and scoring, the tile will slowly blossom into a bouquet of flowers for the wall. I will demonstrate how to use studio equipment, such as the slab roller and tools. The first two class sessions will be focused on constructing the wall tiles. The final and third-class session, the students will glaze their wall flower tiles. I will demonstrate glazing techniques at the start of the third session. Wearing older clothes or clothes that you are okay with getting dirty is encouraged. No prior experience is needed to take this class, just an open mind to the possibilities that can arise when working with clay. Registration deadline is April 27th or when sold out.
Cost: $90 to register + Materials fee: $10 paid to instructor during first class.
Wednesdays May 4 and May 11, 5:30-8:30PM EDT
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
Jutila Center Room 105
Students will dye two yards of cotton fabric, design and cut a simple block for textile printing, and the following week block print their dyed fabric which could be used to make an apron or wrap skirt. Students should bring rubber gloves and be comfortable using sharp tools. Suitable for beginners ages 15 and up. Registration closes April 29th or when sold out. Fee: $60 + Materials fee: $15 payable to the instructor during first class, includes fabric, dye and a small carvable block for printing + Refundable deposit: $10 for carving tool.
5 weeks – Tuesdays, May 17-June 14, 2022 – 7-8pm EDT
Instructor: Matthew Durocher
Finnish American Heritage Center
Fee: $75
This is an ensemble workshop focused on arranging and performing traditional Finnish dance music. Participants will work together to find an arrangement that works with the instruments in the group. The goal is to arrange at least three secular dance songs (waltz, hummpa, schottish). It will be structured the way musicians would gather to arrange songs. At the end of the workshop the group will give a short performance during the Juhannus Festival June 24-25. Participants should have experience playing their instrument, with at least advanced beginner to intermediate skills. This is not a workshop to learn an instrument. Music reading is not necessary but useful. Participants will bring their own instruments.
Wednesday, May 18, 5:30-8:30PM EDT
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
Jutila Center Fiber Studio Room 105
Fee: $30
Students will design and sew a simple apron or wrap skirt with pockets using fabric they have printed in a previous class or fabric they purchase or salvage. Students should bring 2 yards of fabric, which can be all one color or contrasting or coordinating pieces. Students should be comfortable using a sewing machine, fabric scissors, and pins. Play and innovation will be encouraged. Open to ages 15 and up. Registration closes May 12th or when sold out. Fee: $30 (does not include fabric).
8 sessions – Tuesdays + Thursdays, June 7-30, 6-8pm EDT
Instructor: Kenyon Hansen
Jutila Center Ceramics Studio
Fee: $200, includes materials
Have you ever wanted to learn how to spin clay on a pottery wheel? This class is designed for intro level students to learn the basics of wheel throwing & glazing. In the first 6 classes students will learn how to wedge, center, form, and trim a range of functional pottery shapes. Including cups, mugs, bowls, plates, and vases. Class 7 will cover glazing, & class 8 we will unload the kiln and discuss the results! Throwing clay on a pottery wheel is physically demanding; it can be heavy (depending on the amount) and wedging clay puts stress on your wrists. This class is open to students ages 16 and up (younger if accompanied by a parent).
Kenyon Hansen is a full-time studio potter in Dollar Bay, Michigan. He has been a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation and Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. In 2013 he was selected as an Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly. Kenyon has taught at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Penland School of Crafts, and Greenwich House Pottery in New York City. He has led workshops at numerous universities and art centers throughout the country. His pottery has been exhibited nationally and internationally and can be found in homes all over the world.
Saturdays, June 11 + 18, 10am-12pm EDT
Instructor: Clare Zuraw
Jutila Center Fiber Studio Room 105
Fee: $50
Learn to knit socks! In two sessions we’ll cover sock knitting from the cuff down, focusing on tricks for knitting with double-pointed needles, creating and turning the heel, and finishing the toe. Students should have some knitting experience and be comfortable with knit and purl stitches. Open to ages 12 and up. Fee: $50. Registration closes June 3rd or when sold out. Students may choose to borrow needles and use yarn from the studio or bring their own.
Opening Reception with Presentations by Sara Pajunen and Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen
Wednesday, June 22nd 7pm
Finlandia University Gallery
Admission: Free, no registration required
The Finnish American Folk School celebrates the work of the instructors and students with The Folk School at Midsummer, an exhibition in the Finlandia University Gallery at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock. The work of guest artist-instructors Sara Pajunen, Wynne Mattila, Anita Salminen Jain, Liv Aanrud and local instructors Karen Tembruell, Phyllis Fredendall, Clare Zuraw, Alice Margerum, Lindsey Heiden, Kenyon Hansen and their students fills the gallery with the inspirations and results of folk school programming. The opening reception will highlight a new composition by Sara Pajunen, commissioned by the Folk School. On Wednesday, June 22 during the opening reception, folklorist Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen will join Sara to present and contextualize this new installation.
Join violinist Sara Pajunen and Thimbleberry Band for an evening of traditional music and dance.
Friday, June 24th 7:30-9:30pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
Admission: $10 in advance by 6/23, $15 at the door
Masks required
Saturday, June 25th, 1-3pm
Quincy Green
Admission: $20, advanced registration required
Learn to sing Finnish songs with Sara Pajunen. Participants will learn the words, melodies, and stories of a handful of Finnish songs and sing them together as a group. Sara will help with Finnish pronunciation and provide English translations. No singing or Finnish language experience is necessary.
Artist Bio: Sara Pajunen is a violinist and composer who has received music degrees in both the United States and Finland and holds a Master of Music in Contemporary Improvisation from New England Conservatory (Boston). Centering projects on themes of culture, immigration, home, and progress, she has released six albums in connection with her Finnish ancestry – including the most recent Aallotar recording on German label Nordic Notes. In 2018, Pajunen launched ‘Mine Songs,’ a long-term project that explores the altered landscape of the Mesabi Iron Range (her childhood and ancestral home) through sound and image. She was the 2015-16 Finlandia Foundation Performer of the Year and her work has received funding from the Minnesota State Arts Board, Jerome Foundation, Koneen Säätiö, and the Arts Council of Finland.
Monday-Friday, June 20-24, 2022, 10am-5pm EDT
Instructor: Wynne Mattila
Jutila Center Room 105
In this workshop, color artist and weaver Wynne Mattila will lead students in weaving a Finnish-style cotton rug. Participants will weave a 27 inch wide by 62 inch long rug with cotton fabric weft, 15-ply Finnish seine twine warp, and the alternating 3-shuttle technique. Color, design, and craftsmanship will be emphasized, and participants are challenged to use color beyond their comfort level. Practical topics include lashing on, cutting fabric in one continuous strip, tension, using a temple, floating selvedges, end finishes and more.
Instructor: Elizabeth “Helvi” Brauer
Wednesdays, 6 weeks – Sep 7, 14, 21, 28, Oct 5, 12
8-9:30pm EDT
Zoom link provided to students after registration
Class fee: $115 This class is sold out so registration is now closed. If you’d like to be notified about future language classes, please email clare.zuraw@finlandia.edu
In the beginner session, students will work to familiarize themselves with the sounds of Finnish, learn essential vocabulary for everyday living, as well as vocabulary that is intimately tied to Finnish culture. Emphasis will be on speaking, listening, and reading with some focus on writing. No previous experience necessary. Open to students ages 15 and up. Classes will take place via group video call (Zoom) and students should have access to a device with Zoom and an internet connection that supports video calls. Registration closes September 3 or when sold out.
Helvi has taught Finnish language in a variety of learning environments and worked with students of all ages for over 12 years. She has studied Finnish language, Finnish cultural studies, and international education in Finland at both the University of Tampere and the University of Oulu. Based in Minneapolis, Helvi is active in the Minnesota Nordic community and is the founder of Luumu – Finnish Living.
Instructor: Randy Seppala
Saturday + Sunday, September 24-25, 2022
10am-4pm
Jutila Center Model Shop, room 102
Class fee: $120
Materials fee: $20 (paid to instructor) Registration is now closed. If you’re interested in a future bones making workshop, please email clare.zuraw@finlandia.edu for more information.
Rhythm bones playing is an old tradition here in the Upper Peninsula, and students can continue that tradition by learning how to craft and play their own set of bones. During this two-day workshop, participants will make a complete set of four bones beginning with cherry wood blanks provided by the instructor. After the completing their set, students will learn the basics of playing the instrument. No woodworking or musical experience is necessary. Open to ages 16 and up. Registration closes September 20th or when sold out.
Randy “Da Bones Man” Seppala is a percussionist who is well-known for making, playing, and teaching the rhythm bones. He trained with bones master Johnny Perona, participated in Michigan State University’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program, and was a 2020 Upper Peninsula Folklife Awardee. He has performed with many musical groups including UP Gumbo, Lumber Jakki, “Hart, Harp and Bones”, The Finnish American All-Stars, and many blues artists and groups in Mississippi.
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
5 weeks: Wednesdays Sept. 14, 21, 28 + Oct. 5, 12
Class meeting 10am- 1pm
Cost: $150 (includes all yarns and equipment) This class is sold out so registration is now closed. If you’d like to be notified about future versions of this class, please email phyllis.fredendall@finlandia.edu
Students will learn to design and weave beautiful cloth on 4 and 8 harness floor and table looms. Loom preparation, yarn selection, color choices, and pattern drafting will be covered. For all levels. Students should be motivated to create! Weaving requires manual dexterity, ability to see small objects up close, and when operating floor looms the ability to use your feet and legs. Open to ages 15 and up. Registration closes September 7 or when sold out.
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
5 weeks: Tuesdays Sept. 13, 20, 27 + Oct. 4, 11
Class meeting 5-8pm
Cost: $150 (includes all yarns and equipment) This class is sold out so registration is now closed. If you’d like to be notified about future versions of this class, please email phyllis.fredendall@finlandia.edu
Students will learn to design and weave beautiful cloth on 4 and 8 harness floor and table looms. Loom preparation, yarn selection, color choices, and pattern drafting will be covered. For all levels. Students should be motivated to create! Weaving requires manual dexterity, ability to see small objects up close, and when operating floor looms the ability to use your feet and legs. Open to ages 15 and up. Registration closes September 7 or when sold out.
Instructor: Anita Salminen Jain
Wednesday September 28, 2022
1pm – 5pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio, room 105
Class fee: $60
Materials: $10 (paid to instructor) Registration closed
Nuno is a wet felting method that magically merges fine silk cloth with merino wool roving forming a solid bond. With this method you can create large, small, solid or translucent pieces of art, or wearable cloth.
In this class students will create a beautiful, fashionable piece of fiber art for the wall. We will discuss a few ways that fiber art maybe displayed to its best. Felting requires standing while designing the piece with dry felt on silk, some hand and arm strength while wet felting the piece, and you may get a little wet. No experience necessary. Open to ages 16 and up. Registration closes September 20th or when sold out.
Anita is a fiber artist whose work is inspired by Finnish nature and folklore. Anita was born in Finland. Both of her parents worked in the field of fiber and design, so one could say Anita was born in fiber. Anita creates large, detailed works depicting nature and nearly abstract characters of folklore through her Nuno Felting technique, wet felting merino wool on silk. Some pieces are enhanced by free machine stitching. Every work is born with a story. Anita Salminen Jain lives in Maple Grove, MN, with her husband.
Instructor Anita Salminen Jain
Saturday October 1, 11am -4pm + Sunday October 2, 11am – 2pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio, room 105
Class fee: $100
Materials fee: $ 30 (paid to instructor) Registration closed
Nuno is a wet felting method that magically merges fine silk cloth with merino wool roving forming a solid bond. With this method you can create large, small, solid or translucent pieces of art, or wearable cloth.
In this class students will create a beautiful light fabric for their own very simply constructed tunic, which we will finish on the second day when the fabric is dry by using a few hand stitches and scissors. Felting requires standing while designing the piece with dry felt on silk, some hand and arm strength while wet felting the piece, and you may get a little wet. No experience necessary. Open to ages 16 and up. Registration closes September 20th or when sold out.
Friday, September 30, 2-5pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio, room 105
Free, no registration required
The Finnish American Folk School needs a banner! Help Anita Salminen Jain and Phyllis Fredendall make a felt banner for the Folk School, or just come to watch the process. Either hands-on or just “eyes-on” it will be a lot of fun.
Tuesday, September 27, 2-3pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
Free, no registration required
Join Anita Jain to learn about nuno felting technique and her work as a fiber artist.
Instructor:Terri Frew
Saturdays October 8 + 15, 2022
1pm-4pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio
Class fee: $70
Materials fee: $7 Click here to register
Historically, one couldn’t simply run down to the art store to pick up materials to create with. Using materials from the natural world, artists were part scientist and part artist in producing media used to realize artworks. Join us to learn the traditional art of ink-making using natural plant materials harvested in your own backyard. Lessons on gathering and preparing the raw materials, safety in the studio, preservation, and storage will be taught. In addition to making ink, this course will also cover basic applications of your custom inks in the art studio.
No prior experience required. Please bring at least one cup of non-toxic plant material to make ink from. Some great choices are berries, acorns, avocado pits, red onion skins, purple grape skins, red cabbage, goldenrod flowers, marigold flowers, hibiscus flowers, beets, indigo leaves, grass, kale, and/or moss. A quantity of locally harvested walnuts will be provided by the instructor to make a shared ink. Please also bring clean glass jars to take your ink home in. Open to students age 16 and up. Registration closes October 5 or when sold out.
Terri Jo Frew is a practicing contemporary artist and Lecturer with the Visual & Performing Arts Department at Michigan Technological University, Houghton. Originally from Canada, she holds an MFA degree from Concordia University (Montréal), and exhibits her art internationally. Always working conceptually, her favorite methods of expression include (but aren’t limited to) embroidery and drawing.
Lecture + Music by Dr. Samuli Korkalainen, University of the Arts Helsinki
Wednesday, October 5, 2022 – 4pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
Free, no registration required
In his post-doctoral research project, Dr. Samuli Korkalainen from Helsinki, Finland is focusing on Finnish-American church music from the late 19th century onwards. He has found hymnals, spiritual songbooks, and other printed and hand-written music written, composed, and edited by Finnish immigrants in the US and Canada – as well as interesting personalities, thoughts, and ideas behind them. Dr. Korkalainen has been collecting material both in Finland and North America; on this side of the Atlantic Ocean, in Minneapolis (Minnesota), Thunder Bay (Ontario, Canada), and here in Hancock, at the Finnish American Historical Archive. In this lecture, he will introduce his discoveries so far and explore why this topic is interesting and worth exploring. The lecture will include music and we will sing together.
The event is sponsored by the Finnish & Nordic Studies Program, The Finnish American Folk School, and The Finnish American Heritage Center.
Instructor: Wynne Mattila
Friday, Saturday, Sunday – October 21-23, 2022
10AM-5PM EDT
Class fee: $250
Materials fee: $15 (paid to the instructor) This class is sold out so registration is now closed.
Over the Waves is a traditional Finnish weave structure that has been passed on to Finnish-American weavers. It is called Over the Waves in northern Michigan and Love’s Path in northern Minnesota.
In this 3-day workshop, color artist and weaver Wynne Mattila will lead students in weaving an Over the Waves table runner or rug with cotton fabric weft on 15-ply Finnish seine twine warp. Color, design, and craftsmanship will be emphasized. Topics include lashing on, cutting fabric in one continuous strip, tension, using a temple, floating selvedges, the alternating 3-shuttle technique, end finishes and more. Rugs will not be completed by the end of the workshop. This workshop is open to students with prior weaving experience. Participants must be able to wind a warp, read a draft, and warp a floor loom independently. Registration closes October 7 or when sold out.
Handouts include color and design ideas, photos and fabric samples, information on the quantity of fabric needed, and selecting and preparing fabric. Handouts will be emailed before the start of the workshop. Participants provide their own fabric for weft and specified warp. Floor looms will be warped in Over the Waves at 7.5 epi in a 15-dent reed. Looms need to be warped to the point the reed is sleyed before the start of the workshop. A 4-shaft loom is required. Planned project sizes: 14” wide x 36” long runner, or 27” wide x 62” long rug.
“What participants should bring to Over the Waves workshop:”
Prepped fabric (washed and dried, sewn, ironed). Do not cut the fabric prior to the workshop.
To weave a 14” x 36” runner you will need approximately 1 and 1/4 pounds of fabric, or 4 and 1/4 yards, of 44-inch wide quilters weight cotton fabric (3/4” wide strips).
To weave a 27” x 62” rug you will need approximately 3 pounds 13 ounces, or 13 and 1/2 yards, of 44-inch wide quilters weight cotton fabric (3/4” wide strips).
15-ply Finnish seine twine warp (contact FAFS Director Phyllis Fredendall for more info)
Workshop handouts emailed to you.
Temple (stretcher) to accommodate a 14” wide runner or 27” wide rug—metal Toika-type preferred.
Scrap knit fabric for the header—an old cotton t-shirt will work.
Approx. 2 ounces of scrap wool rug yarn for the header, any color, will be removed when finishing ends.
Stick shuttles (approx. 21” long), need 1 per fabric.
1 empty bobbin and a boat shuttle.
Calculator.
Tape measure.
Scissors.
Rotary cutter, plastic cutting guide, and mat – if you already own these items.
Graph paper and colored pencils to record as you weave.
Wynne Mattila wove her first rug in 1985 at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota and before it was finished, she knew she was a rug weaver for life. Wynne’s goal is always to use color to its full potential to create a beautiful rug.
“I weave in what I call the “Finnish-Style” with new brightly-colored cotton fabric strips on 15-ply Finnish cotton warp. I work with fabrics designed for quilters. My specialty is color blending using the alternating 3-shuttle technique. The off-white warp I use becomes a blank canvas on which I am able to paint with colored fabrics. I love this visual process in which each shot of fabric plays a part in the overall design.”
Wynne has been teaching rug weaving for more than 20 years, focusing on good rug weaving techniques and the creative use of color. In her upcoming book, “Warm the Room with Color—Weaving Finnish-Style Cotton Rugs,” Wynne will share her passion for rugs and describe her artistic and weaving processes.
Beginning/Intermediate Wheel Throwing, November 2022
Instructor: Kenyon Hansen
8 sessions – Tuesdays + Thursdays, Nov 1-Dec 1 (no class Nov 22+24), 6-8pm
Jutila Center Ceramics Studio
Fee: $200, includes materials Registration for this class is now closed. If you’re interested in future workshops with this instructor, subscribe to our email newsletter for updates.
Have you ever wanted to learn how to spin clay on a pottery wheel? This class is designed for intro level students to learn the basics of wheel throwing & glazing. In the first 6 classes students will learn how to wedge, center, form, and trim a range of functional pottery shapes. Including cups, mugs, bowls, plates, and vases. Class 7 will cover glazing, & class 8 we will unload the kiln and discuss the results! Throwing clay on a pottery wheel is physically demanding; it can be heavy (depending on the amount) and wedging clay puts stress on your wrists. This class is open to students ages 16 and up (younger if accompanied by a parent). Registration closes November 1 or when sold out.
Kenyon Hansen is a full-time studio potter in Dollar Bay, Michigan. He has been a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation and Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. In 2013 he was selected as an Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly. Kenyon has taught at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Penland School of Crafts, and Greenwich House Pottery in New York City. He has led workshops at numerous universities and art centers throughout the country. His pottery has been exhibited nationally and internationally and can be found in homes all over the world.
Finnish Language for Emerging Beginners Online, November 2022
Instructor: Elizabeth “Helvi” Brauer
Wednesdays, 6 weeks, Nov 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Dec 7
8-9:30pm ET
Zoom link provided to students after registration
Class fee: $115 This class is sold out. If you’re interested in a future session of this class, please email clare.zuraw@finlandia.edu
The emerging beginner session is designed for students with some familiarity with Finnish language (students in this course do not need to have completed previous studies of Finnish through the Finnish American Folk School). Enrolling students may be able to exchange basic greetings or introduce themselves in Finnish but are not yet ready for conversational exchanges of much length or variety. In this course, students will further their very beginning language skills, particularly oral communication skills, as well as listening, reading, and some writing. Open to students ages 15 and up. Classes will take place via group video call (Zoom) and students should have access to a device with Zoom and an internet connection that supports video calls. Registration closes October 29 or when sold out.
Helvi has taught Finnish language in a variety of learning environments and worked with students of all ages for over 12 years. She has studied Finnish language, Finnish cultural studies, and international education in Finland at both the University of Tampere and the University of Oulu. Based in Minneapolis, Helvi is active in the Minnesota Nordic community and is the founder of Luumu – Finnish Living.
Beginning Weaving, November 2022
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
5 weeks: Wednesdays, Nov 2, 9, 16, 30 + Dec 7
Class meeting 10am-1pm with optional afternoon studio time 1-4pm EDT
Jutila Center Fiber Studio
Class fee: $150 (includes all yarns and equipment) This class is sold out. If you’re interested in future sessions of Beginning Weaving, please email phyllis.fredendall@finlandia.edu.
Students will learn to design and weave beautiful cloth on 4 and 8 harness floor and table looms. Loom preparation, yarn selection, color choices, and pattern drafting will be covered. For all levels. Students should be motivated to create! Weaving requires manual dexterity, ability to see small objects close up, and when operating floor looms the ability to use your feet and legs. Open to ages 15 and up. Registration closes October 26 or when sold out.
Birch Bark and Felt Coptic Stitch Journal, November 2022
Instructor: Karen Tembreull
Saturday + Sunday, November 5 + 6, 9am-1pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio
Class fee: $80
Materials fee: $45 payable directly to instructor Registration for this class is now closed. If you’re interested in future workshops with this instructor, subscribe to our email newsletter for updates.
On day one, students will learn basic patchwork techniques with birch bark and waxed linen thread. Recycled felt will be available as well to experiment with and to edge the covers. On day two, we will tear, cut, and prepare our signatures of paper and bind the book using the Coptic stitch. Instructor will provide all materials and tools to borrow. Open to ages 16 and up. Registration closes October 28th or when sold out.
Finlandia University’s Finnish & Nordic Studies program is happy to announce an expansion of its Spring 2023 course offerings to auditing students. The development will increase the available spots for auditors in two classes, FNS 360 Kalevala and FNS 221 History and Culture of Finland. In partnership with the Finnish American Folk School at Finlandia University, Associate Professor and Chair of FinnU’s Finnish & Nordic Studies program, Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen, will lead the 15 week classes starting the week of January 16, 2023.
To register, email admissions@finlandia.edu and share your interest in auditing a particular class. The audit fee is $75 per credit hour or $225 for a 3-credit course, textbooks not included.
FNS 360 Kalevala (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ENG 360. Immortalized as Finland’s national epic, the Kalevala encapsulates ancient Finnish folk traditions. This course will detail the historical development of the Kalevala poetry tradition, its development and structure as a literary work, its use as an anthropological text, and its use as a political and cultural icon of Finnish identity. Spring semester, odd years. Tuesdays/Thursdays, 1:10-2:30pm EDT. 15 weeks.
FNS 221 History and Culture of Finland (3 credits)
Explores the country of Finland and its many aspects. Students gain an understanding of Finland as a modern nation. Topics include major historical periods of Finland, lifestyle, culture and mentality, education, politics and society, nature, and population. Fall and spring semesters. Asynchronous (pre-recorded lectures). 15 weeks.
Deep in the Woods: Finnish Folklore on Two Continents, November 2022
Monday, November 7, 4 pm
Chapel of St. Matthew, Finlandia University 532 East Franklin Street, Hancock
The Suomi College of Arts and Sciences, in collaboration with the Finnish & Nordic Studies Program and the Finnish American Folk School, announces our first research colloquium of the year.
Join folklorists Tiina Seppä and Jyrki Pöysä (University of Eastern Finland) and Hilary-Joy Virtanen (FinnU) for an exploration of their recent research projects in Finnish and Finnish-American Folklore.
Tiina Seppä: “Reading Interspecies Communication: The Forest in Finnish-Karelian-Ingrian Folk Poetry”
Jyrki Pöysä: “Small Farmers’ and Forest Workers’ Occupational Culture in Eastern Finland Before the Age of the Chainsaw”
Hilary Virtanen: “Workers’ Worldviews in the Songs of Oren Tikkanen”
This event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the lot between Old Main and the Hoover Center accessible from Quincy Street on Finlandia University’s campus. For more information, contact Hilary Virtanen at hilary.virtanen@finlandia.edu
Himmeli Straw Ornaments, November 2022
Instructor: Alice Margerum
Saturday, November 12, 10am-12pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
Class fee: $20
Materials fee: $8 payable directly to instructor
In countries around the Baltic Sea, the straw left over after the grain harvest was used to make decorations. In Finland, the straw ornaments have a characteristic geometric style and are called “himmeli”. Himmeli are usually associated with autumn and winter. Himmeli are said to pre-date the use of Christmas trees in Nordic countries. These delicate geometric structures, made from natural straw, can either be small ornaments or large kinetic mobiles.
This class is designed for each student to be able to make several small himmeli ornaments. Class will include instructions on the traditional method of making himmeli and working with natural straw, as well as some tips related to cutting the straw to length quickly and replacing broken straws. Materials and instructions will be provided for each student to make several ornaments from natural wheat straw. Decorative paper straws will be also available as a modern alternative. We will begin with the traditional diamond shape (octahedron) and move onto more complicated shapes like stars. This class is suitable for absolute beginners. We will be using natural wheat straws, which have been professionally cleaned and dried. There are no special skills required but students will need patience and must be old enough to use scissors safely. Registration closes November 11 or when sold out.
Beginning Jouhikko 2 Online, November 2022
Instructor: Clare Zuraw
4 weeks – Mondays November 7-28, 8-9pm EDT
Class fee: $50
Online – video link provided to students after registration
Registration with instructor permission. Contact clare.zuraw@finlandia.edu
This class is designed for students with some basic experience playing the jouhikko. They should have experience tuning and holding the instrument and bow. Students should have their own bow and instrument in playable condition that can be tuned to E-A-D. In this class we will learn simple melodies and focus on intonation and bowing techniques. Students should have a reliable internet connection and a device that can support Zoom. While a smaller device like a tablet or phone are acceptable for this class, you may find that it is easier to navigate and understand instruction from a computer. Registration closes November 6 or when sold out.
Instructor: Charlotta Hagfors
Saturday + Sunday, December 10-11, 2022
11am-1pm Eastern Time (Please check your own local timezone.)
Class fee: $50
Online – video link provided to students after registration. Students should have a reliable internet connection and a device that can support Zoom. Click here to register.
Rekisongs are a beautiful, hilarious kind of Finnish folk song. They were popular all over Finland, especially in the 19th century Ostrobothnia. They were a creative outlet for the youth in particular. Rekisong is all about singing beautiful melodies and discovering rhymes. Often, the theme is love: from bitter heartbreak to everlasting bliss, they were the songs in the moment. A special subcategory of Rekisong is one where love and strife are about one’s place in the world: songs of emigration to the New World.
Students will sing rekisongs together and learn briefly about their history. On the second day the instructor will demonstrate how to write them – it’s easy! No knowledge of Finnish is required, but even a little familiarity with the language is helpful. Registration closes December 5 or when sold out.
Lotta Hagfors (Charlotta Hagfors) is a singer and a folk musician from Helsinki, Finland. After studying ethnomusicology at the University of Helsinki she started studying and exploring the world of folk song, composition, and improvisation at the Sibelius Academy. In 2017 she finished her Master’s degree in an international program, “Nordic Master in Folk Music”, which took place in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. She has performed all around the world with several bands and projects, with a notable excursion to classical music – with a musical saw. Her musical field of interest covers folk singing in all of its many forms, as well as vocal improvisation. Open mind and freedom are the things she most cherishes in all music. Her love of discovery and blending art forms has led her to perform and compose several theatre and dance productions. With a strong background in vocal ensembles, she has won competitions (International Competition for Acapella Groups, Tampereen Sävel 2017 with Ilo Ensemble) and written music for vocal groups too. Occasionally she works at the Finnish National Broadcasting Company YLE as a radio announcer.
Instructor: Kenyon Hansen
Jutila Center Ceramic Studio
8 weeks – Tuesdays + Thursdays, January 10-March 2, 6-8pm
Class fee: $400
Materials fee: $25 payable directly to instructor Registration is now closed
This 8-week class is designed for people with at least some prior throwing experience. We will cover advanced throwing & glazing techniques to create a range of objects such as, cream & sugar sets, teapots, pitchers, and a range of covered jars. Each week will cover a different topic. This class will include two firings, one gas firing at the Jutila Center and one soda firing at Dogwood Ave Studios in Dollar Bay, MI.
Kenyon Hansen is a full-time studio potter in Dollar Bay, Michigan. He has been a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation and Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. In 2013 he was selected as an Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly. Kenyon has taught at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Penland School of Crafts, and Greenwich House Pottery in New York City. He has led workshops at numerous universities and art centers throughout the country. His pottery has been exhibited nationally and internationally and can be found in homes all over the world.
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
2 sessions: Wednesdays, January 11 5:30-8:30pm + January 18, 5:30-7pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio room 105 (Masks are required in the fiber studio)
Class fee: $60
Optional pick up project fee: $40 (paid directly to instructor) This class is sold out and registration is now closed
Last day to register: 1/6/23 or when sold out
Design and weave a colorful strap using an inkle loom. Class one includes design work, loom dressing and how to weave. In the second class students will take their bands off the loom and finish them for the end use: belt, hat band, bag strap garment trim – even an instrument strap with prearranged fittings. In the second session, experienced weavers inspired to work in a more complex structure will learn the pick-up technique to weave words and patterns and keep the looms for an additional week. Looms are available for use at home with a refundable deposit. No experience necessary.
Instructor: Ginger Alberti
Saturday, January 14, 2023 – 11am-1:30pm
Location: Sew Cranky– 322 Quincy St. Hancock, MI
Class fee: $35
Materials fee: $10 (paid directly to the instructor) Registration is now closed
Sew a linen laudeliina (sauna bench mat) or two placemats using antique hand crank sewing machines which are easy to control and operate. Sewing experience is not needed. For the advanced sewist, these machines offer a “Hands-on-History” experience. Linen is pre-washed and machine washable. Trim decoration is 100% cotton, and detailed stitching is created on an applique patch – using the excellent control that you have when sewing with a hand operated machine.
Ginger has been a clothing and craft designer for 40 years. In the early years she was focused on ethnic design wearable/washable clothing and custom garments. Later this branched into clothing and accessories of the 1800’s, and finally included the fascinating world of sewing with antique hand crank sewing machines. Ginger Alberti and Mike Sabo now own a storefront in Hancock, Michigan, “Sew Cranky” where they sell antique hand crank machines, and repair all sewing machines and antique appliances. Ginger creates delightful and original sewn items, (wearable, useful and gift) and offers classes to teach the skills of sewing many of these items at Sew Cranky — always using antique hand crank sewing machines.
Instructor: Alice Margerum
Thursday, January 19, 2023 – 5-8pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
Class fee: $30
Materials fee: $12 (paid directly to instructor) Registration is now closed
Larger himmeli mobiles were traditionally hung above dining tables in Finland to help ensure a good harvest for the next year. In Lithuania, they were hung over cradles and used at weddings to help circulate happiness and good fortune. The delicateness of natural straw, means that these large ornaments, move in the lightest of breezes. Each student will make one approximately 12-inch-high himmeli mobile in natural straw. There will be a choice of patterns, including one based on the gigantic “himmeli” sculpture hanging in the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock. The class will include instructions on the traditional method of making himmeli and working with natural straw, as well as some tips related to cutting the straw to length quickly and replacing broken straws. This class is suitable for absolute beginners. There are no special skills required, but students will need patience and must be old enough to use scissors safely.
Instructor: Clare Zuraw
2 sessions: Tuesdays, January 31 + February 7, 5:30-7:30pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio room 105 (Masks are required in the fiber studio)
Class fee: $50
Registration is now closed.
Last day to register: 1/22/23 or when sold out
Knit a neckwarmer based on traditional sweater patterns from Vörå in western Finland. The class will focus on techniques used to knit stranded colorwork in the round on circular needles: yarn tension, catching floats, color dominance, reading and adapting a pattern, finishing, and more. Anyone who is able to knit and purl is welcome to register. No experience with colorwork knitting required. The class fee includes instruction and the neckwarmer pattern designed exclusively for this class. Students must bring their own circular needles and yarn. The pattern sample was knit on US7 9” circumference circular needles with two colors of worsted weight yarn. For more information about materials to bring, contact the instructor directly.
Instructors: Harri Kurtti and Jim Kurtti
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 – 5:30-7:30pm
Finnish American Heritage Center
Class fee: $20 This class is now sold out and registration is closed.
Registration closes 1/22/23 or when sold out.
Learn to bake a variety of Finnish cookies. This workshop includes hands-on cookie making as well as the opportunity to taste different types of cookies.
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
5 weeks: Wednesdays Jan 25, Feb 1, 8, 15, 22, 2023
5pm-8pm
Cost: $150 (includes all yarns and equipment) This class is currently sold out. If you’d like to be added to a waiting list or sign up for a future session, please email phyllis.fredendall@finlandia.edu
Students will learn to design and weave beautiful cloth on 4 and 8 harness floor and table looms. Loom preparation, yarn selection, color choices, and pattern drafting will be covered. For all levels. Students should be motivated to create! Weaving requires manual dexterity, ability to see small objects up close, and when operating floor looms the ability to use your feet and legs. Open to ages 15 and up. Registration closes January 23 or when sold out.
Instructor: Jennifer Szubielak
4 weeks – Thursdays, Feb 2-23, 2023
5:30-7:30pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio
Class fee: $80
Materials fee: $10 payable directly to instructor
Registration is now closed
This is a class for those that have basic spinning skills, as in drafting to get yarn. We will work toward intentional drafting for desired yarn thickness. Plying techniques will also be explored and practiced. Wheels are available, but if you have your own, it will be advantageous to bring it, so any project you start can be continued at home. Registration closes 1/30/23 or when sold out.
Instructor: Emmi Kuittinen
Saturday + Sunday, February 4-5, 2023
11am-1pm EST (Please check your own local timezone.)
Class fee: $50
Registration is now closed
Online – video link provided to students after registration. Students should have a reliable internet connection and a device that can support Zoom. Questions? Email clare.zuraw@finlandia.edu
Karelia is a wide area situated in Finland and Russia and it has a very rich and diverse singing culture. In this workshop you’ll get to know more about different parts of Karelia and learn some folk songs in Karelian and Finnish. We will sing old Runolaulu (like those in Kalevala) and more “modern” songs like rekilaulu and chastushka. No knowledge of Finnish or Karelian or singing is required. You are welcome as you are! Registration closes February 1 or when sold out.
Emmi Kuittinen is a folk musician, singer and songwriter, who specializes in the Karelian and Ingrian singing styles and also laments. Emmi’s main instrument is her voice and she also plays keyboard instruments, accordion, ukulele and the Finnish-Karelian instrument kantele. She performs both solo and with various ensembles. She also teaches and offers courses on lamenting and folk singing. Emmi is educated as a Master of Music and Music Educator, and has trained extensively as a Community Musician, concentrating primarily on making music in hospitals and care taking environments. She has instructed and worked with people from all ages ranging from small babies to senior citizens.
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
1 session: Tuesday, April 18, 1-5pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio room 105 (Masks are required in the fiber studio)
Class fee: $40
This class is now sold out.
Last day to register: 4/13/23 or when sold out
Flat pattern drafting is a useful tool for all who like to sew. This introduction guides you through proper measuring, drafting on paper, pattern proofing, making the sloper, and the final steps to create a skirt that fits. Sloper paper will be provided. Students should bring pencils, erasers, ballpoint pen, and an old cotton or polyester sheet. Students should be able to use a sewing machine. Open to ages 16 and up.
Phyllis Fredendall learned flat pattern drafting in a summer workshop at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. She taught garment design at Finlandia University and hosted scores of delightful student and alumni fashion shows through the years.
Instructor: Anna Dijkstra
1 session: Thursday, April 13, 7-9pm
Jutila Center room 104
Class fee: $30
Materials: bring your own or purchase a basic mending kit for $7
This class is now sold out.
Last day to register: 4/10/23 or when sold out
Give your socks a second chance by learning to mend them! Students will learn the basics of darning commercially made socks (no handknit socks for this workshop) using needle, embroidery floss, and a darning mushroom/egg. Everyone should bring at least 1 sock that needs repair. If you use glasses for close work, please bring them. During the workshop you will start to get a feel for the process, finishing the mend on your own at home. If you already own mending supplies, please bring them. For others a basic kit will be available for purchase at the beginning of class. No experience necessary. Open to ages 10 and up.
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
2 sessions: Monday February 6, 5:30-7:30pm + Wednesday February 8, 5:30-6:30pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio
Class fee: $35
Registration is now closed
Students will dye cotton fabric taking advantage of the plentiful snow we love, to make beautiful, surprising results. 1 yard of quilt weight cotton fabric and MX dyes will be provided. Students must bring their own rubber gloves and dust mask to cover their COVID mask during the dye application process. Day one is fabric prep and dye day. Day two is rinse and discover day. Open to ages 14 and up. Registration closes 2/1/23 or when sold out.
Instructor: Sandy Lindblom
1 session: Saturday, April 15, 1-4:30pm
Jutila Center Model Shop room 102
Class fee: $35
Material fee: $20 paid directly to instructor
Last day to register: 4/12/23 or when sold out
Learn to create a functional piece of art, a whisk broom. We’ll be using actual broom corn, what straw brooms are made of. You will choose from a large selection of nylon colors to tie your broom up. Some hand and arm strength is required. No experience necessary. Open to ages 16 and up.
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
2 sessions: Tuesdays, March 28 5:30-8:30pm + April 4 5:30-8:30pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio room 105 (Masks are required in the fiber studio)
Class fee: $60
Optional pick up project fee: $40 (paid directly to instructor)
Registration is now closed
Last day to register: 3/23/23 or when sold out
Design and weave a colorful strap using an inkle loom. Class one includes design work, loom dressing and how to weave. In the second class students will take their bands off the loom and finish them for the end use: belt, hat band, bag strap garment trim – even an instrument strap with prearranged fittings. In the second session, experienced weavers inspired to work in a more complex structure will learn the pick-up technique to weave words and patterns and keep the looms for an additional week. Looms are available for use at home with a refundable deposit. No experience necessary.
Instructor: Kenyon Hansen
8 sessions – Tuesdays + Thursdays, April 4-27, 6-8pm
Jutila Center Ceramics Studio room room 103
Fee: $200, includes materials
This class is now sold out.
Last day to register: 4/3/23 or when sold out
Have you ever wanted to learn how to spin clay on a pottery wheel? This class is designed for students of all levels to learn the basics of wheel throwing & glazing. In the first 6 classes students will learn how to wedge, center, form, and trim a range of functional pottery shapes. Including cups, mugs, bowls, plates, and vases. Class 7 will cover glazing, & class 8 we will unload the kiln and discuss the results! Throwing clay on a pottery wheel is physically demanding; it can be heavy (depending on the amount) and wedging clay puts stress on your wrists. This class is open to students ages 16 and up (younger if accompanied by a parent). Registration closes April 3 or when sold out.
Kenyon Hansen is a full-time studio potter in Dollar Bay, Michigan. He has been a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation and Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. In 2013 he was selected as an Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly. Kenyon has taught at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Penland School of Crafts, and Greenwich House Pottery in New York City. He has led workshops at numerous universities and art centers throughout the country. His pottery has been exhibited nationally and internationally and can be found in homes all over the world.
Instructor: Clare Zuraw
1 session: Tuesday, April 18, 5:30-8pm
Jutila Center Fiber Studio room 105 (Masks are required in the fiber studio)
Class fee: $30
This class is now sold out.
Last day to register: 4/15/23 or when sold out
This workshop is a basic introduction to hand spinning wool yarn using a top whorl drop spindle. Spindles and wool will be provided for use during the workshop. After an introduction to the tools and techniques of hand spinning, students will focus on practicing making yarn. No previous experience necessary. Open to students ages 12 and up.
Instructor: Lindsey Heiden
3 sessions: Monday May 8, Tuesday May 9, Thursday May 18, 6-8pm
Jutila Center Ceramics Studio room 103
Class fee: $95
Materials fee: $10
Last day to register: 5/5/23 or when sold out
In this class students will learn how to make a set of three narrative wall tiles, out of clay. By using hand building techniques such as, press molds, slab building, pinching, coils, slip and scoring, the tiles will slowly become a narrative triptych. I will demonstrate how to use studio equipment, such as the slab roller and tools as well as how to use press molds. The first two class sessions will be focused on constructing the narrative wall tile triptych. The final and third-class session, the students will glaze their tiles. I will demonstrate glazing techniques at the start of the third session. Wearing older clothes or clothes that you are okay with getting dirty is encouraged. No prior experience is needed to take this class, just an open mind to the possibilities that can arise when working with clay. This class is open to students ages 16 and up (younger if accompanied by a parent).
Instructor: Phyllis Fredendall
Five day session: Monday – Friday May 15-19, 10 am – 4 PM
Jutila Center Fiber Studio room 105 (Masks are required in the fiber studio)
Class fee: $250
Last day to register: 4/24/23 or when sold out
Questions about this class? Email phyllis.fredendall@finlandia.edu
Students will learn a classic reversible block weave structure, design their own block sequence and weave 4 placemats or one long runner using strips of new or repurposed cloth on two shuttles. This class is designed for weavers who can warp a loom independently and have experience working on a floor loom. The first session will be for designing the blocks and dressing the loom. Class will include color and design considerations. Registrants will receive pre-class instructions so they will come to class with their warp wound. Participants may opt to weave in a round robin for a sampler experience. Standard 8/4 rug cotton will be used for warp. Students will provide their own warp and cloth for weft. Looms will be provided.
Fall 2021 Classes + Workshops
Inkle Weaving Beginning Weaving Weavers’ Open Studio Dye Studio Foundations Beginning Spinning 5-String Kantele for Beginners Jouhikko for Beginners Online Colorwork Knitting Patchwork Birchbark Sewing Kit Wool Feltmaking Nordic Wood Shaving Ornaments Beginning Broom Making
About Us
Phyllis Fredendall is Director of the FAFS and emeritus professor of fiber and fashion design at Finlandia University. From 1993 to 2020 she taught weaving, spinning, felt-making and off-loom structures, garment design, jacquard design, dyeing, printing, and design fundamentals. She has studied, taught, and exhibited her art work in Finland. In addition to leading the Folk School, Phyllis teaches a variety of fiber arts classes including weaving, felting, and dyeing.
Clare Zuraw is Assistant Director of the FAFS. Clare comes to this position with a background in music, fiber arts, and education and has spent time in Finland studying the jouhikko, a Finnish bowed lyre. In addition to teaching music and fiber classes for the FAFS, Clare provides administrative support for our programs.
