Spend some time at OSV learning a historical craft. These workshops vary from blacksmithing to woodworking, foodways, and more. Come and try your hand at a craft and take home your finished masterpiece! In August, topics include rugmaking or blacksmithing. In September, try your hand at advanced blacksmithing techniques (welding) or woodworking.

August 23

Textiles: Heirloom Rugmaking
This historical technique from the late 1700s transforms your old and worn clothes and blankets into an heirloom shirred rug. This is a sewn rug using a 3-inch shirring needle and heavy cotten thread. Several types of shirring will be covered including center, bias, patch, and beaded shirring. You will begin by making a beaded wool pincushion by rolling strips of wool into beads and stitching them together for a place to park your needle. Then you will go on to start the center of your own heirloom rug.
Open to 10 participants.
Deadline for registration: August 13
Full-day workshop, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Members: $100, plus $15 materials fee; Non-members: $125, plus $15 materials fee.
Instructor: Rose Ann Hunter
Register online now.

Blacksmith: Basic Blacksmithing
Fire and Iron! Learn the basics of forging -- including starting and managing a coal fire, and the names and uses of the basic tools -- and make several simple forged items to take home.
Open to 7 participants.
Deadline for registration: August 20
Full-day workshop, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Members: $100, plus $15 materials fee; Non-members: $125, plus $15 materials fee
Instructor: Tim Dauphinais
Register online now.

September 20

Woodworking: Two-Drawer Chest
In just six hours, you will create and take home your own museum reproduction of a 19th-century two-drawer blanket chest. Working with pre-cut pieces of pine, you will assemble a chest over two drawers standing 37" high, 39" wide, by 17" deep, reproduced from an elegantly simple example in the OSV Collections. No previous woodworking experience required.
Deadline for registration: September 10
Full-day workshop, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; open to 8 participants.
Members: $100, plus $100 materials fee; Non-members: $125, plus $100 materials fee
Instructor: John Baron
Register online now.

Blacksmith: Welding
This advanced workshop will introduce traditional forge welding techniques, including fire management, hammer control, scarfing, and fluxing. Please note: this is an advanced workshop, previous blacksmithing experience is required.
Deadline for registration: September 10
Full-day workshop, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; open to 4 participants.
Members: $150, plus $15 materials fee; Non-members: $175, plus $15 materials fee
Instructor: Tim Dauphinais
Register online now.

Also being offered is an eight-session course on Building a Muzzle-loading Firearm, running from October 19 through December 14. More details are available online.