Friday, May 23, 2025
1pm-4pm

Cobweb brooms are beautiful, unusual, and very functional. Made from whole unprocessed broomcorn “nurl,” cobwebbers allow you to reach up high or way down low to remove the pesky cobwebs that seem to crop up whenever your back is turned. Their narrow shape allows you to get into corners, along baseboards, behind radiators, and into all of those hard-to-reach places. They’re even great for retrieving the things your cat has hidden under the oven or fridge!

In this class, you’ll learn how to attach whole broomcorn to your choice of a hardwood broomstick. The stalks can be woven down the handle in the traditional manner or bound in a contemporary ‘corseted’ style. You’ll also learn how to stitch your cobwebber, which is a great introduction to the stitching technique used to create more advanced kitchen brooms.

This class is a fantastic introduction to broom-making. The skills taught are relatively easy to master and they also set students up well for further broom making adventures. Tying a broom is a stress-reducing, full body practice. You’ll use both feet to hold tension and both hands to manipulate the cord and wrap the broom tightly. Broom tying is best attempted with bare or stockinged feet, so please be prepared to take your shoes off during class.

Minimum 4, Maximum 10

Level – Beginner: No experience needed, and this class provides a great introduction to broom making skills.

Your instructor is Robert Sheckler of Redmond Philbert Handwork, an enthusiastic learner, teacher, and crafter living and working in the Portland area. Beyond the visceral joy of broom-making, Robert is interested in elevating natural materials over synthetic alternatives and loves to incorporate color into his work, making an everyday object and an everyday activity feel special, vibrant, and even fun.