Broom Making Workshop- Turkey Wing

Saturday, August 31, 2024
9am-12pm
In-person

Learn to make a Shaker-inspired broom right here at Shaker Village! There’s no better place in the world to learn the craft of broom making.

The turkey wing broom is a traditional style of hand whisk that is equally functional and decorative. Small turkey wings are great to keep in cars, campers, and RVs to sweep crumbs, sand, and other debris off of seats, dashboards, and consoles. Small and large versions have numerous uses around the home, from sweeping off porch steps, to cleaning up work spaces, to sweeping under baseboard heaters and between the fins of radiators. Of course, sweeping is not a requirement to own a handmade broom–your decorative turkey wing whisk will be equally happy hanging on the wall for everyone to admire!

Confident Beginner:  No previous experience is required.  The skills taught in this class are more advanced than those taught in the Beginner level classes.

In this class, you’ll learn how to bind natural or dyed broomcorn hurl using your choice of colorful cord. You’ll learn how to ‘V-up’ to create the decorative pattern of cord seen on traditional whisk brooms, and you’ll have the opportunity to experiment with different colors and styles to make a broom that is uniquely yours.

Tying a broom is a stress-reducing full body practice–and a great workout! You’ll use both feet to hold tension and both hands to manipulate the cord and wrap the broom tightly. You’ll leave class with a fabulous turkey wing whisk and the basic skills needed to explore different styles in the future.

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.