Heritage Skills
Learn a new craft when you take a Heritage Skill Class at the Foxfire Museum! Foxfire values the preservation of cultural crafts and folk ways, and offers opportunities to share this knowledge. Various classes are offered spring to fall each year and teach traditional crafts and practices, such as needle felting, flintknapping, and broom making.
Each course is taught by a specialist in each field, many of whom are regular demonstrators at the museum.
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Upcoming Heritage Skill Classes 2023
In-person classes are back! Get hands on with Appalachian history by participating in one of Foxfire’s many craft programs.
Upcoming Heritage Skill Workshops:
Spring Equinox Foraging Tour Saturday, March 18th 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Cigar Box Dulcimer Build Friday, April 7th & Saturday, April 8th 9:00 – 1:00 pm
Beginning Weaving Friday, April 14th & Saturday, April 15th 9:30 – 4:00 pm
Beginning Needle Felting Friday, April 21st 10:00 – 12:00 pm
Earth Day Kids’ Nature Walk Friday April 21st, 10:30 – 12:00 pm
Weaving
Ranging from beginner to intermediate, weaving courses are taught by our Village Weaver, Sharon Grist. All classes are taught onsite, using Foxfire’s studio looms. Classes are designed to help beginners learn the basics of weaving and/or experienced weavers perfect their craft.
Spinning
Sharon Grist shares her expertise in working with wool to students interested in learning the intricacies of wool types and varying spinning techniques. From chunky to fingering weight, this class covers it all. Students with their own wheels are encouraged to bring them, but we have wheels available.
Felting
Fiber artist Kelly Coldren loves to explore the whimsical and artistic side of felting. Choose from wet felting or needle felting, and learn how to transform simple wools and silks into beautiful art pieces, like cowls and bowls, or shape them into charming characters like mice and possums.
cooking
Try out classic Appalachian recipes while learning how to cook with fire and cast iron skillets. Taught by Foxfire’s curator Kami Ahrens, these courses provide hands-on learning opportunities for chefs and novices alike in a historic setting.
Blacksmithing
Self-taught blacksmith Micah Hettrick loves to transform discarded metal into knives and other practical hand-forged items. Learn one-on-one with Micah as he teaches you the basics of blacksmithing. Private lessons are now available for those interested in learning to make knives. Contact Micah directly for a private lesson at rubyhoundforge@gmail.com
Foraging & Cookery
Learn about sustainable harvesting of wild foods and Southern Appalachian cooking from South African-born nutritionist and herbalist, Cara-Lee Langston. Cara strives to build relationships with local farmers and to engage community interest in integrative health and wellness through her organization, Wildcraft Kitchen.
Flintknapping
Learn the essentials of flint knapping from Jim Enloe. Classes include basic instruction on how to shape flint and other stones into useful tools such as knives, axe heads, spear heads, and arrowheads using techniques developed over thousands of years. Students take home tools they make over the course of the class.
Woodworking
Learn from long-time Foxfire contact and craftsman Kermit Rood the art of using traditional methods to bottom chairs and carve spoons. Kermit’s classes introduce students to the fundamentals of woodworking as well as basic safety and setup for your home shop. Read about Kermit in The Foxfire Book of Simple Living.