Craftweek at De Ceuvel! 15th to 18th of July
For those who want to immerse themselves in crafts this summer, in making something beautiful with your hands from self-collected or discarded materials. Or for those for whom summer is the time when you can take a day off to totally loose you in this….
I am now organising three craft workshops in a row from 16th to 18th of July as the start of the summer holidays. In those workshops, I have incorporated all the knowledge and experience I have gained in recent years in working with leather, dyeing with plants and the power of herbs.
One is dedicated to plants: how to use wild herbs into herbal remedies .
The other two learn you how to work with leather: a basics workshop and the making of a small bag for the first step, and a barefoot-shoe workshop in which you make your own barefoot summer shoes in 1 day (‘the type I myself have walked on all summer and half the world for two years now).
You can follow all the workshops without prior knowledge separately, but also – and how fun is that – combine some of them. For example, the basic leather workshop and the barefoot shoe workshop. Get you right in!
Combining gives a discount: you get 10% discount on the 2nd workshop, 20% on the 3rd and no less than 30% on the 4th!
The venue is De Ceuvel’s Werkplaats (Makerspace) – with its open side to the cosy central square in summer. De Ceuvel is an inspiring environment – a sustainable incubator of boats-on-land! On site is a (vegan) restaurant and a bookable sauna. There is also a possibility of swimming (at your own risk!). In short, a lovely summer atmosphere!
Below you will find the description of the individual workshops. I hope to see you in the summer!!!
Plant ink is a mixture of highly concentrated, natural plant extracts with a liquid. You can write with it using ink pens or paint with it like ecoline or watercolour.
In this workshop we will work with traditional plants from this area. Pregathered – think gall-nuts or madder or walnut. Or freshly picked by you: we will go out to see what nature currently offers us to make ink from. I teach you to recognise the plants, which part is suitable (bark, leaf, flower) and how to harvest respectfully & sustainably. With which plants we return depends on the season, of course!
Back at the Ceuvel, we process the found materials. You will learn how to make ink in different ways from different types of plant material.
You will also learn how to make your own drawing materials from natural materials: how to cut a reed pen and make your own tassels. At the end of the afternoon, you can use these to try out the inks.
You will go home with several bottles of homemade ink, a homemade reed or bamboo pen, brushes and, of course, your drawings.
Location: Werkplaats (Makerspace) at De Ceuvel
Tuesday 15th of July
Time: 10:00 – 17:30
Exchange: €120 p.p.
Maximum 10 persons
Very keen but can’t make it on this date? Click here for the other possibilities!
Rediscover the power of plants, drawn from the wisdom of our ancestors combined with the knowledge of today.
Did you know that the primal herbs our ancestors used are still all around us? We often call them ‘weeds’ and have forgotten how much value they hold. They are the herbs that formed the basis of our medicine and medicine chest.
I invite you to meet these plants again. To learn to recognise them, harvest them with respect and then process them into remedies that support you (and that you would normally buy in a drugstore). Salves, syrups, tinctures, sprays – we make the remedies depending on the season and what grows on our path.
In the morning we go out into the city’s natural surroundings. I will teach you to recognise the plants of yesteryear – they are still there, around the corner, in the park or park. We harvest them and process them at the Ceuvel. Some we gently brew for an herbal oil, or we put them in for tincture – both an important basis for herbal remedies. Some herbs we will dry in a drying oven.
In the afternoon, we process the extracted oil and dried herbs into various self-help salves, creams, teas or other remedies. Depending on the type of herbs picked, but also on your own preference for a particular product.
You will go home at the end of the day with:
– Various homemade remedies,
– Recognition cards of herbs we worked with, with usage.
– Basic recipe & experience making tinctures and oil.
– A jar of tincture which will continue to infuse at home with a recipe for processing it.
– Recipes of the different remedies we made.
Date: Wednesday July 16th
Location: Werkplaats (Makerspace) at De Ceuvel
Time: 10:00 – 17:00
Exchange: €120 p.p.
Maximum of 10 persons
(excellent in combination with Botanical Ink on Tuesday!)
Very keen but you can’t make it on this date? Click here for other possibilities!
In these leather workshops, you will re-learn the old craft of leather working with simple tools. You work by hand, making your own piece step by step – basic stitches, a small bag. This is how you get to know the material and bring back respect for the hide and thus for the animal that once wore it. And from it, you make something beautiful that can last your lifetime.
I will start showing the basics – different types of leather, touch them, feel them. I will also take you through the making of different handmade leatherwork.
Then you get to do it yourself. First with a sample patch to try out various test stitches and techniques. In the afternoon, you will work on a small pouch or belt bag. There are several models to choose from and I can help you make any adaptations to your own idea.
Depending on your speed & chosen version, you will either take home a finished self-made pouch/ belt bag or get the materials & knowledge to finish it at home.
In addition to the bag and sample stitches, you will receive the bag pattern, and leather needles for future projects.
The fee includes all materials. We work with leftover leather from the clothing and furniture industries; I provide a diverse stock for you to choose from. If you want, you can buy some leather after the course for new projects at home.
Location: Makerspace (Werkplaats) at De Ceuvel
Date: Thursday 17th of July
Time: 10:00 – 17:30
Exchange: €90 p.p.
Maximum of 10 persons
Very keen but the date doesn’t match your possibilities? Click here for other possibilities!
Leather is a wonderful material.
It can be supple or stiff, soft or smooth, and it lasts an incredibly long time. Besides, it actually gets more and more beautiful in use and over time. It gives me satisfaction to work with discarded leather from the fashion and furniture industry, because I feel it is a shame that an animal’s skin is wasted, thrown away, while it is in fact such a beautiful material.
To me, these discarded skins are a reflection of how we live together with animals in this society.
Learn how to make your own shoes, tailored to your foot!
Supple shoes that fit your feet like a glove AND still let you feel the earth.
There is something magical about being able to make your own shoes – to transform the beautiful leather under your hands into something you can actually walk on around town and through country… You create a garment you really connect with, from leftover leather from the clothing and furniture industry. Beautiful pieces of leather that would otherwise be thrown away.
Workshop content:
You will learn to work with a simple shoe pattern, learn how to customise this pattern on your own foot. Learn more about leather, how to transfer your pattern and then process the leather. Discover how to sew and finish leather by hand. There are two different types of shoes for different levels of experience with sewing or crafting so that everyone can go home with a pair of shoes at the end of the afternoon (or to the point where you are able to finish it at home). The pattern we are going to use has provided me with shoes I walk on constantly during the summer months!
Of course, there are also different types and colours of leather for you to choose from, and you’ll also get the pattern to take home with you!
‘I used to prefer walking barefoot everywhere. I love feeling the change in texture, hardness, temperature of where I walk, but in the city it became too unsafe. Since making my own shoes, I get that experience back again and don’t really want anything else…’ Anke Wijnja
Location: Werkplaats (Makerspace) at De Ceuvel
Date: Friday 18th of July
Time: 10:00 – 17:30
Costs: €130 p.p.
Maximum of 8 persons
(Combines perfectly with ‘leatherwork basics’ on the day before!)
Very keen to do it, but the date doesn’t match? Click here for the other possibilities!
Can I get an invoice? Yes, you can. Just let me know if you want one.
What language will it be given in? I aim to do the workshops bilingually (NL/ENG). Handouts and recipes etc will be available in both languages. If the whole group is ok with 1 language, the central explanation will be in that language.
Is it also for children? No, the workshops are aimed at adults. However, do you have a teenager (14+) who you are sure can participate independently and seriously? Discuss that with me. Do you have a child who is younger, but who is very interested in this and can do it together with you? Then in some cases it is possible that you can bring your child along for a small extra fee – under your supervision(!) and responsibility. You then transfer the knowledge to your child yourself while doing it (which is actually beautiful).
What about the combined discount? I will deduct it from the price of the workshop as soon as you book the 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) workshop. If you have a discountcode – e.g. the 10% Christmas market discount – it only applies to the 1st workshop.
What happens to lunch? The days are self-catering – tea/water/coffee will be available. You can bring your own food or get lunch from the restaurant. There is always a lunch break of about 1/2 hour.
Op dit moment kunnen er helaas geen workshops/events plaatsvinden.
Natuurlijk zijn we wel achter de schermen alles aan het voorbereiden zodat we straks vliegend van start kunnen 😉
Wil je op de hoogte gehouden worden, mail dan naar anke@thenatureconnection.nl of laat onder aan de pagina je email achter.
The Nature Connection
The Nature Connection takes you into Nature with craftworkshops, foraging, mindfulness and coaching. Based at De Ceuvel in Amsterdam Noord.
Bezoek Ons
- Korte Papaverweg 2L
- 0621546663
- info@thenatureconnection.nl
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