I last took a workshop at North House Folk School in 2019. The school, located in Grand Marais, MN, is a special place. I was thrilled to take another class there in November! Grand Marais is about 430 miles north of my home. I made some stops along the way and stayed over in Duluth for one night before the final push to Grand Marais.
Busy Bobbin Quilt Shop, Rice Lake, WI
Yarn Harbor, my favorite yarn store in the Duluth area.
One Old Loon Quilt Shop, Two Harbors, MN. This was my first visit to this shop. Loved it!
Gooseberry Falls State Park. North of Two Harbors, MN. Fellow visitors took my photo. I returned the favor.
Split Rock Light House. I love this view of it from an overlook on MN Highway 61.
View of Lake Superior out my motel window. Outpost Motel, Grand Marais, MN
Time & Again Antiques, Chetek WI. I visited this store while enroute to Duluth.
North House Folk School, Grand Marais, MN. You'll be happy to hear that the weather improved markedly while I was there. The school is on the shore of Lake Superior.
The workshop I was enrolled in was called "Making Hide and Canvas Boots". It was taught by Jo Wood, a very knowledgeable and likeable teacher. I'd been wanting to take this class for YEARS! If you ever get the chance, sign up for this class! You will love it!
Working in pairs, we each wrapped a foot with a plastic bag, then taped Duct tape all around it. The "foot" mold was the cut apart to make a pattern for the boots.
Students chose leather from a selection of hides. My choice was elk hide. The leather is used to make the bottom/foot section of the boots. Cotton canvas is used for the boot upper. Felt boot liners were added at the very end, once the boots were sewn together. The liners were purchased by students in advance of the workshop. Most of us ordered those through Steger Moccasins, in Ely, MN.
Our classroom at North House Folk School.
There were breaks during the workshop. Taking in the scenery was relaxing.
I collect embroidered trims. I brought a selection of them with me to Grand Marais.
While cotton canvas was included in the class supply fee, I chose to purchase my own ahead to time. I picked Hunter green as I love the color. The boots are sewn almost entirely by hand. Sewing machines were used to construct the canvas upper sections. I sewed my trim on by hand.
Ta da! The finished project! Photo taken after I returned home.
All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto
