With: Susanna Geilen
Class Fee: $50
Materials Fee: $5
Class Size: 12 / 8+ with accompanying adult
In this class we will make beeswax candles to be enjoyed during the darker days of winter. These candles are made using Japanese Knotweed as a mold and Dogbane cordage for the wicks. These candles are special because they are made using local plants and provide a unique way to utilize invasive knotweed. You will learn how to make reverse wrap cordage from dogbane fibers, learn the process of making candles using knotweed stalk segments as molds, and learn a bit about the natural history of both plants involved. Everyone will go home with at least two candles!
Susanna Geilen is steeped in hands-on, nature-based education.Her inspiration and appreciation for the natural world and crafting with natural materials runs deep. She makes and sells her crafts through her business Raven Designs, which currently focuses on jewelry and adornments made from nut cross sections, seeds and bone. Susanna has experience in a number of different craft mediums such as basketry, hide tanning and fiber arts. She has taught handwork and nature based crafts to children as well as some adult programs. She has a BA in Ecology with a focus in Natural History from Sterling College.