Historical Workshops

Stephenson House historical workshops are designed to educate participants on various crafts from the early 1800’s. The Stephenson family would have been familiar with each craft, either through personal skill or secondary knowledge.

Hand Sewing Workshop

The first workshop introduces students to the skills of hand sewing. In 1820, clothing was still being produced by hand. The ability to buy clothing off the rack was not even available during a time when clothing was produced either at home or by a skilled seamstress or tailor. Each garment was made to fit a specific individual not massed produce like today. On January 5 and 19 from 10 am – 3 pm seamstress, Dottie Vaughn, will instruct students in the traditional sewing techniques used to produce a Man’s Shirt 1790-1830. Shirt construction changed very little during the early part of the nineteenth century and this workshop features the basic construction and hand-sewing techniques used at the time. A brief discussion on sewing theory of the period is also planned. The fee for the workshop is $35 per person and includes the supplies needed to complete the project as well as a size appropriate Kannik’s Korner Man’s Shirt 1790-1830 pattern. The workshop is limited to six students and registration is required.

Braided Hot Mat Workshop

On April 12 a Braided Hot Mat Workshop is planned from 9 am-1pm. This workshop will focus on producing a miniature version of a braided rug similar to the original rug used in the Stephenson children’s bedroom. According to the 1822 inventory, the Stephenson’s owned a braided rug that covered part of the floor in the children’s bedroom. This rug would have served to help keep the room warmer during the winter months when drafts were a continuous problem. Students will create a ten inch wool braided trivet or hot mat using the same techniques needed to create a larger rug. Instructor, Judy Borger, teaches the traditional braiding method, lacing and tapering skills used to complete the project. The fee for this workshop is $25 per person with class size limited to 10. Pre-registration is required.

Trditional Floor Cloth Workshop

The third workshop planned teaches students the craft of producing a Traditional Floor cloth from start to finish. Three session are scheduled July 12, 19, and 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Floor cloths where used for centuries as a practical and useful decoration in early American homes. The predecessor to modern day linoleum, floor cloth designs where often geometric ranging from simple to very intricate. Stencil and free-hand techniques will be used with students creating an original design based on historical rugs. The workshop will teach how to prep the canvas, create and transfer a design, paint the cloth, and seal the final product. A fee of $45 per person is charged to participate and class size is limited to five. Early registration is required.