Craftstravaganza 2018!

Mega-Workshop in Traditional Craft Practices

Presented in partnership with Manitoba Craft Council with the support of Winnipeg Councillor Mike Pagtakhan

Our much-anticipated 10th annual Craftstravaganza is back, in celebration of International Women’s Day. Learn craft practices from around the world! Four free, simultaneous workshops will be offered. All materials are provided, child-minding is available and snacks will be served. Enjoy good food, good company and good crafting. People of all backgrounds, genders and ages are welcome. The event will feature:

Peyote Stitch Beading with Niamh Dooley

Niamh Dooley will be teaching the Peyote beadwork technique most commonly used on cylindrical objects such as fan handles, drumstick handles and feather stems. The workshop will consist of applying this technique to contemporary items, particularly phone chargers and headphone cords. Each participant will need to bring their own cord to participate. The beadwork will be placed around the ends of the cords to provide functionality and to prevent fraying. The process will use leather to wrap around the desired area and seed beads to create a simple design. Niamh Dooley is an Oji-Cree/Irish contemporary artist, who incorporates her heritage and interest in the relationships between Indigenous people, past and present, and connecting them with traditional and contemporary materials and techniques. She is a recent graduate from the U of M BFA (honours) program and is now pursuing a second degree.

Ukrainian Embroidery for Beginners with Iryna Deneka

Learn how to cross-stitch a simple, traditional pattern and take part in an ancient Ukrainian art form that has been passed from generation to generation for over 2,000 years. Embroidery is symbolic and connected to a great number of beliefs, myths and superstitions, including those regarding protection and fertility. It is such a powerful tradition, it was supressed under the Soviets. As a girl, Deneka learned to cross-stitch by copying patterns from blouses, tablecloths and pillowcases. Her first serious work was the rushnyk (towel) for her wedding. Currently, she works as a teacher in Seven Oaks School Division. She loves sharing her passion for traditional embroidery with her students and adults alike.

Sweet Grass Baskets with Jessie Jannuska

This workshop will show you how to make a small, sweet-smelling sweet grass basket. Sweet Grass is one of the four sacred medicines for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. It is usually associated with the Prairies but is found in many different conditions, such as low meadows, forest openings, along lake shores and in subalpine and alpine zones. Jannuska learned how to collect sweet grass from elder Frank Tacan and how to make sweet grass baskets from elder Julia Brandon and artist Peter Morin. She is a Brandon-based visual artist with Dakota, Ojibway and European ancestry who is in her final year of her degree at Brandon University.

Crystal Bead Ball Earrings with Grace Ogunniyi

Large and colourful beads symbolize wealth and social status in many African societies. In Nigeria, beading is universally practised among the various ethnic groups; bead necklaces are worn by both men and women, and they come in many different styles and designs. Beaded crystal (Swarovski) jewellery makes any celebrant appear royal and elegant. In this workshop, participants will learn how to use 6mm crystal to make their own ball earrings. Grace Ogunniyi began beading many years in Lagos, Nigeria. She migrated to Canada in 2013 from Nigeria with her family and works as an accountant. She also sells her jewellery and has facilitated various events, such as the St. Amant Folklorama.