For those who feel very excited about hide tanning and have a good amount of mental and physical fortitude, here is an opportunity to have a packed experience and tan both a deer skin and sheep skin.

Tanning is an old and endangered craft which is very hands on and creates an incredible material. It is an important part of honouring the whole animal and I would offer that it is an essential skill to learn if you wish to have a deeper connection in the harvest.

The deer harvest in Ontario produces a huge number of skins which are not tended to. These often end up being left in the forest or thrown out. The same is true of the Agricultural sector and abattoirs. Approximately 40 000 sheep skins are thrown out annually in Ontario alone. Therefore, learning to tan naturally allows for an interruption in this waste stream, while producing beautiful, unparalleled textiles.

Like all old crafts, apprenticeship is a good way to go about learning a skill which has been passed down and honed over the centuries. Tanning is one such old craft that lends itself best to a deeper commitment to the practice. A workshop is an ideal way to test the waters, to
see how the process feels for you.

You will go home with your finished buckskin and a sheepskin rug. Buckskin material is very different from leather you can purchase which has been chemically tanned and sheepskin is a unique fabric, praised for its strength and softness.

Keep an eye out for supplementary classes in the fall: Home butchery, Blacksmithing (making hide tanning tools), Rawhide for drums and Sewing with buckskin.

$640.00 (all materials included)

Garden fresh lunches, snacks & coffee included throughout the course. All dietary needs accommodated.

CALL TO REGISTER – (613) 200 6232

EMAIL TO REGISTER – danielleprophet@trentu.ca