Join local mosaic artist, Laura Ruprecht, for a unique workshop where you’ll learn the basics and design a glass-on-glass mosaic. Using cut stained glass and translucent agate slices, each student will create an 8x8 framed luminary with an abstract, intuitive design. When finished, your piece will come to life by hanging it in a window or displaying with a light source behind it.

Since the adhesive needs time to cure, you’ll take home a grout kit with easy instructions to complete your mosaic at your own pace.

Holiday Market in St. Joe

25 W Minnesota Street, St. Joseph, MN
November 7th - December 21st
Thursday 12-6pm, Friday 12-6pm, Saturday 12-7pm, Sunday 11am-3pm

We’re excited to share that Avon Hills Folk School will be hosting a Holiday Market in partnership with Heather Hanson of Embrace the Space Between.

The shop will be filled with handcrafted art by local artists, maple syrup, and Folk School merchandise.

The market is all about shopping small, celebrating local makers, and sharing the creativity of our community this holiday season. Hope to see you there!

Holiday Market in St. Joe

25 W Minnesota Street, St. Joseph, MN
November 7th - December 21st
Thursday 12-6pm, Friday 12-6pm, Saturday 12-7pm, Sunday 11am-3pm

We’re excited to share that Avon Hills Folk School will be hosting a Holiday Market in partnership with Heather Hanson of Embrace the Space Between.

The shop will be filled with handcrafted art by local artists, maple syrup, and Folk School merchandise.

The market is all about shopping small, celebrating local makers, and sharing the creativity of our community this holiday season. Hope to see you there!

Holiday Market in St. Joe

25 W Minnesota Street, St. Joseph, MN
November 7th - December 21st
Thursday 12-6pm, Friday 12-6pm, Saturday 12-7pm, Sunday 11am-3pm

We’re excited to share that Avon Hills Folk School will be hosting a Holiday Market in partnership with Heather Hanson of Embrace the Space Between.

The shop will be filled with handcrafted art by local artists, maple syrup, and Folk School merchandise.

The market is all about shopping small, celebrating local makers, and sharing the creativity of our community this holiday season. Hope to see you there!

November 13, 2025

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Restore your worn fabrics, connect with your community, and contribute to a sustainable future. Stop by our mending circle!

Do I need experience? 

No experience necessary, if you have zero experience and zero idea what to bring other than your holey garment, please show up and we can point you in the right direction.

What will be at the circle?

Tea will be provided. You'll also be able to pilfer supporting supplies from the communal mending kit.

What should I bring?

Bring things to mend, your half finished knits and any hand projects, fiber or otherwise, you want to spend time with. Basic mending tools include needles, thread, and small scissors.

If you want to mend jeans, please bring some extra denim to patch, and some light blue cotton (unless you want to visibly mend, then whatever colour you wish!) 

If you want to learn to darn, bring jar lids, rubber bands, wool needles, and wool to match.

This event is for adults 18+, or youth 14+ with accompanying adult.

Holiday Market in St. Joe

25 W Minnesota Street, St. Joseph, MN
November 7th - December 21st
Thursday 12-6pm, Friday 12-6pm, Saturday 12-7pm, Sunday 11am-3pm

We’re excited to share that Avon Hills Folk School will be hosting a Holiday Market in partnership with Heather Hanson of Embrace the Space Between.

The shop will be filled with handcrafted art by local artists, maple syrup, and Folk School merchandise.

The market is all about shopping small, celebrating local makers, and sharing the creativity of our community this holiday season. Hope to see you there!

Holiday Market in St. Joe

25 W Minnesota Street, St. Joseph, MN
November 7th - December 21st
Thursday 12-6pm, Friday 12-6pm, Saturday 12-7pm, Sunday 11am-3pm

We’re excited to share that Avon Hills Folk School will be hosting a Holiday Market in partnership with Heather Hanson of Embrace the Space Between.

The shop will be filled with handcrafted art by local artists, maple syrup, and Folk School merchandise.

The market is all about shopping small, celebrating local makers, and sharing the creativity of our community this holiday season. Hope to see you there!

Holiday Market in St. Joe

25 W Minnesota Street, St. Joseph, MN
November 7th - December 21st
Thursday 12-6pm, Friday 12-6pm, Saturday 12-7pm, Sunday 11am-3pm

We’re excited to share that Avon Hills Folk School will be hosting a Holiday Market in partnership with Heather Hanson of Embrace the Space Between.

The shop will be filled with handcrafted art by local artists, maple syrup, and Folk School merchandise.

The market is all about shopping small, celebrating local makers, and sharing the creativity of our community this holiday season. Hope to see you there!

November 8, 2025

9:30 am - 12:00 pm

Join Kate and Laila to learn the basic stitches you need to start knitting! You’ll learn how to knit, purl, cast on, and how to read a pattern. Come and learn a new skill.

Students will be asked to provide their own materials: knitting needles size US 5, 6 or 7, 16” circular preferred but straight needles are fine if that is what you have; worsted weight yarn (medium), wool or a wool blend preferred because cotton can be too stiff to learn with. Other helpful tools, scissors and a tapestry needle.

This course is for adults 18+.

Your Instructor

KATE RUNNING AND LAILA SIMON

(she/her)

Kate Running and Laila Simon are knitters with a love of whimsy. That's why they started Knit & Gather to teach others the craft they love. They have both been knitting for over twenty years and love to experiment with different mediums. Coming from Norwegian cultural backgrounds, it is folk art and craft that connects them with their heritage! Together they design patterns and have partnered to teach fiber arts. Their goal is to share knowledge, connect with others, and offer high quality patterns, tools, and more. Follow along and take a class with them!

Holiday Market in St. Joe

25 W Minnesota Street, St. Joseph, MN
November 7th - December 21st
Thursday 12-6pm, Friday 12-6pm, Saturday 12-7pm, Sunday 11am-3pm

We’re excited to share that Avon Hills Folk School will be hosting a Holiday Market in partnership with Heather Hanson of Embrace the Space Between.

The shop will be filled with handcrafted art by local artists, maple syrup, and Folk School merchandise.

The market is all about shopping small, celebrating local makers, and sharing the creativity of our community this holiday season. Hope to see you there!

Join us for a fun and relaxing 2d needle felting class, learning how to make a bookmarker.

In this class you'll learn about the best needles and wool to use for your bookmarker. You can choose from designs provided in class, or create your own original design. Some very basic sewing machine skills will be taught, as well, to help you embellish your designs. This class will work well for beginners who are completely new to needle felting, as well as to those with some experience who are looking for some refining tips. Once you make one of these, you'll want to make custom bookmarkers for everyone! Share in the creative energy of others in the class, all in the beautiful setting of the Avon Hills Folk School.

Start with this small bookmark project, and if you love needle felting, keep learning and fine tuning those skills to make all sorts of custom items. It's easy to fall in love with the magic of wool! 

“I've been needle felting for 10 years, and love teaching people the things that I've learned over the years. If you find you love needle felting, like I found when I started, I'm here to help you grow your skills and give you good resource info to get you pointed in the right direction. Needle felting is 100% my happy place, and I love to share it with others.” Karen

This course is offered at a discounted price due to the generosity of the instructor, Karen, who is volunteering her time and materials for this course. We hope this allows this course to be accessible to anyone who is interested in learning more about needle felting.

Come and be a part of the felting community! Bring your needle felted project to work on, learn from others, share your ideas, or just show up to see what it’s all about. Without community, our lives would be a lot less full.

Do I need experience? 

No experience necessary, you just need to have an interest in working with wool and in learning new things.

What will be at the circle?

Tea will be provided. You'll also be able to purchase some basic supplies to get you started on your journey.

What should I bring?

If you have your own project, bring what you need to work on it. For those without supplies, extra wool, mats, needles and ideas will be available, ($5.00 for a small kit to get you started).

This event is for adults 18+, or youth 14+ with accompanying adult.

Please register so we can be sure to have enough space in the workshop!

October 25, 2025

1pm-4pm

In this 3 hour class, we’ll walk through step by step how to create an 8”x10” needle felted landscape ready to be framed- no experience necessary! From creating a compelling composition to “mixing” colors to creating different shapes & textures to execute your ideas, I’ll demonstrate general needle felting techniques to get started then we’ll experiment and play together! Bring an image or two of a landscape that you’d like to create in wool or a sketch to work from.

Tuition: $45

Materials: $20

This course is for adults 18+, or students 16+ with accompanying adult

Join us for this program on nature sketchbooks with a focus on the beauty you can find exploring the trails and woods. We’ll discuss tips for photographing what you find with phone cameras, see how many different leaves, flowers and insects you can find, then we’ll gather back together for drawing and writing. Bring your own blank sketchbook. Colored pencils, pens and watercolor paints will be available.

In this class you will:

• Learn about the mental-health benefits of nature journaling.

• Get photography tips.

• Find out what basic tools and art supplies to use.

• Work with light pencil sketches, ink outlines, and colored pencils and blenders to finish your illustrations.

• Get tips on what to write, what kind of field notes to take, and how to creatively blend words with pictures.

• Leave with handouts and ideas for layouts and advice for continuing with a year-long nature sketchbook that celebrates Minnesota’s flora and fauna throughout the micro-seasons.

Hand-Sewing Leather: Small Goods to Tote Bags

Schedule & Options:

• Sunday Half-Day (Small/Medium Projects):  October 12, 1pm - 5pm

• Monday Half-Day (Small/Medium Projects): October 13, 8am - 1pm

• Both Days (Large Projects):  October 12, 1-5pm & October 13, 8am-12pm

Join us for a hands-on leatherworking experience rooted in tradition and craft. Students may sign up for one half-day session to complete two small projects or one medium project, or commit to both days for the opportunity to tackle a larger heirloom piece such as a tote bag, cribbage board, wine tote, or book satchel.

In each session, you’ll work from a pre-cut pattern and be responsible for bringing it to life through the traditional saddle stitch method of hand sewing. Students will mark, punch, and stitch their projects by hand, with guidance at every step. Along the way, you’ll also make light design choices — selecting your leather color, choosing thread, and adding minor tweaks that make your project uniquely yours.

Small goods include options like wallets, sunglass cases, keychains, luggage tags, and pencil cases — perfect quick makes that balance creativity and utility. Medium projects, such as clutches, wristlets, passport covers, or field note covers, provide more time to refine your skills while producing a lasting leather good. Students who want to do more may purchase additional projects at a discount to work on during class or take home to finish.

For those attending both days, the larger projects require pre-selection at signup. Choices include a market tote, single or double wine bag, book satchel / backpack, banjo purse, sketchbook cover, cribbage board, or even a backgammon set. These projects demand more focus and patience, but the reward is a handmade piece you’ll treasure for years.

No previous experience is required, and all tools and materials are provided. Whether you’re exploring leatherwork for the first time or deepening your craft, you’ll leave with a finished good (or more!) and the satisfaction of working with your hands.

What’s Included

• All leather, thread, and hardware

• Tools provided for use in class

• Choice of leather colors and types (day-of for small/medium; pre-selected for larger projects)

Hand-Sewing Leather: Small Goods to Tote Bags

Schedule & Options:

• Sunday Half-Day (Small/Medium Projects):  October 12, 1pm - 5pm

• Monday Half-Day (Small/Medium Projects): October 13, 8am - 1pm

• Both Days (Large Projects):  October 12, 1-5pm & October 13, 8am-12pm

Join us for a hands-on leatherworking experience rooted in tradition and craft. Students may sign up for one half-day session to complete two small projects or one medium project, or commit to both days for the opportunity to tackle a larger heirloom piece such as a tote bag, cribbage board, wine tote, or book satchel.

In each session, you’ll work from a pre-cut pattern and be responsible for bringing it to life through the traditional saddle stitch method of hand sewing. Students will mark, punch, and stitch their projects by hand, with guidance at every step. Along the way, you’ll also make light design choices — selecting your leather color, choosing thread, and adding minor tweaks that make your project uniquely yours.

Small goods include options like wallets, sunglass cases, keychains, luggage tags, and pencil cases — perfect quick makes that balance creativity and utility. Medium projects, such as clutches, wristlets, passport covers, or field note covers, provide more time to refine your skills while producing a lasting leather good. Students who want to do more may purchase additional projects at a discount to work on during class or take home to finish.

For those attending both days, the larger projects require pre-selection at signup. Choices include a market tote, single or double wine bag, book satchel / backpack, banjo purse, sketchbook cover, cribbage board, or even a backgammon set. These projects demand more focus and patience, but the reward is a handmade piece you’ll treasure for years.

No previous experience is required, and all tools and materials are provided. Whether you’re exploring leatherwork for the first time or deepening your craft, you’ll leave with a finished good (or more!) and the satisfaction of working with your hands.

What’s Included

• All leather, thread, and hardware

• Tools provided for use in class

• Choice of leather colors and types (day-of for small/medium; pre-selected for larger projects)

Join us Saturday, October 11 from 1-5pm at the Avon Hills Folk School for our Annual Avon Hills Community Bouja Party.

Enjoy an old family recipe, walk the trails, cross the creek, all while enjoying the fall colors and meeting new and old friends. We'll provide the bouja, bread, and refreshments. Bouja will be served at about 2 pm. Bouja is gluten-free, and a vegetarian option will be available. Please bring a dessert to share for the epic 30 foot long dessert table.

Dogs allowed, must be on 8ft or shorter leash at all times.

This is a free event. Donations are welcome and appreciated.

October 9, 2025

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Restore your worn fabrics, connect with your community, and contribute to a sustainable future. Stop by our mending circle!

Do I need experience? 

No experience necessary, if you have zero experience and zero idea what to bring other than your holey garment, please show up and we can point you in the right direction.

What will be at the circle?

Tea will be provided. You'll also be able to pilfer supporting supplies from the communal mending kit.

What should I bring?

Bring things to mend, your half finished knits and any hand projects, fiber or otherwise, you want to spend time with. Basic mending tools include needles, thread, and small scissors.

If you want to mend jeans, please bring some extra denim to patch, and some light blue cotton (unless you want to visibly mend, then whatever colour you wish!) 

If you want to learn to darn, bring jar lids, rubber bands, wool needles, and wool to match.

This event is for adults 18+, or youth 14+ with accompanying adult.

A Leadership Retreat at Avon Hills Folk School

Today’s world calls for leaders who can rise beyond outdated strategies and command-and-control models. The next era of leadership requires presence, intuitive clarity, resilience, and the ability to guide others toward flourishing. This immersive retreat offers a rare chance to pause, reset, and embody the principles of new leadership in a natural setting that restores and reawakens. Step into a day of renewal and activation where nature, reflection, and breakthrough insights converge — and leave with a clear compass for your next chapter of leadership.

Join Sue Flanders for a day of creating a warm and woolly Skinnfell sheepskin hat.  Skinnfell is the Norwegian folk art of sewing and embellishing a tanned sheepskin into a wearable object through stitched and finished edges, printed with wooden block stamps.  Sue recently returned from taking an advanced class in Skinnfell techniques at the Rauland Academy in the Telemark region of Norway. 

Students will enjoy this traditional Norwegian Folk craft while making a custom fit hat.  The students will learn how to cut sheepskin, whip stitch, make a covered seam and finish the hem for their unique hat. Most of the stitching will be done during class, but some students may want to finish the final stitching at home. This class offers a broad overview of this craft, which includes many decorative and useful applications for future projects!

Please note that to complete this project, students need some hand strength and flexibility, as sewing leather is more difficult than cloth. A $40 materials fee covers tanned sheepskin for one hat, leather cutter's needle, thread, hat pattern, instructional handout, use of wood blocks and textile paint, and other necessary supplies. 

Students should bring a good pair of scissors for cutting sheepskin, a leather thimble (if you have one) and jewelry pliers, if possible, as these are helpful for sewing leather.  Students should also be aware that the textile paint used is permanent, and cannot be washed off clothing.  Although the application process is not messy, there is always a chance of getting some on clothing, so dress accordingly. 

This retreat centers around the art of intentional living and reconnection, with self, community, and the natural world. Through grounding movement, meditative walking, shared meals, and soulful conversation, we’ll explore the practices of mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, storytelling, and seasonal nourishment. It’s not a class in the traditional sense, but rather a day-long experience of embodied presence, humility, and restoration.

You can expect a gentle, spacious, and nourishing day held in the forest: a chance to slow down, breathe deeply, and return to yourself. We’ll move through a thoughtfully curated rhythm of movement, rest, reflection, and connection, with opportunities for solitude as well as community. Expect herbal teas, cozy moments, forest walks, grounding yoga, a nourishing shared supper, campfire connection, and a closing sharing circle. All levels of experience are welcome, and everything is offered and accepted with warmth and care.

Throughout the day, you’ll experience:

● A guided meditative forest walk to settle into the land

● A breath-led, all-levels yoga practice with a sound bath from SoulEnergy

● Opportunities for quiet reflection, journaling, and creative expression

● A soulful supper shared in good company

● Campfire conversations with thoughtful prompts and storytelling

● Time for solo wandering, grounding, or rest

You’ll leave with a deeper sense of inner stillness, connection, and clarity, along with simple tools to integrate mindfulness and nature-based rituals into your daily life.

Please bring:

• your whole self

• a yoga mat

• a bolster or pillow to sit on

• a journal and writing tool

• water bottle

• layers to accommodate for weather and elements during day and night (indoor/outdoor)

“John McCutcheon is not only one of the best musicians in the USA, but also a great singer, songwriter, and song leader. And not just incidentally, he is committed to helping hard-working people everywhere to organize and push this world in a better direction.”

—Pete Seeger

“The most impressive instrumentalist I’ve ever heard.”

— Johnny Cash

One-Day Songwriting Intensive with John McCutcheon

October 1, 2025

1pm - 7:30pm

In this one-day workshop, John will cover the following:

• First and foremost, not only the “how,” but the “why” of songwriting

• How to prepare for writing: environment, inspiration, prompts

• The architecture of a song

• The role of each of the elements in a song

• How to make these different elements work together

Additionally, John will cover:

• Editing

• The basics of music theory that every songwriter needs to know

• The liberating art of learning to be a good co-writer

• What to do next, i.e. when you get back home, how do you keep the fire going?

There will both individual and small-group writing.

If there is time, critiques of songs that participants bring in. (Please don’t be disappointed if we run out of time!)

Participants will share dinner from the folk school pizza oven during this course.

Come and be a part of the felting community! Bring your needle felted project to work on, learn from others, share your ideas, or just show up to see what it’s all about. Without community, our lives would be a lot less full.

Do I need experience? 

No experience necessary, you just need to have an interest in working with wool and in learning new things.

What will be at the circle?

Tea will be provided. You'll also be able to purchase some basic supplies to get you started on your journey.

What should I bring?

If you have your own project, bring what you need to work on it. For those without supplies, extra wool, mats, needles and ideas will be available, ($5.00 for a small kit to get you started).

This event is for adults 18+, or youth 14+ with accompanying adult.

Please register so we can be sure to have enough space in the workshop!

September 10, 2025

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Restore your worn fabrics, connect with your community, and contribute to a sustainable future. Stop by our mending circle!

Do I need experience? 

No experience necessary, if you have zero experience and zero idea what to bring other than your holey garment, please show up and we can point you in the right direction.

What will be at the circle?

Tea will be provided. You'll also be able to pilfer supporting supplies from the communal mending kit.

What should I bring?

Bring things to mend, your half finished knits and any hand projects, fiber or otherwise, you want to spend time with. Basic mending tools include needles, thread, and small scissors.

If you want to mend jeans, please bring some extra denim to patch, and some light blue cotton (unless you want to visibly mend, then whatever colour you wish!) 

If you want to learn to darn, bring jar lids, rubber bands, wool needles, and wool to match.

This event is for adults 18+, or youth 14+ with accompanying adult.

Gather with us at the Folk School for a hands-on, family-friendly evening of apple harvesting and pressing! Together we’ll pick from the school’s apple trees, learn how to store and press the fruit, and enjoy the old-fashioned joy of turning apples into fresh juice.

Visitors are welcome to arrive any time after 5:30pm. No food will be served; feel free to pack a picnic supper to enjoy.

What to Bring:

• Clean containers or bottles to take home your own fresh-pressed juice

• Family and friends—this event is open to all ages!

Come help with the harvest, share in the work, and leave with the taste of fall in a bottle.

The school store will also be open this day so you can get your AHFS goodies and merch!

Registration is not required.

Millstream Arts Festival is an outdoor juried art show held on the last Sunday in August in downtown St. Joseph, Minnesota. It is a festive environment with a wide variety of visual arts, literature and poetry, music, dance, enticing foods, hands-on art activities for children, and much more!

Millstream is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting visual and performing arts.

Come and be a part of the felting community! Bring your needle felted project to work on, learn from others, share your ideas, or just show up to see what it’s all about. Without community, our lives would be a lot less full.

Do I need experience? 

No experience necessary, you just need to have an interest in working with wool and in learning new things.

What will be at the circle?

Tea will be provided. You'll also be able to purchase some basic supplies to get you started on your journey.

What should I bring?

If you have your own project, bring what you need to work on it. For those without supplies, extra wool, mats, needles and ideas will be available, ($5.00 for a small kit to get you started).

This event is for adults 18+, or youth 14+ with accompanying adult.

Please register so we can be sure to have enough space in the workshop!

Veggie Scrubbers, cake testers, pottery brushes, oh my! Let’s gather for a short class, and create small tools for your personal practice – whether that is in the kitchen, studio, or garden. Come with ideas, and we’ll brainstorm construction methods. Keep in mind; broomcorn is a natural material and shouldn’t be exposed to prolonged periods of moisture.

Please note: Broom making also requires a fair amount of upper body strength. If you have any concerns, please contact the instructor prior to class.