BROWNINGTON, VT: Once again, the Old Stone House Museum staff has organized a summer of fun-filled activities for one and all to enjoy. On Saturday, July 6, Lucian Avery will be on hand to offer a beginner-advanced course from 9a.m. – 4 p.m. in “Smithing: Forged Hooks A to Z”. Starting with the basics of smithing applied to making hooks for hanging things up, this class will take the time to focus on foundation skills while making something practical, fun and creative. Cost is $75 or $65 for Museum members, plus a $25 material fee. Please remember to bring a lunch.

A workshop in “Weaving Patterned Bands: Exploring pattern Weaves” will be held on Monday (9a.m.-12p.m.) & Tuesday (10a.m – 3 p.m.) - July 8 -9. Lausanne Allen will be teaching this class as part of The Museum's Heritage Craft Week. If you have ever wanted to learn to weave, this is a great opportunity to learn to weave a patterned sash, a pillow cover or a set of placemats. Students may bring a loom or use the Museum's looms and watch the pattern grow right from the start. Lausanne will teach students how to thread a loom and will share from her extensive library of patterns for students to copy. Cost is $75 or $65 for Museum members, plus a $15 fee for materials. Please register by Wednesday, July 3.

If you think you would like to learn how to take a log and turn it into a stool and learn how about Chair Caning, then you should sign up for the workshops being offered on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, July 8, 9, &10 (10a.m.-3p.m.). Richard Currier, traditional woodworker, will teach students to make a 4-legged stool using traditional hand tools. Beginning with a log, students will work through the entire process of riving the legs and then work on shaping the rungs with a draw knife and shaving horse. When you have finished your stool, students may choose to come to the Chair Caning class and weave a seat. Class takes place over the 3-day period. Bring a lunch. Cost is $90 or $80 for Museum members, includes all materials. This class is also part of the OSHM's Heritage Craft Week. Please register by Wed. July 3.

On Wednesday and Thursday – July 10 & 11, Lausanne Allen will teach students the ancient craft of spinning wool, the simple process of pulling out and adding twist that has been passed down through the ages. Come and discover the world of variation at your fingertips. Students will learn how to prepare wool for “Spinning through the process of making beautiful hand spun yarn”. Bring a wheel if you have one or use one of the several we will have on hand. Fresh wool and angora fleece will be provided. This class takes place on both days from 9 am--12 pm. and is also part of our Heritage Craft Week. Cost is $60 or $50 for Museum members, plus a $10 material fee. Please register by Wed. July 3.

Stenciling on Slate: The Adele Bishop Technique (Wednesday, July 10) will find Martha Kinney teaching the Adele Bishop stenciling technique on hard surfaces. With many colors and designs to choose from, this technique creates a beautiful shaded appearance which can also be applied to walls, furniture and other hard surfaces as well. This class takes place at the Museum's Hall House from 1p.m.- 4 pm and is part of the Museum's Heritage Craft Week. Cost of the class is $60 or $50 for Museum members. Cost includes all materials. Please register by Wed. July 3.

Courtney Mead will teach beginning students the Basics of Blacksmithing (July 10) while they practice half-faced hammer blows, drawing out, twisting, leaf work and a simple weld which lead to the creation of a fireplace poker. This class takes place from 9 am - 4 pm. Please bring a lunch. Cost is $75 or $65 for Museum members, plus a $25 fee for material.

On Thursday - July 11 (1p.m-4p.m.) & Friday – July 12 (10a.m.-1 p.m.), Lausanne Allen will guide students in exploring the range of hues from a variety of readily available Natural Plant Dyes. Students will expand the range of hues using simple amendments and discuss mordents while making their own natural mordent solutions. Students may bring a few skeins of natural wool yarn to dye. You'll go home with some beautiful samples from each dye bath and a keen eye for color growing in your midst. This workshop is also being offered during the Museum's Heritage Craft Week. Please register by Wednesday, July 3. Cost is $60 or $50 for Museum members, plus a $15 fee for materials.

On Thursday, July 11 (10a.m.-3 p.m.): Melanie Miller will be teaching a class on Chair Caning: Herringbone Pattern in Natural Reed. Whether you have a chair that needs a seat or you've just taken our "Log to Stool" woodworking course, come and learn to weave a seat using natural reed. Your chair or stool must have 4 rungs in order to weave this kind of seat. Cost of this class is $40 or $30 for Museum members, plus a $10 fee for material. Please bring a lunch and register by Wed. July 3.

Carolyn Buttolph is organizing the Prospect Hill Rug-hooking Camp at the Museum's Hall House, to take place on Thursday thru Sunday (July 11-14) Come explore the craft of making hooked-rugs using only simple materials and techniques. Special attention given to beginners and there will be classes on design, drawing and color. Class meets from Thursday afternoon through Sunday. Cost of $175 includes breakfast and lunch and admission to the guest lecture by textile conserver, Camille Breeze, on Saturday at 2 pm. For more information or to register, please contact Carolyn Buttolph at: 802-888-8432 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Saturday & Sunday, July 13 & 14: Modern Timber Framing Class

Makaio Maher will teach this class using power tools. Students will build the extension on the east side of our new timber frame barn where once stood the wood shed and privy for the Old Stone House. Skills include mill rule layout and cutting with power tools (chain mortise, circular saws and drills.) Students should be comfortable with power tools. This class takes place on Saturday and Sunday from 9 am - 5 pm. Cost is $100 or $85 for Museum members.

Saturday, July 13: Textile Conservation and Care of Hooked Rugs Presentation//Camille Breeze will present this informative talk at the Brownington Village Congregational Church at 2 pm. Cost is $10. All are welcome to attend. For more information please call Carolyn Buttolph at: 802-888-8432 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Saturday, July 13: Big Band Benefit Dance at the Irasburg Town Hall

From 8 to 11 pm, come and dance to the classic sounds of the 19 piece Swing North Big Band, honoring Veterans. WW11 Veterans and their partners are $1/person. All others are $15 each or $25/couple. BYOB. Refreshments and mixers available. Sponsored by The Old Stone House Museum.

Sunday, July 14: Back Roads Reading Series hosted by The Old Stone House Museum

Gregory Djanikian & Leland Kinsey will read from their work at the Brownington Village Congregational Church at 3 pm followed by a reception at the Museum's Samuel Read Hall House. This series is free. Donations are welcome.

Tuesday, July 16:Identifying and Using Historical 19th Century Herbs Class

Mel Hastings, experienced gardener and teacher of all things herbal, will teach this class in the Museum's kitchen garden from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Mel will discuss the many varieties of herbs found in the Museum's garden. Come and learn how to identify these common herbs and discover their culinary and therapeutic qualities which make them just as popular today as they were many years ago. Class cost is $15 or $10 for Museum members.

The Old Stone House Museum is located at 109 Old Stone House Road, Brownington, Vt. U.S.A. For more information or to register for any of these workshops, contact 802-754-2022 ; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or www.oldstonehousemuseum.org