Birch Bark Sheath Making (Jan 2025)

Saturday, January 18, 2025
10am-1pm
Location: Finnish American Folk School Woodshop
Skyline Commons 102 @ 200 Michigan St. Hancock
Instructor: Alice Margerum
Class fee: $35 advanced registration required
Registration opens November 25
Registration closes January 11 or when sold out

Make a birch bark sheath to fit your knife. Do you have a puukko or a small woodcarving knife that needs a sheath? At this workshop you can learn to make a simple woven birch bark sheath to fit it. The word for sheath in Finnish is tuppi. Historically, there are at least three different ways that the Finnish made birch bark sheaths. The woven birch bark sheaths which will be made in this workshop are based on museum examples made during the 19th century in Southern Finland (Päijät-Häme and Uusimaa regions).

Each student will be supplied with enough birch bark to make one sheath for one knife. This workshop is especially suited to puukko, Sloyd knives, and small woodcarving knives. To make sure the sheaths fit, students should bring their sheath-less knives with them. Due to the size of the birch bark available, the blade portion of the knife should be no longer than 4 inches in length. If you have a longer knife, or different sort of tool for which you would like to make a sheath, please contact us so that we can discuss it in advance. 

No experience necessary. Open to students ages 18 and up. 

Questions? Contact clare.zuraw@finlandiafoundation.org or 906-370-3722