Lazy Mill Treecraft
Lazy Mill Living Arts
RESKILLING FOR LIBERATION
Lazy Mill Living Arts is dedicated
to reviving traditional skills of hand
and land. It was founded on the belief
that with the benefit of natural
materials, simple tools and basic knowledge, we all have the capacity to shape our world as we imagine it.
We host a variety of workshops, taught
by experienced, top-notch craftspeople,
to help cultivate your innate creativity
to craft the things you need
and use everyday.
Black Ash Pack Basket Workshops
taught by Penny Hewitt
Make your own pack basket and in the process learn one of the oldest crafts in human history. For thousands of years baskets served as indispensable objects in every culture. Carry on the tradition and take home a beautiful, durable and functional basket crafted from responsibly harvested inVermont, hand-pounded black ash logs. In this workshop students will craft either a daypack-sized or full-sized traditional Adirondack-style pack basket with cedar runners, white ash handle and adjustable webbing straps. This basket is made to last and be used. Included is a discussion and demonstration on how the material is harvested and processed.
Day Packs in Keene, NH February 7th and 8th -register at at Mudita
Day Packs in Coyle, OK February 28th and March 1st -register at at St. Francis of the Woods
Full Packs in Silver City NM March 7th and 8th register at email 68pennyg@gmail.com
Full Packs at Fibershed in Point Reyes Station, CA register at Fibershed
Full Packs in Clio CA March 26th-28th register at email 68pennyg@gmail.com
Full Packs TBD near Portland OR stay tuned
A non-refundable deposit is required to hold a spot.
Fitched Willow Baskets
taught by Scogin Zimmermann Mayo
Make your own fitched basket. Fitching is an openwork style that holds closely spaced stakes in a vertical or slightly outward flowing position. We will be using willows to produce a lightweight, durable basket with a simple, yet challenging weave. You will learn hand techniques to properly shape and space your basket to produce a beautiful finished piece.
This class is suitable for beginners and advanced willow weavers.
June 20th and 21st
9-5 in Stannard VT
$400 includes all materials
email 68pennyg@gmail.com to register
Scogin Zimmermann Mayo lived in a yurt outside Washburn, Wisconsin, but he recently moved to Vermont. He spends his time harvesting wild food, canoeing upstream, playing in the woods, and encouraging kids to play with knives. Scogin has been teaching willow basketry since 2004, after apprenticing at the Ancient Arts Center in Western Oregon.
Willow Tatzas
taught by Eric Cannizzaro
Make a traditional Polish bread basket from willow grown and harvested in Vermont! After a brief discussion on growing, wild harvesting, and preparing willow for weaving, we will choose from a variety of colors and sizes of material to work with. Students should expect to complete one large and one small basket in this class. Resources for continued learning will be provided. No previous experience required.
September 19th 10-4 in Stannard VT
$190 includes all materials
email 68pennyg@gmail.com to register
Eric Cannizzaro is a green woodworker and educator in Charlotte, Vermont. Though primarily a chairmaker, he has been growing willow and practicing willow basketry since 2023. In 2024 he began taking classes with Jes Clark, which developed into more focused instruction over the course of 2025 to progress through round, oval, and square work techniques. In 2026, he co-founded Vermont Handworks with Jolynn Santiago, a multidisciplinary art and craft education space in Charlotte. Find out more about Eric, his work, and classes at www.vermonthandworks.com
LAZY MILL LIVING ARTS
BASKET CAMP!
First annual
Three intensive basket workshops running concurrently for three days. Participants camp out for the weekend, choosing one workshop to focus on for the full time, and everyone gathers together during downtime to connect, share what they are learning and enjoy time together.
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September 25th, 26th and 27th, 9-5 each day
in Stannard Vermont
$500 includes camping and all materials.
email Erica at erica.martenson1@gmail.com to register.
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~Scogin Zimmermann Mayo will be teaching Fitched Willow Baskets
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~Erica Martenson will be teaching Basswood and Dogbane Twined Baskets
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~Penny Hewitt will be teaching Black Ash Pack Baskets (incorporating all those extra details there isn't time for in a two day class!)
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​ Comprehensive descriptions of each workshop and more photos will be coming soon.
BLACK ASH TOTE BASKETS taught by Penny Hewitt
This sturdy and versatile basket is made primarily from black ash, with optional accents of willow or cedar barks. Designed for everyday use, it features leather straps, a filled woven base, and protective runners.
dates coming soon
10-5 in Stannard VT
$400 includes materials
PENNY HEWITT is passionate about revitalizing and sharing traditional skills, particularly in the forms of black ash and bark basketry. She enjoys teaching people how to transform natural materials from the surrounding forests into objects of beauty that are useful in everyday life. She is inspired by traditions of many cultures, and is grateful for the opportunities of connection to the land and people, past and present, that her craft cultivates. Her experience includes teaching workshops to all ages, as well as crafting for income, pleasure and to meet the needs of her homesteading life.
Cancelation Policy
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Lazy Mill Living Arts staff and instructors invest considerable time and energy planning each course, and vacancies for approaching courses are not always filled. For these reasons, please be aware of the following Cancellation Policy:Students who cancel their enrollment 31 days or more prior to the first day of the course will receive a refund, less a $100 cancellation fee. Students who cancel their enrollment 30 days or less prior to the first day of the course are not eligible for a refund.
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If LMLA needs to cancel a class due to low enrollment, that assessment is made one week before it's scheduled to start. Registered students will receive a full refund.