Wool Scout Retreat with Mary Jane Mucklestone
REGISTRATION OPENS APRIL 8, 2017- fiber-trek@squarespace.com
The Wool Scouts Retreat, held deep in the Maine North Woods is about landing. It’s about connecting with place, leaning-in to our craft and finding the deep connection one can have with landscape. Join Mary Jane Mucklestone to explore the traditional mittens of the area, learn how to start flint & steel fires, paddle, and try your hand at fly fishing. Come land for a while in the wilderness, dig your hands in, eat amazing food, talk with friends and lean-in. We’ll be gathering at Bradford Camps, a classic Maine camp, the only structures on Munsungan Lake, surrounded by 3.5 million acres of forest.
Date: August 13-17, 2017
Location: Bradford Camps, Munsungan Lake, Township 8-Range 10, Maine, USA. 50 miles west of Ashland, 70 miles north of Millinocket. Surrounded by 3.5 million acres of forest this is the only structure on the lake. https://www.bradfordcamps.com/ Hosts: Karen & Igor Sikorsky
Price: $1478.00. This includes all meals, lodging, classes, workshops, materials, tax & gratuity. Transportation not included. See access for more information on float plane fly-in opportunities. Additional opportunities: Scenic Flight from Bradford Camps-$50, Fishing Licenses
CANCELLATION POLICY : 50% deposit to secure registration. Final payments are due by June 13th. Cancellations made prior to June 13th, are refundable less a $250 cancellation fee. Cancellations within 60 days of event are non-refundable. There are no exceptions. Fiber Trek & Bradford Camps reserve the right to cancel or reschedule this retreat as a result of unforeseen circumstances. In the event of a cancellation by Fiber Trek or Bradford Camps all fees will be refunded in full.
Coordinator: Sarah Hunt : fibertrek@gmail.com
REGISTRATION: Begins APRIL 8, 2017
To register-email fibertrek@gmail.com. A form will be sent back to download, complete and highlight instructions for payment. All inquiries will be treated on a first come, first serve basis. Should the retreat fill, you will be given the option to keep your name on a waiting list.
Coordinator: Sarah Hunt fibertrek@gmail.com,
Class & Workshops:
Instructor: Mary Jane Mucklestone: Maine & Maritime Mittens – Each participant will receive one, four hour class with Mary Jane focused on Fair Isle knitting. Themes will reflect the Maritime Canada and Maine knitting patterns and traditions.
Per Mary Jane’s website: “Mary Jane travels the world to study traditional knitting techniques and to learn more about the history of the craft. She’s a popular teacher specializing in lively, fun and informative classes. She feels lucky to be invited to teach all over the world, and is eager to share knitting knowledge with her students. She aims to give students the courage to try something new!”
Workshop Topics: More topics will be added per time and interest.
Instructor: Sarah Hunt- Flint & steel fires, Working with rare and primitive breed wool
Sarah Hunt is the host of the Fiber Trek Podcast and has a strong penchant for grey yarns, the toothier the better! She is a Registered Maine Guide and enjoys adventuring in wild places, even her backyard with wool in hand .
Instructor: Jani Estell-Viking Chatelaines
This workshop will provide an opportunity to make a traditional tool used by a variety of historical women. It is used to organize mending tools such as needles, scissors, and a small pouch.
Jani Estell is the wool manager of a wild flock of sheep off the Maine Coast. She is also the miller and owner of Star Croft Fibers which creates magical, Maine yarn from those same sheep. An accomplished knitter and spinner, Jani is interested in traditional knitting and those cultural fiber stories associated with time and place.
TBD: Instructor: Sarah Lake-Indigo Dyeing
Sarah Lake of Upton Yarns is in the process of checking her boat schedule! But we hope she can make it to cook up a dye pot for us.
Instructor: Igor Sikorsky– Into to Fly Casting, Intro to Map & Compass
Igor Sikorsky is co-owner of Bradford Camps. He grew up in the Simsbury, Connecticut area and spent summers at Cobb’s Pierce Pond Camps in western Maine. There began his love of the northern Maine woods. After college he took to the road for a few years in the construction industry, working for Wood Structures in Saco, Maine. During their early years with his wife Karen, they hiked Katahdin, explored the Allagash region, and traveled throughout the woods of Maine exploring and enjoying its wonders.
Accommodations: Bradford Camps-Karen & Igor Sikorsky, owners & operators
Accommodation is shared. Members will be assigned a cabin and parties can be placed together. Time at Bradford will be highlighted by Maine waterfront log cabins, handsome and solid as can be imagined. They are hand hewn log cottages, with lakefront porches, sunset views, and include hot and cold running water as well as a full private bath. Each waterfront cottage is cleaned daily by our staff and the wood stoves are kept warm during colder days. The waterfront log cabin rentals are lit with elegant propane lights; no electricity in the cabins. Our lodge and modern kitchen have electricity, so cameras can be recharged. Lakefront lodging cottages include linen service, towels, and ice from our ice house!
Meals:
The Maine fishing lodge serves delicious breakfasts, hot lunches and dinners. We freshly prepare turkey dinners, prime rib, pork loin, fresh fish, fresh vegetables from our garden, home baked breads, pies and cakes for dessert, and an open menu breakfast. You won’t leave the table hungry! (and if you do, there’s always the cookie jar!) During August our garden provides a good portion of our vegetables. Special dietary needs can usually be accommodated.
Access & Transportation: Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements.
Travel by road to the camps includes a vast stretch on working, logging roads. The camp can be accessed by car but it is recommended the vehicle be equipped to manage flat tires, and rough terrain. Note that drivers will be sharing the road with large, 18 wheel logging trucks. Fly-in is highly recommended.
Fly In– The float plane flight to Bradford Camps leaves from outside of Millinocket and can be coordinated with Katahdin Air Service. http://www.katahdinair.com/ Katahdin Air Service can provide pick up from Bangor, the closest airport as well as Presque Isle in northern Maine
Airports: Portland & Bangor
Portland by car to Katahdin Air-3.5 hours
Bangor by car to Katahdin Air-1.5 hours
Fredericton, New Brunswick by car to Kathdin Air 3 hours (plus border crossing)
Car Rental-Bangor & Portland-Note that cars cannot be rented in Canada and cross the border.
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
