Tinkering School: Himmeli – Pavuky Straw Mobile Workshop

Learn to make a simple straw prism “pavuk” used to trap the bad energy and release good energy into the home. This craft harkens from Northern and Eastern Europe and can be found in most places where grain growing (and straw) is a key component of people’s lives.

In Poland, they are known as pajaki, and himmeli in Finnish. “Pavuk” means spider in Ukrainian, and is considered a benevolent presence– thus these web-like mobiles bring good fortune and blessings to the home. Himmeli are made in the winter and spring for the holidays and can be filled with blown out eggs, paper flowers or pompoms to further brighten the space.

In this workshop you’ll get the chance to learn the basic principles of the craft and create your own delicate mobile to hang in your home. Experience the golden light and sacred geometry as you work with the simple gifts of wheat and rye straw, linen thread, and beeswax. All materials will be provided.

This is a collaboration with Bozena Hrycyna, director of Folk Camp, an organization connecting people with the folk arts, crafts, music, and land based traditions of Eastern Europe in the Canadian context.

All proceeds of this workshop will be donated to the Canada Ukraine Foundation. You can also make a donation when buying a ticket for this workshop which we will include in our final donation at the end of this workshop series held at OTL.

Note:

All course participants need to be fully vaccinated and show proof at the beginning of workshop.We operate with health and safety guidelines in place: mask wearing is mandatory as well as sanitizing tools before and after each use. Sanitizer bottles are provided.

Workshops are transferable to another person, but non-refundable. Please make sure this date works with your schedule.