Pine Needles and Sweet Grass: The Art of Coiled Basketry – November 15 & 16, 2025

Registration for this class opens to MMFS members on May 13th, and then to the general public on May 15th.

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Learn how to design and make your very own Pine Needle Coiled Basket!  You will learn about every step of the process: harvesting and choosing materials, coiling and stitching, incorporating embellishments (black walnut hull, beads, other grasses and plant material..), and more.  You will add a cone for a lid handle and learn techniques for coiling to unique bases.  You will leave this class with a beautiful one-of-a-kind coiled basket that you designed with support.  

In addition, the instructor will provide materials for an additional basket that you can make after you get home, so that you remember the skills that you learned!

*This class runs over two days:
Saturday, November 15 (9:30-4:30), and Sunday, November 16 (9:30-3:30)

About the instructor:

Linda M. Conroy, MSS, MLSP is a bioregional herbalist, myco-herbalist, traditional food educator, traditional skills educator and community organizer. She dedicates her life to connecting with the green world and sharing the earth’s wisdom. Her primary mentors are the plants who never cease to instill a sense of awe in her daily life. Linda has a certificate in permaculture design, which she completed through the International Earth Activist Program, has studied with Isla Burgess of the International College of Herbal Medicine and has been a student of compassionate nonviolent communication for over 30 years. Linda has participated in doula training through the Seattle School of Midwifery and the Midwifery Assistant Program through The Farm Midwives in Tennessee. In addition, she is trained as a Wilderness First Responder. For close to 3 decades, Linda has presented well-received programs and apprenticeship programs. She is the creator of the ever-popular Wild Eats Community Meals, Moonwise Herbs, The Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference, Mycelium Mysteries Women’s Mushroom Conference as well as Women’s Wellness Series. Participants in programs as well as events produced and facilitated by Linda walk away with an appreciation for the natural world. Her programs inspire people to incorporate plants, mushrooms and traditional skills into their daily life. Linda is a vibrant, passionate woman who continually seeks to deepen her connection to the green world!
To find out more about Linda’s work, visit www.moonwiseherbs.com and www.midwestwomensherbal.com.

The instructor will provide all materials needed for coiling: sweet grass, pine needles, broom corn, sewing material and needles, as well as other embellishments.

Students are asked to bring:

• Small pair of sewing scissors
• Thimble
• Reading glasses, if needed for close-up work
• As your class is scheduled over a lunch hour, we highly recommend you bring a lunch or click here to learn about local eating opportunities in the area.

Skill Level
No experience required.  Truly anyone can take this class.  For those with experience, you can build on your skills, practice new stitches, add different embellishments, create a weaving to coil-to, etc.  There are many new skills to continue to learn when coiling.

Age Requirement
Students 16 and older are welcome to attend. 

Students between the ages of 16-18 may attend without a parent/guardian in attendance as long as MNFS is provided with written parental permission.  Email is sufficient for this.

Location
Marine Mills Folk School
550 Pine Street
Marine on St. Croix, MN 55047

Cost Details
Tuition: $295
Materials Fee: $75
Total: $370

NOTE: Be aware we may cancel class if a minimum number of registrations is not reached. We work to balance teachers’ need to plan for a class with students’ busy schedules — not an easy task. Please register as early as possible!

If interested, you can find our cancellation policy here.