In this workshop, students will work with Tampico agave fiber and cord to create a set of dish or veggie brushes and a whisk broom using traditional broom-tying techniques. Tampico is a wonderful fiber that is stiff enough for daily scrubbing when cut short as a dish brush and makes for a beautifully soft whisk broom when tied longer. We will start with the simpler technique of tying brushes and then build on those skills to create turkey wing whisk brooms. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with different types of cordage in many colors, including strong nylon, linen weaving yarn, waxed Irish linen, and polished cotton.

Once the whisk broom is tied and trimmed, students will learn how to embellish the handle with decorative yarns. A selection of decorative yarns will be provided by the instructor, and students are encouraged to bring their own yarn to further personalize their brooms. Short lengths (at least 2 yards) can be used, so this is a great project to use up leftovers.

Tying a broom is a stress-reducing, full-body practice that requires some hand strength and dexterity. You'll use both feet to hold tension and both hands to manipulate the yarn and wrap the broom tightly.

You'll leave class with 2-3 dish brushes, a fabulous fiber broom, and the skills needed to explore different styles in the future.