The Glastonbury Green Crafts Village offered those who wanted an escape from the music a diverse and engaging array of activities, providing a unique opportunity to learn traditional crafts and skills. Here’s just some of the various workshops and experiences that were available:
Woodwork and stone carving are always popular, and anyone wanting to explore traditional techniques were able to delve into activities like spoon carving, creating wooden mushrooms, and crafting wooden mallets. There were also opportunities to learn about pole lathe turning, make wooden bowls, and try greenwood carving. For those interested in more intricate work, workshops on making wooden boxes, stools, and even small furniture pieces were available. Participants could also learn to make wooden flutes, whistles, and even a wooden boat.
The village also offered extensive options for creating unique jewellery. Activities included making copper rings, pendants, and earrings, as well as silver rings, bangles, and pendants. More advanced workshops covered techniques like stone setting, reticulation, and creating silver earrings and rings.
For those interested in ceramics, the Pottery section provided hands-on experience. Visitors could learn basic pottery skills, create pinch pots, coil pots, and even make a heart-shaped bowl. There were also workshops for making a small pot on a potter’s wheel and exploring various hand-building techniques.
Beyond crafts, the village offered practical outdoor skills. Attendees could learn basic archery, make a wooden spoon or spatula, and even craft a wooden bow. Survival skills workshops covered fire lighting, shelter building, and water purification.
For those wanting to get all ‘lush’ they could learn to create their own natural beauty products, including making lip balm, body butter, and natural soaps. There were also workshops on crafting natural perfumes and making a peace-love-joy balm.
Creative printmaking techniques were on offer too, including block printing, making your own stamps, and creating linocut prints. You could also learn the art of sign writing, focusing on hand-carved letters and vintage letterpress printing.
The textile area offered a range of fiber arts. Visitors could learn to make paper cord, fabric flowers, and fabric bowls. Other activities included creating woven bracelets, felted soap, and learning various weaving techniques like tapestry weaving and inkle loom weaving. There were also workshops on natural dyeing, making felted hats, and creating woven wall hangings.
Another popular option was discovering the versatility of leather with workshops on making leather pouches, bracelets, wallets, leather journals or a small leather bag.
Alternatively you could have learned to work with willow to create beautiful and functional pieces. Activities included making willow baskets, willow fish, and willow hearts.
Floral, plant and fibre workshops focused on natural materials. Activities included making flower crowns, large flower arrangements, and creating plant-based dyes. Participants could also learn to make rope, dog toys, and flower garlands from natural fibers.
For those wanting to get down to a small scale the intricate art of chainmaille was also being demonstrated and taught, with people creating small jewellery pieces like earrings and bracelets.
As ever the Glastonbury Green Crafts Village provided a brilliant experience for anyone looking to explore traditional crafts, learn new skills, and connect with the creative process.
