Hawktail Handbroom Workshop with Bristol Broomworks

Hawktail Handbroom Workshop with Bristol Broomworks

Level: Beginners welcome (previous hand broom experience helpful) / Intermediate

Gather together this November and learn how to weave your own hawktail hand broom in this intimate 3-hour workshop!

Hawktails are similar to hens wings and turkey wings in construction, with a little extra focus on tension, balance and symmetry. Everyone is welcome, including complete beginners. Basic instruction will be given at the start, so you will have everything you need to make a beautiful hawktail of your own.

Numbers will be kept low so each student receives the support required. Students will choose hanger type and twine colour for a broom that is unique to you. A beautiful and traditional brush for cleaning small spaces!

Heritage handcrafted brooms are a pre-industrial craft that uses no machinery and no electricity. We will cover the fundamentals of handling fibre and twine together, so no previous experience is needed. Students who have made a hand broom or brush before will be able to work at a faster pace and may have time to make more than one broom, while newer makers can expect to leave with one lovely hawktail, with plenty of support along the way.

These pretty brooms are perfect for smaller spaces: potting sheds, artist studios, kitchen counters, camper vans, hearths, altars and book shelves - keep any small space tidy and looking lush!

A broom made by you to last a lifetime and beyond, or perhaps the perfect Christmas gift?

Please note: broom making is a surprisingly physical craft and each broom is constructed in one sitting with one continuous length of twine.

Broom craft requires strength and dexterity in both hands and feet. Be prepared to engage your core, hands, arms, legs and back for extended periods. Broom making can be a real work-out!

Students should be prepared to work with shoes off (socks are fine) and seated in a chair for up to an hour, possibly more (feel free to bring a cushion).

About Jamie Dunn - Bristol Broomworks

Jamie Dun is a broom maker based in Bristol, UK, working from a barn studio on a flower farm near Pensford in Somerset. Originally from Montana, on the northern plains of the US, she uses pre-industrial heritage craft methods - no electricity, no machinery - drawing on European, Shaker, and Appalachian traditions while incorporating influences from folklore, mythology, and traditional themes.

Jamie’s approach to broom making emphasizes the tactile, meditative nature of the craft and its connection to both earth and history. Through her workshops, she shares these time-honored techniques with students seeking to learn a beautiful, functional craft that engages the hands and stirs the soul.

On The Day: 

All tools and materials will be provided. 

Please do wear comfortable / old clothing - aprons will be provided if needed.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are included and will be available on the day. Our Café is also open should you wish to purchase other refreshments during the workshop.

Workshop participants get 10% off in Rodney’s Café, our exhibitions, and our shop on the day of the workshop! Just show your booking confirmation email or your ticket at the till to receive your discount. Participants are welcome to use their discount before the workshop - please note our cafe and shop closes at 5pm. 

On arrival, please enter the building via the shop, follow the arrows to ‘Education Space’, through the smaller galleries, at the rear of the building on the ground floor.

Please be aware that you cannot use the Co-op car park for all day parking. The Methodist Church car park and Station Road car park usually have plenty of spaces. Click here for more information on our location and car parking for the day.

View MAKE Southwest's Cancellation Policy, HERE.