Make Your Own Shaker Hand Brooms: Hands-On Workshop at Canterbury Shaker Village

Make Your Own Shaker Hand Brooms is a hands-on crafts workshop held in the historic Shaker broom shop at Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury, New Hampshire. For seven hours you move from raw broomcorn to finished hawk-tail and turkey-wing brooms under the guidance of Dick Bennett, a museum interpreter and longtime Shaker craft demonstrator who began his work at the village in 2004. The setting is a working historic shop: wooden workbenches scarred by decades of hand tools, racks of broomcorn, and a small display of completed hand brooms that show how simple materials become precise tools.

What makes this workshop special is its focus on a regional craft that merges practicality and refined handwork. Participants learn two traditional Shaker patterns—the compact, fan-shaped hawk-tail and the broader turkey-wing—using the same techniques Shaker households used to keep floors clean and to sell to visitors and neighbors. The primary materials include broomcorn, hemp twine, and wooden handles; the primary features of the scene are the shop’s long bench, the stitching frames, and the row of pegs where brooms dry. The tactile grain of broomcorn and the smooth, worn wood of the benches form a modest but distinct natural and material palette that feels of this place.

The class is welcoming to beginners; guests are provided with all tools and materials and leave with two finished brooms to take home. Bring a notebook, wear comfortable closed-toe shoes, and expect to be on your feet and working with hand tools for most of the day. The instructor’s approach emphasizes repeatable technique, so even a first-timer produces usable, attractive brooms.

Beyond the craft itself, the workshop connects visitors to the Shaker presence at Canterbury: a communal tradition of simple, high-quality objects made to last. Dick Bennett’s work as an interpreter links technique to story, offering context about how broommaking fit into daily life and local economy. For travelers interested in slow, tactile learning away from typical tourist tracks, this class offers a rare opportunity to practice a living tradition and walk out with a handmade object.

Located in Canterbury, New Hampshire (latitude 43.358819, longitude -71.490714), the workshop suits people seeking an indoor, gear-light cultural experience within a rural New England setting. It’s a short, satisfying retreat for makers, gift-seekers, and anyone curious about how modest materials combine with steady hands to produce useful beauty.

The pace encourages conversation—swap stories over a thermos or the satisfaction of a tied stitch—and the finished brooms make meaningful souvenirs or housewarming gifts that will last. Booking through the provided referral link guarantees current scheduling information; classes sometimes fill early on fall weekends. Whether you arrive solo or with a friend, expect a day defined by focus and tangible results.