Mankato Community Education

Gather your friends to learn the basics of embroidery stitching! In this course, you will start right from the beginning: choosing the right fabrics and stretching them on a hoop, separating floss, transferring patterns on to fabric, and practicing a few new stitches! Each session of Embroidery for Everyone will feature different stitches to help you build your repertoire. You'll leave with the beginnings of a project that you can continue to finish throughout the summer. Open to ages 12+. Youth under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Join Molly Kay in an energetic movement class that will introduce students to flamenco dance basics. Flamenco dance is a solo dance form from Spain that involves the full body from head to toe. Classes will include an introduction to flamenco rhythms, warm-ups, upper body work, and percussive footwork. Students will learn a short combination by the end of the session. No special footwear is needed- wear comfortable clothing, and bring a flowy skirt if you would like. Ages 15+. Youth under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Learn how to make a matching (or not!) pair of earrings and a complimentary bracelet. You will learn the basics of wire beading, a skill that can be built upon to create more intricate pieces in the future. This course is beginner friendly, and all you need is your desire to learn a new skill! Open to ages 15+. Youth under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Purchase a punch card and clay coupon (each sold separately) to use the Pottery Studio facilities and supplies. Each visit counts as one use. Punch cards and clay/glaze card are valid for one year from the purchase date. To participate in studio activities, all users must purchase a Consumables Clay Card. This card covers 25 pounds of clay, access to studio glazes, and space in the kiln for firing. Our pottery lab is equipped with potter's wheels, slab roller, extruder, hand building tools, glazes, greenware storage, and electric kilns. This is not an instructional class. Artists should be able to use the studio and equipment independently, however a studio supervisor will be present for technical questions. In our studio, you pay based on use. We only allow clay sold by our studio. We know the products we use / sell to students are safe for our kilns and will produce a good quality product. The studio, managed by Mankato Community Education Leisure + Enrichment Program keeps in inventory high quality supplies and equipment for artist use. The studio and CE cannot be held responsible for work that in the process of drying or firing is damaged or broken. Our studio is available for independent artist use in part because of volunteers and funding provided by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Savor summer flavors throughout the year by learning some basic food preservation techniques. Learn to can jars of tomatoes, make two types of pickles, and freeze summer sweet corn. One pound of tomatoes, one pound of cucumbers, four ears of corn will be provided for each participant.