News

01/01/12- There's a lot in the works this year. We have workshops planned in at least 5 different states, including a potential "Usin the whole Animal" workshop utilizing a Bison! We are also relocating to the midwest, which is creating some difficulties in running our mentorin program, but we're excited about the new possibilities. Wish us luck!

03/22/11- We recently came across a request from an American tanner studying for her PhD in the UK who needs some help acquiring some well used buckskin for her research (which is quite fascinating!). We would like to extend her request to all our fans and visitors. Read on, and if you think you can help, please do!

"Hello all!

My name's Theresa and I've been tanning for about 15 years and am now in the process of doing a PhD over in the UK, on determining prehistoric tanning technologies, using microscopic dermal fiber analysis. For this project I need to address a number of variables, one of which is.....

Does wearing and washing affect dermal structure to any significant degree?

What I need, is to get my hands on some "well loved" scraps of brain tan (wet and dry scrape), bark tan, rawhide (sandal soles?) and any other weird (i.e. urine tan) stuff you might have kicking around. I don't need anything large, 2 inches across is plenty. If you have something like this, and you don't mind parting with in the name of archaeology please contact me at theresaemmerich@yahoo.com , or.... just stick it in an envelope with a brief history: What it was (shirt, shoe, coat...), how you washed it, if it's been reworked in anyway (i.e. re-brained, re-smoked, etc.) the type of tan, species, sex and age of animal, and type of wood it was smoked with (if you can remember) and approximately how long ago you tanned it.

Then... post it to my long suffering parents at: 709 Rodeo Avenue, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009 (Don't worry, they are aware these may be heading their way)

For anyone willing to donate, Thank you soooooo much! This project will be immeasurably better with this type of comparative collection in it!

Theresa Emmerich

PS. Don't forget to give me your name so I can thank you in my acknowledgments section!"