The 2027 conference content has been set and, as usual, it has turned out to be another terrific slate of instructors and classes!
The following instructors have accepted invitations to present their projects at the upcoming Fort Worden Kitemakers Conference! Check them out and see what sparks your interest!
- Class duration ranges from 1/2 day to 2 days.
- We have beginner, intermediate, and experienced level classes.
- We will offer kites and line laundry, small kites and large kites.
- You can sew or not sew.
- Most classes use ripstop but some may use paper or plastic.
- Make your own duffle or custom kite bag!
Below are photos of the projects and brief descriptions. Complete Class Details, the Schedule, and Additional Information are available on the Details page.
Federveich Kite
Phil Broder
Mechanicsburg, PA
Phil will join us again with the Federveich, a 5′ tall low-to-medium wind kite. This fun-shaped kite has a big graphic area, sewn-in keel, a 3D-printed connector, and you’ll have lots of fun sewing edge binding to curved edges. Plus a tail!
Painted Ohashi Kite
Dave Butler
Tigard, OR
Dave will offer a unique opportunity to learn his method of hand painting a kite skin. You will be working on uncoated ripstop, drawing with resist then painting the design and heat setting the painted skin. Once dry and set you will turn it into your own Ohashi variant kite.
Buka Fighter Kite
Ken Conrad
Seattle, WA
Ken will join us to present his Briefcase Buka Fighter kite. This 15″x10.5″ polyester and carbon kite is assembled with a heat-bonded adhesive not degraded by dust, sand or time. Ken will custom print sails from the students’ own digital files, and will include a digital fusing iron.
Thunderbolt Sport Kite
Bary Crites
Olympia, WA
Bary returns to present his original Thunder Bolt old school dual line kite. Learn kite building techniques Bary adapted from his woodworking experience and create your own 6 foot wingspan sport kite that’s fun to fly and “makes a bunch of noise”!
Leonardo Kite
Jim Day
Seattle, OR
Jim and Cat will present the unique Leonardo kite based on the designs of Leonardo DaVinci. A wonderful kite with great presence in the sky, the Leonardo presents a great opportunity to add your own designs and artwork while improving your sewing and pocket making skills.
Scrap Tails
Chris Hanson
Bellingham, WA
Have scraps of material? Everyone does! Chris will show you his technique of turning piles of scrap into beautiful stained glass tails. You’ll efficiently combine pieces into big rectangles which you will slice and recombine into tails.
Build Your Own Duffle Bag
Brianna Howard
Eugene, OR
Brianna will teach students how to manage heavier fabrics while creating a duffle bag for all your kites or next adventure. Three bag sizes plus custom embroidery will be offered and Brianna will work with you before the conference to select your perfect combination.
Hokkai Suzume Kite Train
Dan Kurahashi
Burnaby, BC, CA
This year Dan will teach his Hokkai Suzume 25 kite train using Tyvek, bamboo and glue. With 2 different sides you can choose which will face the ground.- the Suzume face (Sparrow) or the NW Indian Dog Fish design (Shark face) drawn by Dan.
Dynamic Delta
Barbara Meyer
Maple Grove, MN
Barbara will present her Dynamic 9 foot delta kite. Sparred with wood and fiberglass, students will choose from several color and applique options. A great flyer, this kite will fly in 3 to 20 mph winds. While fabric and instructions for the tail are included, check out Barbara’s Transition Tails class.
Transition Tails
Barbara Meyer
Maple Grove, MN
Barbara will present her technique to construct a pair of 30 foot long transition tails. TTs are fun in the sky as the color changes from top to bottom. Be ready for lots of hemming. No charge if also taking Barbara’s Dynamic Delta class.
Intro to Kitemaking
Gerry Pennell
Olympia, WA
Gerry will be teaching her always popular intro to kitemaking. Learn the basics of sewing kite material and hear invaluable tips and tricks, plus make a classic windsock or a wonderful pocket sled kite.
Fukashima Kite
Rob Pratt
Lacey, WA
Rob will return to present an enlarged version of the Fukushima kite, named for its home region in Japan. A great platform for graphics, students can sew their unique sail ahead of the conference. Rob will also discuss how he enlarges and adapts traditional kites to modern materials.
Kitemakers Roundtable
Everyone
Everywhere
An informal gathering this year, join other kite makers after classes, ask and find answers to vexing questions, trade techniques, and explore mysteries of the universe (are you paying attention?).