Ash splint basket making booklet

Posted on November 19, 2020 by stevetomlin

I’ve been making ash splint baskets and teaching workshops for several years now and it’s been fantastic to share the skills and knowledge with so many people.

I am always aware though, that there are lots of people who can’t get to one of my courses and are looking for some guidance to get started on their own. Equally, we cover such a lot of processes during the course that participants often comment that they would like some written instructions to help with future baskets.

In response to this, I’ve put together a short pdf introductory guide which covers sourcing an ash log, pounding the splints and step by step instructions on how to weave a square to round table basket, the same basket which we make on the course. While no book is going to be as good as being on a course where I can help and advice you, I hope this will aid some people who want to start pounding ash splints and making baskets for themselves.

The booklet is available as an instant pdf download from my Etsy store:

Buy ash splint basket making booklet

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Fan bird carving workshop 2020

Posted on October 26, 2020 by stevetomlin

This course actually took place earlier in the summer but at the time I was too busy to post the photos so here they are at last. Among the group was Eddie Glew, a fantastic willow basket maker, who came on the course to learn to make birds as a break from his hectic schedule. It’s always an honour to have other craftspeople come to learn and Eddie made a fabulous little flock of birds to take home.

For details of upcoming courses, please sign up to my newsletter. If you can’t make a course or fancy having a go at home, I have produced a fan bird carving instruction sheet which is available from my Etsy store.

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Ash splint basket workshop 2020

Posted on October 23, 2020 by stevetomlin

My final workshop for 2020 was an ash splint basket making course at Greenwood Days near Derby, UK. This was postponed from earlier in the year when running courses wasn’t possible so I was very pleased to be able to teach it.

With it being later in the year than normal, we were all wrapped up well but kept warm with lots of tea and good chat throughout. This is still a new craft to the UK so it’s great to pass on the skills and knowledge and hopefully some of these weavers will go on to pound some of their own ash splint and make more baskets.
If you’d like to learn in 2021, please sign up to my newsletter for details of course dates as they are set.

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Stirrers, eating spoons and spreaders

Posted on October 19, 2020 by stevetomlin

When I teach people how to carve spoons, I want them to go home with new skills and confidence as well as a spoon that they’ve made. Having two days of workshop gives the best opportunity to achieve this and we can cover more complicated spoon carving as well as reinforcing the basic skills.

We start with making stirring spoons, beginning of course with fresh, green wood and axework then progressing onto knife grips to refine and finish the spoon.

The second day starts with a short session making butter spreaders. These are a brilliant exercise for practising the skills and quick enough for everyone to make a few and see progression.

Then it’s on to eating spoons and the complications of carving a cranked spoon design. We use my teardrop eating spoon pattern and follow my 10-step method for axing the blank – you can find both these along with other spoon carving patterns in my Etsy store.

I had a brilliant couple of days with this group and they carved some fantastic spoons. If you’d like to learn how to carve wooden spoons, check out my courses page or sign up to my newsletter for updates.

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Community scything in Manchester’s wildflower meadow

Posted on September 19, 2020 by stevetomlin

I’ve been  back to Hullard Park in Trafford, Manchester to run a scything refresher for the volunteers who are helping to manage the wildflower meadow in the park.

Even though it’s a whole year since they last picked up a scythe, everyone got right back into the swing of things (see what I did there?) and dealt really well with the thick vegetation.

They were so confident and capable, I had chance to give Leon, a local Green Hero, some surprise tuition. He was a brilliant student so he and his dad were soon mowing well together.

I have been teaching scythe courses for groups across the UK for over 10 years. If your community group are looking after an orchard, wildflower meadow or other land and would like to use scythes to manage the land then please contact me steve@stevetomlincrafts.co.uk or visit my Learn to Scythe page for more infor

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Scything course for Green Angels in Staffordshire

Posted on August 12, 2020 by stevetomlin

For the last two days I’ve been in Staffordshire teaching a group of volunteers how to scythe. Green Angels is a programme of outdoor training courses run by The Land Trust to give people new skills and experience.

We worked in two groups at Silverdale Country Park near Newcastle-under-Lyme, spending the first session learning how to set up the Austrian scythes and how to sharpen them. Then in the second session we got down to the business of cutting the wildflower meadow!

It was hot, hot, hot and I was really impressed with the effort that everyone put in. Several of the volunteers already had ideas for other meadow sites where they would use the skills and The Land Trust purchased several scythe kits so they can continue with the work. I love being able to help with these kinds of projects, thanks to all involved for a terrific time.

My next Learn to Scythe course is on 4th Sept at Chapel-le-Dale in Yorkshire. Please email me steve[at]stevetomlincrafts.co.uk to book your place or for more details if you’d like to arrange a scything workshop for your group.

 

 

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Ash splint packbasket

Posted on August 9, 2020 by stevetomlin

The ash splints that I pounded this spring are working so well and I’m really pleased to have had another commission for this packbasket which I just finished. The basket measures 18″ to the rim with a top handle and is 14″ wide. Straps are veg-tanned leather with brass buckles and rivets. I have been researching vegan alternatives for the straps and have now found some heavyweight cotton straps.

If you’re interested in these baskets, please email me steve[at]stevetomlincrafts.co.uk for more details.

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Learn to scythe course feedback 2020

Posted on August 8, 2020 by stevetomlin

Roger scything during my workshop

Lovely feedback from a recent scything course; pictured is Roger scything well during the course at Bell Sykes in Lancashire. I am teaching Learn to Scythe on 4th Sept at Chapel-le-Dale, please email steve[at]stevetomlincrafts.co.uk if you’d like to book a place.

Hi Steve

I want to thank you for the course you ran on 24th. I enjoyed it immensely and learned so much.

Straight after I left with my partner for a week away but on return last weekend took my scythe once again to the grass paths around my allotment. I had the best cut ever despite the restrictions on space. The settings were right and I was honing better and I could keep the blade on the ground through the restricted arcs I was making. Given that the paths are uneven it was the most consistent, close cut on these paths I had ever made.

Thanks again!

Roger

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Ash splint baskets course in Surrey

Posted on August 8, 2020 by stevetomlin

Last month I was invited down to Surrey to teach a group of fine furniture makers how to make ash splint baskets. Aidan Turner runs a school for aspiring furniture makers and wanted the course to broaden the students’ experience and introduce them to other interesting materials.

Aidan had sourced a lovely ash log locally so the first morning was spent with me showing them how to pound a log to delaminate the growth rings and produce splints. We took turns in pounding and also riving down the thicker material to make splints suitable for weaving.

Once we had a good amount of splints and had warmed up from the work we set about making the basket. Aidan and I agreed that, when learning, it’s useful to have a relatively simple project so that you can concentrate on the processes and techniques involved. It was interesting for all of us to see how the furniture makers, used to working with boards and to very fine tolerances, approached the different skills required in basket making. I’m looking forward to seeing how they take this forward and incorporate it into their other work.

I teach ash splint basket making courses around the UK, details on my courses page. I can also teach your group at your own venue, please email me with your enquiry steve[at]stevetomlincrafts.co.uk

 

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Scything course at Lancashire Coronation Meadow

Posted on August 5, 2020 by stevetomlin

After a difficult start to the scythe season, it was great to be back with a group learning to scythe at Bell Sykes farm in Lancashire. Bell Sykes is the Coronation Meadow for the county and the meadows are a beautiful mass of flowers. We spent the morning setting up the Austrian scythes and practising honing them before heading out for a couple of hours mowing a wildflower meadow with a great mix of species.

If you’d like to learn my next Learn to Scythe course is on 4th Sept at Chapel-le-Dale in Yorkshire. To book a space, please email me steve[at]stevetomlincrafts.co.uk

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