Steve Tomlin Crafts

How to carve a fan bird instructions

Posted on May 21, 2019 by stevetomlin

As much as I wish you all could, I realise that not everyone can get to one of my courses to learn how to carve fan birds. So, to help spread the craft wider, I’ve created a downloadable pdf on how to carve fan birds based on the skills I teach.

The pack includes details of what timber to use for fan carving, how to prepare the billets and the carving techniques I use, showing you how to shape and split the feathers then spread them out to form the wings and tail. It’s not as good as coming to learn from me where you’ll also learn my special techniques for safe, efficient carving and get support and guidance at each stage but it’s the next best thing.

To go with the instructions, I have also prepared packs of fan bird wood. The billets are split from large diameter larch to give the best grain orientation and are cut to size ready to carve. If you don’t have access to timber or simply want a simple way to get started.

Get the how to carve fan bird instructions and fan bird timber from my etsy shop

For the best learning experience, I still recommend coming on one of my fan bird carving courses. You’ll learn my methods for safe and efficient carving and I can guide and advise you through the process to ensure success. Plus, you’ll have a fun day with a group of other lovely crafty folk. Check out my greenwood carving courses page or subscribe to my newsletter to stay up to date.

Posted in fan birds | Tagged fan bird, how to carve, instructions | Leave a comment

Gentleman Jack scything

Posted on May 19, 2019 by stevetomlin

Gentleman Jack is the latest BBC period drama and set not far from me in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Last summer I was hired to go to Shibden Hall and train the extras for an outdoor scene.

It’s always fascinating to see behind the scenes of a big production and how many people are involved, all with their own specific role. Director Sally Wainwright was brilliant, very keen to ensure that the scything would look realistic, I suppose in order to avoid a similar response to the scything on Poldark from a few years ago. The guys scything on the day were terrific and even though we only had a short amount of time, they got to grips with the scything techniques I showed them. They’re way off in the background and couldn’t actually cut the grass because of doing multiple takes but I was pleased with the results.

There are still some spaces available on my Learn to Scythe courses in summer 2019, on 2nd June and 26th July at Slaidburn, Lancashire. Email stevetomlin8@gmail.com to book your place.

Posted in scythe courses, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged 2019, actors, BBC, Gentleman Jack, period drama, scythe | Leave a comment

Fan bird carving course in Derbyshire

Posted on May 15, 2019 by stevetomlin

Fan birds are a little known craft in the UK. Each one is made from a single piece of wood with the wings folded out from the solid wood. People often think that they’re incredibly fiddly and too difficult to attempt as a craft.

Well, the 7 fan birds in the picture above were all the first attempt of students on my latest fan bird carving workshop at Greenwood Days on the Derbyshire/ Leicestershire border. I think you’ll agree that they look fabulous.
I’ve been teaching people how to carve fan birds for several years now and honed my methods so that everyone can achieve great results. I love seeing the delight and surprise on peoples’ faces as they see the result of their work, take a look at these pics:

If you’d like to join me for a day and learn to make these birds yourself, please sign up to my newsletter for details of future courses. If you can’t make it to a course or simply want to buy some ready made birds, visit my Etsy shop where you’ll find finished birds along with fan carving how to instructions and materials for making them yourself.

Posted in fan birds, greenwood courses, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged 2019, fan bird carving, greenwood work, wood carving course, workshop | Leave a comment

Spoon carving workshop in Derbyshire

Posted on May 13, 2019 by stevetomlin

I’ve just spent a fabulous weekend at Greenwood Days on the Derbyshire/ Leicestershire border. On Saturday I was teaching a group of beginners how to carve wooden spoons. Starting from fresh green birch wood logs, they learned to axe out a blank and then carve and hollow their own cooking spoon using Mora knives. There were lots of laughs and chat through the day but also some fantastic periods of concentration and mindfulness which often occurs with carving wooden spoons.

Nicola, Ian and Sally came together and went home with big smiles and a brilliant set of spoons and new skills.

If you’d like to learn how to carve wooden spoons, my next course is on Saturday 22nd June in Manchester – book your place here or sign up to my newsletter for details of future courses.

Posted in greenwood courses, spoon carving, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged 2019, Derbyshire, greenwood carving, Leicestershire, spoon carving | Leave a comment

Beech leaf noyau country liqueur

Posted on May 10, 2019 by stevetomlin

It’s spring and the leaves are coming out on the trees. It’s such an exciting time when the woods and meadows come alive.

Each year, I make the effort to head out on a sunny day like today to pick the first soft beech leaves before they go waxy. If you’ve followed my blog for a little while, you’ll know this is to make beech leaf liqueur, a wonderful drink, using this recipe.

The recipe takes a couple of weeks but the results are well worth it and improve with age: I’ve still got a little left from my original 2014 batch and it’s fabulous.

Let me know in the comments if you’re making noyau or other country liqueurs this year.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged beech noyau, liqueur, recipe | Leave a comment

Spoon carving in Yorkshire

Posted on April 19, 2019 by stevetomlin

My most recent spoon carving workshop for beginners was at Broadrake Bunkhouse at Chapel-le-Dale in Yorkshire. With views of Inglebrough and the Ribblehead Viaduct, the gorgeous Bunkhouse to stay in and the fabulous lunches, it’s one of my favourite venues for courses.

The course was over two days with us making cooking spoons on the first day and then more complicated eating spoons on the second day.

I love to see students increase their confidence and skills with the tools over the weekend and the quality of their wood carving increase in such a short time. These are their brilliant first ever spoons, each one carved by hand from greenwood.

You can learn to carve your own unique spoons on my one and two day courses – visit my courses page for dates and details.

Posted in greenwood courses, spoon carving, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged 2019, beginner, course, spoon carving, workshop, Yorkshire | Leave a comment

Stave basket making in new QEST book

Posted on April 15, 2019 by stevetomlin

I’m incredibly proud to have been chosen as one of 100 QEST (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust) scholars for their book ‘A Celebration of British Craftsmanship‘.

Photographer Julian Calder and I talked over my craft and decided to highlight the endangered stave baskets which I am working on as part of a Heritage Crafts Association project to preserve them. Rather than be pictured inside, I suggested we take the baskets back to the woods and he leapt at the idea. We were blessed with good weather and glorious green leaves as a backdrop to the portrait

It’s a real privilege to be part of the book, not only to be among such an amazing array of crafts and craftspeople featured, to be promoting an almost-extinct craft and bringing it to a wider audience but also as proceeds from sales of this book will enable QEST to support the next generation of professional craftspeople.

Posted in baskets, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged endangered crafts, QEST, Stave basket | Leave a comment

Spoon carving workshop at RHS 2019

Posted on April 9, 2019 by stevetomlin

Four people joined me last weekend for a couple of days at RHS Harlow Carr in Yorkshire to learn how to carve wooden spoons.
We started with making cooking spoons and introducing the axe and knife skills needed to work safely and efficiently. They’re a familiar shape and the design simplifies some of the carving while producing a unique item that you can go straight home and cook with. I love seeing the concentration on everyone’s faces as they get engrossed in carving.

If you’d like to learn to make your own wooden spoons you can join me on 22nd June or 23rd November in Chorlton, south Manchester. Book your place on Eventbrite: Spoon Carving in Manchester

Posted in greenwood courses, spoon carving, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged beginner, course, RHS, spoon carving, workshop, Yorkshire | Leave a comment

Spoon carving courses in Manchester 2019

Posted on April 6, 2019 by stevetomlin

Following on from the success of my recent spoon carving workshop in Chorlton, Manchester, I have added a couple of extra dates for courses in 2019.

Saturday 22nd June 2019
Saturday 23rd November 2019

Book your place via the Eventbrite page

The course is held just minutes away from Chorlton-cum-Hardy tram stop and runs from 10-4:30. During the day you will learn to use an axe and two special carving knives to create a unique wooden cooking spoon from local hardwood. Numbers are limited to ensure you receive lots of individual help and leave with lots of new skills as well as your own bespoke spoon.

Spoon carving kits, including a Robin Wood axe and two Mora carving knives shown in the photo above, will be available to purchase on the day.

Posted in greenwood courses, spoon carving | Tagged beginners, course, Manchester, spoon carving, workshop | Leave a comment

Wooden hay rake making at Stott Park Bobbin Mill

Posted on April 2, 2019 by stevetomlin

It’s always a treat to go up to Cumbria and spend some time in the Lake District, especially in spring when the countryside is coming to life. This weekend, I’ve been teaching a small group to make wooden hay rakes at Stott Park Bobbin Mill at the bottom of Windermere. The smell of wild garlic was everywhere, mixed with the scent of fresh ash timber as we worked in the sunshine.

We used greenwood for the parts, shaping them with axes and drawknives though some of the group did also use some more modern tools.

Everyone made a very handsome rake, ready for a summer of haymaking. More importantly, we enjoyed a couple of days in good company and the group learned lots of new skills.

Posted in greenwood courses, SteveTomlinCrafts, wooden rakes | Tagged Lake District, Stott Park, wooden rakes | Leave a comment