Steve Tomlin Crafts

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

Cherry wood cooking spoons

Posted on April 2, 2019 by stevetomlin

When I’m teaching spoon carving, I always make a few spoons myself so that I can demonstrate the techniques during the course.

This lovely cherry wood came from a local woodland in south Manchester and travelled just a few miles to the workshop in Chorlton. The colours are really gorgeous and look fabulous in the sunshine. Two of these are destined for my own kitchen, can you guess which?

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Stave baskets in endangered crafts article

Posted on March 28, 2019 by stevetomlin

There’s a lovely article in Countryman magazine this month about the Heritage Crafts Association’s efforts to preserve endangered crafts and the Radcliffe Red List of crafts. The Devon stave baskets that I am currently learning to make are featured alongside wheelwrighting, riddle making, paper marbling and oak swill basket making. I’m very proud to be helping to keep these skills alive and bringing the baskets to wider attention.

Posted in baskets, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged Devon stave basket, endangered crafts, HCA, Heritage Crafts Association, Radcliffe Red List | Leave a comment

Spoon carving workshop in Manchester

Posted on March 25, 2019 by stevetomlin

Part of my interest in moving to Manchester city was to bring the crafts I do, which are typically considered to be countryside based, into the city. I’ve already had success with my Learn to Scythe courses which I’ve held at a few locations in Manchester and this weekend I put on the first wooden spoon carving course in Chorlton-cum-Hardy.

Crafts are a fantastic way for people based in urban areas to engage with natural materials, tools and the pleasures of making and really important in my opinion as a counterpoint to most people’s screen-based daily routine.

We spent the day talking, laughing and making together using axes and knives to create unique cooking spoons from some lovely locally-sourced cherry wood.

I’ll be running more of these spoon carving workshops in Manchester, please sign up to my newsletter to be the first to hear.

Posted in greenwood events, spoon carving, SteveTomlinCrafts, Uncategorized | Tagged course, Manchester, spoon carving, workshop | Leave a comment

A craft trip to Slovakia

Posted on November 7, 2018 by stevetomlin

I’m just back from a fantastic week in Slovakia as part of a traditional craft skills project organised by Grampus Heritage. We were based at Lišov Museum where Jakub and Adriana are working to preserve the local cave houses and crafts of the area.
During the week, our main tasks were based around repairing and renovating the cave houses which are dug out of the local cliffs as homes and also wine cellars. They were still in use during the 20th century but many are now suffering from neglect or inappropriate work on them over the years.

Our lunches for the week was cooked by Danka, a local woman, using food from her smallholding. Her hospitality was fantastic and was a highlight of the trip. Also during our stay, I took time to visit one of the local cemetaries where candles had been lit for All Saint’s Day.

There was also loads of traditional crafts around and, of course, I took my own tools along with me so I could do some carving there. I’ll write more about those and post the rest of my photos in future posts.

Posted in SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged Grampus Heritage, Lisov museum, PEATS trip, Slovakia | Leave a comment

Derbyshire Woodland Festival 2018

Posted on September 6, 2018 by stevetomlin

As we head into autumn, I’m very pleased to say that I’ve been once more invited to the Derbyshire Woodland Festival at Evaston Castle country park. This is one of the best shows in the UK and full of the best craftspeople demonstrating and selling their work in a fantastic venue.
I’ll be there carving fan birds and will also have some of my ash splint and Devon stave baskets to show and talk about. Come along, enjoy the atmosphere and say hello.

Posted in greenwood events, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged 2018, Derbyshire, Elvaston Castle, Woodland Festival | Leave a comment

Learning to scythe in Manchester

Posted on June 20, 2018 by stevetomlin

Huge thanks to Frank and Edward who came to my first city scythe course at Hullard Park in Trafford, Manchester.
Hullard Park is fortunate to have a 1 acre wildflower meadow which makes an ideal setting for learning to scythe. We had a terrific day mowing together while being serenaded by Billy Joel who was practising for a concert at Trafford Park the next day.

I’m teaching scythe courses across the north west this summer, visit my Learn to Scythe page for details.

Posted in scythe courses, Scytherspace | Tagged Austrian scythe, course, Manchester, Trafford | Leave a comment

Scything the Churchyard in North Yorkshire

Posted on June 17, 2018 by stevetomlin

Last week I was back at St John’s Church near Ripon in North Yorkshire to teach a group how to use an austrian scythe as part of their Conservation week. The church has been working to preserving and manage part of it’s churchyard as a wildflower meadow. The scythe is a safe tool for their volunteers working among the headstones and perfectly in keeping with the quiet atmosphere.

As well as learning how to set up the scythes, sharpening and mowing we looked at maintaining the blade by peening the edge, hammering it using a special jig to thin the bevel and make it cut more easily.

My next Learn to Scythe course is at Bell Sykes farm, Slaidburn, Lancashire on 22nd July. Email stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com to book your space or see my Learn to scythe page for other dates this summer.

Posted in scythe courses, Scytherspace | Tagged churchyard, headstone, scythe, wildflower meadow | Leave a comment

Scything Stockport's community orchard

Posted on June 7, 2018 by stevetomlin

I moved to Manchester last year and am really excited to be discovering all kinds of local projects where communities are managing small meadows, orchards and other natural areas. I get the feeling that, living in a largely urban environment, the green spaces are precious resources which the people are taking into their own hands to look after.
Last week I was in Stockport teaching a group how to scythe at Sidings Orchard. The workshop was organised by Helping Britain Blossom.

Come and learn how to scythe yourself at Hullard Park, Manchester on 15th June. You’ll learn to set up, sharpen and maintain the scythe as well as techniques to mow the grass easily, quietly and efficiently. The day costs £80, to book email stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com

Posted in scythe courses, Scytherspace | Tagged 2018, Austrian scythe, beginners, course, Manchester, orchard, Stockport | Leave a comment

Like a hot knife through butter (cups)

Posted on June 6, 2018 by stevetomlin

I’ve been back to Cumbria this week for a Learn to Scythe course at Brigflatts Meeting House near Sedbergh.
I’ve been mowing the little meadow here for several years so it’s nice to see the meadow slowly changing and I know the grass will always be soft and clean so it’s a great place to learn how to scythe. Although there were showers forecast, we kept dry all day and everyone was mowing beautifully. Have a look at the portraits below and you’ll see the neat windrows, relaxed effort and good posture that you can achieve with an austrian scythe.
Your next opportunity to scythe is 15th June at Hullard Park, Manchester. The day includes all tuition in using and maintaining a scythe and costs £80, to book please email me stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com For other dates, visit my Learn to Scythe page.