I spent last weekend at the Bodgers’ Ball, the annual event of the Green Woodworkers Association in the UK. I entered one of my ash splint pack baskets into the competition and was very pleased to be awarded first place, thanks to everyone who voted for it.
The current issue of the Allotment and Leisure Gardener magazine has a review of The Scything Handbook by Ian Miller.
It’s great that scything is getting this kind of coverage but a shame that the reviewer has been told that this is the “first new book on scything for 35 years”. My own Learn to Scythe book was published in 2015 with both Filbert Press and Ian Miller being aware of it, scything is a small world!
There is a more in-depth review of the Scything Handbook in this issue of Windrow magazine in which my own book gets several very favourable mentions:
Tomlin’s ‘Learn to Scythe’ is a more concise guide, with lots of colour photographs, and a more modern feel
If your sole aim in reading a book about scything is to learn the skills however, then I suggest Tomlin for a clear and concise manual.
I will be one of the teachers leading a two day masterclass at the fair on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 June. This course is aimed at:
The cost is £125 for individuals, £150 for organizations, £90 concession for unwaged. Meals are provided. Camping on site is available.
There is also a beginner’s course on Saturday 10 June.
For more information or to book, please contact Simon on 01297 561359 or scythes@myphone.coop www.thescytheshop.co.uk/courses.html
Rusland Horizons is a three year project working to revive traditional skills and increase people’s awareness of this area in south Cumbria.
Last weekend, I taught a group of local people how to carve wooden spoons from freshly cut greenwood timber. Carving outside in the spring sunshine with lovely company is part of the magic of spoon carving, it’s a perfect hobby to take with you when you’re on holiday camping.
We worked with some small diameter silver birch as well as some larger cherry wood, carving cooking spoons, butter spreaders and eating spoons over the two days. As always, the main focus was on learning safe and efficient use of the tools.
First, axe work:
Then lots of different knife techniques for shaping, hollowing and refining the spoons.
It was a lovely peaceful time with lots of good chatter, focussed attention as well as the sound of my first cuckoo of the year. And, of course, some great new wooden spoons.
Find out about my other courses on my greenwood courses page or you can book me to come and teach spoon carving at your own venue – email me for details.
Splitting open a log is always exciting for me. Everything I make starts with the log and that moment when I see it’s texture, how straight the grain is and its colour. The colours in this current piece of cherry timber which I’m working is some the best I’ve ever had. Cherry is always beautiful with pinks intermingled in the heartwood and shown off by the contrasting cream sapwood. In addition, this cherry has a distinct green streak through it as well as gorgeous flecking.
Currently, I have the following spoons available from this special timber:
Unfortunately, it’s in limited supply so all of the spoons I carve from it will be limited editions. Once it’s finished, I’ve some good sycamore to start which I’m sure will have it’s own beauty, but not these amazing colours.
Everything I make is unique. Even when items are made to a pattern, the fact that they’re individually made means that each piece is slightly different. Like people.
These wooden eating spoons are based on a Gallician spoon and a design by my friend Robin Wood who asked if I would make this set of six as a commission.
The client wanted the spoons to be easily identifiable and we discussed various methods of subtly marking them. In the end though, as you can see, the gorgeous colours in the grain of this cherry wood have done the job better than we ever could have.
There’s just a little more of this wood left so I’ll be making some more work from it while it lasts. Keep watching here to see the new work.
I’m just back from a fantastic trip up to Ullapool in the Highlands of NW Scotland where I was invited to teach a Learn to Scythe course by the Crofting Federation. The scythe is perfect for crofters who are often managing smaller areas of steep, wet or inaccessible land with limited resources.
The participants included people from as far away as Skye and Glasgow as well as locals. It was fascinating for me to hear about their different crofting situations and admire their dedication to farming in difficult conditions.
Learn to Scythe with me on my scythe courses in Cumbria and Lancashire or contact me to arrange a workshop at your own venue. I’m happy to travel and would love a trip back to Scotland.
The weather was fantastic for us and I managed to spend a couple more days in the area walking in the mountains and enjoying the fabulous scenery.
Last week I was invited up to County Durham to teach a fan bird course for beginners as part of the Auckland Castle project.
I really enjoy teaching this course, it’s a great mix of careful carving with chisels, gouges and knives working up to the moment when we fold out the feathers to create the wings.
The concentration in the room is super high and there’s not a small amount of tension as well, especially for me as I want everyone to succeed.
All our hard work paid off in the end though and everyone went home with fantastic wooden birds and lots of new skills as well.
If you’d like to learn to make these beautiful birds yourself, I’m teaching several more fan bird courses this summer. Please contact the organisors directly to book your place:
I spent the weekend at RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Yorkshire teaching a spoon carving course to six lovely folk.
My courses always focus on teaching carving skills and we build these up at the same time as making wooden spoons. Everyone goes home with spoons to show off and use but, more importantly they learn techniques and confidence to continue using carving axes and carving knives after the course.
We start by splitting a log and then axing out a spoon shape. I’m always impressed by how quickly people improve in their confidence and accuracy with the axes. Safety is key, brilliant demonstrations of safe hand positions here.
Then we start to carve using the straight and hooked knives. I want spoon carving to be an accessible hobby so I select the best tools to reflect this which work well and are within people’s budget. We work through different knife grips, all the time refining the spoon as we go. Check out that beautiful long shaving that Alison is making as she carves long, clean facets on the handle, easy to do with good technique.
This was a two day course which means we can look more deeply at the skills and work on more carving complicated eating spoons as well. Here are Callum‘s spoons, great shapes and finish.
If you’d like to learn to carve wooden spoons, check out my other course dates. I am planning some workshops in Manchester for 2017, subscribe to my newsletter to be first to hear about dates.
Nothing makes me happier than to make craft and then hear from its new owner.
I recently sent one of my ash splint wall baskets to Marc in Germany who was kind enough to send me this lovely message:
Dear Steve,
I would like to let you know that your package arrived today. The basket even exceeds my expectations. Love it!
I really appreciate your personal note and, of course, the cute little spoon.
What could be better than buying beautiful items and thus at the same time supporting an independent maker.
Keep up the great work!
A happy customer
I have lots of craft of my own that I’ve bought from other makers and reminds me of them or the story of acquiring it when I use them. The pleasure they bring in this way is more that just from having beautiful, well-made items, it’s a connection between people.
