Very satisfying to send this new ash splint pack basket off to its happy new owner.
All the ash was pounded in the UK from English ash then graded, cut to size and woven in my workshop in Manchester. Veg-tan leather straps and brass buckles complete the basket to give it a timeless beauty.
I make these baskets to commission, if you’re interested in finding out more details or would like to order, please contact me stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com
Improve Your Spoons Workbook
A practical guide to improving your skills and carving better spoons.
Over the last 20years, I have taught hundreds of people how to carve their first spoons on my in-person workshops. Increasingly, I’ve become aware that their is a need for some tuition for people wanting to take the next steps and progress their carving. This workbook is designed, through a series of practical exercises, to help you master your tools and develop your designs to make better spoons.This workbook has taken several years to create, including trialing the exercises with carvers during my workshops. I’m incredibly pleased with it and excited to make it available at last.
Buy the Workbook from my Etsy store:
The workbook includes
• 70 pages of instruction, including advice on principles of learning
• 22 exercises based on carving with an axe, straight knife and hook knife as well as creating spoon designs and refining their shapes.
• Colour photos throughout to show the techniques and principles along with providing design inspiration.
• 8 templates to use during the exercises
Contents
Introduction & principles
Improve your axe work
Improve your knife work
Improve your hollowing
Improve your symmetry
Improve your design
Templates
Did you watch Sarah Beeny and her husband learning to scythe and feel inspired to start managing your own wildflower meadow?
My Learn to Scythe courses are a perfect introduction to using an Austrian scythe to manage your land, whether that’s a meadow, orchard or a garden. The scythe is lightweight, silent, effective and fun to use.
Book now for my summer 2025 Learn to Scythe courses via Eventbrite or find out more on my Learn to Scythe courses page.
Two turtle doves are an essential part of your Christmas decor and these handmade wooden decorations are a sustainable option as well as adding a touch of handmade charm. Available in two sizes, they’re ideal for the Christmas tree or as window dressing.
My fan birds are based on a traditional European craft and all individually hand carved from a single piece of wood.
Visit my Etsy store to purchase your fan bird turtle doves decorations and see more of my work – there’s even an instruction guide if you want to learn to make your own Turtle doves handcarved decorations
I’m just back from a brilliant time teaching a spoon carving beginners course for a lovely group. Starting with a greenwood log of fresh silver birch, the day covered all the skills to carve with axes and knives. They made terrific spoons, ready for cooking!
My next workshop is on 19th Oct 2024 at Chorlton in Manchester. Book via Eventbrite: Spoon Carving workshop
A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to teach Patrick Grant of The Great British Sewing Bee, how to scythe at his home. Here’s his article for the Financial Times : Patrick Grant scythePatrick Grant scythe
Find out more about my Learn to Scythe courses and discover how to manage your land efficiently, safely and with no more strimmer noise and fumes.
I will be holding a scythe peening workshop at Bell Sykes Farm, Slaidburn, Lancashire on 4th Oct 2024. Learn how to peen a scythe using the jig and we will also cover making repairs and an in-depth look at sharpening.
Places cost £100, please email stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com to book
Note that this workshop is intended for existing scythers and will not cover how to scythe.
Last week I was hired to teach Patrick Grant how to scythe at his home. The clothier, author and presenter of The Great British Sewing Bee is writing a new column for the Financial Times Weekend about managing his land using traditional techniques and skills. Scything fits perfectly with this as a traditional method for managing long grasses instead of a strimmer.
He’s a lovely guy and a great student, quickly picking up the skills and neatly scything the lawn.
RHS Bridgewater at Salford is a new RHS Garden close to where I live so it was terrific to be asked to teach their staff how to cut a meadow using scythes.
During the workshop we looked at how to set up an Austrian scythe, how to hone and sharpen the blade and, of course, how to scythe long meadow grass efficiently and easily. We had a brilliant time and I look forward to going back to see how their meadows develop over the years.
I’ve just been over near York, teaching the garden staff at Sledmere House how to cut the long grass in their meadows with a scythe.
The meadow is really well maintained and the team wanted to find a more sustainable method that is also still efficient – scything is the answer!
They all did an amazing job and I left 3 happy new scythers eager to carry on with their new skills.
