Steve Tomlin Crafts

Ladderback chair heritage

Posted on March 19, 2013 by stevetomlin

I have received two interesting emails lately which add more detail about the background to the Castle Drogo and Jennie chairs. They tie in beautifully with discussions I’ve been having elsewhere on the web about crediting your craft references and inspirations and, by doing so, becoming part of a heritage of makers.
Jennie Alexander wrote to explain that the two-slat chair is a progression from a one-slat Shaker dining chair which she copied and taught during the first two chair making courses at Drew Langsner’s country Workshops in the late 1970s. This one-slat has straight back legs so is a simpler introduction to chair making. It wasn’t until the third of these courses that they bent the bent the back legs in order to build a two-slat chair. So the original credit goes to the Shaker craftsmen who designed the chair though Jennie admits to have altered the construction enough for it to be classed as the ‘Jennie chair’. Developments have continued on the construction so that a third edition of ‘Make a chair from a tree’ is underway at the moment.
Jennie also came to England and taught chair making at John Makepeace’s school at Parnham House “a long, long time ago”. During this class there wasn’t time to bend the back legs so they built one-slat dining chairs from that original Shaker design. Who was one the course? David Drew, who went on to build 100 of them for Castle Drogo in Devon where I found them.
Meanwhile Jane Schofield wrote with more information regarding those Castle Drogo chairs. Her husband commissioned the chairs for the restaurant following the ‘Great Storm’ of 1990 which felled many trees on the National Trusts properties. The actual timber for the chairs came from Knightshayes Court in Tiverton rather than Castle Drogo itself as I’d been led to believe. A set of photographs of the making process were also commissioned at the time and hung in the restaurant; I wonder where they are now? Something to follow up..
From the Shakers through Jennie Alexander to David Drew the stories of the two chairs are form a heritage with each successive craftsperson adding their own identity. I am even more proud to be making them now myself and hope I can do them justice.

Posted in chair making, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged Alexander, black and white chair, Castle Drogo, chair, David Drew, dining, green woodwork, greenwood, handmade, ladderback, Langsner, shaker, UK | Leave a comment

A Gift of Spooncarving

Posted on March 19, 2013 by stevetomlin

Denise came and spent a day with me last week to learn to carve spoons. The day of one-to-one tuition was a Christmas present from her partner and so, after more than 2 months of anticipation, she was excited to get started. Even though she’d not worked with wood before I guessed that Denise would be good with her hands as she’s a bookbinder and, since she runs workshops herself, thought she’d also be a good student. I wasn’t wrong on either score and she was a pleasure to teach as well as good company.
Normally, I spend two days teaching people to carve spoons as there’s a lot to fit in and I want to spend enough time practising the techniques to get them right and so folk can remember them once they get home. Everything goes a bit quicker with just one person and with some modifications to the usual timetable I was confident we could get it all in.
We started as always with the axe which for most people is the most difficult tool as it requires strength as well as technique to use accurately. I was impressed by how Denise got on with but when, halfway through, she also admitted to being a drummer it became clearer why she had the forearm strength and good rhythm. We worked at different exercises to gain confidence and then develop the beginnings of accuracy.
After going through what I consider to be the fundamental grips for the straight knife we broke for some lunch. Denise was soon asking ‘What’s next?’ and the only real answer was ‘Okay, let’s make a spoon.’
I decided for this lesson to let Denise do the axework for her spoon with the proviso that, once her aim started to go or she felt her muscles complaining, I would take over. There’s no point in carrying on with axing if it means you are too tired for the knifework when it is a simple matter for me to finish off removing the waste. In the end, that wasn’t necessary and, apart from a couple of small refinements, the spoon is all her own work. I love to watch people learn to handle the tools, find the grain and enjoy those moments when their own experiences teach in practise what I’ve been explaining with words.

We had enough time to make a couple of decorative notches and refine the bevels of the handle for a handsome finished spoon that’s sure to be the first of many.

Posted in greenwood courses, spoon carving, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged course, individual, tuition, UK, workshop | Leave a comment

QEST Scholar

Posted on March 15, 2013 by stevetomlin

The news arrived last night that I have been selected for my Queen Elizabeth Scholarship. I am very excited.
It means I have the funding to spend 3 weeks in Sweden working and studying with Fritiof Runhall learning about greenwood carving, design, decoration techniques and whatever else we get excited by during the time. I’m especially keen to do some bowl carving with him, explore ideas for my own makers mark and, of course, carve spoons. Fritiof has been an inspiration for me since I did a short spoon carving masterclass with him in 2011
In amongst that, the scholarship will enable me to visit several museums in the area as well as Skansen open-air museum and the Nordic Museum in Stockholm to research their collections of woodenware as inspiration for my work, spend a day with Ramon Persson, a maker of wonderful birch bark boxes, see craftwork on sale in specialist shops and hopefully enjoy the Swedish countryside. I’m going to be visiting, seeing, talking about and making as much woodwork as I can fit in with some amazing craftspeople, to improve my skills and open new avenues for my work.
In addition, I hope to use the connection with QEST to promote not only my own work but greenwood carving in general to a much wider audience as a contemporary, high-skill craft. I feel very honoured to have been selected as the list of scholars is full of makers with great talent.
There’s lots to prepare now as I can’t wait to get there!

Posted in spoon carving, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged bark, carving, fritiof runhall, greenwood, QEST, Ramon Persson, scholarship, spoon, sweden | Leave a comment

QEST interview for greenwood carving

Posted on March 13, 2013 by stevetomlin

Yesterday I was in London for an interview with the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust. The trust, which was established in 1990, gives funding to support practising craftspeople in gaining training or experience to further their careers. My scholarship, if I’m selected, will enable me to spend 3 weeks in Sweden working with Fritiof Runhall, one of the best greenwood carvers in the world as well as visiting other craftspeople in the area and researching old wooden spoons in several museums there.
The interview was just 20 minutes long with a panel of craftspeople and designers, most of whom are Royal Warrant holders for their craft and including two woodworkers. I did feel quite daunted to be presenting to them but I’d had some good advice in advance that it would be relaxed and that proved to be right. I took a selection of my wooden spoons, a large carved bowl and a shrink pot container to show and, by the time I’d got in the room and said hello, the various members had the work in their hands – always a good sign. I’d been told that I would have 10mins to present my proposal followed by questions from the panel but actually I talked for just a couple of minutes before they jumped in with questions on how I work, the advantages and problems of greenwood, why I want to learn from Fritiof, pricing my craft, creating a carved finish instead of sanding and where I think I’m headed. It was all pretty intense but exhilerating at the same time and was over in a flash; it reminded me of teaching at Spoonfest – trying to put across a lot of information about what I do in a short time to a group of highly interested people.
I should find out by friday whether I’ve been awarded the Scholarship but in many ways I already feel like I’ve been successful. The fund website states they are looking for “Well thought out proposals which will contribute to the excellence of modern and traditional British crafts” from craftspeople who can demonstrate they “already have a high level of skill and are firmly committed to your craft or trade”. To have been selected on that basis from 300 applicants for one of only 30 interviews is a huge compliment and mark of recognition, not only for my own work but for the relatively unknown craft of greenwood carving and spoon making in the UK.
Keep your fingers crossed and I’ll let you know when I hear the news.

Posted in SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged bowl, carved, greenwood, QEST, shrink pot, spoon | Leave a comment

Jennie Chair frame complete

Posted on March 7, 2013 by stevetomlin

I’ve just finished assembling the frame for the Jennie Alexander side chair. I altered the rungs slightly, to give this chair the same seat size as my other dining chairs and put in just 4 rungs with different postitions. I wanted to lighten the look of the chair and give it some ‘lift’ so it appears more free. I’m confident that the structure, based on oval tenons and interlocking joints in the seat, is still strong enough for everyday use and I’m very happy with the final look.
The instuctions I followed from Drew Langsner’s ‘Chairmaker’s Workshop’ take the legs through a shaving process from square to octagonal and then round but I decided to stop at the octagonal shape to give the chair a contemporary feel, a feature I’d really liked on the David Drew oak and willow chairs from Castle Drogo. The slats were steamed and dried before fitting rather than springing them in as Drew suggests since that’s the method I’m used to and avoids the need to plug the gaps which result from the slats drying and shrinking in their mortices, the top slat is fixed with shaved oak pins which give a nice detail feature.
Overall I am very pleased with this chair, I’ve only been able to sit on it with an improvised seat but the design of the back posts gives excellent support and comfort, as you’d expect from a chair which has such excellent heritage. I’m still considering what to seat the chair with but will post more photos when it’s complete.

Posted in chair making, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged Alexander, ash, chair, dining, green woodwork, greenwood, handmade, ladderback, Langsner, UK | 1 Comment

Scythes in Scotland part 2

Posted on March 2, 2013 by stevetomlin

My second museum on the trip through Scotland was the Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore. I’d spoken to Bob Powell, head of the museum, on the phone to book a visit and been impressed when he’d mentioned that he keeps his scythe by his desk as a break from the paperwork.
Bob introduced me to John and Sandy, two of the museums volunteers who were doing a bit of mowing that day and then took me to one of the farm buildings to see a few scythes there. Along with the American patterns here were more examples of the new snath which I’d seen at the Scottish Museum of Rural Life. Bob even had a card from the local ironmonger’s with which you could specify and order your snath (‘sned’) made to measure in one of 8 styles. After photographing the scythes on site and sharpening a scythe for John and Sandy, we drove over to the museum’s store where we unearthed more examples. I was especially taken with how light they were and the use of paint on the snaths, something I’ve not seen elsewhere. During our discussions Bob mentioned that in previous years they’ve mown and made hay by scythe at the museum and hopefully will again.It all made me think that this would be a perfect venue for a Scottish Scythe Festival..

Posted in Scytherspace, scythes | Tagged Highland Folk Museum, museum, Scotland, scottish, scythe, snath | Leave a comment

2013 scythe courses filling up

Posted on February 25, 2013 by stevetomlin

My Learn to Scythe course in May is now full with places booking up on the June and September dates too. I’ve been getting steady interest since before Christmas and it’s a great indication that the interest in scything is picking up as people get away from powered garden machinery and use the scythe instead. It’s also encouraging that so many people recognise that mowing is a skill that’s worth investing time in to learn.
I have two more Learn to Scythe courses in Cumbria on 28 June and 7 Sept 2013.
During the day you’ll learn to set up the scythe so that it fits your body and mowing style, a little of the background to the Austrian scythe but, most importantly and quite unique among scythe courses, we’ll spend the majority of the day out in the meadow cutting. This means you get the most time to practise the cutting motion and I can watch you as you mow. Each student gets individual attention, making further adjustments to your set up and correcting your technique so you go home with a firm understanding of the ‘tai-chi’ style of relaxed and efficient mowing. We will sharpen together in the field using methods which make that process safe, easy to learn and successful as well as covering peening the blade using the jig. Although generally attended by beginners, this makes a brilliant scythe refresher course or for those with experience and looking to improve.
I also offer individual tuition and can be booked to teach a group on your own land, for more info on my Scythe courses, including specific workshops on peening visit the Scythe Courses page. To book or discuss your requirement, send me an email.

Posted in scythe courses, Scytherspace | Tagged 2013, learn, learn scything, learn to scythe, peening, scythe, UK | Leave a comment

Scythes in Scotland

Posted on February 21, 2013 by stevetomlin

On my way up to teach a ‘Learn to Scythe’ weekend at Forres last summer I took the opportunity to visit two museums on the way and see if I could find out more about the Scottish scythe. In 2011 I’d been given a Scottish snath of the familiar Y shape and was interested to find out why it had developed and it’s use.
My first stop was the Scottish National Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride. I’d made an appointment to visit and was shown the collection of harvesting tools in storage. Although it’s only a small collection they have some nice pieces including crown blades still with their original stickers though all from makers in England. Also on the rack were the first traditional English straight snath I’ve seen plus a couple of scythes with snaths of a kind I’d never seen before, neither the American ‘S’ or the Scottish Y” shape but something in between.

In the public part of the museum itself there is just one display case for the scythe which includes a couple of interesting photos including one of a Mr Aitchison from Dumfriesshire in 1966 with a hybrid straight snath. Captions to the photos indicated that the Y-shape dated back to the early 1800’s in the Aberdeen area, presumably with the straight snath being used before that.

Posted in Scytherspace, scythes | Tagged course, museum, Nash, Scotland, scottish, scythe, snath, Tyzack | Leave a comment

Jennie's legs

Posted on February 16, 2013 by stevetomlin

Back to post-and-rung ladderback chairs this week, steam bending the back legs for a new design of chair. The ash was lovely to shave down with the drawknife and bent very easily after about an hour in my steamer.

Actually, this isn’t a new design of chair at all but it’s not seen in the UK. The chair is the style made by Jennie Alexander in her book ‘Make a chair from a tree’, which kicked off the greenwood working revival at the end of the 70’s. If you live in America, this is a very familiar chair as it’s the one taught by Drew Langsner on his chair making courses at Country Workshops but in the UK I’ve never seen one or heard of one being built by a green woodworker. Over here the most common chair designs are those from Mike Abbott’s books (based on chairs made by Philip Clissett in the 19th century) which don’t seem to be made in the US. It’s a lovely looking chair and I’m curious how it feels so I decided to make one to add to my range; I think it will make a terrific office or cafe chair.
The main difference of the Alexander chair is in the back legs. Rather than being curved over their whole length, there is a dramatic bend between the lower and upper slat to give the curve necessary to fit the sitters back. I think this also gives a very clean and stylish look to the chairs and I’m looking forward to seeing how comfortable it will be.

Posted in chair making, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged Alexander, ash, chair, green woodwork, greenwood, handmade, ladderback, Langsner, Mike Abbott, Philip Clisset, steam bending, UK | Leave a comment

Carved spreaders

Posted on February 10, 2013 by stevetomlin

I’ve been making and selling wooden spreaders for 10 years. They’re lovely things to use in the kitchen and a perfect carving project for learning knife techniques for spooncarving. On my spooncarving courses we make a spreader together on the first day to practise the different knife holds and learn about carving with the grain. Even for more advanced carvers they make an interesting project.
Like with so many things, spreaders seem so simple and yet I find loads of opportunity for experimentation and design. This batch were carved while I was away on holiday in Austria, a quick project to pick up and play with in between other things. It’s a scrap of wood split radially from a log and easily carved using powerful pushing cuts for the initial shaping and flattening then pulls and thumb pushes to finish and add detail.

Since they’re so quick it’s a chance to try out ideas and I enjoyed coming up with new shapes and then developing them. On a couple I used kolrosing and incised engraving to highlight an element or add decoration but I most enjoyed using the facets and bevels of the blade and handle themselves to decorate. Decoration is often seen as something that is added after the spreader or spoon carving is finished but I think the two need to be part of a whole; it shouldn’t be used to cover up or compensate for a poor shape while, for me, over-decoration detracts from and confuses the underlying form. In my work I focus on creating smooth curves, clean facets and bold bevels as the foundation of good carving to produce the best forms. These are my decoration which can then be enhanced by careful and conscious embellishments.