Traditional woodland crafts and green woodworking courses, craft kits and handcrafted gifts

You may also be interested in: Animal husbandry and small holding skills | Art: driftwood and beach combing | Bushcraft and forest school | Coppicing and woodland management | Garden design and maintenance | Gardening | Gardening: pruning and orchard management | Heritage crafts | Outdoors and rural skills | Timber framing | Traditional building skills and conservation | Wildlife and nature conservation | Willow weaving

Traditional woodland craft courses (we also include green woodworking and greenwood crafts in this section) are increasing in the UK. Traditional woodland craft can also be known as ‘woodmanship’ and means working with trees, forests and tools in a way that communities going back thousands of years would recognise. These wood-loving ancestors of ours may have been the first true conservationists, working their resources in a way that was renewable and sustainable, not only preserving trees, but enhancing the richness of the surrounding wildlife. Traditional craft and green wood workshops in this section will generally involve woodwork without the use of nails and screws - and with a focus on hand tools. Think rustic!

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Chair making course at Sallerton Wood

Chair making course at Sallerton Wood

In-person course

Devon - Next course on 20th September 2021

These six-day green wood chair making courses cover all the green woodworking skills and processes needed in order to construct your own chair from a green ash log. The techniques include cleaving out and shaping the components, drying some of the components overnight in the wood-fired kiln, steam-bending some of the components to give them the correct form, cutting and drilling mortises and tenons, frame assembly, and finally weaving the seating material. There is a range of chair designs to choose from, to suit all abilities, and a range of...

These six-day green wood chair making courses cover all the green woodworking skills and processes needed in order to construct your own chair from a green ash log. The techniques...

Introduction to green woodworking with Gedwood

Introduction to green woodworking with Gedwood

In-person course

Moray - Next course on 25th September 2021

Set in the stunning rolling hills of Speyside, at the very heart of malt whisky country in the scottish highlands. This course is suitable for the complete beginner. You will be introduced to the basic skills of green woodworking. Starting with how to select a suitable timber and how to master the techniques of cleaving, trimming and shaving the wood on the shave horse, pole lathe, using only traditional hand tools such as the Swedish carving axe, draw knife and froe. You can make and take home with you a...

Set in the stunning rolling hills of Speyside, at the very heart of malt whisky country in the scottish highlands. This course is suitable for the complete beginner. You will...

Beginner’s bowl carving

Beginner’s bowl carving

In-person course

Norfolk - Next course on 28th May 2022

Have you dabbled with greenwood spoon carving and are keen to take your skills to the next level? Then this might be the course for you! New for 2021, we are offering a limited number of residential weekend courses in greenwood bowl carving for up to three people at our workshop based in a sleepy village in the Norfolk-Suffolk border. We will teach you how to make a simple Kuksa bowl similar to those that are made by the Sámi nomads in Finland. We will take you from basic wood...

Have you dabbled with greenwood spoon carving and are keen to take your skills to the next level? Then this might be the course for you! New for 2021, we...

Summer Woodland Workshop (A.M. ADULT + 1 FREE CHILD)

Summer Woodland Workshop (A.M. ADULT + 1 FREE CHILD)

In-person course

Ruth and Lorraine are excited to welcome you to spend time tapping into your inner creativity and learning new skills in our mindful, relaxing and welcoming workshop at Birtley Woodland Art Space! AN ADULT TICKET INCLUDES ONE FREE SUPERVISED CHILD TICKET We include a selection of seasonal activities for you to choose from on the day suitable for families, adults, teenagers and supervised children. In addition to Wood Carving & Pyrography, you will have a choice of Willow Art to choose from including a Bird Feeder; Dream Catcher; Obelisk; Dragonfly...

Ruth and Lorraine are excited to welcome you to spend time tapping into your inner creativity and learning new skills in our mindful, relaxing and welcoming workshop at Birtley Woodland...

Introduction to green wood furniture making - two days

Introduction to green wood furniture making - two days

In-person course

Devon - Next course on 23rd September 2021

A two day course learning the skills and techniques of green woodworking, with an emphasis on contemporary design and detailing. Maximum of 6 students. You will make either a low stool or a side table using a variety of edge tools. Starting with a fresh cut log you will learn how to cleave the wood with a froe and wedges, then shape it on the shaving horse with drawknife and spokeshave. Joints used will be through-wedged-tenons. Use of contrasting timbers, and sculpted free-form table tops or seats are all available...

A two day course learning the skills and techniques of green woodworking, with an emphasis on contemporary design and detailing. Maximum of 6 students. You will make either a low...

Alien spoon carving

Alien spoon carving

In-person course

Edinburgh - Next course on 16th October 2021

I am open to new bookings and rescheduling previously booked courses now. Courses will be following the current virus guidelines as much as possible and groups will be even smaller - often 1-2-1 and groups from the same household, people that have booked together, etc. Alien spoons? Well, only because it is a memorable name and some of the knife grasps feel a bit alien to start with. You will soon get to grips with them and the focus of this workshop is learning to use safe and efficient carving...

I am open to new bookings and rescheduling previously booked courses now. Courses will be following the current virus guidelines as much as possible and groups will be even smaller...

Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

In-person course

Devon - Next course on 4th April 2022

Starting with an unseasoned log you will learn how to create a beautiful and unique chair which will last for generations. This is one of the most satisfying green wood projects and the course is suitable for complete beginners and experienced woodworkers alike. The "post and rung" construction uses the natural properties of green wood to produce incredibly strong, glue-free joints. During the course you will learn to split wood accurately, and shape it using draw knife and spoke shaves. Using the unique qualities of unseasoned wood and following a...

Starting with an unseasoned log you will learn how to create a beautiful and unique chair which will last for generations. This is one of the most satisfying green wood...

Spoon carving for beginners - morning

Spoon carving for beginners - morning

In-person course

London - Next course on 16th October 2021

This regular class in spoon carving introduces you to the art of carving with an axe, a knife and a crook knife. By carving a spoon, you can focus on becoming familiar with the tools of the craft without the pressure of knowing what to carve. As you gain confidence with the tools, you begin to build a relationship with your small scale carving and understand the subtle and addictive qualities of this new hobby. We will use green wood, freshly cut with a high moisture content. This is a...

This regular class in spoon carving introduces you to the art of carving with an axe, a knife and a crook knife. By carving a spoon, you can focus on...

Introduction to spooncarving at Hill End

Introduction to spooncarving at Hill End

In-person course

Oxfordshire - Next course on 10th October 2021

Carving a wooden spoon from a simple piece of freshly cut tree branch is a deeply satisfying experience. Green wood is very yielding and all of your senses are stimulated, from the smell of fresh wood shavings being carved away to the texture and feel of the bowl and handle as they emerge from the spoon blank. Using just three tools, an axe, a knife and a hook knife, we will spend the day carving our own spoons. We’ll start by cleaving a length of branch wood in two, deciding...

Carving a wooden spoon from a simple piece of freshly cut tree branch is a deeply satisfying experience. Green wood is very yielding and all of your senses are stimulated,...

Make a Windsor chair

Make a Windsor chair

In-person course

Greater London - Next course on 9th January 2022

London’s only dedicated greenwood chair-making course... Run over 12 weekly sessions, it’s a commitment, but at the end you’ll have made your own Windsor-style chair. You’ll learn how to fashion fresh timber, straight from the log, into billets for the chair’s main components – the legs, stretchers and spindles – using axe, drawknife and spokeshave. Then you can try your hand at turning these parts on a traditional foot-powered lathe, a magical process that is thoroughly addictive. You’ll then make your seat, using traditional ‘bottoming’ tools including the adze and...

London’s only dedicated greenwood chair-making course... Run over 12 weekly sessions, it’s a commitment, but at the end you’ll have made your own Windsor-style chair. You’ll learn how to fashion...

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