Wooden spoon carving courses, craft kits and handcrafted gifts

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...

Your tutor will guide you through the process from selecting a log through to a completed spoon. Mark Saich Originally trained as a carpenter/joiner, Mark has worked as an eco-builder, sustainable construction consultant and trainer. He has a degree in Environmental Sciences, obtained a post graduate diploma at the Centre of Alternative Technology. He now owns and lives in 23 acres (the venue) of woodland practicing green woodworking and sustainable woodland management. The session includes: * Tool review - an overview of the various tools available for spoon carving and...

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...

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...

This full day course allows you to take a log blank and turn it into a spoon you’ll be able to use in the kitchen forever. We teach you how to safely and effectively use axes and different knives to shape your spoon, giving you the perfect introduction into making spoons for yourself at home. David Hunter is a coppice worker in Pembrokeshire, where he manages local woodlands using hand tools and traditional techniques. He uses the wood he cuts to make products ranging from charcoal to spoons for sale...

This course serves as a general introduction to the basic skills used in green woodwork. You will spend the day developing the green woodwork skills needed to create your own kitchen spatula and Scandinavian butter spreader. You will start by selecting a suitable log and cleave the timber using traditional tools and techniques. After roughing out the blanks using a carving axe you will move onto the shavehorse and use a drawknife to create the shape of your spatulas and spreaders. Finishing touches will be added with small wood carving...

This is a one-day introduction to spoon carving where we will work together carving a cooking/stirring spoon from a log using carving axes, knives and hook knives. You will start by selecting a suitable log and cleave the timber using traditional tools and techniques. After roughing out the blanks using a carving axe you will learn the safe and effective knife grips needed to carve the outline of your spoon with a woodcarving knife. You will then use a hook knife to hollow the bowl of your spoon. At the...

There is something very satisfying about carving a spoon. Using fresh green wood and some basic tools you can very soon immerse yourself in this traditional craft. My taster session is a great introduction to this craft. During the 3 hrs we’ll work from a freshly split log to a functional spoon. I’ll guide you through the safe use of the tools needed. Initially working with an axe to rough out a blank we then use a straight knife to refine the shape and the hook knife to form the...