The spoon is the fundamental eating utensil. It is often the first utensil we use each day as we eat our cereal in the morning, and in our lives too as we first take solids after coming off mother’s breast. Deceptively simple, the spoon is an intriguing item. To carve one is an interesting and pleasing journey through the world of trees, grain direction and wood behaviour as it dries. Using hand tools only you will carve a simple cooking spoon from locally sourced green wood. You will learn how to safely split and chop using an axe, how to carve with a straight knife and to hollow with a hook knife. There will also be discussion of safe finishes and ways to decorate your spoon. Add a new utensil to your kitchen drawer or a new gift for friend or family.

Course Outline:

• Intro
• Why spoons
• Safe use of sharp tools
• Splitting log with axe and maul
• Squaring billet with axe
• Carving blank with axe
• Using sloyd knife to carve outside of spoon
• Carve bowl with hook knife
• Decoration and finishes

Learning Outcomes:

• Using an axe safely
• Safe use of carving knife
• Learning about grain direction
• Safe use of hook knife

What to Bring:

• Morning Tea and lunch
• Drinking water
• Hat
• Closed shoes
• Spectacles
• Notepad and pen

About the tutor:

A hobbying woodworker and longtime bush regenerator with an interest in traditional crafts, I have combined all three activities three into a thing called spoon carving. Inspired by the Scandinavian craft of sloyd I have been carving for over 15 years (and I still have all of my fingers!). As well as working with local carvers and woodworkers I have travelled abroad learning from some of the worlds leading carvers in the UK, the Netherlands, USA and Sweden. I have run spoon workshops at the Illawarra Festival of Wood, SpoonJam, with Sutherland Shire Council’s Bushcare program and through the Splinter woodworking co-op in Marrickville, where I have also worked as a teaching assistant since 2015. And yes, I eat from a wooden spoon.

Other Information:

• To ensure resources are ready for you at the start of your course, we ask you ideally enrol at least one week before the course commences.
• All courses need a minimum number of students to run ("we try our hardest to get those") . If your course does not have enough students it will be cancelled before the commencement and you will be informed.