In a recent blog post back in July, I'd hinted about a new form of woodworking I'd recently become excited about that wasn't as physically taxing on my body, yet was every bit as challenging and rewarding as furniture making. And that new obsession is spoon carving.
I'd actually done a blog about it once before, back in January, where I chronicled my very first spoon; an anniversary gift for my wife Jen. I pretty much knew after that spoon that it was something I wanted to pursue further. I've carved quite a few spoons since then; some out of Cherry, Apple, Beech, and Sycamore. I've found my favorite wood so far to be Beech, although I'd like to try some Apple spoons with wood that is freshly cut from the tree. The Apple I used had been cut about 6-8 months earlier and had dried to the point where it was really hard to carve. Spoon carving wants to be a green woodworking endeavor as it carves much easier when freshly cut. The older I get, the more I seem to be drawn to green woodworking of all sorts. I think there's just a closeness to the wood that you get building or carving something that you rived out of a log and worked into a useful object, like a spoon, or a joint stool, or a ladder back chair, that you just don't get from a piece of kiln dried lumber you buy from the hardwood store.
So anyway, this has proven to be a very relaxing and satisfying form of woodworking for me given my decreased strength and stamina of late. And I had no idea just how popular spoon carving is worldwide until I got researching and delving into it. There are some people out there that do some absolutely phenomenal work. I also found that they have a huge gathering in Britain each year called Spoon Fest and one in Milan, Minnesota also. Not sure I'll ever get to the one in England, but I've got the one in Minnesota in my sites.
So with that new avenue of mine revealed I'll leave you with some pictures and a promise of another blog post real soon chronicling some shop expansion and the start of something COMPLETELY different for me. It's off to bed for now though. Leaving early tomorrow morning for Winston-Salem, North Carolina and my first ever Woodworking in America Conference and Show. Should be a great time. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve tonight. :-)
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| Ordered this spoon from one of my spoon carving inspirations, Peter Follansbee. Made a big difference to be able to actually hold and see first hand what a properly made spoon was supposed to look like. |
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| My first "successful" spoon. I liked it at the time. Now it's relegated to the didn't make the cut pile. |
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| One great thing about spoon carving; this is really all the tools you need to get going. |
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| My first serving/mixing spoon. Not the greatest, but I find it very useful for mixing brownie mix and scooping potato salad and such. |
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| The first spoon that I was and have remained pleased with. An eating spoon for my youngest daughter. She uses hers quite a bit. :-) |
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| My first attempt at a painted and carved spoon handle. I like this look. |
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| My first spoon commission. A lady Jen works with ordered four to give to her family as gifts. |
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| Made little custom cards for them for a little personalized touch. |
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| Made this spoon rack the other day to make the spoons more accessible to get to and use. Carved oak with a couple coats of Soldier Blue milk paint. |
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| Everyone in the house has there own eating spoon now. Some have two. :-) |
