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SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

Tell us a little about yourself:

I’m 34 years old, and I live in Gothenburg, Sweden, with my to lovely daughters and our, not always so lovely, dog 😉 For the last 15 or so years, I’ve been working in different pet shops and animals and nature have always been a big part of my life.

How long have you been carving and how did you first get interested in it?

I have been carving for about 3,5 years now. I first started carving because I needed baby spoons for my oldest daughter, and I figured I could make better spoon my self than the plastic ones I could find in stores.

What are a few of your favorite spoon carving tools?

Mora 106 and my spoon knife from Svante Djärv. The 106 is a really cheap, yet excellent, carving knife. The Svante Djärv spoon knife is a bit more expensive, but I feel that a quality spoon knife is worth every penny for spoon carving. I would love to have an excellent carving axe, but my budget is just too tight for now. I’ll have to make do with my 9 euro axe from the hardware store.

Any suggestions of books or websites to learn about spoon carving or woodwork?

I really haven’t any suggestions for books, I’m afraid. A bit embarrassing, but I haven’t read any on carving or slöjd yet. I love using youtube, though! Plenty of “how-to” and “DIY” videos on just about anything. Including carving and slöjd.

Are there any particular spoon carvers who inspire you in your work?

I bought my first wooden spoon from Dave Cockcroft. A pocket spoon made from sloe. I still use that spoon almost daily. Absolutely love it, and it always makes me want to carve when I look at it. Dave also has a really nice and instructive Instagram and Youtube channel under the username Dave The Bodger. There are plenty of others out there, but since Dave was my first real inspiration, I think I’ll leave it there.

How have your spoon carving techniques changed over time?

I’m not sure, to be honest. I think the changes have been so gradual I really can’t put my finger on it. One thing I do know is I don’t cut myself as often as I used to, haha. I also don’t use sandpaper to the same degree as I did in the beginning. I’m still very much a newbie and have so much more left to learn.

What are your thoughts on popular decorative techniques like milk paint, kolrosing, or chip carving?

These are a few of the things I have left to learn, I’m afraid. Done well, I think it looks great! Especially on plain-looking woods like birch. But I do love the grain and colours of fruitwoods, and it is what I tend to use when possible. And it’s simply too pretty to cover up. Probably one of the reasons I still haven’t tried panting any spoons.

What do craft, sloyd, or wood culture mean to you?

This is a tough one. As a schoolboy, I was terrible at woodshop (träslöjd in Swedish), and I’m not sure I finished a single item. I think this made me shun away from everything related to woodworking for years. The first time I made something as an adult, I was hooked. It was so much fun making something I wanted from scratch! Today working with wood is a way for me to relax and feel good about myself and my own capability. Knowing you don’t have to visit the hardware store when your axehandle breaks is a great feeling!

If you had to pick a few songs to listen to while carving, what would they be?

Something calm and mellow, I think. Probably some Beatles, maybe ‘Blackbird,’ ‘Samson’ by Regina Spektor, and a Millencolin song called ‘The Ballad.’

Lastly, why do you carve spoons?

Spoons are challenging, beautiful, and useful. They are also small enough to store away with ease, even when you carved quite a few more than you really need

Thanks Patrik!

JUNE 18, 2019

I remember well the day I that read a wonderful post on Samuel Alexander’s Instagram feed. In it, he shared that he planned “to be more open with people about how therapeutic carving can be and how it can help with people’s struggles and bumpy roads.” It’s a recurring theme among many of the spoon carvers that I have interviewed, and one that I personally can relate to as well. As I’ve told many folks, making a spoon is more than making a spoon.

So that was what drew me into Samuel’s carving world, and what a wonderful one it is too! I’m grateful for his answers to my questions below, but when you’re done reading the interview, go check out his sketchbooks on his website. I’m certain you’ll be as inspired as I was by his drawing and carving.

Tell us a little about yourself:

My name is Samuel, I am a 24 year old carver of spoons! I am from North Devon England, from a small little coastal village, but now I live in the depths of East London (with the coast and the woodland still in my heart). I studied illustration with animation here in London but now I manage a busy outdoor store, make spoons, and teach spoon carving.

How long have you been carving and how did you first get interested in it?

I have always had an interest in green woodwork since I was a little sapling. Although I wasn’t aware of what woodworking was, I was very aware that I needed to make swords from sticks to fight off imaginary enemies. I would borrow my late grandfather’s pairing knives and make things like bows and arrows, fishing rods for the ponds, swords and more!

I sort of lost touch with that as I grew up but rediscovered the meaning, freedom and value of green woodwork about two years ago in the form of spoons! Now I make, sell, and teach Spoon Club at The Greenwood Guild.

What are a few of your favorite spoon carving tools?

Oooh! Good question! I love my Svante Djarv axe. It was my first big purchase at Spoonfest and have treasured it since. I have a few Nic Westermann knives which are always a joy to carve with. My favourite tools are the ones that my good friends have made. I have two lovely chip carving knives. One was made by James Wood (@jameswoodmakerofthings) it’s beautiful, the other is one forged by Nic, but ground by Adam Ashworth. I love this one because of the journey it’s been on. As makers, we tell stories, so I like tools that do that too!

Any suggestions of books or websites to learn about spoon carving or woodwork?

There are some amazing resources out there! Spoonclub.co.uk is in my opinion, the best online resource. Hosted by Barn The Spoon, It has wonderful video tutorials that are for both beginners and the most experienced of wood workers. It’s not just videos about spoons, but other projects from bowls, to chopsticks but also videos featuring our favourite green wood workers from around the world. There are a few good books out there, Spõn for example provides excellent tuition. There are great tree guides here in the UK made by the woodland trust. They have books and apps that you can use for tree identification that come in really handy!

Are there any particular spoon carvers who inspire you in your work?

I guess I kinda jumped into spoon Carving without any influence. I needed the craft (I will touch on why in the last question). I just started making! I love the work of other makers and I guess shape and form happens naturally. I am a big fan of makers but I feel that my spoons have always looked a little different and strange to another makers.

I think that there are some amazing makers who do a lot for the craft and who have certainly taught me techniques and safe practice that I’m able to pass onto other people. Barn has taught me a lot about technique and also how to teach people well, and safely. Tom Hepworth has been a great mentor of mine over the years! I have met great friends over the years who drive and inspire me. Alex Yerks, Sam Cooper, Jack Storey, Allessandro Bossio, Adam Ashworth, Dan Lawrence and many more! I love hanging out and getting nerdy about spoons.

How have your spoon carving techniques changed over time?

With confidence! I see it now still, the more I work, the more confident I get. I practice very safely and use proper technique that uses less energy. I have grown stronger in my own hands and this has allowed me to work faster and have a much higher output. I love repetition. I can make the same spoon over and over and tweak the way I approach it each time to make it as efficient and the best version that it can be. Initially facets were hard to get along with, but now I’m good friends with them.

What are your thoughts on popular decorative techniques like milk paint, kolrosing, or chip carving?

I love it! A spoon can be so so playful. I think that there is a grand celebration happening for the art of the wooden spoon. And I believe that makers, making in there own way is something so beautiful. For me, a lot of the time, I obviously remove wood but I feel that I can relate more to a spoon by what the makers has left behind.

What do craft, sloyd, or wood culture mean to you?

Freedom! When we work, we are free. People lose so much in their lives. With craft and sloyd, I have gained so so much and I am thankful everyday that I am able to make. The new wood culture is growing fast and it fills me with joy.

If you had to pick few songs to listen to while carving, what would they be?

I actually make my own spoon carving playlists! They are on Spotify I think. I have a Spotify account called ‘smaddonwayrecords’ I have a few playlists. I like folk songs and storytelling.

My top three would be:

Bill Callahan – Sycamore

This Is The Kit – Earthquake

Michael Hurley – I Paint A Design

Lastly, why do you carve spoons?

I carve spoons because I feel alive when I do! I have suffered from a deep spell of depression, anxiety and PTSD and through different forms of therapy (that didn’t seem to help) I found spoon carving.

The process of being completely emerged in a craft began to distract me from the big dark cloud. Little did I know, it was clearing the skies over me. The more I made, the better I felt. I can honestly say that I feel ‘cured’ of depression, I feel lighter, healthier and have such a better outlook on life itself, and I know that it is hugely to do with the fact that I make spoons. It’s the idea of using all the good parts of yourself to make something and then it looks back at you. You can hold it, admire it, feel every facet and then release it through a gift or selling. It’s wonderful!

I lost so much, relationships with family and friends, memories, the ability to do well at university but through this craft I have repaired the leaks in my hull and have gained more than I could want.

I owe so much to the craft and that is why I now teach and inspire others. I love giving back to it. In my head, the more spoons made, the better people feel. Thus the more people I can influence, the more could be saved. I am a huge advocate for using craft as a prescription.

Thanks for reading and carve on!

Thanks Samuel! You can follow him and inquire about purchasing his spoons on Instagram at @samuelspoon or on his website at www.samuelspoon.co.uk.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

Tell us a little about yourself. How long have you been carving spoons and how did you first get interested in it?

I’ve been carving spoons since 2004, and pointy sticks since 1980. I first got interested in moving on from sticks for roasting food over camp fires, to spoons when I attended a “Woodlore” Bushcraft course in the UK during 2004. Throughout the week long course we practiced many outdoor skills which had a big influence on me and the way I wanted to go with my life.

We were shown how to make a spoon, albeit without an axe, and I was hooked. Soon afterwards I learned further green woodworking techniques after meeting craftspeople in the industry at shows and through volunteering.

What are a few of your favorite spoon carving tools?

Well, I think the Mora 106 straight knife takes some serious beating. It’s just brilliant, especially when you make a personalized handle and sheath. The spoon knife I use all the time is a Bo Helgesson. I love it so much, and will miss it when its been sharpened beyond use.

Are there any particular spoon carvers that inspire you in your work?

Other crafts folk that have influenced me have been Robin Wood through his blog and bushcraft forum contributions in the early days, Jarrod Stone Dahl and Barn the Spoon for their excellent short videos on axing out and sharpening, and other various folk who have become addicted to spoon carving and taken it forward after courses I’ve run.

Any tips for new spoon carvers based on what you have learned?

If I was to give any advice to those starting out now, I would ease off from wanting to carve an eating spoon. Establish a set easy design for a straight cooking spoon and a teaspoon. These get used a lot, and are a lot easier to visualize the 3D shape and quicker to carve. Make 10 of each, then the main grips and shapes will be sorted. Then start on eating spoons so you can think about cranks, thinness of bowls and handles, thickness of the keel and interesting features that makes it your design.

Are your spoons for sale? And how can someone buy them?

I tend to split the craft side of year equally between spoons, kuksas, bowls, barkcraft, shrink pots, foraging and camping out.

All my crafts can be found at www.pauladamsoncraft.co.uk

DECEMBER 30, 2019

I’m very happy to share the following interview with Sue Ackerman.

Tell us a little about yourself:

I was born and raised in the Midwest, mainly Minnesota and Iowa, with a brief run in Missouri. I’ve been a lifelong, sharp-stick-by-the-campfire carver since childhood. I was married for 14 years to the father of our five children, aged 17-28 years. I have two grandsons, 1 yr old and 10 mos. Currently, I work from home as a medical coder primarily doing surgical coding for a group of spine surgeons in the Twin Cities since 2006. I stumbled onto my career path by chance and connected immediately in much the same way I stumbled onto spoon carving. I tend to go where connection leads me, be it with people, careers, hobbies, etc. If the connection is there I am compelled to see where it leads, good or bad! If I don’t feel a connection, it isn’t meant for me. I was remarried again briefly in 2016, which I refer to as the biggest mistake I’m glad I made. That marriage was life-changing and forced me to take a good look at myself, the path I’d chosen, and the choices I was making. It was the initiative I needed to make global changes to improve my overall well-being. As it will, life took unexpected twists and turns, which makes “Tell me a little about yourself” a little hard to reign in. I’ll keep it as closely related to the spoony topic at hand, although it feels a lifetime has led me to my true passion: the wooden spoon.

How long have you been carving and how did you first get interested in it?

I carved my first spoon almost by accident, with no initial intention of making anything in particular. I had a cousin whom I’d grown close to while we were both hanging out in the local bars in Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa playing pool. I learned more about shooting pool with him than anyone prior or since. We spent countless hours shooting pool in the bar. It was our bond. Rob was a colorful character full of stories and anecdotes with a smart, quick humor. Sadly, Rob died unexpectedly in 2015 leaving a permanent void. A year or so after his death out of the blue and on a whim, I asked my aunt if I could borrow Rob’s woodcarving gouges. I’d never used a gouge and had no clue what I was doing or even how to hold them properly. After several practice cuts I started to envision a spoon taking shape. And so it became. Literal blood, sweat and tears went into my first spoon and a passion was born instantly. I remember saying out loud to myself, “Well, this is what I do now.” I believe Rob led me to this and no one will convince me otherwise. At that point, I had no idea that spoon carving was even “a thing.” Clueless, I googled spoon carving and, after that, became a sponge. I watched YouTube videos day and night. I liked to think it was a healthy obsession (but it probably had some unhealthy qualities at the beginning.) I had found my people! Everything about it resonated with me.

I’d found a connection to something so personal, so deep and special, it went beyond description or explanation. A safe place. An inspiration. Kindness. Solidarity. Something more fulfilling to my mind, body, and soul than anything I’d experienced. My many years of alcohol addiction had taken so much from me, emotionally and financially, and now a light shone through and I saw a way out. After years of feeling ashamed of myself, it helped me finally see a future that didn’t include booze or the bar. I genuinely believe that spoon (and Rob) saved my life. I had a new hobby and purpose and something I could be proud of. I carved my first spoon in January of 2017. In July 2017, with the unwavering support of my family, I found the strength to leave my ex-wife. On October 31, 2017, I set my empty glass on the counter of the bar and knew I’d taken my last drink. I was finally ready to be done with it. I held myself accountable for my mistakes and my addiction, forgave myself and took back control of my life. I’ve restored my financial situation, I regained my self-respect and my confidence and all thanks to a wooden spoon?? WHAT???

What are a few of your favorite spoon carving tools?

Ooooh, tough one. There are so many beauties out there. My current go-to hook is the Woodspirit by Reid Schwartz. Ahhh, the Woodspirit! It has the perfect shape and strength for most spoons I make and holds its edge longer than any tool I own. You just can’t argue with perfection. My other go-to lately is Matt White’s Monadnock. That is truly a thing of beauty. A work of art from the blade to the handle to the handcarved wooden sheath. It’s a beautiful tool that is a pleasure to hold and use. My favorite straight knife right now is a simple Mora 120. I like the 106 also but for most cuts I prefer the length and strength of the 120. I also really Like Del Stubbs’ Pinewood Forge short sloyd for some finer finishing cuts. I use a 8L/25 Pfiel bent gouge for deeper, big-bowled spools. But my all-time favorite tool and the first thing I’m saving in a house fire (sorry kids) is my Julia Kalthoff Small Carver axe. It was love at first sight. I can’t imagine why I’d ever need another carving axe. I have a couple others I use for splitting or debarking, but for carving….mmm mmm mmmm, love it!!!

Any suggestions of books or websites to learn about spoon carving or woodwork?

I would direct any new or experienced carver to this website – www.woodenspooncarving.com – and www.spoonclub.co.uk. Any experience level can garner a wealth of knowledge and inspiration from both sites. There are hundreds of years of experience combined among all these carvers, and how better to learn? I would also suggest a subscription to Spoon Club. The amount of information on that site for that price is unbelievable! What a tremendous resource that I can’t recommend enough, even to a seasoned carver. As far as books, I would agree with most anyone that Swedish Carving Techniques by Wille Sundqvist is the gold standard. I enjoy everything about that book quite frankly. I also love my copy of Spon by Barn the Spoon. Tons of great info! I cherish Drew Langsner’s books Green Woodworking and Country Handcraft. I have dreams of making several projects from those books but I somehow manage to mostly just make spoons. I adore Sean Hellman’s Shave Horses Lap Shaves and other Woodland Vises. My shave horse is an amalgamation of his Dumbhead Plank design and Drew’s shave horse design in Green Woodworking. I took parts of each and worked it out. Next, I’d like to make the Easy Rider from Sean’s book. Goals!

Are there any particular spoon carvers who inspire you in your work?

Where to even begin? Seriously there are just so many! When I was first starting out, I learned the most from Zed Shah’s “Zed Outdoors” YouTube videos. They included Adam Hawker, Jill Swan and Lee Stoffer among others. What an invaluable, incomparable service Zed is providing to the sloyd community with those comprehensive tutorials. THANKS ZED!!!!! Those were my go-to resources because they’re free and available to anyone with internet access. As my experience and skill progressed Barn and Spoon Club was a sound investment. A wealth of information covering everything from carving to sharpening to kolrosing to chip carving to finials, etc. etc. etc. Wille Sundqvist’s The Spoon, the Bowl, and the Knife is an excellent DVD, and Jogge Sundqvist’s The Sloyd Tradition is excellent as well. Also I was fortunate enough to get to know Ty Thornock and meet his family a couple years ago at his home. I’d purchased one of his spoons on Facebook, and since he lived close enough, I asked if I could pick it up in person. A great guy and a brilliant kolroser. I also purchased an eating spoon from Adam Gruetzmacher who happened to be selling spoons at a show outside my work while I was there for a meeting. He also makes exceptional pottery, but we got to geek out about spoons and tools. His spoon has inspired me to go much thinner in my bowls and try a few new decorative carving techniques. I haven’t even scratched the surface of inspiring carvers and sloyders. I do have to mention a few names in no particular order because their work is absolutely delicious!!!! Pat Diette, Jane Mickelborough, Maryanne McGinn, Kim Fejgin, Alex Yerks, Jarrod Dahl, Per Noren, and so many others.

How have your spoon carving techniques changed over time?

Like anything, my techniques evolved as I became educated and with practice. Also, as my confidence grew, and my sharpening skills improved. I started out making chunkier spoons because I feared to go too thin. I sanded my work because I didn’t know how to sharpen my tools properly. The more I practiced and built up my skills the more risks I was willing to take. I still sand an occasional spoon, but now it depends on the finish I’m looking for as opposed to skill level. To learn, I tried to mimic other carvers’ work. I learned the most by trying to replicate someone else’s work. I didn’t do it to steal someone’s signature style, just do improve my own ability. It’s a technique I definitely recommend. It’s interesting to see how my work has changed in the past two and a half years or even since last year. It’s essential to be open to constructive criticism. I value it. To date, my mother and brother are my best critics. They’re okay with saying if something isn’t comfortable or is unbalanced or where it might need more work. Contrarily they’re also my biggest cheerleaders. I’m definitely my harshest critic, so it’s nice to have someone else look at it who hasn’t been staring at it up close for three hours. That’s my other piece of advice…put it down and walk away. Pick it up again later and look with fresh eyes. It makes a huge difference!

What are your thoughts on popular decorative techniques like milk paint, kolrosing, or chip carving?

I adore many of the decorated spoons I’ve seen. I think they’re brilliant. For the most part, I’m a simple girl with simple carving tastes. I’ve done both chip carving and kolrosing, and there’s no shame in saying there’s certainly room for improvement!! I struggle with some aspects of both skills and I intend to learn more at a later date. For now, I’m happy and comfortable making nice, simple spoons. My carving style is mood-based. If my mood tells me to kolrose, I kolrose. If I push it, then I don’t enjoy it, and it won’t turn out well.

What do craft, sloyd, or wood culture mean to you?

I have to say it means the world to me. It’s given me my life back. As exaggerated or contrived as it may sound I was a lost soul. I envisioned myself sitting on a barstool well into my old age. With only that vision that is surely the future I would have manifested…until I carved a spoon. Now I see all the trees, I see the spoons in the trees. I drive by a downed tree certain that I must harvest it and carve it. I’ve tried many hobbies in my life, and nothing has connected with me the way this has. It affects me emotionally. I have carved spoons and cried when they were complete. It’s a release. I’m beyond grateful to have a connection to the earth, to something organic. Putting all technology aside and being at peace with the wood fibers and the knife or axe is fulfilling. It captivates me and compels me to create something beautiful and functional. I’m inspired by so many wood carvers, spoon carvers, crafters, and sloyders. This community is something I had no idea I needed. Creativity, I believe, is essential to the human experience, and to be able to do it with something natural is a blessing to me. Being a part of a community that builds each other up and promote and inspire each other is what life is all about.

If you had to pick a few songs to listen to while carving, what would they be?

Songs huh? Hmmm…The Eye by Brandi Carlile, Hard Times Come Again No More by James Taylor, Made Up Mind by Tedeschi Trucks Band. I might be a unicorn, but I don’t typically listen to music while I carve. I either carve in silence, listen to stand-up comedy, or “Friends.” Yes, “Friends.” I watch each season from start to finish and then start over again. Probably super weird, but you asked! …sort of.

Lastly, why do you carve spoons?

I carve spoons because not carving them isn’t an option anymore. It’s who I am now. I’m a mom, I’m a grandma, and I’m a spoon carver. I carve because it brings me calm and joy, and if anything I make can bring someone else joy, then all the better!

Thanks Sue! You can follow her and inquire about purchasing her spoons on Instagram at @midwest_spoons.