DVD Review- Carving Swedish Woodenware

Imagine you're lucky enough to get a chance to take a class with a master woodworker who specializes in gorgeous spoons and bowls. That's what this dvd is like, except better, because you can stop, rewind and watch a section a few more times if you need to. Jögge Sundqvist is that master.

This is a re-release of an older video. The older video is good quality and it is on par with my favorite craft shows and dvds that are currently being produced.

Mr. Sundqvist is an enthused teacher, who starts from green (fresh cut) wood and using hand tools creates bowls that can be used as dough bowls or as a gorgeous fruit bowl centerpiece and spoons from the wood. The tools used are easy to find, an ax  an adze, a knife and gouges primarily with spoke shaves for finishing parts of the bowls.

He takes you step by step from splitting the wood to make a bowl and picking the best pieces and designing the bowl to fit the wood to what branch shapes make the best spoons. He shows each step of the process clearly, demonstrating how he holds the knives for safety and how he positions himself to chop the wood.

I love the bowls, and they are a great project, but I have a weakness for handcarved usable wooden spoons in my kitchen. The spoons demonstrated are gorgeously shaped, elegant and frequently decorated with pretty carving.

He talks about the history of wood carving in his family, and one of the things I loved was the obvious deep pride he takes in his work and in his home.

Recommended absolutely for people who are considering hand carving, for people who want to learn more about making wooden spoons and bowls and just because it's a very enjoyable DVD. It's one I watched with my family, and they all enjoyed it, and feel very confident about making me lots of wooden spoons and even a few dough bowls this summer.

Published by The Taunton Press- the publishers of Fine Woodworking Magazine.

I received a complimentary copy of this book to review, I received no other compensation, and my review is my honest opinion of the book. You can read more about my review policy here.

Spoonflower 2 for 1 Fat Quarter Sale, spoons and other things

There are only 2 days left of Spoonflower's 2 for 1 fat quarter sale, and my dishtowel calender IS available now. I ordered my sample calendar in linen-cotton canvas and a fat quarter of that is 18x27 inches. It's opaque and heavy, and because of their printing methods has enough of an edge to just turn that over and hem it. The top will have a couple repeats of the border strip and can be turned into a casing for a dowel hanger. I'm deciding if I just want to turn and hem the edges or use a black bias tape to bind the edges.  I'll get a photo later of the fabric to post. We ordered a fat quarter of a Doctor Who print for TG and fat quarters of some of my designs which I plan to use for jewelry projects.


We watched a video together last night on spoon carving. I'll be reviewing it soon, it was fun watching it with my husband and son, and talking to them about spoon designs. They are of course more enthused about working with axes, adzes and knives than about spoons. I'm pretty happy to think that they will be making me spoons for my kitchen soon.

Yesterday was also my eye exam and the medication is working. My optic nerves are getting back to normal now. Yay!

It's really cold here! We went out this weekend for some local Halloween events. TG was a fantastic Sherlock Holmes. I forgot my camera, but Michael brought his so there will be pictures later. One of the things about her costume that was just great is that she couldn't find a double breasted overcoat at a thrift store she liked, so she used the military surplus one from her Wygie costume a few years ago and converted the mock double breast into a double breast by adding hand stitched button holes in red and shifting buttons. Her scarf was knitted by her, and we ordered a deerstalker hat from England as the purchased item to go with her costume. Dad of course trick or treated at the events we went to. 64 year old man or not, the man is not giving up a chance for candy! It was lots of fun.