Spoon Sloyd
August 23 @ 10:30 am - August 24 @ 4:30 pm
$280.00
Transform logs into spoons, aided by knives and hatchets, learning the true meaning of the mantra “form follows fibers.” In this course, we will be practicing sloyd in an interspecies partnership with some of mother nature’s favorite children – trees!
Sloyd? What the heck is that? In Scandinavia, the word “sloyd” (“slöjd” (Swedish)/ “sløjd” (Norwegian)) dates back to the age of the Vikings and can be translated with proper Scandinavian humility as “not uncrafty”. Today the term is widely used as a unifying ethic for all of the varied folk art traditions of Scandinavia.
If you enjoy crafting things that you can use in your daily life, learning about the incredibly diverse personalities and qualities of different trees, and engaging in the practice of “parallel play” with friends, new and old, you’ll love the world of sloyd!
This course will focus on the basic techniques that will enable you to continue carving spoons and other items out of green wood after you return home. You will also have the opportunity to leave with a couple finished creations, ready to assist you in your eating adventures.
Itinerary:
Day 1: We will start by gathering and getting to know each other a bit, sharing a little about ourselves and how we all came to be interested in carving spoons. Then we will jump right into carving by learning and practicing the basic knife grasps that every spoon carver needs in their arsenal. The focus here is on learning how to use sloyd knives in ways that are safe, efficient, and ergonomically friendly. Hannes will provide demonstrations of a few of the “go-to” knife grasps before turning you loose to practice the grasps while carving a butter spreader. After lunch, we will venture into the world of spoons! Hannes will provide a brief introduction to the basic design considerations of an eating spoon, followed by a demonstration of basic splitting and axing techniques used to create the rough shape that will be refined later with the knife. We will also talk about how to ethically source good spoon carving wood.
Day 2: In the morning we will pick up where we left off, roughing out our spoons with hatchets. Hannes will provide support and advice on safe and ergonomic use of a carving hatchet, along with more detailed explanations on how to accomplish different spoon shapes for different uses. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with a couple different forms, as they are so called. In the afternoon, we will gather together in our carving circle to transform our spoons from roughly hatcheted outlines into their final shapes. Hannes will introduce a few more knife grasps that can be very useful at this stage. He will also cover the final finishing steps, including tips on finishing cuts, burnishing, and oiling. As time allows, we will discuss more techniques for adding playfulness and creativity to finished items, such as kolrosing, painting and chip carving.
Meet Your Instructor:
Hannes Carlsen
Hannes Carlsen is a spoon carver and green woodworker with a passion for inviting others into the world of sloyd. He caught the spoon bug in 2019 from an inspiring teacher and has spent the intervening years spreading it to anyone who shows interest. He views spoon carving as a gateway into a world of embodied creative practice that fosters a closer connection with the natural world. He carves a lot of spoons alone, but has the most fun carving spoons in a circle with friends, new and old. He lives in Minneapolis and is currently working as an apprentice to a furniture maker. As much as he enjoys practicing sloyd himself, he finds sharing the act of sharing the practice with others to be even more fulfilling.
Carving Connection Between Species, Generations:
Humans have been carving spoons for centuries, making it one of the oldest woodworking traditions on the planet. It is a gateway into a world where we meaningfully and sustainably interact with the natural world (trees!) in order to make the items that we use on a daily basis. It is an opportunity to inject playfulness and creativity into the daily rhythms of life. Carving a spoon is also an act of collaboration between carver and branch. The mantra “form follows fibers” becomes clear as we must work with and not against the grain of the wood in order to create a smooth surface and beautiful curly shavings.
You may be surprised to find that there is a thriving intergenerational community of spoon carvers, both here in the states and around the world that are frequently meeting to create shavings and get inspired together. In taking this class, you will be welcomed with open arms into this community and will henceforth think of yourself as a spoon carver.
Green Door classes are immersive and intentionally long. We find that over prolonged time together, students form deeper bonds with each other, the craft, and their instructor for an overall more impactful experience. Even if you are a Traverse City local, the intention is that these classes feel a bit like a retreat away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. If you are visiting from afar, the experience can be even deeper.
Class Details:
Where is the class held?: This class will be held at the Cedar North Classroom, a place that so readily lends itself to community in crafting.
Cost: $280 (includes a $30 materials fee: covers all necessary tools for the class) Your instructor will have sets of Mora 106, Mora hook knives and carving hatchets available for purchase at cost.)
Date/Time: August 23rd and 24th @ 10:30 am – 4:30 pm each day
Prerequisites/Skill Level/Age Requirements:
- No prior experience required.
- Ages 18+
Booking Information and Policies:
What happens after I book the class?: After you book, we will send you a confirmation email that you are IN! A week out from the class, we will send you an email with more details about our meeting locations and some housekeeping items.
Want to make sure you have all of the information before you dive in? Here’s our cancelation policy: We understand that plans change, and we do our best to accommodate while honoring the time, energy, and resources that go into preparing for each class.
Cancellations made more than 14 days before the class start date Receive a full refund, minus a $25 administrative fee. This fee helps cover the cost of filling your spot. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds for cancellations made less than 14 calendar days before class begins.
At this time, we are not able to offer:
• Course credit
• Transfers to other courses
This policy allows us to keep class sizes small and intimate, while minimizing pressure to increase overall course costs.
If the class is canceled by the school: In the event of inclement weather or other disruptions, we will issue a full refund and do our best to offer a reschedule option.
Policies:
Go for it! This class is for self-declared wood enthusiasts, former stick whittlers, aspiring woodworkers of any kind, and those in need of two days of meditative and mindful handwork.