Eating from a wooden spoon is a pleasure. Silent. No tapping and scraping sounds on the plate. Light and warm in the hand. When you also eat from a wooden bowl, the food stays warm for a longer time. Not only using it is a pleasure. The making of the spoon is also almost meditative. Repetitive movements, working in the here and now. If you don’t pay attention, you will feel it. The tip of the knife against your skin. If you are unlucky just a little deeper. The movements get stored in the muscle memory of your hands, which become more and more skilled.
Woodcarving keeps you in the here and now. You keep your knife sharp and the knife keeps you sharp in return. If you don’t pay attention you will feel it…
Symbol of sustainability
In this age of consumerism and disposable products, such as plastic cutlery, it is increasingly clear that sustainable solutions are needed. Wooden spoons, made from local wood, which has been obtained in a sustainable way, is an expression of this. The wood I use almost always comes from pruning. I use branches that have been saved from the chopper about to turn in into biomass. In some cases i use a tree that has fallen or could not remain for other reasons. I know the tree from which the spoon is made. I know where it stands and sometimes even the history of the tree itself. Of how many things that you use daily do you know who made them, how they were made and from what?
Spoons can be made anywhere
Nothing gives more satisfaction than making something yourself. The knowledge that you can make what you need with a few simple tools and materials. That gives a feeling of independence and self-confidence. Wood that used to be a branch on a tree turns into a usable spoon in your own hands. With a little care and love, that spoon can last for generations. In contrast to, for example, a stool, spoonmaking doesn’t require much wood or space. Once the wood is split and the shape is carved out with an axe, you can cut and decorate your spoon at the dining table. A designated workshop is not necessary. Nor do you need expensive tools.
Spoon blog
In this spoon blog I will tell you more about wooden spoons, how I make them and what you need to do it yourself. Would like to stay informed about new blog posts and follow my spoon carving adventures? Then follow me on Instagram.