Monday 28 February 2011

Large salad bowl

I was asked to make a large salad bowl for someone. This is th end result. It is 15 1/4" diameter and stands 6" high. It is made form macrocarpa or Monterrey pine and has been oiled.



Sunday 27 February 2011

Handmade Monday

Wendy at 1st Unique Gifts runs a link session on her blog at http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/blog/ every Monday. Worth a look for the various different crafters, some beautiful handmade work is displayed. Go have a look.

Saturday 26 February 2011


This is an unknown wood I got my hands on and is just under 14" diameter and 4" deep. The wood was really punky on one side and I nearly didn't bother but then decided to be different and use the tear out as a feature. Sanding it was like sanding in a fog LOL. Have I wasted my time or was it worth the effort? Maybe someone will like and buy it

Friday 25 February 2011

Urgent request

A lady ppped in the other day and asked me to make her a platter, to be collected the following morning. Fortunately I was able to oblige and so had a happy customer the following morning.

Cedar, 14" diameter

Thursday 24 February 2011

New spindles

This is a pair of Russian spindles made of mahogany ansd stained. They are 10.5 and 11 inches long and weigh 18 and 22 grams.

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Hand spindles

Three different types made today, well four actually LOL


These are two bottom whorl and one top whorl drop spindles, all about the 20 gram mark









 These are replica French hand spindles. They are smaller and highly decorated. Based on one I was shown recently
These are made for someone who had two roman and one medieval lead whorl that she wanted mounted on shafts. The whorls are genuine ones that had been found somewhere.

Tools of the trade

For some time I have been making various tools for other crafters, things like spindles, crochet hooks needles and a few other bits and pieces that I am asked for. I was recently introduced to someone who both spins and colects spindles however and my eyes were opened firstly to all the faults in my work (in a really positive constructive way) and to the massive variety that could be available including some that seem to be rare. I am going to look into specialising in making the spindles and seeing if I can make a collection of different types from around the world as well as the variations. I'll post some as I do them. Some differences are fairly subtle and some really obvious so it should be an interesting excercise.

Saturday 19 February 2011

Rustic acacia


This piece is 9" tall and 6" max. dia. Partly hollowed. Acacia is one of those woods that has gorgeous colours and as often as not crazy grain patterns. This on also has some burred parts and loads of bark inclusions giving it plenty of character. A very hard wood that shines to a really high gloss contrasting with the bark and natural textures.

Wednesday 16 February 2011

 These two bowls were turned from a slab of dirty old wood I found buried in my workshop. I am not too sure but it looks like Bubinga and is a deep red with a few black streaks in it. Both have some gilding on the rims. Th first one is turned to about 5mm thick and the second is left more chunky. Both are approx 6 - 6 1/2" diameter and a couple of inches tall.

Monday 14 February 2011

Back to my first love

Which is making things from the wood that others would throw away. This piece of hawthorn was well deformed and so I had to have a go didn't I? It may not be everyone's cup of tea but the combination of the natural wood, bark and lichen with the polished surface of the turned bowl is something I really like.

Check out the lovely work at First Unique Gifts while you are at it. 



Saturday 12 February 2011

Catching up with bits and bobs

Been finishing off a number of pieces that I started some time ago.


 A yew pot with textured and dyed rim: 7" tall and 6" wide with a 1 1/2" rim









 This is a 22 1/2" platter that I started before Christmas. Made of Macrocarpa or Monterrey Pine.



Thursday 3 February 2011

Getting sorted for a presentation

Started putting pieces together and getting them ready for a presentation to impress a potential outlet. Look much nicer like this than just standing up on a table or something...at least I think so.