Join Anna for a hands-on green wood spoon carving course in Nelson, BC, hosted by Bothy.Studio. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to turn a fresh piece of local wood into a beautiful, functional wooden spoon using traditional hand tools and green woodworking techniques.
This course is designed for beginners and curious makers, as well as anyone interested in wood carving, hand tools, traditional craft, green woodworking, or functional design. Over the workshop, Anna will guide you through the full process: identifying suitable wood, splitting and preparing a billet, shaping with an axe, carving with knives, refining the form, and finishing your spoon for everyday use.
A wooden spoon may be one of the simplest objects in the kitchen, but it is also a surprisingly rich design challenge. Spoon carving brings together ergonomics, proportion, compound curves, grain direction, sharp tools, and a deep understanding of material. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a hand-carved spoon of your own — and the foundational skills to keep carving at home.
What You’ll Learn
What is Green Woodworking?
We’ll begin with an introduction to green woodworking: the practice of working freshly cut, unseasoned wood by hand. Anna will share context on the history and traditions of green woodworking, spoon carving, and functional woodenware, and how these practices fit into today’s renewed interest in craft, sustainability, and slow making.
Wood Identification and Selection
You’ll learn the basics of tree identification and wood selection for spoon carving, including which local and regional species are well suited to carving. We’ll discuss where to responsibly source carving wood, how to read the grain, and how to split a log into a manageable spoon blank or billet.
Tool Use and Safety
We provide tools for the workshop, you are welcome to bring your own. You’ll be introduced to the core tools used in traditional spoon carving, including the froe, hand saw, axe, straight knife, and bent or crook knife.
Anna will guide you through safe and confident tool use, including body positioning, controlled axe work, and multiple knife grips. You’ll learn which grips are best suited to different carving tasks, and how to work safely with very sharp tools.
Design, Ergonomics and Function
A good spoon needs to feel right in the hand and work well in the mouth. We’ll look at the geometry of spoon design, including proportion, balance, bowl shape, handle thickness, crank, strength, and ergonomics.
Anna will share techniques for making a spoon that is strong enough for daily use while still feeling elegant, refined, and comfortable.
Finishing
We’ll cover refined finishing techniques, including drying, final knife cuts, surface preparation, food-safe oils.
Who This Workshop Is For
This Nelson BC spoon carving workshop is ideal for beginners, woodworkers, artists, gardeners, cooks, craft lovers, and anyone who wants to spend time making something useful by hand. No previous carving experience is required.
You’ll leave with a finished or nearly finished wooden spoon, a better understanding of green woodworking, and the skills to continue carving safely on your own.
Got questions - contact us at hello@bothy.studio
Please ensure you can commit to attending the class at the time of purchasing.
Join Anna for a hands-on green wood spoon carving course in Nelson, BC, hosted by Bothy.Studio. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to turn a fresh piece of local wood into a beautiful, functional wooden spoon using traditional hand tools and green woodworking techniques.
This course is designed for beginners and curious makers, as well as anyone interested in wood carving, hand tools, traditional craft, green woodworking, or functional design. Over the workshop, Anna will guide you through the full process: identifying suitable wood, splitting and preparing a billet, shaping with an axe, carving with knives, refining the form, and finishing your spoon for everyday use.
A wooden spoon may be one of the simplest objects in the kitchen, but it is also a surprisingly rich design challenge. Spoon carving brings together ergonomics, proportion, compound curves, grain direction, sharp tools, and a deep understanding of material. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a hand-carved spoon of your own — and the foundational skills to keep carving at home.
What You’ll Learn
What is Green Woodworking?
We’ll begin with an introduction to green woodworking: the practice of working freshly cut, unseasoned wood by hand. Anna will share context on the history and traditions of green woodworking, spoon carving, and functional woodenware, and how these practices fit into today’s renewed interest in craft, sustainability, and slow making.
Wood Identification and Selection
You’ll learn the basics of tree identification and wood selection for spoon carving, including which local and regional species are well suited to carving. We’ll discuss where to responsibly source carving wood, how to read the grain, and how to split a log into a manageable spoon blank or billet.
Tool Use and Safety
We provide tools for the workshop, you are welcome to bring your own. You’ll be introduced to the core tools used in traditional spoon carving, including the froe, hand saw, axe, straight knife, and bent or crook knife.
Anna will guide you through safe and confident tool use, including body positioning, controlled axe work, and multiple knife grips. You’ll learn which grips are best suited to different carving tasks, and how to work safely with very sharp tools.
Design, Ergonomics and Function
A good spoon needs to feel right in the hand and work well in the mouth. We’ll look at the geometry of spoon design, including proportion, balance, bowl shape, handle thickness, crank, strength, and ergonomics.
Anna will share techniques for making a spoon that is strong enough for daily use while still feeling elegant, refined, and comfortable.
Finishing
We’ll cover refined finishing techniques, including drying, final knife cuts, surface preparation, food-safe oils.
Who This Workshop Is For
This Nelson BC spoon carving workshop is ideal for beginners, woodworkers, artists, gardeners, cooks, craft lovers, and anyone who wants to spend time making something useful by hand. No previous carving experience is required.
You’ll leave with a finished or nearly finished wooden spoon, a better understanding of green woodworking, and the skills to continue carving safely on your own.
Got questions - contact us at hello@bothy.studio
Please ensure you can commit to attending the class at the time of purchasing.
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