15th March 2020- 10.30-3.30
Callis Community Gardens, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
Get to know wild wood in greater depth and connect with your natural creativity on this immersive full day whittling course hosted by the Quirky Forager, Miranda Cowan & Live Wild’s Leonie Morris.
You will…
- Learn how to select the best materials for whittling in a sustainable way that honours the trees and wider ecosystem they are part of
- Hone your skills with working wood as the tutors guide you through the best techniques for sawing, splitting wood, tool selection and tool care, and the craft of whittling for durability and beauty
- Create useful, fun objects such as a spatula or butter knife to take home
This course is suitable for complete beginners or whittlers with some experience.
The Tutors
Quirky Forager, Miranda Cowan and Live Wild’s Leonie Morris will create a supportive learning environment where there is opportunity to explore individual creativity and develop confidence to continue whittling at home.
Practical Information
We will provide hot drinks and all material and tools for the course. You are welcome to bring your own whittling knife if you have one but this is not necessary. Please bring your own lunch. There is a compost toilet on site.
Course Cost: £60, we have limited the course to 8 people, so please book to secure your place.
Date: 15th March – 10.30 – 3.30
Location: Callis Community Gardens, near Hebden Bridge- West Yorkshire
If you have any questions about the course, email: quirkyforager@gmail.com
Why Whittle?
Our connection to wild wood and its uses is as old as the hills. Our ancestors interacted with it all the time, relying on it to build and furnish their dwellings, create tools and provide warmth. There is something deeply magical about our ability to transform wood into so many different things, from intricate beads and cups to our fundamental needs such as heat and light. This ability to know and work with wood runs deep into our ancestry and is something we can re-remember.
To know which trees to harvest, how to do this respectfully with the bigger picture in mind and how your hands can interact with the wood safely and skilfully are powerful abilities to regain. They can be a way to bridge the gap between us humans and the natural world.
The soothing and meditative nature of whittling also brings us deeply into the moment and creates a sense of wellbeing, connection and belonging.