Pocket Spoon

So recently facebook memories reminded me that I wrote this blog post three years ago..  Cue the trip down memory lane! It’s old and the picture is a bit pants but it’s still pretty special.

The spoon one in from the left is ‘pocket spoon’. Here’s pocket spoon today –

hand carved wooden pocket spoon
Pocket Spoon. Birch, 5.5″

What a gorgeous patina! Three years ago marks two special occasions. It was the year I seriously got into spoons. Growing up in a house full of talented craftspeople means I’ve always used tools, and also used wooden spoons. But as a child I was far more interested in shorter projects. Mostly spears and swords to stab my little brother with! The spoon bug didn’t catch me until later.

It also marks the year I first went down to Mike Abbott’s woodland chair workshop to work as an assistant. I couldn’t go away from home (and the spoon collection!) without a spoon of my own, so I grabbed on out of my little pile and stuck it in my pocket. Three years later and pocket spoon still lives in my pocket.

It’s been on quite some adventures. It’s travelled with me all around the UK, from fancy restaurants to numerous woodlands. It’s been over to America to build a birch bark canoe and visit North House Folk School, over to Sweden to their craft school Sätergläntan, and more recently over to France to a beautiful little festival in Brittany.

hand carved wooden pocket spoon

All adding to this beautiful patina. I LOVE the big bold facets on the back, and how the patina accentuates them. It’s part of the reason I love finishing my spoons straight off the knife – they just age SO beautifully.

I’ve a lot of fantastic spoons by fantastic makers in my collection, but none of them are as precious to me as pocket spoon is. It still stands up next to my spoons today as a damn good spoon. I found a lot of personal breakthrough and development while carving this collection of spoons. They’re truly seminal pieces. So pocket spoon is crammed full of memories, both of the time I was making it and everything that’s happened since.

I love having pocket spoon with me. Every wooden spoon lover should carry a spoon with them. Have you ever had to buy some food while out and been given a nasty plastic fork to eat with? It’s a horrible experience. And an easily avoidable one – carry a nice wooden spoon with you!

Comments · 8

  1. A very timely blog post Jojo, I'm at work having yoghurt for breakfast and using… a horrid plastic spoon. I was having just this thought when I saw your post. A pocket spoon for me is my next project, yours looks great.

    Gavin

  2. Perhaps a naive question, but how do you clean the spoon when you've used it "on the go"? I love working with wood, but have yet to make a spoon. Maybe next project 🙂

  3. I give away hundreds of turned bowls a year. The hope for me is to create an heirloom, something to be loved and used by those who received the gift. The version of 'priceless' you describe above for your pocket spoon is the true meaning of the phrase. I totally enjoyed this post, thanks.

  4. I have been making spoons for about 5 years, but have never yet eaten off one. Why? I have some early ones which are precious to me, funnily enough quite similar in design to this one of yours. You have inspired me to take the plunge, and eat off my own work. Plastic spoons, your days are numbered! Thanks JoJo

  5. If there's a washing up bowl around, a bit of hot soapy water. If there's a tap, a quick rinse. If there's nothing I'll give it a good lick and stick it back in my pocket! I do that when I'm visiting my mum too, she has this awful habit of trying to scour my lovely hard-earned patina away!

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