PreTown Workshops

Adze Forging

Nic Westermann

Nic is a renowned blacksmith and master craftsman who needs little introduction in the greenwood working world. You will forge a simple, small adze, heat treat it then grind the bevel. Once forging is complete, Nic will guide you through carving and fitting a handle, producing a tool which is uniquely suited to you.

Suitable for:
This workshop is suitable for all levels from complete beginners through to those that already have some experience of home blacksmithing. All tools and equipment is provided.

Tool Baskets

Ellie J Morgan

Two tool baskets in two and a half days… Day one making a round basket using traditional stake and strand basketry techniques. Day two making a shoulder basket using different techniques and more decorative weaves. Day three (half day) adding handles and straps and carving toggles. This course was a standout at last year’s Spoontown, be sure not to miss out this year. There will be a £20 surcharge for materials.

Suitable for:
This course is suitable for complete beginners or those with a little more basket making experience.

Pocket Spoons and

Swiss Cream Scoops

Deborah Schneebeli Morrell

Experienced artist, author and Founder of the Highgate Spoon Union, Deborah brings spoons and scoops inspired by the Swiss Alps to Spoontown this year. Based on traditional scoops used to skim cream from milk, the oval shaped bowls are ‘sideways on’ meaning that there is a large area of end grain to be carved. The bowls are large and heavier compared with the small handle which creates a balance where the handle doesn’t touch the surface.

Suitable for:
Confident beginners only along with intermediate carvers. Please bring your own tools.

Twca Cam Carving

Samuel Alexander

New to Spoontown this year, Samuel is offering a Twca Cam ‘vessel’ carving course. Day one will be focusing on the hollow and how to over-cut the lip to achieve a bulbous hollow using specific techniques developed with the twca cam. Day two will be all about the axe and refinement process, turning a hollowed billet into a blank, working within a particular order, compensating the wood to an even thickness to (hopefully) avoid cracking or thin spots. This will move to the knife work and the techniques and grits to refine until the third half day. The course will have underlying themes of mindfulness, freehand carving, loosening up and slow making.

Designing a Spoon

Lee John Phillips

Join illustrator and maker Lee John Phillips for an intensive, two and a half day, multidisciplinary workshop at Spoontown ’25.

Lee is an ex teacher of art and design and you will start the course by considering approaches to utensil design. Firstly, Lee will introduce you to his methodology of drawing and generating ideas to encourage breadth and progression in your carving.

The multidisciplinary aspect of this course will ensure that skills learned are as transferrable as possible to your own practice. Lee understands the importance of originality in the craft and doesn’t just want this to be a chance to simply copy another maker’s work. He considers it an opportunity to experience the entire process of a full-time creative and use it as a vehicle to evaluate and improve your own carving.

Bowl and Cup Turning

Amy Leake

Amy is an experienced (and patient) teacher and pole lathe turner. This year she is offering pole lathe bowl and cup turning. Suitable for complete beginners or those with some experience, Amy will guide you through the process of axing out your blanks, tool choice and use and the process of turning itself. Several different kinds of turned treen can be covered over the duration of the course for those with previous turning experience.

Suitable for:
Complete beginners upwards. Pole lathe turning require a general level of physical fitness.

Assembled Spoons

Martin Hazell

The irrepressible MrtheCreature will this year be offering ‘Assembled Spoons’. Utilising a variety of materials and techniques, scoops and small ladles made from two separate parts. A bowl (carved in burr potentially) and a handle of a different wood, joined by a collar in antler or metal. Martin has a vast array of experience of working in different materials and this unique course offers the opportunity to explore some of his extensive skillset.

Suitable for:
Complete beginners upwards but participants will need their own tools.

Plate Turning

Ali Asadi

Coming to Pretown for the first time this year, Ali will be offering plate turning on a pole lathe for beginners. Utilising different skills from bowl turning, this is a great course for either beginners looking to turn their first items or those that have turned bowls before but want to learn something new.

Suitable for:
Complete beginners upwards. Pole lathe turning require a general level of physical fitness.

Eating Spoon Masterclass

Jill Swan and Michael Elefant

This year Mikey and Jill have decided to join forces and teach together in an eating Spoon masterclass, where you will learn all the important features you need to make the most tactile and aesthetically pleasing Spoon. We will look at an efficient blank shape, drawing tips, axing close to the line, bowl shape, crank angle and finishing.  We will both be there to answer all your questions. Jill and Mikey have worked together before, and want to share the spoon love with you.

Suitable for:
Complete beginners upwards but participants will need their own tools.

Stool Making

Robbie Vashak

Filling the niche of ‘not a spoon but can still fit in a car full of camping gear’, Robbie brings advanced (riven log) stool making to Spoontown this year. After making your stool, the focus moves to surface finishing techniques such as, carving, flaming, milk paints etc. You will also learn to design and carving custom stretchers. Once learned, these skills are easily transferrable to chair or other furniture making.

Elevate your Spoon Design

Maryanne McGinn

What does it take to transform a spoon from the ordinary to something special? On this course you’ll learn how to elevate your spoon design without compromising its function. The focus will be on crank, bowl profile, neck transition and balance. I’ll be highlighting the rules I try to follow when I carve, and why they’re important to me.

Suitable for:
We’ll be carving a spoon together, so bring along your sharp axe, sloyd knife and spoon knife. This is a class for people with experience of spoon carving.

Beginners Leathercraft

Aimee Irving Bell

Aimee is a qualified teacher and experienced leather worker and with her business partner Pete will be there to guide you through the project. There is a £25 surcharge for materials payable to the course leader. 

• Understanding different leathers and leathercraft tools 
• How to design a sheath for different tools 
• Adding a welt 
• Cutting techniques 
• Marking and punching stich holes 
• Traditional saddlers stitch 
• Stamping leather 
• Adding snaps or Sam Browne closures 
• Bevelling and burnishing 
• Decorative stamping

Suitable for:
Complete beginners upwards.

Spoon Carving using a Long-Handled Hook Knife

Anna Casserley

Monday 21st July 2025

Gates Open 3pm: 8pm

Registration: Collect Your Wristband

Pitch up: Tent or Campervan

Induction: 8pm – 8.30pm

Tuesday 22nd July 2025

Morning Workshop Session: 9am – 12pm

Afternoon Workshop Session: 2pm – 5pm

Wednesday 23rd July 2025

Morning Workshop Session: 9am – 12pm

Afternoon Workshop Session: 2pm – 5pm