Carved a little while back, but with valentines fast approaching, thought id post it up (again), wood is Hazel.
heartspoon by Mark Emery, on Flickr
heartspoon by Mark Emery, on FlickrValentines Spoon
- Thread starter Kepis
- Start date
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Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Simplicity is beauty. I hope there is a lucky lady to recieve this at valentines. An old tradition that should be revived I reckon. Much better than a bottle of plonk and a dozen roses... well ....maybe as well as a bottle and Roses. !
Is there an explanation why a lovingly carved spoon is gifted, or is it shrouded in the fog of history?
We did not celebrate Valentines in Scandihooligania until the recent Americanization .
We did not celebrate Valentines in Scandihooligania until the recent Americanization .
As far as I recall it's a Welsh tradition. I think they were carved as a betrothal gift. I'm sure some of our Welsh friends can enlarge on that matter. I think it's a much nicer gift than a card. And the fact that someone has spent time and energy on making a beautiful item shows a true commitment.
I have a lovely friend who makes Irish Sudan chairs. He also makes other odds and ends on his lathe. Last year I had a newspaper pot maker. The year before a dibber for planting my garden. This year I got a rolling pin. All lovely handmade gifts that mean more than something from a a shop. Unfortunately he's married so no love spoons for me this year! Ah well , wonder what my chances of a set of handmade chairs are....?
A chair is better than a spoon, that is for sure!
Unless you live in Scotland, where Parritch is a staple?
Unless you live in Scotland, where Parritch is a staple?
Bit Off Topic ( still spoon related)
I Bohemia, they had a custom where during Eastern the boys chased and smacked the girl’s behind with a decorated willow whip. If the girl liked the boy, she gave him an elaborately decorated egg.
Also in that area, in Moravia, the boys went around with a large cooking spoon they had carved and decorated, and smacked the bottom of the chosen girl.
He also got an egg in return, if she liked his advances.
It was a way to playfully show the opposite sex the romantic interest in a particular person.
Maybe it was a similar custom in Wales?
You give a spoon to the person you like to cook the meals for you the rest of your days?
In Sweden we had different customs!
Edited after spoken to Mother to get the customs right..
I Bohemia, they had a custom where during Eastern the boys chased and smacked the girl’s behind with a decorated willow whip. If the girl liked the boy, she gave him an elaborately decorated egg.
Also in that area, in Moravia, the boys went around with a large cooking spoon they had carved and decorated, and smacked the bottom of the chosen girl.
He also got an egg in return, if she liked his advances.
It was a way to playfully show the opposite sex the romantic interest in a particular person.
Maybe it was a similar custom in Wales?
You give a spoon to the person you like to cook the meals for you the rest of your days?
In Sweden we had different customs!
Edited after spoken to Mother to get the customs right..
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Nice spoon Kepis! Simple, elegant lines, needs no more.
Regarding the Welsh love spoons, it was (I think) the tradition that a chap calling on his sweetheart would be set to work carving spoons for her parents. This way they could judge how skillful the man was, and more importantly, they knew that his hands were kept gainfully employed, and not wandering!
Regarding the Welsh love spoons, it was (I think) the tradition that a chap calling on his sweetheart would be set to work carving spoons for her parents. This way they could judge how skillful the man was, and more importantly, they knew that his hands were kept gainfully employed, and not wandering!
No - the shaft of the spoon was usually the decorated part, with all sorts of skillful work from chip carving to chains, balls in cages etc all with their meanings...
I just carve simple ones...but am having trouble uploading pictures at the moment!
Thank you.
Simple? Maybe. But both your guy’s spoons are beautifully and tastefully executed.
Simple? Maybe. But both your guy’s spoons are beautifully and tastefully executed.
