Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons: Understanding, Designing, and Carving Romantic Heirlooms (Fox Chapel Publishing) 15 Patterns, Step-by-Step Instructions, & a Detailed History of Carving Spoons for Love

Learn to create a hand-carved symbol of affection that has been popular for centuries: The lovespoon! Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons is a comprehensive guide to this captivating craft, including:

• 15 stylish patterns featuring a range of traditional lovespoon symbols
• 3 step-by-step projects with detailed instructions for carving a beginner, intermediate, and advanced lovespoon
• Over 300 helpful photos illustrating the whole process of carving a lovespoon from beginning to end
• The fundamentals of lovespoon carving, including wood selection, tools, sharpening, and carving techniques, plus tips for applying a long-lasting finish
• A detailed exploration of the rich history, symbolism, and evolution of the lovespoon carving tradition across cultures
• An inspiring gallery of gorgeous work from the world's best lovespoon carvers

Romantic hand-carved expressions of devotion, wooden lovespoons have been given as tokens of love and affection for centuries. These beautiful ornaments have stood the test of time, and author David Western—a professional lovespoon carver and artist—has spent years perfecting the classic art.

In Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons, Western offers the most complete guide available to studying and carving these timeless and treasured heirlooms. You'll find everything you need to carve your own spoon, including sections on the history of lovespoon carving, selecting woods, using and maintaining tools, and applying long-lasting finishes. 3 step-by-step projects—one each for a beginner, intermediate, and advanced lovespoon—and 15 original patterns are included, along with a guide to creating your own distinctive designs.

If you are looking for that personal, heartfelt gift to present to the one you love for a birthday, anniversary, Valentine's Day, or just because, then carving a lovespoon by hand is a special and poignant choice. With Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons, you'll learn everything you need to get started.

David Western constantly endeavors to expand the artistic boundaries of lovespoon carving. David was born in Cardiff, Wales, and now resides in Victoria, B.C., Canada.

A self-taught carver, David graduated from the London College of Furniture with certification in cabinetmaking and advanced furniture design. He also holds a degree in education from the University of British Columbia. While running a cabinetmaking shop in Victoria, David's casual interest in Welsh lovespoons grew into an overwhelming passion. Carving lovespoons to order is now his livelihood. David also teaches lovespoon carving at Camosun College in Victoria.

David specializes in complicated and delicate Celtic knotwork. He also draws ideas from Art Deco, Northwest Coast First Nations, and Islamic art forms when creating his unique designs. He keeps a foot firmly in tradition though: each of his spoons is handcarved from a single piece of wood. All of David's spoons also demonstrate the deep passion and commitment that separate genuine lovespoons from mere souvenirs.