Carving spoons

With a little carving, the humble wooden spoon is elevated from a utilitarian object to a love token or work of art. Adler, a spoon-carving teacher, offers a wide range of information on this relatively accessible and inexpensive craft, including basic tools, care, design, and wood selection (e.g., food-safe woods); two progressive projects designed for beginning and intermediate carvers; and 45 spoon patterns. Adler's instructions are excellent, and numerous colorful photos illustrate each step. Of particular interest is a technique in which a glue-soaked rope is formed into a three-dimensional model, which will help those carving knots that can be hard to visualize on paper. Many traditional whittling subjects, such as chains, balls in a cage, and spirals, are illustrated. E.J. Tangerman's brief history of the symbolism used in carving Welsh love spoons and Harley Refsal's description of the Scandinavian spoon-making tradition provide context. Short but appealing, this book will interest any carver and is recommended for public libraries. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.