May 31 – June 2, 2018
Sharing the knowledge of carving spoons and related handcrafts, while creating an inclusive gathering for all. Celebrating the 12th year of Minnesota’s premier wood spoon carving event!
Register for the 2018 Spoon Gathering
2018 Spoon Gathering Info Package
You can also find up-to-date information on our Facebook page. Go to www.facebook.com and search “The Spoon Gathering”.
If you would like a copy of the Information Package mailed to you, or have other questions, please contact MVAS:
320-734-4807 or mvas@fedteldirect.net
If you would like to be added to the email list for updates and notifications, please email the school at mvas@fedteldirect.net.
Date/Time
Thursday, May 31: From noon and into the evening
Friday, June 1: All day and into the evening
Saturday, June 2: All day and into the evening
Registration Fee
Individual: $20 for Saturday only/ $20 for Friday & Saturday/ $30 whole event
Family: $45 whole event (family includes a couple, or parents with children under 18)
Children under 18 are free
Pre-event Spoon carving Classes. Please click on the title for the full description.
Breton-style Spoon Carving and Decoration with Jane Mickelborough (Experienced carvers)
Carving the Wood Spoon with Fred Livesay (Beginner to experienced)
Demonstrations, Presentations & Workshops
Full Schedule of Demonstrations to be posted. Subject to change.
Breton-style Folding Spoon Carving: Jane Mickelborough
Traditional Decorated Breton Spoons: Jane Mickelborough
Meet the Wooden Spoon’s Cousins: Crafted in Horn, Bone, and Antler: Harley Refsal
Making a Simple Handle and Attaching it to a Knife Blade: Del Stubbs
Weaving a Birch Bark Sheath: Beth Homa
Gathering Spoon Blanks: A Woodsy Adventure
Bandsaw Bonanza: Roughing Out Blanks on a Bandsaw
Carving for Young People: Ages 8-16: Paul Linden
Basic Sharpening: Community Sharpening: Paul Linden
Beginners Corner: The Basics: Various Instructors
Spoon Circle: Duck Duck Spoon
And more!
The seed for a unique green woodworking event was planted more than a decade ago by artist and former MVAS spoon carving instructor, Frank Foltz. Frank and the early organizers of the Spoon Gathering envisaged the creation of an annual gathering that would bring together artists, spoon carvers, and enthusiasts of the humble wooden spoon. What started as a small gathering of spoon carvers and enthusiasts in St. Paul has grown into a vibrant and entertaining 3-day festival of carving, friendship, and food. In 2017, carvers from 15 US states, Canada, and England converged on Milan to celebrate the wooden spoon, an international symbol of family, meals, and friendship.
The Spoon Gathering today offers a family friendly event for those interested in wood spoon carving and traditional handcrafts. Demonstrations, workshops, and presentations are varied and are sourced from not just the world of spoon carving, but also related arts, skills, and knowledge. In past years, these have included, knife sharpening, spoon blank harvesting and shaping, wood bowl turning on a spring-pole lathe, kuksa carving, birch bark weaving, blade forging and Norwegian knife making, dying wood with natural dyes, chip carving, and kolrosing.
Novices and absolute beginners are catered to and made to feel welcome. Throughout the weekend, a tent site is set up which allows beginners to access the hands on instruction of a number of Minnesota’s finest spoon carvers.
Other highlights of the weekend include a spoon and related arts exhibition by the gathering attendees and a Saturday evening potluck party and get-together. Free camping facilities are available. The Spoon Gathering is a carving weekend, so bring your spoon blanks and carving tools or just come to watch and enjoy the weekend.
Join us in Milan for 3 enjoyable days of carving, green woodworking, demonstrations, workshops, presentations, networking, and friendship.
