A Welsh Social Network - Rhwydwaith Cymdeithasol Cymreig

Cymru Crafts

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Do you do traditional Welsh crafts, or just put a Welsh spin on what you do? Care to share designs, show off your work, or ask for tips? Then join your fellow Cymru-loving crafters here!

Members: 20
Latest Activity: Nov. 22, 2009

Combining your culture with crafting

If you`ve ever paid a visit to Wales, you`ll know that it is a country steeped in tradition and that the Welsh are fiercely proud of their heritage. Despite attempts to eradicate ancient Celtic traditions, the Royal National Eisteddford is a ceremonial gathering of musicians, poets and craftsmen that takes place annually and keeps these great customs alive. It`s often said that there`s something about the west of a country that awakens the creative spirit. Wales has long been viewed as a sanctuary for potters and painters, jewellers, weavers, metalworkers, candlemakers, woodcarvers and glassblowers. You can be sure of one thing in Wales - that whatever the art or craft, it will be rooted in its surroundings and heritage. A few of the most prominent are featured here, specifically love spoons, Welsh slate and gold, weaving and coracle-making.

Many of the traditional Welsh crafts stem from the Celtic traditions that have influenced Welsh customs today. An ancient tradition is the carving of a spoon from a single piece of wood, now known as a love spoon, by a young man who would then present it to his sweetheart as a sign of his love, generally considered to be an early form of engagement ring. The carvings would depict symbols such as wheel, hearts, locks and birds that represented love, friendship, health and wealth for example. The tradition continues today (although if you are a novice at carving you can cheat and buy one already made!) and are gifted for weddings, anniversaries, new homes and newborns. There are a limited number of books on the market offering a step-by-step guide to crafting a traditional love spoon, and you can buy a love spoon pattern online to try out yourself.

Dubbed as the "most Welsh of Welsh industries", traditional slate craftsmanship quite literally crowned the industrial revolution and you can witness slate-splitting and creative skills in several locations in Wales. The demise of the long history of mining in the country has since spawned an explosion of superb creations in metal and slate crafts and artistry. Welsh slates now adorn international tables a plenty in the form of coasters and placemats, and there are successful manufacturers of Welsh slate gifts, trophies, house nameplates and ornaments exporting worldwide. Pure Welsh gold is the world`s most valuable precious metal and has been a cherished jewellery metal for centuries since it demonstrated supremacy for Celtic nobles. The Royal family wear wedding rings of Welsh gold.

Once the country`s foremost and most widespread of industries, Welsh wool weaving was once responsible for an immense output of clothing and bedcovers. Nowadays restored mills housing traditional machinery offer demonstrations and workshops for a taster of old weaving methods, including carding, spinning and sewing. The production of Welsh flannel quilts in bold colours and geometric shapes was one of the few ways a woman could earn a respectable living until mass produced items took over. The few remaining quilters flying the Welsh flag produce bedcovers of exceptional quality, often featuring traditional Welsh scenes and emblems such as the patron saint, David, daffodils, leeks, and red dragons.

A weaving of a different kind altogether has long produced small oval shaped boats made from thin strips of wood woven together like a basket and then covered with canvas. Known as coracles, they are sealed with tar and have been used to catch fish in Welsh rivers for thousands of years. If you are interested in learning a new skill that is a world away from Cross Stitch, the Coracle Society offers coracle-making courses for novices.

Discussion Forum

Photos of our work 39 Replies

Started by Katharine. Last reply by Katharine Jan. 5, 2009.

Beaded Welsh Dragon ornament

Started by gaabi Dec. 7, 2008.

LLwy cariadon 7 Replies

Started by Gareth Williams. Last reply by Wild Canary Nov. 30, 2008.

Comment Wall

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Comment by Susan Aileen Cottrell on May 27, 2009 at 10:32pm

I can't take credit for the pattern just the knitting...

Comment by Bob Tinsley on March 1, 2009 at 12:37pm: The first couple of posts on my new blog, http://flyingchips.blogspot.com , are about the Welsh lovespoon I'm currently working on.

Comment by Bob Tinsley on December 29, 2008 at 6:01pm: My name is Bob Tinsley. I'm new to the site and new to carving lovespoons. I've finished one and have almost finished the second. I keep having trouble with one little bit breaking off. I'm going to soak that part of the spoon in super glue. That should strengthen the area. Then it's nice, easy thin cuts from there on.

Bob

Comment by Wild Canary on September 26, 2008 at 7:15pm: When I went to sharpen the hatchet, I found a piece of pine the exact size of the spoon I wanted to copy, the little one my Mother brought back from her trip to Wales. It seemed to be sitting right there on the workbench waiting for me.
I traced the spoon right there and took out a small pen knife I carry, found a spot near the cows, so I could watch the goldfinch on the thistles and started whittling. Pine is easy to whittle, but splits very easily, so I had to be flexible with my design. The wood is also about three times thicker than the original. My husband offered to cut it in half so I would have two spoons, but I kinda like the feel of it the way it is.
I have sanded a little and keep it with me so I can work on it when I feel like it. I have a set of small carving tools that I bought a looong time ago. I made a denim carry case for them, so it is all portable. Nothing fancy, but enjoyable.
I am still pondering the cherry branch.

Comment by Angela on September 25, 2008 at 2:34pm: I have been to his web site. lovely! good luck with your project. sounds like fun.

Comment by Wild Canary on September 22, 2008 at 9:44am: This weekend I picked up a couple pieces of cherry wood that were left from the logging done last winter. My husband has been chopping firewood using a wedge axe and there were some thin pieces I thought might eventually be a good block for a spoon.
David Western's Lovespoons are well, lovely, but I think I will start with a simple spoon that I might make if I was lost in the woods and needed to stir a stew:)
I had hoped to get my web cam back running to take a photo but didn't.
Next I am going to sharpen my hachet and have a go at making a rough block. (My Aunt had told me to dry the wood, but David says he uses wet wood, so I am going to plunge right in and see for myself.)
Ceri posted David's spoons in the photo section so you don't have to go over to his webpage.
check them out!

Comment by Ceri Shaw on September 8, 2008 at 6:55pm: Hi Katharine...by all means post photos of your work on the site. We'd be very happy to see them here:)

Comment by Katharine on September 8, 2008 at 6:19pm: Helo creative people!
I'm a fiber artist, and while I cannot say I create specifically Welsh crafts, there is a definite Celtic element in much of what I do. Is it possible to post photos on this page? New to this site and haven't got it figured out yet...
Katharine
www.katharinehouk.com

Comment by David Western on July 27, 2008 at 12:28pm: Hi Fellow Cymru crafters.
I carve lovespoons in the tradtional manner...one at a time and all by hand. Although I can get a bit evangelical about it, I have a sense of humour about the whole thing and I'm not adverse to making the odd 'odd' lovespoon.
My website is at www.davidwesternlovespoons.com for anyone who is interested in lovespoons. I also have a book coming out in Sept called The Fine Art of Lovespoon Carving (published by Fox Chapel Publishing) for anyone who would like to give the craft a go.
Cheers
Dave

Comment by Seraffa on July 13, 2008 at 5:14pm: I specialise in crochet and can design in it too. Any other people want to discuss patterns and projects? I've made Y Draig Goch flag pretty much life-size in Red Heart Light 'n Lofty style yarn with FAB results! And it's so cuddly!

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