Bee's Hive

Monday, November 3, 2008

Carving, a new art?

This may not look like much to a quilter or even to other's, but it's my latest challenge. The piece of soft pine is from my days of making doll houses. The locking brass ended knife is a gift from the days when we were in the buggy business with the Amish.

The idea is to learn how to carve a face into this wood. Today I went through at least 2 pounds of potatoes trying to carve a simple face. I was able to get a really nice nose but each time I tried to cut in an eye the nose broke off. Of course a potato is not wood, but I would think it would be
much easier. Tomorrow I'm trying a yellow turnip which is much harder..so stay tuned.


6 comments:

Tom H said...

Now thats a pig sticker you are usein. Is it real sharp? It's a lot easier to carve a face if you carve it on the corner of a piece of wood. Carve the nose first, and stay away from it when carving the eye areas.

tisme said...

Just checking to see if all your fingers are there~ :)

Holee said...

pig sticker..well I have a leatherman, too big, or a Gerber, also too big. Yes, it's very sharp. My neighbor sharpens for a living and he did mine yesterday for me. He thought the "pig sticker" was more a ladies size.

I cut the potatoes exactly like you showed me in the photos..1 inch square and did use the corner. It's tricky staying away from the nose.

Tammy, I still have all my fingers, but we'll be having rice for dinner!

Donna said...

I see you loved Toms carvings also. Looks like something I would like to try my hand at also. I sculpted a head with fabric once. The look I was going for was not quite what I ended up with. I still have the little head maybe I'll do something with it someday. I assume the pig stickers and things you are referring to are the knifes, am I right in assuming that? I always thought a knife was a knife. I guess you learn something new everyday.
Oh, by the way, I am thrilled to have got an partner from the UK. I wish you could have got an international swapper too. This won't be their last swap though.
As far as your birds go, you can pick any one you want to send. I'm almost done with the one I'm working on for you. I am making a few more for some other quilty friends as well.

Donna said...

Holee, I was curious about your partner for the mini swap. But couldn't find a link to her blog. Do you have one?

elsie123 said...

You're a brave soul, aren't you??? Actually, I like the idea of trying a variety of things. You're expanding your mind and experiences...as long as you don't whittle off your thumb!

Have fun, hope to see the finished piece soon.