Whittling wizard candlesticks from old textile spools

These old textile spools are great for carving. They have some real character, and the beehive shape at one end makes for a great standing base. I carved these as pair, with one wizard's beard arranged normally, and his buddy's beard and mustache are twisted around the spool, like it's blowing in the wind. After carving and sanding, I gave the candlesticks three coats of linseed oil, some acrylic paint for the eyes and eyebrows, and some clear shellac. I like how they look, especially with the brass rings on top.

An Old Textile Spool Carved into a Snowman

Old-fashioned textile spools are good platforms for carving. They sit up on their own, and come with a certain rustic look. This one was sent to me by a lady in Missouri, who asked me to carve it into a custom Snowman Christmas decoration.

To fill in the carving, I placed the snowman in front of a green pine tree. A light sanding left strong whittle marks, and after painting I gave it another pass with some high-grit sandpaper for an aged look.

Hand carved bottle stoppers from old wooden spools

I grab up old wooden spools whenever I can. They're a nice way to do a simple little carving, then I attached a dowel and a tapered cork. Thse stoppers were given a coat of salad bowl finish, some light acrylic paints, and finished with clear shellac.

Christmas Carvings Roundup

Let's take a look at this year's hand carved ornaments. Some of these sold, some are still up for sale on my etsy shop, some are for gifts, and some are even for my own Christmas tree!







It's been a fun season for whittlin'. Upcoming projects include birthday presents for a couple of little guys about to see their 2nd and 3rd birthdays, so stay tuned!

Most recent Christmas carvings

This weekend's craft show went well, but left me with plenty of carvings. No problem, I've got some more shows on the horizon.

There's always more wood to carve!

Christmas ornaments made from carved wooden spools

Old wooden spools continue to be a great medium for whittlin'. Each one has a small brass bell on the bottom for a little extra holiday cheer. I'm working on more of these, including some carved into snowmen!

More Spool Carvings

More spool carvings! These four spools are destined to become bottle stoppers. All they need now is some dowels and corks. I'm pretty sure these are pine, but I'll admit my wood ID skills need honing. They carve well though, with no splitting or unexpected chipping. The wood responds well to linseed oil, giving it a waxy look and nice warm glow.

Also, my CaseXX Texas Jack knife is working out well. I favor the smaller of it's two blades for whittlin'. It's easy to control and plenty sharp.

A slideshow of past whittlins

Here's a slideshow of some of my carvings. There's all sorts of stuff in here, from the rustic little spike trolls to the painted and finished toy soldiers. I'm proud of the variety and feel like I've made progress toward a higher level of detail and control. Let me know what you think!

Turning old spools into new bottle stoppers

I've found old wooden spools to be a good medium for carving faces. The spools here are carved then soaked in BLO. I've attached these to pre-shaped corks with dowels and glue. It turns out these guys are just the right size for bottle stoppers, and will wait patiently upside-down while you top off your glass.

Work in Progress: Spool Face

Old wooden spools are great for carving. Mustache Dude here should be finished shortly.