North House's Wooden Boat Show

I ended up in Grand Marias this past weekend for North House's Wooden Boat show. It was a great time, getting to meet new folks, catching up with old friends and fellow instructors, some of whom I only see at this event. There were many more boats than than I photographed, but I really like the traditional boats. I missed a few photos of the wood canvas canoes as well. One of the highlight's for me besides seeing all the wooden boats was hanging out and getting to know Roger Abrahamson, probably the best pole lathe bowl turner in the states. Roger had me turn in his stand on Sunday while he was playing banjo's with another instructor Elise Kyllo who teaches felting. It was also good to get to try out the hook tools he forges and turns with.

After returning home April and I went for birch bark. We have about half of what we need to the years supply of baskets and boxes, plus some for weaving. I also finished up a knife that I had forged while teaching the lathe tools class last weekend. This was made with 2 layers of real wrought iron forge welded and sandwiching some high carbon O-1. I used some birch root burl for the handle and a bit of deer antler. The sheath is woven birch bark with bark tanned leather that my friend Johnny Rock tanned, yes that's his real name.

The heat is here with high humidity.....that's the time to harvest birch bark and also time to start thinking about working more at night and early mornings.