Join us for a fun-filled evening of spoon carving! Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, this workshop is for anyone and everyone wanting to hang out with friends or neighbors while practicing a hobby that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.

The highlights

• Suitable for all skill levels — all you need to bring is your attention and some closed-toe shoes. Shop aprons, safety gloves and protective tape will be provided.

• Everyone will have their own tools, choice of blank and two(ish) hours to work on their spoon. If it’s not done by the end and you need more time, bring it back to one of our regular Carving Club sessions until it’s finished.

• Bring your friends and/or come ready to make new ones. These workshops are at least as social as they are educational.

• Students (with ID) please use discount code STUDYHALL for $10 off admission!

Process, tools and options

• Everyone will get to choose a spoon blank from a variety of different shapes, woods and sizes. We encourage beginners to start with a smaller and softer blank, but it’s your call.

• We’ll provide a brief safety and technique tutorial, as well as some helpful tips like how to determine which way is carving “with the grain” and how to more reliably get the shapes and outcomes you’re wanting

• Our primary tool for the evening will be the classic Sloyd whittling knife, as well as spoon gouges and hook knives to hollow out the spoony part. We’ll use clamps and vices where appropriate.

What you’ll leave with

• A real, hardwood, possibly useful spoon-shaped treasure.

• If you need more time to work on it until it’s as finished as you want it to be, we have Carving Club on Wednesdays and Fridays where you can bring it in for no charge until it’s done.

Choose from the available dates below. All workshops will go from 6-8pm.

Curious Goose Community Workshop is located at 85B Portland St. (2.5 blocks up from Alderney Landing, next to Scotia Bank.)

Make your very own heirloom-quality cutting board in this hands-on, two-session workshop at the Curious Goose Community Workshop.

Perfect for beginners and hobby woodworkers, we’ll go over how to use all the different tools and techniques required to make a beautiful hardwood cutting board that can last generations — and even have some fun while doing it.

The highlights

• Two sessions, 2-3 hours each — we'll start with strips of gorgeous cherry, walnut and maple and go through the whole process beginning to end.

• Suitable for all skill levels — all you need to bring is your attention and some closed-toe shoes. Shop aprons and all safety gear will be provided.

• For those who are interested in further personalizing their completed boards, we have laser engraving services available. We’ll have time to review those options at the end of the first session.

What you’ll do Session One ( 6-8pm )

• Select, cut, and prepare the maple, walnut and cherry strips for stability and appearance

• Experiment with your desired layout

• Glue-up and use different clamps to set everything together

• Review all the tools we’ll be operating the following session so we can hit the ground running the second night

Session Two ( 6-8pm )

• Flatten the glued-up boards using scrapers and shop planer

• Cut the boards to their final size and shape

• Progress through sanding to a silky smooth, food-safe surface

• Learn how to finish and preserve a pieces of wood for many years of reliable use

What you’ll leave with

• A finished heirloom-quality cutting board made of cherry, maple and/or walnut that will measure approx. 12” x 10” and 1” - 1.5” thick (or smaller, if you wish)

• Some practical woodworking skills you can use on your own to make as many cutting boards as your heart desires

• Guidance on care and maintenance so your board lasts

Join us at our regular Carving Club on Wednesdays and Fridays!

This is an opportunity to carve and whittle any number of projects, either from a selection of provided blanks, or of your own design that we’ll cut out on the bandsaw. Whether you’re a beginner or life-long whittler, this is a time for folks of all ages to gather around the shop, get connected and stay creative.

Available Carving Times

Wednesdays

• Coffee and Carving: 10am - noon

• Afternoon Session: 3pm - 5pm

Fridays

• Afternoon session: 3pm - 5pm

Other Details

• Become a monthly member or purchase a punch pass (picked up at the shop your first session)

• All experience levels are welcome! Come to learn and discover or just to practice in the company of others

• Great for ages 10 and up (Kids 8-9 can have a great time too, but we recommend them attending with a parent or caretaker)

• Price includes lots of carving materials and all the carving tools and finishing products (as appropriate). Monthly members can attend as many sessions as they wish.

• Please wear closed-toe shoes to class. Shop aprons and all safety gear will be provided.

Want to learn more about woodworking? This is a completely hands-on introduction to the woodshop where you will build a classic pine toolbox while learning the basics of drafting, design, safe tool operation and wood finishing.

• What is this class about: This class serves as safety training and orientation to the workshop for beginners and hobbyists wanting to work on their own projects as a member of the Curious Goose Guild. This intro consists of four 2-hour workshops occurring at the same time each week over four weeks.

• When is it: Monday nights from 6-8pm each month (choose a month)

• Where is it held: Curious Goose Community Workshop, 85B Portland St. Dartmouth, NS

• Requirements: No experience is required to start, just a desire to learn something new and being present. While we encourage everyone to have some basic equipment and space at home to continue working on the projects, we will supply all the tools, wood, and gear you’ll need to finish this project at the shop. You can come in during Guild time to finish your project if you need more time.

• Price: $200 + HST includes all sessions and class materials

Space is limited to 10 participants per class. Completing this class will not only provide you with a timeless toolbox to store your growing collection of tools, but have you ready to start using the workshop on your own projects as a member of the Guild!

Course Overview

Part 1: What’s in a plan - Learn how and where to begin conceptualizing a woodworking project, from the very first idea to getting a design ready

Part 2: Design & Drafting - Every project starts with a design. You’ll learn about how to measure materials for maximizing their use, the basics of drafting and start putting pencil to paper on your toolbox blueprint.

Part 3: Working in the Shop - We’ll focus on workshop etiquette and safety for the bifg power tools. We’ll do all the cutting for the project in the shop and get our components ready for assembly

Part 4: Assembly, Hardware, and Finishing - There are countless ways to join a few pieces of wood together, but some are better than others. We’ll go over the basics of assembly and joinery, what screws to use and when, and finally how to bring the project across the finish line with sanding and wood finish.

Once complete, graduates can join the Guilds by subscribing here and have access to the shop and resources during Guild Time. As more people join, we will be able to expand the schedule and offer members even more opportunities and resources to get creative!

Make a Custom Leather Belt

Join us for a fun-filled evening of leatherworking! Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned pro, this workshop is for anyone and everyone wanting to hang out with friends while learning a fun craft that yields a beautiful, everyday accessory. In this workshop, you'll be introduced to the tools of the trade, coached through the fundamental techniques of leatherworking, and shown how to do it all as safely as possible.

What you'll do:

• Choose Your Material: Start by picking a pre-cut, 1-1/4" strip of gorgeous tanned leather (up to ~55" long).

• Customize the Details: Choose from a selection of buckles and rivet colours to get the exact look you want.

• Learn the Process: We’ll guide you step-by-step through the entire process, ensuring your belt is the perfect size and looks great.

• Protect Your Work: We’ll finish the belts with beeswax and resolene for countless years of daily use.

What you’ll go home with:

• A beautiful, perfectly fitting leather belt that will last countless years of daily use and look great doing it.

We’ll provide all the tools, hardware, materials, and a protective shop apron—all you need to bring is your hands, your attention, and maybe a pal or two!

Where: Curious Goose Community Workshop

85B Portland Street, Dartmouth NS (2.5 blocks up from Alderney Landing next to Scotia Bank)