A Big Tree thanks to David Connelly for the use of these great images from his recent chair making weekend. Captures the mood and atmosphere of the course pretty well we think !

Thanks to fantastic support from all our participants over the years by way of their promotion and endorsement we had over 200 places for this years green wood working courses fully booked by the end of March. We have been asked by folks wanting to come along and learn some new techniques to post up dates for 2015 !!! So here they are. Go to http://www.thebigtreesociety.co.uk/2014---2015-courses.html for dates prices and booking online. Or phone for more info. Have a look at some of the images in the last post here so se what others have recently been making with us here at The Big Tree Society.

We had a full course this weekend of "repeat offenders" as we like to call those folks that have come back to hone up on their making skills. Now that they have all had a taste of making rustic stools and chairs they wanted to make their own shave horses. This allows them to make at home. Some great skills as usual by the crew. Spreading the word further afield form Aberdeenshire to Yorkshire ... the world is getter smaller !!!!

Forgot to put up some images of the course last month .. sorry guys. A great day's making by all of you. Most of you travelling for some distance to take part too .. thanks for the commitment and care that you took in the making process. Brilliant furniture again  form complete novices !!!! Not any more ....

We have had some fantastic new makers along again to The Big Tree Society stool making course. Six brilliant pieces of work made from birch and elm. The quick skill levels that these people achieve never ceases to amaze me. The weather and the craic helps I suppose. I'm sure that we will see some of the participants back for more. Thanks for making it such a great day guys !

Phew .... it was a bit warm in the gallery garden this weekend for chair making. However we kept shaded and took on plenty liquids ! A great day ... it never ceases to amaze me how with the same starting off materials and tools, that we all end up with such different end products.. Really good makers in Mark and Iain - well done certificates in the post !!

A Big Tree thanks to Clive and Stuart for making the weekend so interesting. Two shave horses made to bespoke size for these two tall lads. Great axe and draw knife skills, and a couple of latent pole lathe experts there as well. Good work guys .. Well Done Certificates in the post. Hope t

We were up at Forest Research recently with Pete and Joe from Eadha Enterprises  They have been watching over a trial planting of Aspen clones for some years now. But the trees have to  come down to make room for building development. So the lads asked us to have a look  (well we kind of invited ourselves) to see what we could make form the timber. Here's a few images of Pete and Joe taking root cuttings for propagation back at their base. We split a few out and tennoned a few ends. We'll let them dry for a couple of months and see what we can make. Watch this space. For more information on Pete and Joes work have a loo

Brrrrr ..... freezing cold day here at Buy Design Gallery for the Willow Chair course but we managed to get four creations out and almost into the cars at the end of the day. Once again some really great coppicing and making skills learnt by everyone including ourselves !! Stool making day next weekend (Easter weekend) still not above freezing but at least we haven't got the snow that some woodlands had through in the south west of Scotland. Got sent some images of a hill fire up in Knoydart last night - they got it under control and everyone safe - what's going on with this weather ???
A Big Tree thanks to Harestanes Countryside Visitor Centre for letting us cut some of their willow. Our beds up at Wooplaw Community Woods were under 2 ft of snow !
Keep an eye on course that the girls at Harestanes run Willow Weaving weekends April 4th / 5th and Garden Supports May 4th / 5th Booking advisable and phone 01835 830306

Great day and great effort put into making Shave Horses by Martha, Fiona, Karin and Graham. Really good technical skills shown here by this lot. I am absolutely sure that we will see some amazing stools and chairs being produced by the Big Tree pals. Well done guys !