Kolrosing is wood tattoo. It’s similar to scrimshaw on wood and a great way to decorate spoons, spreaders, and plates. It doesn’t involve specialized tools, strength, or a studio. In fact, you can do it in your lap and carry everything you need in a pencil case! Rather than removing material, kolrosing is cutting an incision in the wood, filling it with pigment like cinnamon or coffee, and then burnishing it closed. It’s wonderful for spoons because kolrosing is smooth to the lips and doesn’t fill with mashed potatoes! This course will include layout and design, surface preparation, knife techniques, cutting straight and curved lines, lettering, patterns, kolrosing on flat and curved surfaces, and techniques for working on small objects. We’ll develop skills as we practice on boards, tongue depressors, and inexpensive wooden kitchen spoons. As students grow in confidence and skills, they may make kolrosed name tags and decorate spoons and spreaders that they have brought along. Prior experience in woodworking is helpful but not required. A variety of tools will be available for purchase during class; plan to spend at least $80 on the necessary materials.

Required Tools

•  A sharp pointed sloyd knife
• A kolrosing knife. These are for sale in the North House school store as well. Call ahead to reserve yours if you plan to buy it at North House. 
• Note that kolrosed-decorated knives and additional kolrosing knife models are available for purchase from the instructor.

Optional Tools

• Magnifying glasses
• Wooden spoons or butter spreaders or items you'd like to kolrose