Celebrating Birch: The Lore, Art, and Craft of an Ancient Tree (Paperback)

by The North House Folk School (Author)
Key Phrases: antler piece, tab hole, peeled side, North House, United States, Eric Mase (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

First place winner in the Art/Photography category of the 20th Annual Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards

"The beautiful photograpy makes this book a perfect option to leave on your coffee table, too."  —Mother Earth News

"The projects, beautifully and clearly illustrated with photos, are ones that students of the folk school would tackle and range from the simple and small to the more complex."  —Lake Superior Magazine

"Guides readers through 15 craft projects including carved ornaments, turned wooden bowls and folded bark baskets. It also explains that birch was used to weave shoes, clothing and even make primitive roof shingles."  —Woodshop News

"This extraordinary book introduces the birch tree in a truly engaging way."  —Cook County News-Herald (Minnesota)

"Excellent photography and clear photos of procedures make up this wonderful tribute to traditional craft."  —Woodcentral.com

"If you want to know how to weave a mat, carve a spoon, or make the components for a game involving throwing logs, plus several more, this book is for you, and if you delight in beautifully illustrated volumes, and have a love of heritage, you'll want to read it by a glowing fireside."  —Router & Power Woodworking, UK

Product Description

With its graceful silhouette and distinctive white bark, the birch tree has been important to people wherever it has grown. This book covers all aspects of the North's most versatile tree—from its biology and ecology to its different uses, craft applications, and legends. Some of the lore revealed includes birch's role as a Welsh token of love and its mysterious connection with witches' brooms. In addition to learning about how the wood is used in baskets, shoes, and wood coverings, readers can also make more than 15 craft projects from instructions in the book, including folded bark baskets, carved ornaments, and turned wooden bowls.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565233077
• ISBN-13: 978-1565233072
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #294,603 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A BOOK I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!, November 27, 2007

By	P. A. Kettlewell "handyhen" (Antigo, WI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Living in the northwoods & being a wood artist, I love Birch and have used it for many years with my pyrography. I have experimented with the bark and tried to understand how to use it best, which this book explains clearly. Unfortunately for all of us who love this tree/wood, many of our birch are dying off from drought/fires/etc. If you are a person in search of a light colored, strong, easy to work with wood, this book will tell you everything you need to know about this beautiful and completely practical tree.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Treasure, December 28, 2007

By	I. W. Fulton - See all my reviews

For those who live in birch country, this is a book to cherish. It is artistically presented, photographically superb, and factually very accurate. I've worked with birch for years, both botanically, ecologically, and as a craftsperson, but I learned alot in this book. The joy and passion for their work these teachers at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN share with us is outstanding.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Working with your hands, January 19, 2008

By	embriachi - See all my reviews

This is a great book; people with a "reverence for wood"(Eric Sloane)will really enjoy this. Most of the projects are done with hand tools alone. There is a quiet contemplative spirit to the kind of woodworking demonstrated in this book. Good book for winter reading. Buy it and make a mess of shavings on your floor!