Please meet at the workshop for safety briefing, equipment check, and so we know we have enough people!
If we are unable to row we can work on the oars, learn to hoist the sail on dry land, and feed Cluaran some boat soup.
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Making Space Autumn 26
Thursday evenings in September will see the return of “Making Space” evenings in the workshop.
Making Space is a time to get round to things. It is a club rather than taught workshops. It is also an opportunty for skills sharing.
Ongoing projects by WSC members include:
- Carving a logboat
- Making a stone mould
- And of course maintaining the Cluaran boat.
“Making Space” is about dropping in to give things a go. Simon is on hand to help, and there are found and recycled items to make things low cost.
First time is free, after that we ask for a donation to Wordsmith Crafts CIC to help cover costs.
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Storytelling
Harvest is coming! We are well into Lughsanna, Lammas and can gather in the ripe fruits of the summer months.
Why?
So we can sit around all winter and tell or listen to stories! Perhaps this winter we will be able to do some more work on “The Floating Monastery” YouTube channel.
Would you like to be a part of the return of “Tales at the Tap“? Storytelling, Music and Ale.
Let us know what would interest you, and perhaps we can make it happen. In the meantime here is a selection of stories – and a playlist of live events – from 2021 (In combination with the amazing Viking Storyteller)
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Making Space
Making managed.
More next week. Same time same place 7 till 9.
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Making Space
Thursday evenings until the 21st of May will continue to be “Making Space” in the workshop.
There has been a lot of tidying and sorting! (And lots still to do)
Ongoing projects include:
- Carving a logboat
- Making a stone mould
- And of course Getting Cluaran ready for the summer show season
But “Making Space” is about dropping in to give things a go. Simon is on hand to help, and there are found and recycled items to make it low cost.
First time is free, after that we ask for a donation to Wordsmith Crafts CIC to help cover costs.
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Happy Easter 2026
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Making space
One more making space before Easter!
The 19th of March will be the last Thursday evening session of this block of Making spaces. They will return in April starting on the 16th of April.
May will see the summer show season begin, so our activity will be moving outdoors and around the Irish sea region. There is still time to get involved.
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Spring
The nights are getting lighter, and the catkins are forming on the tips of trees.
Soon it will be time to launch cluaran again.
If you have time to help with maintaining the boat:
Make space on Thursday evenings in the WSC workshop 7 – 9
5th, 12th, and 19th of March. Then there will be a break for Easter.
Next possible launch date will be the 16th of April – but that still needs to be discussed and decided.
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Ready for the Summer?
Here is a clip from a warm day in Kirkcudbright in 2022
Adventures await!
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Hacked Silver?
This is a curiosity rather than an experiment.
I made a pewter armband inspired by the Galloway hoard. The techniques I used are pretty similar and the dimensions are close. They are not exact and I’ve used a different metal – so as I say, not an experiment.
However, in use, metal fatigue set in and it eventually broke. This then resulted in a similar object to armband 15 of the Galloway hoard.
My armband broke roughly in the centre, but will need to be cut where the ribbon links. It has signs of metal fatigue on the edges due to use. It started as curved, but a couple of hammer blows will flatten it. They are unlikely to fracture the edges though, just as making the armband curved (after punching the design) did not fracture the edges.
So here is a gallery of the armband I made and wore, to compare with images from the NMS, especially of armband 15.
For more info on the original archaeology visit the NMS website! Or the museum itself for loads of awesome – although the hoard is doing a world tour from Kirkcudbright to Austrailia so I dont know if you will see armband 15
Like I say, just a curiosity, not an experiment!