Paparwark Furniture

Thanks to Peerie Paws Park for commissioning this sign for new new dog park in Shetland. Since Jack left last year i have been slowly getting to grips with the CNC software. It’s now fun developing ideas for clients. It strange how I still trust hand tools more even though it can work to such amazing detail. I really am a bit of a dinosaur in this modern age! If you are looking for a bespoke sign either by hand or machine then please get in touch.

Sooo excited to see that Ed Watt company has won this award. Back in 2003 when I was starting Paparwark, Ed designed the logo and the first packaging materials for me. His attention to detail and creative energy was amazing and for those of us that know and love him it’s no surprise that he has won this award.

‘I’m so proud of my Shetland roots’ - Award-winning designer says isles’ creativity and work ethic is ‘huge advantage, and something to be celebrated’.

Read more in the comments below.

“Choosing the right tool for the job”

There’s a special kind of joy in choosing the right tool for the job — and July’s classes are all about helping you discover which tool sings in your hand, and which one absolutely does not belong anywhere near your project.

The bench is laid out with all the usual suspects: chisels that behave themselves, chisels that don’t, planes that glide like butter, gouges that bite just right, saws that demand respect, and the lathe tools that look like they’re auditioning for a medieval drama. Every one of
them has a purpose. Every one of them has a moment. And learning which tool to reach for — and why — is half the craft.

This July we’re diving into:

🪑 Stool Making — where you’ll learn why a plane is your best friend and why the big chisel is definitely not the answer to everything.
🔪 Chip Carving — tiny cuts, sharp edges, and the surprising truth that the smallest knife often does the biggest job.
🧺 Trug Making — simple lines , clean joints, and the tools that help you coax shape out of stubborn timber.
📚 Bookshelf Making — measuring twice, cutting once, and choosing thetools that make joinery strong, neat, and satisfying.
🌀 Woodturning — the magical moment when the right chisel meets the spinning blank and suddenly you’re making ribbons instead of dust.

Whether you’re brand new to woodworking or you’ve been dabbling for years, these classes are a chance to get hands‑on, learn the “why”behind the “how,” and walk away with something you made yourself —
with the right tools, used well.

If you fancy a day of sawdust, laughter, learning, and the quiet pride of making something brilliant, you can book from the link below

Let’s make something braaly guid!

Had a very enjoyable weekend teaching three classes. If you are interested in giving woodworking a go then check our website as we have 9 different classes now available. Private group classes can be booked.

Just finished a new chip‑carved piece, and I’m reminded again why I love this craft so much. There’s a moment — somewhere between the first careful cuts and the last sweep of the knife — when everything
slows down. The wee curls of wood gather and the pattern begins to reveal itself, and you feel that quiet, steady joy of making something with your own hands.

Chip carving is simple, ancient, and strangely soothing. It’s a conversation with the wood — listening for the grain, finding the rhythm, letting the design grow one cut at a time. I could sit and carve for hours.

If you’d like to try it for yourself, the next Chip Carving Class is coming up here in the workshop on the 11th July and the 12th September. Private group classes can be arranged. No experience needed — just curiosity, patience, and a love for creating something real.

Send a message to book your place. Come sit at the bench and carve something lovely.

One of the goats figured out the fence wasn’t tight enough and escaped several times. Seeing as I’m a bit short, I have found another use for a creepie(stool). You can stand on it to drive in posts. There has been lots of discussion about what they are called. If you mix up different Shaetlan dialects you could say ‘ I’m stabbing a stab staandin apün a stab!’ Shetland ForWirds is the grammar correct on that?!