Help Me Get Spoon Blanks Please!

[amt230]

Hi - I am relatively new to carving - I received a set of spoon carving tools this past Christmas. Although I immediately carved the small spoon blanks that came with the set (and enjoyed it quite a bit), I unfortunately haven't done anything since. The reason is that I can't find any wood to carve - I live in NYC, and while I had hoped to collect downed limbs on my trips upstate, this just hasn't happened.

In the interest of keeping my new hobby going, I wanted to see if anyone could help me with getting spoon blanks. Ideally, I'd like to carve green wood, but I know that's an ambitious request. If anyone is willing to provide blanks or can refer me to someone that sells them, I'm willing to pay a reasonable amount for them.

Please help before my knives go from dusty to rusty!
Thanks!

[Claude]

I recommend buying your basswood here: Heinecke Wood Products Premium quality, fair price, and fast service.

Are you carving cooking spoons, or the fancy hang-on-the-wall kind? If it's cooking spoons, any place that sells lumber will have boards in walnut, poplar, aspen, maple - all of which are great woods for cooking spoons.

As to patterns, one of the best pattern sites is Woodcarving Patterns, Classic Carving Patterns Online, Wood Carving Designs and Patterns Online

Buy yourself a simple coping saw at a hardware store to help you cut out the pattern.

Claude

[MackTheKnife]

You can get basswood and birch eating spoon blanks from Del Stubbs at Pinewood Forge. He's also got some links to people that will supply green wood blanks in a variety of wood species.

Bob

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Here are some that you can buy already cutout and ready to carve.
Spoon Blanks from Smoky Mountain Woodcarvers Supply
spoon
Spoon carving techniques - info., you might call them to see if they carry blanks.

Dave

[toycarver]

You can keep green blanks in a freezer until you are ready to carve them.