Last summer, I published a post that featured shrink pot references from the book Woodworking in Estonia by Ants Viires. Thanks to a comment on that post by William Torlot, I learned of Meelis Kihulane’s and his connection with Ants Viires. William also mentioned Meelis’ woodworking school in Estonia that is carrying on the important woodworking skills and traditions that are documented in Ants’ book.

After investigating further and some email correspondence with William, I learned that Meelis had published a book called Vakad, karbid, sõelad: Painutatud kerega esemete valmistamine. That translates to something like “Containers, Boxes, and Sieves: making items from bent wood”. I ordered a copy from the Estonian National Museum. Here’s a link to their website with more information about the book.

I held my phone over the pages to translate Estonian to English. A bit cumbersome, but effective and certainly worth the trouble. Meelis expertly explains concepts and techniques through his writing and clear photographs. And, beyond that, the book comes with a flash drive loaded with video files corresponding to each procedure.

The book is full of examples, old and new, of finely crafted pieces showing wonderful creativity within the tradition.

Meelis conveys a deep understanding of trees, roots, and other natural materials. Even if one has no intention of making a sieve, there is much to learn, absorb, and apply.

William mentioned that he and Meelis have considered the possibility of hosting a gathering in Estonia in the next year or two to celebrate Ants Viires’ and the woodworking traditions that continue to thrive in Meelis’ school. They would like to start an email list for those who would be interested in staying informed about any developments. If you’re interested in hearing more, email William at william.t@mail.de to get on the list.