Love HeartWood

Love HeartWood Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Love HeartWood, Arts & Crafts Store, Unit 6A The Courtyard, Amners Farm, Reading.

Woodturning teacher & maker
Learn to create well-crafted things in wood
Hands-on courses & workshops
Berkshire, UK

šŸŖµ specialism - sustainable wooden toys and homeware šŸŒ³



13/06/2026

What a wonderful day yesterday in my workshop.

It was the first ever womenā€™s beginner day. We talked so much Iā€™m afraid the day did become quite long but everyone eventually went home with a mushroom and a bowl.
Well done to Heather, Kelly, Sharon and Katy. šŸ‘šŸ‘šŸ‘

This was a very popular training day and there was actually a wait list, so I hope thereā€™s many more womenā€™s turning events to come.

Iā€™m looking forward to being part of GAP Festival Market Day this Sunday.Back by popular demand, GAP Festivalā€™s Market D...
12/06/2026

Iā€™m looking forward to being part of GAP Festival Market Day this Sunday.

Back by popular demand, GAP Festivalā€™s Market Day is a wonderful and unique shopping experience where artists, artisans and makers come together to share their passion, talent and inspiration.

Iā€™ll be bringing a selection of my handmade wooden gifts, toys and homeware, along with selected pieces from my new Held Forms collection of green turned bowls and vessels. If youā€™ve been following the collection online, this will be a great opportunity to see some of the pieces in person.

Whether youā€™re looking for a unique handmade gift, interested in learning to woodturn, or simply fancy a browse among some wonderfully talented local makers, Iā€™d love to see you there.

šŸ“ Rectory Garden, Goring High Street
šŸ“… Sunday 14th June
ā° 10am ā€“ 4pm

Free entry

Really looking forward to being part of the GAP Market Day this Sunday. ā˜€ļøRectory Gardens, Goring.10 - 4. Free entry
12/06/2026

Really looking forward to being part of the GAP Market Day this Sunday. ā˜€ļø

Rectory Gardens, Goring.
10 - 4.
Free entry

Introducing Held Forms.Over the past few months Iā€™ve been developing a collection of green turned bowls and vessels expl...
10/06/2026

Introducing Held Forms.

Over the past few months Iā€™ve been developing a collection of green turned bowls and vessels exploring what happens when wood is allowed to move, distort and influence the final outcome.

The collection began with an interest in natural movement and evolved into a fascinating journey of experimentation, learning and occasionally letting go of control. Along the way I learned new hollowing techniques, improved my sharpening skills and gained a much deeper understanding of how green timber behaves as it dries.

Over the coming weeks Iā€™ll be sharing each piece individually, along with the stories behind them, what I learnt while making them and how they contributed to the collection as a whole.

And before anyone asksā€¦ yes, this image was generated with a little help from AI! In my excitement to get the pieces exhibited and photographed individually, I completely forgot to take a photograph of the entire collection together. So when I needed a collection image, I had to get creative. If something looks slightly odd, now you know why!

You can read the full story behind Held Forms on the blog via the link in my bio.

08/06/2026

The best part was the people.

Despite the wind and rain on Saturday, we welcomed an incredible number of visitors over the weekend at The Base, Greenham Festival of Arts & Crafts. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the stand, watched a demonstration, asked questions, shared stories or simply came over to say hello.

A special thank you to the wonderful team at The Base. Their positivity, enthusiasm and support helped make the whole weekend such a pleasure.

Being positioned near the music stage was an unexpected bonus too. The quality of the musicians throughout the weekend was outstanding, creating a fantastic atmosphere for visitors and exhibitors alike.

One of the highlights for me was turning spinning tops for younger visitors. Seeing children become fascinated by a spinning piece of wood and watching their curiosity about woodturning emerge never gets old. A few showed real enthusiasm for the craft, which was wonderful to see.

It was also lovely to catch up with old friends and make new ones. A special hello to Tee from Bloom & Bear Studio, Jen from The Pine In The Valley - Handmade Jewellery and Sophie from Sadlers Woodhouse. It was great to meet the team from Hillside House Honey. Their locally produced beeswax candles are definitely something Iā€™ll be exploring further.

Weekends like this remind me why I love being part of the craft community. Thank you for making it such an enjoyable couple of days.

Tomorrowā€™s the day.The work is finished, the tools are packed but this evening Iā€™m still sorting out my storage and sign...
05/06/2026

Tomorrowā€™s the day.

The work is finished, the tools are packed but this evening Iā€™m still sorting out my storage and signage ready for The Base Festival of Arts & Crafts. I havenā€™t put the stock in the car yet, I hope itā€™ll fit!

If youā€™re looking for inspiration, a creative day out, or simply an excuse to browse beautiful handmade work, this event has so much to offer. Alongside over 50 artists and makers there are workshops, taster sessions, live music, food and plenty of opportunities to meet the people behind the work.

Iā€™ll be there both days with live woodturning demonstrations, handmade wooden homeware, wooden toys and my newest collection of turned pieces.

Last yearā€™s event was a highlight of my year and I canā€™t wait to do it all again.

If youā€™re visiting, please stop by and say hello. Iā€™d love to show you what Iā€™ve been working on.

See you this weekend at The Base, Greenham

Sat 6 & Sun 7 Jun, 10am - 4pm

Suggested donation: Ā£2 per adult, Ā£1 per child (under-5s free)

ā˜€ļø Kick-starting the two-week festival, a craft fair featuring 50+ stalls will surround The Base building, creating a bustling high street of high-quality crafters and artists for visitors to browse. As well as...

šŸŽµ Live music

šŸ• Delicious food and drink

šŸ¾ Well behaved dogs on leads welcome (not in the Gallery though, sorry!) You can even get a Dog PAWtrait done!

šŸ–ļø Plenty of free childrenā€™s activities - itā€™s the perfect day out for all ages!

šŸ«Ÿ Spray painting on Sunday

04/06/2026

Some commissions stay with you long after the last pass with the sandpaper.

These two large hollow vessels were commissioned by a Spanish only speaking priest preparing to leave for South America. His son acted as our go-between, translating the requirements and helping shape the brief. With departure dates already booked, there was no flexibility in the schedule and no room for mistakes.

The vessels began as large laminated blanks before being drilled and end grain hollowed. If youā€™ve ever hollowed seasoned end grain, youā€™ll know it demands patience, sharp tools and a willingness to create an astonishing amount of shavings. At times it felt like Iā€™d never get to the end.

As the deadline approached, the pressure mounted. From the glue-up and drilling to the final fitting of the lids, there was very little margin for error.

It came right down to the wire, but seeing the finished vessels standing side by side made every challenge worthwhile.
Many thanks to Ben, Penny and Simon without whose advice and assistance I wouldnā€™t have completed this project.
This was a commission that tested both skill and patienceā€” while at the same time reminding me why I love making bespoke things for people.

Not on the scale of your jobs but what dā€™you think, is there an easier way?





Have you ever wondered how a wooden top is made?This weekend at The Base Festival of Arts & Crafts, Iā€™ll be giving live ...
02/06/2026

Have you ever wondered how a wooden top is made?

This weekend at The Base Festival of Arts & Crafts, Iā€™ll be giving live woodturning demonstrations of spinning tops and other things throughout both days.

Itā€™s always fascinating watching a piece emerge from a block of timber, and demonstrations are a great opportunity to see the process up close, ask questions and learn a little more about the craft.

Iā€™ll also be happy to chat about the woodturning courses I run here in Berkshire. Whether youā€™re completely new to woodturning or looking to develop your skills, feel free to stop by and ask anything youā€™d like to know.

One of my favourite parts of events like this is meeting people who are curious about making things with their hands and helping them discover that woodturning is far more accessible than they might think.

Come and say hello if youā€™re visiting.

One of the reasons I love running childrenā€™s woodturning sessions is that they give young people the chance to make some...
01/06/2026

One of the reasons I love running childrenā€™s woodturning sessions is that they give young people the chance to make something real with their own hands.

Opportunities to learn practical craft skills seem to be becoming less common in schools, which is why I try to run at least one childrenā€™s session every school holiday and change the project each time to keep things fresh and exciting.

This half termā€™s challenge was pen turning, and despite the heat, Theo threw himself into the project with enthusiasm. From a simple block of wood to a finished pen, he did a fantastic job and you can see from his smile just how proud he was of what heā€™d made.

Thereā€™s something special about watching a child discover they can create something useful, beautiful and entirely their own.

The next childrenā€™s woodturning session will take place at the end of August, when weā€™ll be making wooden tea light holders.

If you think your child would enjoy learning a new skill, building confidence and creating something they can take home and use, click the link below for more information.

https://www.loveheartwood.co.uk/product/kids-woodturning-sessions/

Meet the MakerItā€™s been a while so Iā€™m reintroducing myself to my more recent followers.Hello! Iā€™m Liz ā€“ woodturner, for...
19/07/2025

Meet the Maker

Itā€™s been a while so Iā€™m reintroducing myself to my more recent followers.

Hello! Iā€™m Liz ā€“ woodturner, former primary school teacher, and the creative soul behind Love Heartwood. Iā€™m based in rural West Berkshire, working from my workshop based on a local horse farm where I teach, take commissions and turn homewares and toys from locally-sourced, sustainable wood.
www.loveheartwood.co.uk

I discovered turning completely by accident.
After a decade teaching young children, I swapped the classroom for Central St. Martinā€™s, earning a BA in Product Design. It was there that I fell head over heels for turning. Though I graduated in 2008, it wasnā€™t until the summer of 2013ā€”ironically, the day before my weddingā€”that I finally got my own lathe. My husband teased me that weā€™d set it up on our honeymoonā€¦ and, yes, we did!

I find turning endlessly fascinating and stimulating but at the same time very meditative and grounding. I liken it to tai chi, not that Iā€™ve ever done that, but itā€™s the mix of your mental and physical effort combining which makes it deeply rewarding.
Is this what you love about turning or is it something completely different? Iā€™d love to know.

Address

Unit 6A The Courtyard, Amners Farm
Reading
RG303UE

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 3pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9:30am - 3pm

Telephone

+447897998586

Website

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