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Original poster

The dying art of swede carving

142 replies

MildGreenDairyLiquid · 30/10/2024 12:58

A lot is said about traditional crafts dying out - thatching, stonemasonry, stained glass. But what about swede carving?

I’m pretty sure I didn’t see a pumpkin in this country until I was 35.

Before that it was the humble swede, now cruelly forgotten.

Tastes nicer too.

OP posts:
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7
Waterboatlass · 30/10/2024 13:08

Would a melon baller be tough enough? I feel like having a go. Pumpkins are great and I always make soup even out of carving ones but I'm getting a bit disillusioned with the crappy plastic horror merchandise decorations around. It would be nice to go trad

QuestionableMouse · 30/10/2024 13:08

I have a turnip arriving today to carve. Slightly concerned about my fingers while doing it but I'm sure I'll survive 🤣

Gall10 · 30/10/2024 13:07

In the north east we call swedes turnips and we call turnips swedes!
in north Northumberland we call turnips (Swedes!) bagies …confused? You soon will be!

Dulra · 30/10/2024 13:06

My mum used to carve a turnip every Halloween pre pumpkins. It was really hard and now there are pumpkins available it's a no brainer to use that. I do think the turnip looked scarier though

coxesorangepippin · 30/10/2024 13:06

Chiselling it out with a grapefruit spoon for what seemed like days

^

Who needs tiktok eh

EileenBilton · 30/10/2024 13:05

purplebeansprouts · 30/10/2024 13:03

Then how on earth do you carve it? With a diamond blade?

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In our house we used the chisel from my dad's toolbox.

KnopkaPixie · 30/10/2024 13:05

Falseshamrok · 30/10/2024 12:59

They were practically impossible to carve though! I think they look scarier, but yea hard work

Even scarier with a tinge of blood on it from when the knife slipped and sliced your finger open. The flesh wound then went on to enhance the authenticity of your costume.

Those were indeed, 'The Days.'

LushLemonTart · 30/10/2024 13:04

Wow @DollopOfFun she's epic. Dh said he did his own. He said now he'd use a drill. I said you can't that's illegal 😂

purplebeansprouts · 30/10/2024 13:03

LushLemonTart · 30/10/2024 13:01

Nooooo!

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Then how on earth do you carve it? With a diamond blade?

DollopOfFun · 30/10/2024 13:02

LushLemonTart · 30/10/2024 13:00

Oh that delicious smell if singed swede. Dad used to put a proper candle in. Don't know if tealights existed in the 70s?

We had the small white pillar candles (that toppled over) and yes, the smell of that lovely burning swede.

My mum used to carve FOUR of 'em for us kids- she must have had forearms like Popeye

LushLemonTart · 30/10/2024 13:01

purplebeansprouts · 30/10/2024 13:00

Do you boil it first?

Nooooo!

LushLemonTart · 30/10/2024 13:00

Oh that delicious smell if singed swede. Dad used to put a proper candle in. Don't know if tealights existed in the 70s?

SauvignonBlonk · 30/10/2024 13:00

We used to get the job of hollowing out a swede: it took bloody ages. Chiselling it out with a grapefruit spoon for what seemed like days. Pumpkin is for wimps 🤣🤣

purplebeansprouts · 30/10/2024 13:00

Do you boil it first?

Boiledeggandtoast · 30/10/2024 12:59

Very true. It was always a swede lantern when I was young (I'm 63).

Falseshamrok · 30/10/2024 12:59

They were practically impossible to carve though! I think they look scarier, but yea hard work

MrsSkylerWhite · 30/10/2024 12:58

Love a mashed swede.