By Jögge Sundqvist

We’d like you to visit the world of slöjd, a place where people make the things they need using simple tools and materials that are all around them.

Your guide on this journey is Jögge Sundqvist, who has been making things with his hands and little bits of steel since he was a boy. To join in, you need only a knife and a few other simple tools to make useful and beautiful objects.

“Slöjd in Wood” begins with making a butter knife – a useful object that requires just a knife, boiling water and paint to make it – that will begin to unlock the world of slöjd for you.

You will then learn to make bowls, a sheath for your knife, spoons, a place to hang your clothes, cutting boards and so many more things. In the end, you will look up into the branches of the trees around your home and see the things you need.

“Slöjd in Wood” is the first English translation of Jögge’s classic Swedish book. It’s a gorgeous peek into a work that is dominated by saturated colors, crisp bevels and handmade work.

In addition to introducing you to the pieces you can make for your home, Jögge shows you how to grip the knife to produce the cuts shown in the book safely and efficiently. And shows you how to replicate the deep colors on your pieces that are positively mesmerizing.

The Lost Art Press edition of this book has been two years in the making, involving translators on two continents, plus additional drawings and text that help explain the work to an audience that is unfamiliar with the concepts of slöjd.

We have sought to reproduce the Swedish edition of this book in every way possible, from the paper’s opacity to the binding and the endsheets. In short, this is a high-quality book that is designed to last for generations.