Holiday Patterns for Chip Carvers

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Round wooden chip carving featuring a menorah with nine branches and Hebrew lettering above.

Chanukah Menora  

Round wooden ornament with chip-carved menorah and the word Shalom above it

I designed the Chanukah menorah for my Jewish  friends. The menorah is a good choice because of its clean lines. One of the two  patterns has the shalom in Hebrew letters, the other uses the anglicized spelling.

Eight-point star chip carving pattern with spiral center on light wood ornament

Eight-Pointed Star 

The eight-pointed star has an unusual geometric pattern in its center. Although the chips are small, a sharp  knife and fine lines make this one easier to carve than it appears. 

Square wooden chip carving with geometric star and triangle patterns surrounding a central raised knob.

The Dreidel 

The dreidel, used during the Chanukah Festival, is a four-sided toy that spins like a top. Each side has a Hebrew letter. The pattern for my flat dreidel uses geometric designs and the four letters.

Chip-carved wooden cross with geometric holiday patterns and star motifs on light wood

Celtic Cross 

My interpretation of  the celtic cross is that the spirit of Christ radiates from the ends. The blue color is popular with my customers. To prepare the wood for coloring, I first and it with 400-grit paper. I then seal it with a spray lacquer. The last step is spraying the sealed surface with Krylon® paint. I do wait at least four days for the paint to cure before I apply the pattern with a rubber cement and cut through the cemented paper. After carving and shaping, the pattern is removed and the cement easily rubs off. 

Chip-carved wooden star ornament with intricate swirling center pattern and pointed rays

Eight-Pointed Star 

This eight-pointed star has a spiraling pattern a classical design in its center. 

Round wooden chip carving featuring a symmetrical snowflake pattern with fine detailed cuts.

The Snowflake 

The snowflake is a pleasing design for the holiday season and a simple one for a chip carver. 

Chip-carved star patterns on a round blue wooden plaque with symmetrical points

Star of Bethlehem

Four small stars surround the Star of Bethlehem.

Eight-point star chip carving ornament with intricate geometric patterns on light wood

The  Cross 

The cross stands  out in low relief in the star. 

Round wooden chip carving with a stylized Christmas tree pattern on red background

The Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree and the red color make this a holiday winner. Note that the branches of the tree are cut using two-sided chips. 

        

Roger Nancoz is a full-time chip carver and instructor. He lives in North Babylon, New York. Roger Schroeder is Managing Editor at Wood Carving Illustrated. Photography by Roger Schroeder

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