Emma Jackson (Silversoles - Felted Textiles) reviews

Rachel Faulkner reviewed: Felt Lampshades

"I enjoyed making lampshades with Emma. Though I have done wet felting before (via Emma’s felted vessel workshop) I thought this would be interesting to try out as I enjoyed the other workshops I’ve had with Emma and I was in need of a lampshade for my house. She sent emails on what to bring to workshop, e.g. photos or drawings for inspiration. Emma is very thorough with her explanations and shows you all the steps you need to take at a good pace. She often has some great tips on what works and what doesn’t and showed different lampshade examples and felted samples. It’s always a friendly and supportive atmosphere at her studio. There was another lady at the workshop and Emma split her time equally between us. I received worksheets explaining all the stages we’ve been through and was sent some images she took during the workshop. I was very happy with my finished lampshade and with all the support I was given I feel confident to have a go again. I would encourage anyone to attend Emma’s workshops with a great teacher and lovely company. Thank you Emma I always have such a good time learning new techniques with you"

Emma Jackson (Silversoles - Felted Textiles) responded:

"Thank you for your generous review Rachel - so glad you enjoyed the course and enjoyed the workshop expereince."

Mollie reviewed: Felt Pod Vessels

"Dear Emma I had a wonderful morning with you, thank you, and look forward to more workshops in your excellent work space. I've just returned from a wet and windy week in Wales and am preparing my work room for a go at making another felted pod, while your instructions are in my head! Thanks for sending me the images - I downloaded them just in time! I took my creation with me and gave it some attention - hopefully I'll manage to send some pictures! The silk looked good, but I think I needed to add more! I learned so much from your knowledge and generous teaching style and very much look forward to joining you again. Many thanks, Mol"

Rachel reviewed: Felt Lampshades

"I have loved doing this short course and was amazed with my finished felt lampshade - my friends don't believe I made it! Emma gives you just the right amount of support and step by step instructions throughout - she is a wonderful teacher. There are lots of beautiful coloured and un-dyed wools to choose from and a mouthwatering selection of fancy fibres and yarns to use too. Working over two days helped me to digest everything, from felt making to making the lampshade, I've learnt so much. The detailed handout instructions given back up anything I forget and will help me have another go. I left so inspired, thank you."

Esme Kettle reviewed: Felt Lampshades

"What an excellent experience. I am thrilled with my lampshade. Emma made us feel so welcome and her garden studio is beautiful. She gave us plenty of advice and guided us through each stage of making the felt and constructing the lampshade with patience and skills. I have a limited amount of felt making experience, but this didn't matter as Emma's support, advice and encouragement helped me bring my ideas to life. Thank you Emma - brilliant workshop!"

Anya reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"This was a wonderful morning learning how to turn wool into a new fabric. Emma is an approachable and friendly teacher who made us feel very welcome and helped guide me through the process with patience and care. I left with a new skill, confident of my knowledge and wanting to do more. Thoroughly recommend this course and tutor."

Yvonne Taylor reviewed: Felt Lampshades

"Another fabulous course with Emma! I thoroughly enjoyed the two Saturday mornings and was delighted with my lampshade when it was finished. Emma is always so warm and welcoming, and her studio is a lovely place to work. In addition, by keeping groups, she is able to give each person individual attention when they require it. Emma is such an inspirational tutor. She guides you through the process step by step with clear instructions and at the right pace. There is just the right amount of support, with a good balance between teaching new skills and helping students develop their own ideas. Clear written instructions, photographs taken during the process and a list of suppliers are all provided by Emma. More importantly, she gives you the confidence to 'have a go' at trying different techniques. I can't wait to make my next lampshade and try some of them out! A great course for beginners and those with some experience of felting. I can highly recommend this and other courses by Emma. Thank you so much! I look forward to seeing you again soon."

Sarah Yeomans reviewed: Landscapes in Wool - Painting with Fibres

"I found the Landscapes in Wool workshop thoroughly enjoyable. Emma was very welcoming and has a lovely studio/workspace in her garden. From a photograph, I learnt about how to create perspective when felting and how to mix colours by carding. There was a wonderful range of colours to choose from. I found Emma an extremely good teacher. She gave clear instructions and provided help when required. I am a novice felt maker and realised how much there is to learn and discover in the world of felt making. I hope to go to another workshop sometime in the future."

Amanda & Philippa reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"We had a lovely day with Emma, learning about shibori techniques and producing samples to show the results. Emma took photos of the process as we were going along throughout the day, which was really helpful to look back on after the day when trying the techniques on your own. She also provided some great information at the end of the day as a reference source, which was also really helpful. Emma guided us through the process without doing it all for us, and as there were only 2 of us in the end (there should have been 4), we each got plenty of advice and attention. A relaxed and enjoyable day learning about an interesting process which we hope to use in future projects."

Valerie reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"A wonderful workshop with the opportunity to create two pieces of felt. Emma gave a really useful introduction to felting and then demonstrated the processes really clearly. Not only did we have a lovely choice of wool tops to create the felt base but also lots of threads and bits to embellish the pieces. Great studio, brilliant tutor and a lovely creative way to spend a few hours."

EMMA COTTRILL reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"A thoroughly enjoyable workshop. Emma was a fantastic, engaging teacher and her passion for the craft was infectious. I'm so glad I went and would highly recommend."

Bev lewis reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"Fantastic course - Emma was friendly, and encouraging . She took her time to explain the processes and as an absolute beginner, I left with the confidence and excitement to continue with this subject. We made two pieces to take home and I am looking forward to signing up for other courses. A really enjoyable lesson, thankyou x"

Carolyn Bettis reviewed: Felt Flowers

"I thoroughly enjoyed the flower making course which I attended as a complete beginner. Despite my inexperience, I was very pleased to see at the end of the morning, that I had quite a credible piece of work in progress! I left feeling that we had been given a very good introduction to the craft and I shall undoubtedly look to carry on."

Sue Pryde reviewed: Felt Flowers

"Emma has a vast array of colours and materials to choose from. Her explanation of techniques is excellent and her attention to those on the course is such that everyone achieves a really good standard in what they produce without any feeling of pressure. Emma’s years of experience enable her to see where she should offer guidance and when to let people to explore their own ideas. I really appreciate Emma’s approach: whilst I’m a novice I’m sure that even experienced felters would pick up tips and learn more from Emma."

Maureen Frost reviewed: Shibori Felting: A Felt Sampling Day - Ripples, Waves & Spikes

"A brilliant day, resulting in three different examples of shibori felting. Emma is an excellent teacher and guided us through all stages of the process, enabling us to felt with confidence! Thank you!"

Louise Wright reviewed: Shibori Felting: A Felt Sampling Day - Ripples, Waves & Spikes

"This was a brilliant day!! I had relatively little prior knowledge of felting but Emma helped me through the basics so that I could also enjoy and learn about the shibori felting process. We were busy from 10 til 4 almost nonstop and there were loads of chances to ask as many questions as we needed and seek advice. I loved the variety of techniques which were shown and just being in the workshop, surrounded by Emma's work was inspiring. I am still waiting for my samples to be 110% dry before the big reveal, but can't wait to see how they look when I take the stitching out. Thank you for a wonderful day"

Lise Beynon reviewed: Felt Pod Vessels

"I love the course and learned loads. Emma has such an excellent teaching methodology. I can't wait to do another one!"

Katy Munn reviewed: Felt Pod Vessels

"Emma was a great teacher - patient, encouraging and informative - and I really enjoyed the morning. I am delighted with my pot!"

Shirley reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"Thoroughly enjoyable day. Emma is very knowledgeable and talented and she explained/demonstrated the techniques very well. The small class-size meant we had as much personal help and attention as needed and were able to work at our own pace. It was particularly good to be able make something of our own choosing as we all had very different styles. I came away with a scarf that I will definitely wear. I hope to return for further courses."

Jane Rogers reviewed: Nuno Scarf - An Introduction to Nuno Felting

"Thank you Emma, we really enjoyed the Nuno felting scarves course. It was good to be in a small group of three as we were able to get lots of help and advice where needed. It was good though that you let us develop our own ideas and skills. We ended up with three completely different scarves in the group. Your knowledge was invaluable and your enthusiasm infectious. Love your garden 'hideaway'. Looking forward to coming again."

Jane Rogers reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"Thank you Emma, we really enjoyed the Nuno felting scarves course. It was good to be in a small group of three as we were able to get lots of help and advice where needed. It was good though that you let us develop our own ideas and skills. We ended up with three completely different scarves in the group. Your knowledge was invaluable and your enthusiasm infectious. Love your garden 'hideaway'. Looking forward to coming again."

Lora reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"Decided on a whim to go and do a beginner’s felting course, and really enjoyed it. Making felt is an absolutely fascinating process. Emma demonstrated everything and showed us a variety of different yarns which could be used. Absolutely thrilled to come away from the course with two pieces of handmade felt - amazing to think that we actually handmade a piece of material! Emma left us with an information sheet to take away and a list of stockists to have a look at so all in all a really informative morning."

Sue Green reviewed: Resist Felting - A Felt sampling Day: Cracked Mud, Nuno Resists & Felt Trapunto

"A superb day learning three different wet felting techniques. I enjoyed working with a knowledgeable teacher in a gorgeous studio space. I would recommend this course to other "felters"."

Emma Jackson (Silversoles - Felted Textiles) responded:

"Dear Sue Many thanks for your review - I hope you are enjoying using your new felting skills. Best wishes Emma"

Christina Pinel reviewed: Resist Felting - A Felt sampling Day: Cracked Mud, Nuno Resists & Felt Trapunto

"A great day of felting led by an excellent tutor. Workshop well organised with plenty of resources and materials so that students could learn new skills and complete three different wet felt samples."

Emma Jackson (Silversoles - Felted Textiles) responded:

"Dear Christina Many thanks for your review - I hope you are enjoying using your new felting skills. Best wishes Emma"

Gill Davies reviewed: Nuno Scarf - An Introduction to Nuno Felting

"My friend and I spent a blissful day in Emma's studio each making a scarf using the Nuno felting technique. Emma is a warm and welcoming tutor who explains each step very clearly and provides hands on help and advice at all stages. I would strongly recommend this course."

Julie reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"Just loved it!! I was brought a beginners felting course as a present & wasn't sure really what to expect. Emma explained everything, the instructions were easy to follow & she would demonstrate how to do things. Emma was also there to help or offer advice all the way through. I found it really interesting and would say to anyone ,if you have a slight interest give it a go. I went home with my finished piece, which I was really proud of and I'm going to make it into a cushion. Emma was so friendly & helpful I would highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to booking more sessions."