Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

George May reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"I have a new chair! After six very busy days learning new skills, with huge support from Peter and Toby, my ash log became a chair with lovely cherry back supports. I learned how to weave the seat too. We laughed and chatted as we worked using the traditional tools. I have never done anything like this before. Many thanks to Peter for putting on such a fascinating course. "

Peter Lanyon Furniture responded:

"Thanks George. I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Great to have you on the course. Glad you enjoyed it so much. Peter"

Corrie Oliver reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"I feel very fortunate to have spent 6 days in the company of such lovely people, willing to give their support and expertise enabling me to make a very cute chair. In spite of being a novice I learnt so many new skills and was enthralled by the whole experience.... a retreat from the everyday, totally inspiring and balm for the soul! Thoroughly recommend it to anyone and feel enthusiastic to try another course."

Peter Lanyon Furniture responded:

"Thanks Corrie, for taking the time to write a review, and for being great company for the week. I look forward to meeting you again one day. If you need any help or advice on your green woodworking journey do let me know."

Julia Brooker reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"I had always wanted to make a chair- and after 6 days with Peter and his assistants and the other makers.. I came away with a beautiful chair I'm proud of. I got lots of friendly help- I'd never used a chisel before. We used mainly ash with cherry wood or oak details. Green wood ash has a lovely almost silvery sheen. This course is for everyone who wants to start with an axe and ivy clad log and ending up with a hand made and amazingly comfortable chair that will surely become a family heirloom! See my chair on Instagram atJuliaBrookerStudio- if you like wood you'll love it"

Jill Cannon reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"What a week that was! An absolute delight working in my favourite material with like minded people. Peter is the most sensitive, patient and skilful tutor with a lovely sense of humour and a band of dedicated helpers including his lovely family. This is more than a craft workshop; it is a retreat, a meditation in wood and a joyous social experience with a lasting practical outcome."

Neil Kingsnorth reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"Excellent, inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable. I learned an enormous number of new skills and techniques and built my confidence in working with green wood. Peter is a brilliant, highly knowledgable and patient tutor who guides you through calmly and with clarity. It's also a beautiful venue, and the tools provided were excellent, which all helps. I ended up with a beautiful chair but also much greater knowledge and skills, which I was looking for. Highly recommended."

Michael King reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"It was a terrific course that joined 5 members of our family; our differing ages (33 to 71) and differing levels of apparent experience in amateur and conventional woodworking, which made not a jot of difference to our enjoyment and the quality of the chairs we each took home. "Peter's non-interfering teaching style, his honesty, gentleness and experience enabled me to learn so much." " I was really chuffed to come away with an attractive chair, having started with no experience or knowledge of green woodworking. I loved making my chair, every stage of it, and have returned home feeling very excited and motivated to do further projects." We can each highly recommend this course - it is hard work but the need to focus and concentrate (albeit with support when needed) means it is also successful in lifting you completely away from your mainstream work and home distractions. Do this course, especially if you are otherwise busy!"

Alastair reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"I had made Windsor chairs before, so I was looking forward to learning about ladder backs and woven seats. It was a lovely week, great company, very friendly and generous help from Peter. I liked my finished chair too. I would highly recommend this course and will likely return next year for another week."

Chas Walton reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"This was my second green woodworking course with Peter. It was extraordinarily hard work and all the more rewarding for that. From the moment you arrive, you're in the world of wood, immersed in grain and knots, and grappling with tricky 3-D visualisations of how your growing pile of shaved timber pieces could come together to create a chair. The chair you come home with is all yours. That's the good thing about this course: you have to work at it. Peter is always there with tips, advice, tea, and biscuits – and on Friday evenings, a barbecue – plus a helping hand if things really start to go awry. That's where his experience counts: when you think you've taken a wrong turn, he knows how to get your project back on track. I've learned loads about the tools you need for green woodworking, and my finished chair is really comfortable."

richard croft reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"Friendly supportive tutoring in a relaxed small group setting. Beautiful area of the country. I have been inspired to try the methods taught at home and hope that the beautiful chair that I made might be reproduced."

Roger Lear reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"I came to the course with some basic woodworking skills, but during the week these improved significantly. Peter’s calm patience meant that everyone could use the basic introduction to the tools to develop their own designs. Make no mistake, it is a full on course, so be prepared to work hard. However I found the week to be mentally relaxing and fun. I can thoroughly recommend the course in a delightful part of the Devon countryside. I can assure anyone thinking about it - just do it. You will come away refreshed with a chair you will de delighted and proud to have made."

Paul Burry reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"Thank you Peter for a wonderful, if strenuous, 6 day Green Wood chair making course. I had previously attended Peter's introductory course and wanted to try something more ambitious. There were 6 of us on the course of differing experience and ability and Peter ensured that we all went home with a completed chair, additionally I decided to make a child's chair with the attendant recalculations of sizes etc. but with the necessary guidance managed to complete the task. It is hard work but very rewarding working in such a wonderful medium."

Mary Widger reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"Fantastic. Six wonderful days. Having never worked with wood before I was introduced to some of the tools and skills needed to work with green ash, with infinite patience, care and attention. The process was fascinating. Although still very much a beginner I am delighted with my truelly comfortable chair. Added bonus is that I have returned home very much more relaxed. Thank you so so much."

Digger Harris reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"I have just attended Peter's spectacular course on chair building. Along with my five fellow participants we have returned home with a much greater understanding of working in green ash and each of us has a beautiful chair which we know intimately as we personally transformed the green ash logs into objects of craft and beauty. Peter was our guide through the process, he explained the plan and the way we could succeed, the priorities and the pace we needed, he helped us understand and avoid pitfalls, make the right decisions and understand why they were right. He encouraged us to make creative decisions to include in the design. I was very impressed that he was able to naturally give the appropriate level of support to each member of the group so we all arrived at the end with a tremendous personal success."

christina young reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"This is much more than a 'learn how to make a chair course'. You do, of-course, make a beautiful chair, but in addition Peter has created a workshop which seems rather other worldly. You can park the day to day niggles of life at the gate and spend a fabulous week being gently guided through the various steps needed to transform a log into a beautiful piece of furniture. Along the way there is opportunity to chat, to learn about greenwood work generally and to improve and learn skills. The whole experience is therapeutic and great fun. Do it!"

Vanessa Bashford reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"What a week. It has been a privilege to have spent time being so expertly taught by Peter, and in the company of a lovely group of people. The Workshop is a world away from the more usual stresses of life, it is a great working space and has everything you need (…somewhere). I went along to make a chair. I came home full of smiles about the laughter and stories that were told as we worked away, an amazing sense of achievement, and a fantastic chair. Thank you, Peter, and thanks to everyone for all the encouragement and camaraderie."

simon miles reviewed: Green wood chair making - 6 day woodworking course in Devon

"I have just arrived home after 6 days making a chair . A unique experience with a wonderful man. Having never worked with green wood before I have walked away with a beautiful chair and spent a great week with some interesting like minded people. Read all the reviews they are far more eloquent than me. I feel truly privileged and very proud of my chair!!"