Latest reviews

Megan reviewed: Blacksmithing Introduction courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"I was bought a taster day as a surprise gift and I really enjoyed exploring a new craft. I was worried about the heat but it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be! Adrian and Andy explained clearly, helped when needed, and were friendly and interesting to chat to. What can I say about Debbie and the food? I'd do this course again just for the delicious food! Overall, an excellent day, you won't be disappointed."

John Williamson reviewed: Welding with confidence

"Nigel is a great teacher with a lot of tips to make welding easier. He demonstrated every step and then you got the chance to learn by doing. I learned a lot from him and I accomplished what I set out to do. That is to give welding a try and see if is something I can do as a hobby when I retire in another year. Thanks Nigel!"

Duncan Meachin reviewed: Gifts an introduction to woodturning

"When I met Philip we got on really well, the course was very informative, and Philip helped me to hone my very limited turning skills, and he has given me so much more confidence in my own abilities and to carry on experimenting with my own equipment. I would highly recommend this course it is informative and fun. Thanks Duncan"

Julie Bartley reviewed: Needle felt a blue tit (Midday on Fridays and 3pm on Saturdays)

"A thoroughly enjoyable workshop. Very relaxed. The kit for the workshop had plenty of materials. Gwen was friendly, welcoming and extremely helpful. I amazed myself how well the little blue tit turned out and was delighted to learn a new skill. I would highly recommend this course. I hope to do another course with Gwen soon."

Gwen’s Felted Paintings responded:

"Oh Julie, it’s so lovely to hear that you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for such a lovely review! Best wishes, Gwen"

Wende Arundale reviewed: Introductory course covering wet felting and Nuno techniques in the beautiful Forest of Dean

"Christine, made me very welcome and generously shared her vast knowledge with me over two days. Her lovely studio on the hill was bright and welcoming with a myriad of facilities and equipment. Very highly recommended."

Christine Waygood. Contemporary Textiles. responded:

"Thank you for your kind review. It was great fun teaching you, and helped to reboot me after a quiet lockdown! I'm looking forward to seeing your Green man when he's finished."

Michael Adkinson reviewed: A Workshop in Acrylic Techniques

"This course was exactly what I was hoping for. Shirley provided expert guidance in a relaxed atmosphere. I arrived as a complete novice, having absolutely no experience of acrylics and left eager to carry on. It was a day well spent and with the bonus of taking place in a beautiful Wolds setting."

Shirley Davis Dew. Art 4 All responded:

"Thank you for your kind words. I thought you were very good with acrylics.You looked to have been using them for a while. I hope to see you again when you want to come to another workshop. Stay safe and positive. Shirley"

Hazel Fisher reviewed: Needle felt a blue tit (Midday on Fridays and 3pm on Saturdays)

"What a fabulous way to spend a couple of hours- in the (zoom) company of a lovely group of people and a friendly, knowledgeable and supportive tutor. I shall be signing up to any future courses run by Gwen and recommending them to any willing to listen!"

Gwen’s Felted Paintings responded:

"Hazel, thank you so much for your lovely review! It was such a pleasure meeting you and I am so pleased to hear that you enjoyed it. Hopefully see you again at some point :)."

Sanket reviewed: Calligraphy: four-lesson correspondence and/or zoom courses with Gaynor Goffe

"Gaynor is an excellent tutor, but she's also a wonderful human. She has a great eye for detail, she can point out and guide on your mistakes even in an online class. I enjoyed my calligraphy sessions with Gaynor. Thanks Gaynor & see you soon ?."

Gaynor Goffe responded:

"Many thanks Sanket, hope you can keep going with it all !!!!!!"

Clair Payne reviewed: Taster pottery throwing lesson (various dates)

"Did an afternoon taster session and made 3 pots. Loved it! Packed a lot in to the afternoon. Jack was incredibly patient and attentive with everyone and gave very clear instruction. Would definitely try and do another. Great fun and learned a lot considering I had never been on a wheel before. Nice coffee too!"

Kirsten Whiteley reviewed: 'Clay as a Canvas' glaze decoration workshop in Tenterden, Kent

"I always love Kate's workshop. They are well organised, and Kate's careful preparation means everything you need is readily available, so you can focus on creating with clay in a safe and relaxing environment. She is a thoughtful and inspiring teacher/potter, passionate about sharing her enthusiasm for ceramics. Clay as a canvas focused on using a variety of glazes and exploring a range of techniques that can be used on mainly unfired but also fired clay. I found it really useful to just experiment with the glazes with the added benefits of working with others doing the same!"

Kate Schuricht Ceramics responded:

"H Kirsty. Thanks for the kind and helpful feedback. It was good to see all the students experimenting with the underglaze colours onto leather hard clay and really pushing the materials to see what could be achieved. It is a really versatile technique and helps to get colour onto the pieces at an early stage, so I am glad that you enjoyed the process."

Dan Hipkiss reviewed: 2 day knife making course

"Absolutely brilliant experience from start to finish, and the final product is way beyond anything I could have expected. Having seen what other people have made with different courses, I'm totally pleased that we made the right decision here. I cannot recommend this highly enough."

Margaret Stonham reviewed: Relief Texture and Colour on Clay

"I really enjoyed the relief textureand colour on clay workshop.It was just the tonic needed at this time and I've already made some blank items ,ready to explore the technique further.The Cowshed was a stunning venue,but Kate's organisation,encouraging teaching style and attention to Covid safety detail made it a brilliant morning.Thank you ,I hope to return ?"

Kate Schuricht Ceramics responded:

"Hi Margaret I am so pleased that you enjoyed the workshop. It's great that you have made some blank pieces so that you can continue experimenting with wax erosion. Feel free to email or call me if you want any tips or advice. Thanks for the lovely review and I hope to see you at another workshop soon."

Daniel Rimmer reviewed: Blacksmithing Experience in Grassington (3 hours)

"Had a brilliant 5 hour session forging a knife & bottle opener. Never done anything like this before but after watching forged in fire on repeat my wife booked me in as a surprise. Richard was a hands on instructor, very helpful and welcoming. I hope to be back down at the forge again in the future."

David reviewed: 1 Day bag making course - 10 design options

"Signed up for the two day course as I was in the area and to try something new.. .. not sure I had expectations of making something so professional looking With Bec’s support and guidance I created an amazingly professional bag that is certainly eye catching and doesn’t look hand crafted but yet is fully unique I would certainly recommend the course and finding time to attend a workshop.. .. but leave room for me to attend another couple yet!!!"

AMANDA TAYLOR reviewed: 1 Day bag making course - 10 design options

"Have just completed a weekend course with RJ Leather. Can absolutely recommend to anyone who already works with leather or just wants a fun weekend learning a new skill. Rebecca is lovely, very talented and very patient! Can't wait to do another one"

Ellie Sandall reviewed: Pottery wheel throwing taster

"My mum and I spent a very enjoyable couple of hours with Richard, learning how to use a potter's wheel- neither of us had used one for years so we were both complete novices. We both managed to create three pots- not perfect but with their own rustic charm! We're looking forward to glazing our pots in the near future and then they'll take pride of place in our houses. Thank you for a lovely morning!"

Potterydayz responded:

"Many thanks Ellie, I am glad you and your mum enjoyed the throwing session. I look forward to helping you finish your rustic pieces."

Louise reviewed: 2 day jewellery/silversmithing course - all materials provided

"Loved my two days on the jewellery course with Sue. As a complete beginner I learnt so much , and am really keen now to use the skills and carry on creating. Sue is super organised, patient and helpful and obviously extremely proficient in her field. There is a lovely atmosphere in the studio and we were made to feel so welcome. Thanks so much Sue, I will definitely be coming again ! L xx"

Sue O'Mara Art responded:

"Thank you for the kind words Louise, I loved your focus and it was really nice to have you in the Studio. You have made excellent progress on your silversmithing journey! It would be lovely to have you here again so you can work on a more complex piece. Take care, best wishes, Sue"

Penny Roberts reviewed: Mosaic Craft Kit - Roman Style Coaster Kit - Set of 4

"Really enjoyed making these mats. It was the first time I had worked on a mosaic and it was great fun. The kit arrived really quickly and was beautifully packaged. The instructions were easy to follow. Only difficulty was choosing the colour design. Would highly recommend for a complete beginner."

Montet Designs responded:

"Hi Penny I'm so pleased to hear you've enjoyed creating your first mosaics! :) Thanks for your lovely feedback. Audrey"

Sarah Pendred reviewed: Pottery wheel throwing taster

"A really enjoyable morning spent learning a new skill. Richard was very patient and spent plenty of time demonstrating techniques and giving help and advice individually. Enjoyable and absorbing."

Potterydayz responded:

"Many thanks for the review Sarah, a pleasure to see yo here. Glad you enjoyed your visit."

Rhiannon reviewed: Wax Melt Workshop Online

"Really fun and engaging session! It was well-presented and easy to understand, plus Sharon was happy to answer any questions we had. I also appreciated getting so much of the equipment and materials posted for the session, since now I can make more in the future :)"

Nigel Palmer reviewed: Introduction to woodturning: one to one

"I spent a most rewarding and educational day with Bill yesterday. I have been turning bowls for a short while and had reached the limit of my self taught skills. Bill was able to show me how to improve upon my technique and produce stunning results. This he did in a friendly and patient way, taking time to explain but not being pedantic. Bill also spent time showing me how to get the best edge on my gouges and chisels which also boosted my confidence. Bills intelligence and engineering background stand him in good stead and he is a natural teacher. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending one of Bill's courses for anyone at any level who wants to learn a new skill or develop existing skills. A thoroughly enjoyable day and excellent value for money."

Bruce Cottrill reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"An absolutely brilliant day! Mark is a highly skilled craftsman but he's obviously passionate about passing on his skills, and does so in a friendly, patient way! He has a well equipped workshop, and goes through all aspects of wood turning, including safety, tool selection and maintenance, types of wood and how to handle them. He followed up the day with lots of useful information, and I ended up with a beautiful wood bowl ... with which I'm well pleased! Thanks Mark for a great day and a great learning experience. I can't wait to get turning!"

Mark Hancock responded:

"Thank you Bruce. Hope you get that lathe soon."

Sue Smith reviewed: Delayed course 5 week course: 28th April. Drawing and Painting in the Garden Watercolours Pen/Pencils. There are limited places left.

"Great morning painting with Shirley. She is professional and very knowledgeable, kind and patient. She took time to demonstrate, teach, encourage and praise throughout the morning. Covid aware and secure. Great classmates ensured a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended- can’t wait til my next class!"

Shirley Davis Dew. Art 4 All responded:

"Wow! Thanks for the great review Sue. I'm sure you will make friends with the others as you fitted in so well. Shirley"

Angela reviewed: Quilt in a Day, one-to-one course with Amanda Jane Ogden

"What a great day! Very patient teacher with a novice and full of tips and tricks. Everything planned perfectly so I went home with a great mini quilt, having tried the techniques needed to make a full size one. One to one teaching means you have someone making suggestions and sharing expertise all day and so learn quickly. Aftercare great too- follow up email with more tips and a newsletter and advice re suppliers. Feel I’ve taken a leap forward and have the confidence to get started on my own!"

Amanda Jane Textiles responded:

"Dear Angela, Thank you for your review. I am delighted that you are now launched on your quilting journey! Amanda"

Robin Mersh reviewed: Blacksmithing for Beginners - Full Day Forging for One

"I spent a great day today on a Blacksmith experience run by Chris The Smith, at his new forge at Earlswood Garden centre. Chris is a natural teacher, he really knows his stuff, and breaks things down into manageable stages which are easy to follow – all backed up by physical examples of what he means, and what good looks like. I was really impressed about how well thought out everything was, allowing even a complete novice like me to start getting results immediately. Chris is very patient, but doesn’t miss a thing, (eye on the ball at all times). He makes sure that you get the best results you are capable of, and I’m proud of the knife and key-ring I made. It was a full day, and a bit tiring, but very very worth it! Both the course and the end products really exceeded my expectations, and I cannot recommend the experience highly enough. 10/10"