Latest reviews

Constance Wolstenholme reviewed: Small needle felted animals or pictures

"Never having done anything like this before I was a bit nervous but Barbara quickly put me at my ease and assured me that by the end of the morning I would have a little creature to take home. After two hours of expert tuition and a few laughs along the way I left with my first needle felt creation: a cute penguin! I'm now all fired up to start on next year's Christmas tree decorations and am fully intending to go to another of Barbara's workshops very soon."

Feltworld - Creative Arts responded:

"It was lovely to have you on my half day workshop Constance. Your penguin looked brilliant. I will look forward to teaching you in the future. B"

Edna reviewed: Make a silver ring or bangle

"My latest session involved refining the design of my earrings and experimenting with different embellishments. Photographing them I realised how even small adjustments make a massive difference to a pieces appearance. Following on from the session I visited Ruthin gallery to see an artists work recommended by Lucy. It was well worth the visit as I was able to observe various jewellery artists styles and techniques which goes to show you never stop learning"

Sheona Grant reviewed: Christmas Pudding - needle felting workshop with The Lady Moth

"Had a great afternoon creating an owl through needle felting in a nice small group. Zenia has a great teaching methodology where she breaks the process down into stages, with a short demo followed by us having a go. There were also examples on the table of needle felted owls at various stages of the process to help us check the texture required etc. Zenia regularly came round the table to check on how we were getting on and help us individually. We all created amazing owls. I would definitely do another of Zenia's classes!"

Hollie reviewed: Christmas Pudding - needle felting workshop with The Lady Moth

"It was great, the time flew by and I ended up with the cutest little owl! Would absolutely reccomend to anyone."

Kerry reviewed: Denim jeans - be the designer!

"Shared a really lovely day with Angela making a pair of jeans. She was very generous with her knowledge, very patient in explaining slowly and sometimes everything over again! I came away with a replica pair of my very favourite pair of jeans and armed with the knowledge of how to make more, now the fun begins! Thank you Angela for a great day!"

Can Do Crafts . Shop responded:

"Another Great review thank you so much Kerry glad you had such a lovely time. Welcome back anytime with any projects. Angela"

Paul Bolton reviewed: Box making weekend in Cumbria

"Mark and Richard offer a range of woodworking courses from their shop and workshop on the outskirts of Penrith in the Northern Lake District. It is very easy to access being close to the M6 Penrith turn-off and is set in beautiful scenery. I attended the box-making weekend in January with 3 other like-minded students. We were first introduced to the sample pieces on offer in the shop to give us inspiration into the endless possibilities of wood and style on offer. Having been shown how to go about it, the class then proceeded to construct simple oak jewellery / trinket boxes with either mitre or dove-tail machined joints. We were given access to the wood store to select the timber for the lid which is where you can let your imagination run away with you. I chose a beautiful piece of curly mahogany and some burr oak for the lip of the lid to contrast with the oak box .Having fitted the lid we then applied a superb (secret recipe) sealer and wax before lining the base of the interior with suede. I have to say I am very pleased with the result and now have a ready -made Valentine's present for my wife! Mark and Richard offer expert tuition in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere , and I can thoroughly recommend this course to any one with an interest in creative woodworking."

Jason reviewed: Block printing

"Joanna (Jo) was so patient and knowledgeable. I came to her as a complete beginner and went away with a complete project that I'm chuffed to bits with. Cake was excellent too!"

John reviewed: Make a Windsor-style stool

"Incredible fun and rewarding weekend. Ben is a fantastic teacher - extremely knowledgeable, patient and attentive. Not to mention a really nice bloke. Learned an awful lot and took home something I am proud to say I made. I'll certainly be returning to take another course soon. Cheers Ben!"

Hannah reviewed: Self-care Sundays - create a personal pamper pack with The Scottish Soapworks at The Arienas Collective in central Edinburgh

"Wow what a wonderful day! Such a relaxing, welcoming and homely environment - Lynn had thought about every detail to make the day special, tea coffee on arrival, a delicious lunch we could relax over and relaxing music. My partner chose this as a gift for me over others for its relaxed environment and supporter of the local artist community and I’m so pleased he did! I’m pleased to also say how environmentally friendly the set up was - from Lynn's home (plastic free toilet rolls, teabags, local produce etc) to the materials we used on the day. Regarding the course - Jenny was a fantastic teacher - patient and knowledgeable with all our questions, relaxed and supportive and just a lovely gentle and warm approach. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about soap making, and especially the creams - I’ll never buy another cream as I’ve promised to myself I’ll make them. If you’re interested in getting started in soap and cream making I highly recommend this course!"

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Hannah Wow back at you for such a kind and thoughtful review, and thank you also to your partner for choosing us for the reasons he did. It means so much to us. :-) It's great to know that we have another convert to the joys and benefits of making your own products. Jenny will be delighted to hear that you feel confident enough to get going with making your own soap and skincare from now on. It's a fantastic way of ensuring you know exactly what is going into your skincare - and onto your skin - and to reduce your single use plastic, which is clearly as important to you as it is to us :-) We hope to welcome you back to The Arenas Collective sometime soon. With best wishes Lynn :-)"

ishy eardley reviewed: Jewellery making with Precious Metal Silver Clay - Full Day Workshop

"I had an excellent day with Charlotte yesterday. The class consisted of me and just one other lady so we had her expertise to ourselves for the whole day. I had no idea what I wanted to make when I arrived but by the time I left I was very happy with what I had achieved. Charlotte explained every process in detail and the reasons why we did things the way we did. She was extremely attentive and knowledgeable and helped us achieve our goals. Charlotte was also very generous with her knowledge and I felt very at ease with her tuition. Sometimes on these types of workshops I feel that tutors are unwilling to share their knowledge so freely but Charlotte was very open and easy to talk about techniques and possibilities. I thoroughly enjoyed my day and came away with a pair of earrings and a lovely brooch/pendant. I would thoroughly recommend this workshop to anyone. Thanks Charlotte for a really fun introduction to working with silver clay :)"

Felix & Reuben Jewellery School responded:

"Hi Ishy, Thank you for the lovely review. I'm pleased you enjoyed the workshop. The jewellery you made was gorgeous! Well done!"

Robert Crosley reviewed: Hand stitched leather laptop case

"What a wonderful introduction to something I had never done before and in such a nice setting. Rosanna offers teaching with such care and clear knowledge of the subject of ‘work with leather’ that the time seems to fly by and I when home with my completed laptop case knowing I had spent a very enjoyable few hours. I would recommend this course and teacher to everyone."

Ricky Coombes reviewed: Wood turning courses

"Thank you George. It was lovely, I feel I came away having learned a lot. Dinner was also very nice so a big thanks to Sue for that. I'm looking forward to our next club meet on the 29th"

Jean Mosley reviewed: Glass blowing day experience

"I did this course yesterday (full-day) as a Christmas present. I admit I was apprehensive when it came to it but that was just plain silly. My husband and I had a fabulous day and some wonderful pieces were made by everyone who attended, including the four absolute beginners. Two great tutors who were knowledgable, patient and ever vigilant of safety and quickly all worries about working with 'very hot', molten glass were allayed. Just a wonderful day which I want to repeat to learn new shapes."

Bransfield Glassmakers responded:

"Thank you very much, Jean! So glad you both enjoyed it, and of course we'll be very happy to see you again if (when!) you come again."

Susan Mackay reviewed: Bespoke candle making workshop - Edinburgh

"Fabulous! I spent a wonderful morning at Kerry's workshop. She is so welcoming, knowledgeable and funny. We learned so much about making candles and how to care for them too. We hand poured our candles and mixed our own fragrance to use again. While waiting for our candles to set, she produced a fabulous fruit crumble, absolutely delicious. A wonderful host who passes on all her knowledge of her craft in an interesting and amusing way. The 2 hours passed too quickly!! Would thoroughly recommend this workshop to anyone."

Jacqui Wren reviewed: Pottery throwdown at Claynglaze Pottery

"This day was huge fun. Wendy is a quirky, fun person with oodles of skills. She makes everyone feel that they can produce something beautiful. Matt is a lovely shy person who comes out of his shell quickly and is extremely helpful and a superb potter. All in all I really enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed John’s famous Victoria Sponge. I came home splattered in clay and hopeful of what my pieces will look like once fired. Very well done Wendy and Matt x"

Claynglaze responded:

"Thankyou. Praise indeed. Your pieces are drying ,mugs have handles, one pot lost its bottom - glazing will bring them all to life, well done! Looking forward to seeing you again and well done for winning the toastrack prize!"

Lydia Taylor reviewed: Make a silver ring or bangle

"I chose to go to Lucy for a 1 to 1 teaching session because of her experience. I was not disappointed. Before attending we were in regular discussion by email about what I wanted to make and achieve on the day. I felt like the day was completely tailored to my level and learning needs. Lucy recognised I had some knowledge and encouraged me to try more advanced techniques. I was amazed with what I was able to achieve with Lucy's patient instruction. I came away buzzing with all I had learned and confident enough to use the techniques at home. Lucy taught me theory of how to design from the stone and modelled the design process as we made a setting for my pendant. I had such a wonderful day and learned so much, that I will be back for another session. Thank you Lucy"

Catherine reviewed: Introduction to fused glass (1 day) in Sheffield, South Yorkshire

"The course was well organised & Martin is a good tutor. I have never worked with glass before and I was amazed how many pieces I produced. I loved it."

Linda Dalton reviewed: Resin Jewellery Group Class

"Wow! What a great course! Excellent value for money and a fantastic introduction to making resin jewellery. Linda is a patient and encouraging teacher and having completed the course I feel enthusiastic and sufficiently skilled to continue developing my skills at home. The venue is great - plenty of room and no problem parking. The refreshments included in the price of the course were also excellent. I have nothing negative to say about the whole experience. If you are considering doing it, do not hesitate. It’s brilliant!"

Stampaholics responded:

"Thank you Linda for your review full of positive feedback! I am glad you were happy with the course and also the venue."

Diane McTigue reviewed: Stained glass for beginners one day workshop

"What a fabulous 2 days I spent on this course, it was brilliant! I started out as a complete beginner and at the end I had made a stained glass panel which I love. However, more importantly, I feel I now have the skills and confidence to tackle my own projects in the future. Sharon, our teacher was amazing. The whole course was taught in a lovely, relaxed, friendly manner. Everything was clearly explained and as there was only 4 of us on the course, Sharon was always on hand to assist and advise if necessary. At the end we all had very different panels to take home. I would not hesitate to recommend this course to anyone and would love to do another of Sharon's courses in the future."

Manchester Stained Glass responded:

"Thank you Diane, such a lovely review! Almost didn't recognize myself :) I am so glad the weekend workshop made you feel confident to try your own projects. It was a very fun weekend and so good to see all the very different creative panels that everyone took home. Many Thanks, Sharon :)"

Sue Todd reviewed: Silver Clay Jewellery for Beginners

"I had a fabulous day on Jo's course and am thrilled with the earrings I made. She has a lovely well equipped workshop in a lovely setting. There were 4 of us in the group which is ideal for having one on one tuition but also having other creative people to bounce ideas around. Jo encouraged us to design our own pieces which makes it even more satisfying to see your finished jewellery. I wholeheartedly recommend this course although I would warn you - you will get hooked and want more!"

Jo Hunter Wearable Art responded:

"Thanks Sue - your earrings are amazing!"

Caroline reviewed: Felt Pod Vessels

"Emma's pod workshop was a really enjoyable morning. The instructions and demonstrations are clear and thanks to the detailed handouts I feel confident that I will be able to make another felt pod at home. Emma is incredibly knowledgeable and has an amazing selection of wools and colours available to use. I am really pleased with the pod that I made. Thank you Emma."

Steve Glennie reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"Really comprehensive and immersive course. I’ve previously been on a one day stool making course which taught basics of using the shave horse and cleaving with a froe but was a little dissatisfied. This course was a much more involved educational experience from felling the tree to cleaving eight spindles for a stool. These are dried overnight and then pressed into legs prior to an afternoon of weaving seats with natural fibres. The whole weekend is spent in the outdoors including a walk to the local pub and sleeping in one of the two available yurts, plus cooking on open fires fuelled by the ash off-cuts. I loved this course and the stool has become a feature and a talking point. Thanks George and Ivan"

Kay Duckmanton reviewed: Introduction to fused glass (1 day) in Sheffield, South Yorkshire

"My husband bought this 1 day fused glass class for Christmas for my daughter Becky and myself. Both of us had a brilliant time and I would recommend it to anyone interested in trying something new as a hobby. We both had no past experience and were a little nervous to begin with. Martin put us both at ease. He had a brilliant way of teaching whilst at the same time allowing us to find our own individual style. The class sizes were just right and before we knew it we were chatting with others and enjoying sharing our ideas and achievements. The time flew by. Becky couldn’t wait to ask what we were going to try next. Thank you Martin. I will be in touch soon to arrange another visit."

Rebecca Taylor reviewed: "Power of Place" Mosaic and Tile Making

"A great mosaic course with handy print outs and lots of excellent displays and encouragement. On the day we all made a coaster as well as a large piece which we brought home. Tracey gave us all a goody bag with grout and clear instructions on how to compete our work. A great day with loads of choice of materials and her zest for makings mosaics is fabulous!"

Tracey Cartledge Artist responded:

"Hi Rebecca Thank you for coming to the Introduction to Mosaic workshop and contributing to a very enjoyable day. I'm delighted that you enjoyed your time at the studio and produced a beautiful mosaic to take away with you. Your enthusiasm to experiment with a variety of different materials resulted in a sumptuous and very attractive rose mosaic, composed in harmonious shades of red. I look forward to seeing how it looks once the background area is finished. Have fun with it! Best wishes, Tracey"

Amy reviewed: Creative Machine Stitching

"Had an absolute blast on this course today. Helen is so welcoming and a fantastic teacher. I felt immediately at ease and had such a fun time. Even though I had no prior experience, I created a wonderful piece of art. We will definitely book on one of the courses again in future. Thank you Helen!"

Helen Moyes Designs responded:

"Thanks Amy, I enjoyed today too, facitating all your creativity. Keep Crafting!"