Latest reviews

Henry James reviewed: Introduction to Green Wood Furniture Making - 2 Day Course in South Devon

"I had a brilliant time on this course. Peter is clearly an expert in what he does and he and his apprentice Toby are both brilliant teachers. I was a complete novice before the course and I came away with an absolutely beautiful and unique stool. Thank you guys, I will be back for more."

Judi Smith reviewed: Fused glass workshop with Helen from The Butterfly Effect Studio in Halford.

"Invited by a friend to join one of Helen's workshops, I was initially apprehensive as I do not consider myself to be creative. I need not of worried as Helen explained clearly how to develop the basic effects of glass fusion and we soon started on our own pieces. Through the course of the day Helen was on hand, encouraging and introducing other techniques to use, a knowledgeable and inspirational teacher. I am delighted with the pieces I made, all originals!! Thank you Helen for a great day, maybe there is a little creativity in me."

Butterfly Effect Studio responded:

"Hi Judi, thank you so much for this review, I appreciate you taking the time. I’m so pleased you all enjoyed the day, what a lovely group of friends. I know a couple of you were reticent about creating with the glass but because you were very attentive during my demo and you responded so enthusiastically- you couldn’t help but produce beautiful pieces!"

Vicky Wilmot reviewed: One day leather work course - small leather goods

"I did the 2 day course with Diamondawl, from the moment we were welcomed to the course both Jason and Louise were warm and friendly, very helpful, nothing was too much trouble and they answered all our questions without making us feel inadequate. I was over the moon with the bag I made and am hoping to carry on with leather work, already thinking of another course for next year! The food was 1st class too with a good choice. I can highly recommend this course to anyone, I had no knowledge before but am feeling confident enough to make gifts for friends and family this Christmas!"

Kenneth Dummer reviewed: One to one, One day, blacksmith course

"A brilliant day with Alex at a great old traditional forge located in the grounds of a lovely museum. Very quickly put at ease by Alex upon arrival and made to feel at home. I decided to make a Rams Head toasting fork and Alex very professionally set about showing me the processes. The day just zoomed by and I absolutely enjoyed every minute, including lunch with Alex in lovely surroundings. I am now the proud owner of a toasting fork (made by me) and poker (made by Alex) to match. I would thoroughly recommend this for pure self indulgence or as a great present for someone else! Cheers."

Chalk Pit Forge responded:

"Hi Ken, Thanks for the great review, it's much appreciated. Really glad to hear you enjoyed it. Alex"

George reviewed: One day stained glass workshop London for beginners and enthusiasts

"Great day spent with Tejal and another student. One-to-one training was very informative, easy to follow and I had a lot of fun. Tejal demonstrated each step carefully and with great care. I am delighted by the piece I created and cannot wait to put my new skill to the test in time for Christmas. The studio is comfortable, well lit and easily accessible. I will definitely recommend this course to anyone wanting to learn a new art skill or just to have a fun day out."

Jade reviewed: Introductory soap making workshop

"I bought this experience for my friend's birthday and we had such a fabulous time! Nicola was so great at making us feel welcome, explaining the history and basic science behind soap making and then guiding us through colour and fragrance choices (so much choice!). Such a great morning and a perfect course for beginners. Would definitely recommend!"

Boo Cottage Botanicals responded:

"Thanks so much for your review Jade! Really lovely to finally meet you properly and so pleased you both enjoyed the workshop. Nic x"

Maxine reviewed: Wire Jewellery

"A thoroughly enjoyable day with a very skilled and personable teacher in a lovely location. Judith shared several techniques and some beautiful beads, to enable us to create some stunning jewellery. What seemed impossible mid-morning became reality at the end of the day, with everyone leaving with a unique finished piece and the skills to continue to explore this craft at home. It was great to visit Judith’s own studio to admire her own work. Lovely lunch and cake, too!"

Judith Brown Jewellery responded:

"Thanks for the lovely review Maxine! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it and it was great to see everyone conquer the technique, I had faith you all would! Some fabulous results."

Norman Emerson reviewed: One day leather work course - small leather goods

"I did the 2 day course. It was a great experience right from the start. Jason knows his stuff alright, from his introduction through until the completion of my wonderful bag at the end he was inspiring, helpful and patient. His work shop to me in the old mill is an interesting setting. I would recommend to anyone who wants to learn how to make a quality leather item, give Dimond Awl a try."

Diamond Awl Leather Workshop responded:

"Cheers Norman hope you are keeping well."

Libby Graham reviewed: One day stained glass workshop London for beginners and enthusiasts

"Had a great experience with Tejal in her beautiful garden and studio on the beginner stained glass course. She gave really clear and helpful instruction to make the process easy to follow. She was very open for us to be creative and try our own designs if we wanted and gave lots of great additional info on where to get supplies for the future. Would highly recommend."

Ruth Bannister reviewed: Gem cutting, tuition for two students in cabochon cutting and an introduction to faceting

"I bought this course as a birthday gift for my Dad. We drove down to Brighton for the day and we learned loads from James. He certainly knows his craft, and he walked us through the way he cuts stones into cabochons. We then learned how to create a facet on the reverse of the stone - and brought it all up to a high shine. Very interesting and informative. Be prepared to absorb a lot. James also has stones for sale - so I made the most and I brought a stash home with me. :)"

Treasureworks responded:

"Thank you Roo, it was great meeting you and your Dad! Thank you for a lovely review too. Regards, James :)"

Tracy Rolls reviewed: Throwing for beginners

"As many of the other reviews state Charlie was a great teacher and very knowledgable. He was patient and focused on the areas each of us was finding difficult to get correct. Charlie encouraged us to persevere, which meant we all got at least one pot out. The time went so quickly for me because it was a very enjoyable experience. I would recommend this course to anyone who wishes to get a good grounding for stating a new hobby. Many thanks Charlie from both Steve and Tracy ??"

Charlie's Pots responded:

"Hello Tracy and Steve Many thanks for your kind review. It was a pleasure to meet you both and I am glad that you both enjoyed the day. Look forward to seeing you both again soon. Your pots have now been fired and are ready to glaze. Contact me if you need help booking a glaze session. Best wishes Charlie"

Johanna reviewed: Stonecarving Weekend, Gloucestershire Cotswolds

"Had an amazing family weekend creating various forms from limestone- loved the venue-felt very comfortable very quickly after small intros- what I liked most was the ethos- Sebastian is there to provide experience, wisdom, top tips to try and avoid catastrophes but also reassure that mistakes can turn into unique happy accidents that make your piece individual and special! I liked the freedom we had to ‘have a go’ but also a quiet eye kept on us to provide advice as required. Chipping, adzing(?) rasping and riffling and the 2 days went too quickly as we got absorbed into what we were doing- weekend flew by but all three of us went home with something we felt really pleased with. Highly recommended. Will definitely attend again."

Semra ferhat reviewed: Beginners Epoxy Resin Workshop

"Joined in the morning session 2/10/2021 I haven’t done anything like this before but I found it fun and informative, Richard is a good teacher. The only thing I found a bit confusing was working out the amount of resin for the amount of area. I think with practice and patience I would be able to work it out. Altogether a great morning. Thanks Richard"

Edna reviewed: Make a silver ring or bangle

"After a long hiatus due to Covid restrictions I finally managed to book another session with Lucy. Like a familiar glove we soon had reviewed progress on my earrings project and moved on to the next stage. I recently attended another jewellery class and realised the skills that I have gained from Lucy put me in good stead to approach the lesson with complete confidence. On our one to one session I have gained so many tips and advice that I wouldn’t have received in a class with other students so for me it is of excellent value to come to Lucy on a regular basis."

Jackie reviewed: Gelli Plate Printing Workshop by Clare Cosens

"Loved the gelli plate printing workshop. Good fun and I learned lots. Clare was an excellent teacher, gave clear instructions and was generous with her knowledge. The small group meant we got lots of individual attention, support and advice throughout the session. My group was of mixed abilities ranging from complete beginners (me) to an art professional and we all enjoyed it equally. The materials supplied were of good quality. I left the session able to do the basic techniques on my own. I enjoyed it so much I immediately booked onto another workshop with Clare to learn more plate printing ideas and techniques. Thank you Clare."

Clare Cosens Designs responded:

"Hi, I’m really pleased that you enjoyed the workshop. Your prints looked fab, I particularly liked your negative prints with the Agapanthus. I look forward to meeting you again in the near future."

Suzanne Campbell reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 pottery / ceramics workshop for 1 person

"I really, really enjoyed all aspects of the beginner's one-day pottery course and would not hesitate in recommending it to others. Louise is an excellent tutor. She was friendly, supportive and encouraging and explained everything very clearly and easily and her enthusiasm was infectious."

Blended Monkey - pottery - woodturning - green woodworking - pole lathe - throwing responded:

"Thank you for your lovely review Suzy :-). It was a pleasure to meet you and I'm really pleased you enjoyed the day. You should feel very proud of what you achieved. I particularly like your slab vase! I'll let you know as soon as your pots have been glazed. I'm sure they'll look amazing!"

Lucy & Conor McGill reviewed: Throwing for beginners

"This was the most amazing craft course I have done in the last few years. My hubby enjoyed it immensely and I personally have been waiting to get my hands on a potters wheel to try this for 32 years since I was at school! It was definitely worth the wait. The tutor was lovely - really good at explaining everything during the day and I ended up with a mug, a double handled soup mug and 2 bowls for the days efforts, hubby 2 bowls and a mug) ready to fire before glazing at a later date! The course was even better than I was expecting and I'd recommend it to anyone who has even a vague interest in crafting! Charlie was a brilliant tutor! 5 stars all round :)"

Charlie's Pots responded:

"Hello Lucy and Conor Thank you so much for your lovely review. I am so glad you enjoyed the course and look forward to seeing you again soon for the glazing. Please get in touch if you have any further questions. Best wishes Charlie"

Alia Hopfer reviewed: Silver jewellery making class for beginners

"Brilliant course- friendly and fun. Really enjoyed the day! First learning the techniques using copper and then actually making my very own silver bangle. Very pleased with the result. And Jonathan’s cake making skills are pretty good too!! Would highly recommend."

Salt Way Silver responded:

"Thank you Alia - It was a pleasure to teach you and I'm glad you enjoyed the cake too! Jonathan"

Donna Tanner reviewed: 1 Day bag making course - 10 design options

"My husband and I attended the one day bag making course. He made the messenger bag and I made the tote. We had a really amazing day. It was such a fun thing to do. Bex is so patient and helpful. We were both new to sewing but with Bex’s expertise we both came home with a beautiful bag. I can’t wait to sign up to another course. I’ve had so many compliments about my bag."

Tricia reviewed: Winter Woodland beauty- natural cosmetic making from woodland plants and trees

"Excellent! A fun and fast paced day, learning how to make lots of different products and finding out about the properties of different ingredients. Rachel created a friendly atmosphere and was flexible with which products you wanted to make, so you gained even more from the course. I'd thoroughly recommended it."

Workshops in the Woods responded:

"So glad you had a good day Tricia- you were on fire with the soaps and balms! Thanks you for the review, lovely to meet you and hope to see you again in the future."

Angela Hodgkins reviewed: Beginners Epoxy Resin Workshop

"Brill. Learned how to prepare the mould, the wood and the epoxy resin in the first stage of making a pair of coasters. Very useful basic info for someone wishing to pursue this as either a hobby or business and very easy to understand. Highlighted potential pitfalls that could be very costly."

Gill reviewed: Introduction to traditional stained glass (1 day) in Sheffield, South Yorkshire

"I really enjoyed the workshop. I would highly recommend, Kate and the course, if like me you have always fancied trying this. We were provided with all the tools and plenty of materials to complete a piece of art and Kate's knowledge, teaching and patience was excellent. My thanks to my fellow students and Kate in staying until we all had all completed our work. I'm so pleased and proud of the panel I (with Kate's help) created. I so wish I was able to attend the weekly sessions."

Thea Addison reviewed: Introduction to Tiffany stained glass (1 day) in Sheffield, South Yorkshire

"A hugely enjoyable day - thank you. Kate was very patient, knowledgeable with clear instruction and help when needed. The pace of the day was perfect and finished with a nice piece to take home!"

Frances reviewed: Beginners Epoxy Resin Workshop

"I did this course at the weekend and really enjoyed the session. Richard is a very patient teacher and provided clear instructions throughout the class. The course is well organised and enjoyable and I would recommend to anyone wanting to try out epoxy."

Andrea Southern reviewed: Make a Tiffany stained glass tea light

"I thoroughly enjoyed my day. Kate did a fab job of of teaching, I loved learning new skills in a lovely calm atmosphere. Our fellow tealighters were a delight too, its so nice to meet new people. As a beginner I didn't expect to produce something as lovely as my tiffany tea light holder, I only did this with the help and encouragement from Kate. Would certainly recommend this workshop, Its a great day out."