Latest reviews

9 Oct 17'

Jamie Morgan reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"My wife purchased a 1 day training course through Mark as a surprise 44th Birthday present. I can honestly say this was the best present I could have wished for. Whilst having experience in Carpentry, I attended as a complete novice/beginner - always being interesting and talking about Woodturning but never pursuing this avenue. Mark put me at ease right from the start - having a chat over a cup of coffee prior to running through all the basics - safety, machinery, tools, sharpening - backed up with over 30 pages of course notes which we covered during the days tuition, not to mention the many "hands on" practical demonstrations/lessons which we completed. Having undertaken numerous training courses during my time in the Construction Industry, I can honestly say that Mark is by far the best training tutor I have had the privilege of working with. His experience and knowledge is second to one, not to mention his enthusiasm, patience and encouragement for the student. I came away with a wonderful turned Beech bowl which has taken pride of place in our living room, but most importantly I was able to meet and learn the basics from a true craftsman and artist in his field. Follow on correspondence and info was sent the very next day - with the suggested "shopping list" we discussed when first setting up, along with links to various local clubs, training days/courses and seminars etc - brilliant "Post training" advise and info. A big thank you Mark for a most enjoyable day and informative insight into Woodturning - now just need to get "set-up" and start practicing (any excuse to buy more tools!!!!!) Cheers, Jamie"

9 Oct 17'

Jill Gibson reviewed: Soap making

"I attended this course on 19th September 2017 with two family members. Diane was very welcoming and extremely knowledgeable, taking us all safely through each step involved in the process. We came away with a certificate for the day and a wealth of information so we could continue our soap making journey at home if we so wished. We all had great fun and produced some lovely soap, which Diane posts out to you. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in cold press soak making."

9 Oct 17'

Tony Baker reviewed: Introduction to green wood furniture making - two days

"Peter's "Introduction to green woodworking" weekend proved to be a joy to attend. I had no experience with green wood but was amazed at how easily it was to control a draw knife and shape the legs for my small table. Peters quiet authority, experience and good humour all helped to make the weekend enjoyable and a genuine pleasure. I would recommend the course if you want to find out what it feels like to make something beautiful with your own hands, even if you have little if any woodworking experience. Thanks again Peter for a great weekend. Tony"

9 Oct 17'

Angela reviewed: Introducing Macrame Knots and Intricate Designs

"My daughter and I spent a lovely afternoon with Mary, learning how to knot a sampler. Mary is clearly very experienced in her chosen craft and an excellent tutor. She was especially supportive and patient with my daughter who often struggles to learn new crafts due to being left-handed. At the end of the session, we were both amazed at what we had managed to produce. I highly recommend this course."

8 Oct 17'

Alison reviewed: Container candlemaking course and wax melts with afternoon tea

"Really enjoyed this class. Julie is great fun and really informative. As complete novices we got some great tips and are looking forward to making lots more candles. The afternoon tea was lovely and the atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly. Would recommend anyone to give it a go"

8 Oct 17'

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

"Brilliant afternoon. The pace, structure and step by step demonstration of the session were spot on. Group size was small with lots of personal time. Zenia is a lovely, very knowledgable instructor whose enthusiasm is infectious! Would highly recommend the session. I was very happy with my robin and went home and was immediately able to make another."

8 Oct 17'

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

"Thank you for a great course. A lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I had never needle felted before and it seemed amazing to me to see how the wool bonded together and I am thrilled with my robin. Lovely venue and group size. Great teaching. Highly recommend?"

8 Oct 17'

Lynne reviewed: Needle Felting Workshop Owl Brooch

"Attended this workshop and thoroughly enjoyed it and I love my unique pumpkin. I'm a complete beginner and was so pleased that I was able to complete an item that didn't look amateurish. The delicious homemade cake itself was worth attending for! I will definitely be back for more - I'm hooked now."

8 Oct 17'

Tom Ingall reviewed: Timber framing courses

"Really enjoyed the course. It was so inspiring to be in the woods building with a group of folk all keen to get to grips with the skills needed to timber frame with green oak. The techniques around using datum lines, references, scribing, measuring and attention to detail were fascinating. Really enjoyed the passion that John and Conor brought to the teaching and having Al playing the flute in the background made for a magical time in the woods. But the glue that binds the whole course together is Mary's catering which was superb! Thank you"

8 Oct 17'

Carol Octon reviewed: Enamelling on copper

"What a fantastic day. I have no creative skills but my daughter, who is very creative, asked me to go along with her. However, Dilys is a fantastic, patient and inspiring teacher who enabled me to produce some fantastic earrings and a pendant whilst my daughter explored a number of different techniques and made a whole range of wonderful items. It has inspired both of us to want to take up enamelling as a hobby and we will certainly be returning to have another session. Lovely little dog too!"

8 Oct 17'

Ben reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"What a great course! Ian is a great teacher and loves what he dose. I really enjoyed it and would 100% recommend it! Thanks Ian!"

8 Oct 17'

Sorcha O'Connor reviewed: Bespoke candle making workshop - Edinburgh

"What a totally lovely morning I had at Kerry's candle making workshop yesterday. We were greeted with the most delicious hot chocolate with a lovely hint of orange, had a lovely chat and then got stuck into all this soy wax, wicks, scents and trimming. Once we have our candles blended and cooling out came coffee and yummy home made cake. It was such a soothing and relaxing way to spend a morning with friends. We then make scented fire lighters. Kerry's workshop was a total treat and her range of candles is fab. We'll be back again no doubt."

8 Oct 17'

Clare Dockerty reviewed: Make a casebound notebook, bookbinding workshop, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

"A great class, Naomi spends time and effort to make sure that everyone gets the very best out of the day. I thoroughly enjoyed making both of my books. Would love to see more classes in the future that can build on what we have learnt in this class."

8 Oct 17'

Selina reviewed: Needle felting with Virginia

"I attended Virginias wet felting course a complete beginner. We started with a demonstration then straight into creating our own piece. Virginia was informative, encouraging and very knowledgeable about this addictive craft. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience and cannot recommend enough! Thank you again and can't wait to attend another of Virginia's courses."

8 Oct 17'

Paul Richmond reviewed: Wood turning courses

"Thanks for a great day’s woodturning yesterday - a brilliant birthday present. You both made me feel so welcome and I felt at ease straight away. You’re a great teacher and built my confidence up so that I feel okay to give it a go myself now. It was the cherry on top to come away with such an amazing bowl to remind me of the day and all the techniques we covered. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone. Thanks very much again to you and Susan for an awesome time. Cheers, Paul"

8 Oct 17'

Claire Hubbard reviewed: Beginners Pottery Day Course

"What a fantastic day! Mathew put us entirely at ease and taught us how to throw pots with patience and care. He has the ability to ensure you learn step by step and that you are able to complete each step entirely independently before moving on. Everyone will succeed on this course and absolute beginners should not hesitate to have a go. You'll be amazed by what you produce! Thank you Mathew - we will be back to see you again, without doubt!"

8 Oct 17'

Simon c Ford reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"I have recently been on Ian's stool making course at his wonderful tithe barn workshop, just outside barrow upon Soar. From the offset it was a great experience. I was introduced to the concepts of greenwood working and the related tools and their use. He is a proper craftsman and takes the time and patience to explain the various stages of construction, using his wonderful array of high quality woodworking tools. I would thoroughly recommend Ian and his courses to anyone with an interest in this field. Plus you get to take home what you have made on the day!"

8 Oct 17'

Alison Lloyd reviewed: Creative Vibe - Glassblowing Sessions

"Ricky put on a fantastic course, ensuring that everyone had a chance to do everything (including assisting the other people on the course). His patient approach was matched to both beginners and those with more experience, and he took pains to make sure that our pieces were really ours (i.e. no jumping in and "let me just fix that for you"). We got a lot done in just a day, and the cost includes Ricky cold-working the pieces afterwards. I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone - it's an amazing experience, and there's no-one better to do it with. Can't wait to go again!"

8 Oct 17'

Enid King reviewed: Needle Felting Workshop Owl Brooch

"I attended the pumpkin workshop. Loved every minute of it. Very helpful and learned loads. Cake was delicious. I would definitely recommend these workshops."

8 Oct 17'

Brett Thorn reviewed: Creative Vibe - Glassblowing Sessions

"Ricky was a brilliant teacher. Patient and laid back, the whole day was an absolute joy. We made far more than I was expecting, and with only 3 on the course, we each had plenty of time at the bench and furnace, acting as assistants to each other for the trickier operations. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend the course to anyone who fancied trying this interesting craft. Thanks for a superb day!"

8 Oct 17'

Esme North reviewed: Introduction to green wood furniture making - two days

"I had a fantastic weekend on the Introduction to Green Woodwork course. Peter guided us through the process of crafting our own stools in a relaxed and open, yet attentive and thorough way, which I felt empowered us to get the most from the experience. I felt really lucky to learn from someone with such impressive talent and many years of experience in working with wood. The knowledge and skills given on this course are so valuable, I came away really happy, and with inspiration and practical foundations to continue!"

8 Oct 17'

Jen Shepherd reviewed: Tapestry weaving workshop for beginners

"I had such a great time at Jane's tapestry weaving workshop yesterday. I was delighted to learn do much and to be able to complete my first piece of weaving. Instructions were clear, the studio space was gorgeous, food and drink of the highest quality and a relaxed and supportive group of people to learn with. Thanks so much for a fabulous day!!"

8 Oct 17'

Sue Ullrich reviewed: Beginner Weaving - Weave a Scarf in West Wales

"Enjoyed the day very much, the weaving was well geared to a 1 day course and you were able to achieve a great looking scarf. Food was lovely and the whole atmosphere very enjoyable."

8 Oct 17'

Alistair reviewed: A stool making day

"Fantastic day - really enjoyed it, and - as you said - learned a huge amount. Definitely very enthused about taking up woodworking if and when I get some spare time! Your ‘faculty’ are really good - helpful, fun and friendly. We will definitely be back - possibly to make a shaving horse so that we can start up at home. I appreciate that we have a huge amount to learn, but today was a great start. Just feeling the wood and seeing it transform was really fulfilling. Thanks for the soup and bread too! If we don’t see you before, we will be at the gallery for our usual Christmas shop. Sláinte Alistair and Claire"

8 Oct 17'

Maggie reviewed: Container candlemaking course and wax melts with afternoon tea

"Had such a lovely day and learnt so much, feel ready to start my micro business now. Julie is very informative has lots of tips and tricks and is a very welcoming host. The Afternoon tea is fab. A fun informative day that I am certain will be of great benefit to my future plans. Many thanks Julie"