Latest reviews

Irene reviewed: Flower Patch Hand Embroidery Workshop with Rachel Davies

"I was intrigued by the union of painting and embroidery so I booked onto this workshop. Rachel's own practice evidences her expertise and amazing skills and, importantly for a workshop, Rachel is able to teach gently to novices and keenly to experienced participants. On arrival, my workstation was set out with all that I would need. I was welcomed with coffee and smiles and refreshments were available throughout the workshop, (cake to die for!). There were abundant resources and appropriate equipment. Rachel demonstrated techniques clearly, paced her teaching well and supporting everyone's individual, creative responses. I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop; learning new skills and chatting to participants with similar interests. The day flew by! I now have a lovely painted and stitched patch to frame or applique to a garment or bag. I have signed up for two more of Rachel's courses. Rachel has a superb creative gift that she can share with patience, clarity, genuine encouragement and joy. Thank you so much Rachel and all the participants who were so friendly. "

Rachel Davies Studio responded:

"Irene, hello , and thankyou so much for your lovely review. It does mean an awful lot , and I really do want everyone to feel welcomed, relaxed and always feel comfortable to work at their own pace. Im really glad you enjoyed it so much, your piece is so successful. I look forward to seeing you again, very best wishes, Rachel"

Nicky reviewed: Introduction To Welding & Basic Fabrication

"We spent a brilliant day with Joe. His knowledge and teaching techniques were brilliant. He was patient and encouraging, and clearly explained the what's and whys in a way we could both understand. Highly recommend. "

SCAVENGER DESIGN BRIGHTON responded:

"Thanks very much…….appreciated."

David Taylor reviewed: Blacksmithing Introductory Workshop - One Day

"Excellent day, learned so much about blacksmithing, and having a group of four is a good number, as there was no waiting in turn, we just got on with our own work. The instructor was very friendly and informative. I would recommend this course for anyone interested in this traditional craft."

Stanwick Lakes Art and Craft Courses responded:

"Thank you for leaving us such a great review - we really appreciate it! We are very pleased you enjoyed the course and hope to see you here at Stanwick Lakes again soon. Best wishes, The Stanwick Lakes team."

Bob Black reviewed: 2-day Stained Glass Leading Course - Design Your Own Freestanding Garden Panel - for Improvers

"This is an excellent course. Mike, the course tutor, is very knowledgeable, very helpful and very patient. I learnt so much and was delighted with the free standing garden stained glass panel. Would recommend this course."

Vitreus Art responded:

"Thank you for your review Bob, it was a pleasure working with you and we look forward to inviting you back to the studio again soon. All the best, Jenny & Mike Vitreus Art"

Emma wallace reviewed: Embossed aluminium bauble

"We did this course as part of our 10year (tin) wedding anniversary celebrations. We absolutely loved it and gained a real appreciation of the time and effort that goes into the hand crafted items you see at craft fairs and online business. Mel was very calm and patient and checked our progress regularly to make sure we were doing it right and going to get the right result. We love the baubles we produced and will treasure them forever. Thanks!"

Metallix responded:

"Thank you for the lovely review, Emma. I hope you had a fab anniversary weekend…and maybe I’ll see you on another workshop in the near future( even if online)"

Sarah reviewed: Knitting workshops in Leeds City Centre

"Great course! Anne was very patient and a very nice person to chat with! We covered quite a lot of different stitches and the material she gave me to take home will be very useful. Thank you very much!"

Leeds Central Faith and Light responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to write this review. I enjoyed chatting to you, as well as being able to teach you a variety of techniques. Hope you have now found the inspiration to finish your blanket!!! Kind regards Ann"

Dave Wise reviewed: Spoon Carving Beginners Workshop

"What a great day! Pete and Jacqui have a wealth of knowledge and share it a fun and friendly way. There's a lot more that goes into a spoon than you'd think, but I enjoyed every minute of it! Would thoroughly recommend! "

Niamh Macleod reviewed: Japanese Mending

"This was a fantastic workshop. I had so much fun learning a new skill and it was so lovely to be able to chat and meet new people too. I have left feeling energised and inspired. The only downside is that I don’t live closer! Thank you again for this fantastic morning. "

Handmade Workshops Ltd responded:

"Hi Niamh Thank you for taking the time to write this lovely review. It was lovely having you in the workshop and we appreciate the time you spent with Lucianne. We really hope you find another of our workshops appealing enough to make the journey again! Thanks Ann"

HChild reviewed: Mosaic wall hangings using vintage and retro china

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course. Wendy was extremely knowledgeable and provided excellent advice, guiding everyone to ensure that we were able to complete our piece. She had a vast selection of china to choose from and plenty of equipment for us to use. Would definitely recommend. "

Wendy's Mosaic Designs responded:

"Thank you, Helen for your lovely review. I really appreciate it. "

Chris Dell reviewed: Wire Seed Head Stems

"Fun day with great instruction and demos . Thoroughly enjoyable and I came home with a bunch of fab seed heads. Many thanks Judith. "

Judith Brown Jewellery responded:

"Thanks for the lovely review Christine, and I hope to see you on another workshop soon!"

Tricia reviewed: Craft Bookbinding (1 day) in the Peak District

"Great course. We were all beginners, but the course was well explained and I never felt rushed. Very pleased with the final product. "

Zantium Studios Ltd responded:

"Thankyou Tricia, Much appreciated. Delighted to hear you enjoyed the course and your wonderful hand-made book. Now to decide how to fill it...!"

Lewis reviewed: Blacksmithing experience day

"I had such a fantastic time on this course. I had never used metal as a material to work with before and had always dreamed of doing it. Arian was such a wonderful teacher , talking me through every step and explaining the reasoning behind why we were using certain techniques. Being out in the countryside was a breath of fresh air and I really enjoyed the free soup! If you're thinking about doing it, you should 😊"

Lindsay Atkins reviewed: Glass Fusing Flowers and Under Sea Taster Session

"We had a great glass fusing session with Ruth and Andrew at Kalypso glass. On arrival we were made very welcome with refreshments and then Andrew gave a clear demonstration on how to construct our first piece. The glass components were already prepared in advance so we were able to dive straight into creating our first piece. In total we made 4 pieces in a couple of hours which was great fun and great value. Ruth also gave a quick demonstration on the glass beads she was making which was very technical but fascinating watching the glass form under flame. Will definitely be back in the future to create the Christmas scenes and have a go at making some glass beads Thank you for a friendly, personal and fun session for myself and Jane. "

Kalypso Glass responded:

"Thank you Lindsay, glad to hear you enjoyed your time with us, you made some great pieces too."

Geraldine reviewed: Sew and Make a Pencil Case Ages 8-16 years YORK

"Really good, my daughter came home with a lovely pencil case which she is now using for school. Excellent instruction and materials provided and good venue."

Thread and Press responded:

"Ah that’s wonderful, thank you "

Cathryn B reviewed: Candle Making

"I really enjoyed this course; the sorting room and accompanying shop were lovely spaces to work in.Kathryn explained the procedure really well and was on hand for any further help needed. I was so pleased to leave with four finished candles in decorated tins-great for Christmas pressies. Soy wax and real essential oils available to use."

Ashley Harvie reviewed: Glass blowing course - taster

"Steve and Angie are WONDERFUL teachers! We had an absolutely brilliant few hours making beautiful objects that seemed totally unattainable when we watched Steve’s initial demo, but through their attentive guidance we had a wonderful (and totally safe!) time manipulating the glass into our own unique creations. I cannot rate these guys highly enough! We made 4 beautiful objects each - helped by two lovely people. We’ll be back for sure - whiskey glasses next time please! "

Chew Valley HandMade Glass responded:

"Thank you so much for your kind review Ashley, we had a great time working with you and David. So glad you enjoyed your time with us, hopefully we can help you make those whiskey glasses in the future. Regards Steve and Angie "

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

"Amanda was very patient and showed me a lot of techniques. Being a complete novice there was a lot to learn and the course was very informative. It has given me the confidence to try some of the techniques and start to work on my own projects. Thank you for a great day and I would recommend this course to anyone wishing to start quilting or improve their skills. "

Amanda Jane Textiles responded:

"Thank you for your review Carole. I enjoyed watching your rapid progress as you went through the day! Amanda"

Katie H reviewed: Make a 'Concertina' purse in a day - Craft it yourself Practical Leather Course

"A great workshop. Georgie is an excellent tutor and explains each stage thoroughly. So pleased with my purse and to achieve this in a morning. Learnt a lot of new skills."

Susanne Frost reviewed: Autumn Foliage and Berries: A Vibrant Watercolour Journey Monday Evenings Via Zoom

"I rate this course as 5 Stars. It was an excellent course. It’s always a pleasure to be taught by Purnima she’s very relaxing and a good tutor showing you all the painting techniques and explaining when to use each one. For me however this course really taught me how to apply shadows to the leaves which is a real game changer."

Art By Purnima responded:

"Thank-you Susanna for joining the Autumn foliage course so pleased to hear you have learnt new tricks to enhance your painting. Look forward to teaching you very soon."

Kate reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

" Stefano is a great teacher and made us feel very welcome in his workshop. I am so pleased with my fishing cat toy. He was also extremely helpful with sending directions and instructions ahead of the workshop. I would highly recommend this course. Thanks for a fantastic day! "

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Hi Kate! Thank you for your nice review! I'm very happy that you enjoyed making the fishing cat, it was a long day but what a satisfaction transforming few pieces of timber in a mechanical toy! "

Bridget reviewed: Creating automata - weekend course. Explore the combination of movement and materials such as wood, wire, metal tube and sheet, found objects and figures.

"Fantastic course. Fi is a great teacher and helps you to problem-solve whilst making room for learning. Supplies for the course and tools are excellent. Lovely vibe and absorbing. Recommended "

M Baggott reviewed: Deep Buttoned Upholstery Workshop - Stool, Storage Crate or Footstool

"My daughter and I had a fabulous day making a deep buttoned footstool. A big thank you to our tutor who was so knowledgeable, patient and keen to share both her skills and knowledge. Our footstools will be well used for years to come."

Helen Hennerley reviewed: Beginners one day basket weaving course

"Thoroughly enjoyed the Beginners One Day Basket Weaving Course. The setting was perfect, in a beautiful location near Bala. Rowenna Williams is very experienced and passes on her knowledge in a calm, patient manner. I came home with a finished willow basket that I love and the skills to have a go by myself. I will definitely be booking another course with Rowenna when I can. Thank you for an amazing day."

Celf Gwyllt Cymru - Wild Art Wales responded:

"Hi Helen, so glad that you enjoyed the day. You created such a beautiful basket on the day. I hope it'll inspire you to create some more in the future. Looking forward to seeing you again soon."

Judi Pitcher reviewed: Flower Patch Hand Embroidery Workshop with Rachel Davies

"I did the flower patch workshop, last Saturday “, with Rachel . An absolutely perfect day ! Rachel is so enthusiastic and knowledgeable and passed this on to us in a very relaxed way. We all came away with a lovely piece of work , all different; but all wonderful. We made beautiful flower patches that can be used to embellish a piece of clothing or bag. There was plenty of coffee and cake; all set in a beautiful surrounding; at Bunbury Mill . PERFECT ; thank you xx .. on top of this workshop I have just been to a talk/presentation, delivered by Rachel, called “ How Textiles tell stories “ . Interesting and enthralling. Well worth attending ..thank you Rachel xx Judi "

Rachel Davies Studio responded:

"Hi Judi, thankyou very much for your lovely review, Im so glad you had such a good time. The embroidery you did was lovely and as you say, very personal. The Mill is a wonderful location for workshops, I feel privileged to teach from there,thankyou again , very best wishes, Rachel"

Deb Kitchenham reviewed: Silver Bangle with Personalised Silver Charm Workshop with Mel & Rachel

"Absolutely fantastic day learning how to make silver charms from silver clay with Rachel and then forming a beautiful bangle on which to display charms with Mel. Rachel and Mel were so warm and friendly guiding me patiently through the processes. It was a very welcome 6 hours of switching off from the real world with copious tea, coffee and treats. Thank you so much Rachel and Mel. I will be recommending your course to all and sundry and I will definitely return next year now my appetite has been wetted for jewellery making. Xxx"

Gifted Crafts Company responded:

"Thank you so much Deb. It was an absolute pleasure. We both had a wonderful day. So lovely to meet you. And you made gorgeous silver and copper pieces. Huge well done. Really looking forward to seeing you again. All the very very best. Rach xxxx"