Latest reviews

Sean Robinson reviewed: Maille making the traditional way.

"Phil is both deeply knowledgeable and expert in his tuition. We had an amazing day learning about the history and construction of chain mail in his workshop. As an experience day, it was outstanding, and would strongly recommend it. Great value, too."

Phil Parkes Maille responded:

"Thanks Sean, great to work with you and your friends and glad you enjoyed it. Hope you get to carry on making a bit of mail in your own workshop some time."

Alice Kelly reviewed: Yorkshire Rose stone carving class

"Fantastic course, booked on as a family and had such a brilliant day out. Helen was fab, explained every step when needed and let us go at our own pace. All of us came out with amazing Yorkshire Roses. Can't recommend enough, we had such a fun time!"

The West Riding Stonecarving Association responded:

"Thank you for your lovely review Alice.It was nice to meet you all. Kind regards Helen"

Ian Lawless reviewed: Blacksmith experience day in Tilford, Surrey

"A great day out in Farnham, the setting of the Rural Life Museum is brilliant for the blacksmith course. Neil was engaging and full of information and a true craftsman. Leaving with some lovely examples of my hard work was the icing on the cake. Recommend this course to anyone who is curious about the 'how'. Thanks Neil"

Balqisa reviewed: Natural soap & cosmetic products workshop

"What a beautiful day, Had the best time at crafters cottage making soaps and natural body care products. Julie and Jools were so welcoming and I had the best day ever and I did what I was dreaming for. Julie was very knowledgeable, helpful and the way she taught was amazing. It was a very fun and interesting workshop and also full of handy tips and information we need to take at home. I had the best experience. I was away from my 6 month baby and it was worth it. I will definitely come back again and I would thoroughly recommend to my friends. "

Sally Newton reviewed: One student - full day 6 hours , Welded Dragon fly . Introduction to artistic welding metal sculpture with Roger Russell

"Great fun for the day. Going through Arc TIG and MIG welding techniques. I took my own MIG welder along and Roger showed me exactly how to use mine as well as all of his equipment which was slightly different. This is my first time welding but it is a brilliant day for any skill level. "

High Definition wire sculpture responded:

"Thank you Sally, you mastered the Tig welding like a pro . Cant wait to come and play tanks . :) "

Matthew and Susie reviewed: Basic blacksmithing course

"We tried out blacksmithing for a day last weekend under supervision of Jos and Gary and had a great time. Both Gary and his assistant Jos are highly knowledgeable, experienced and skilled and tailor their level of supervision just right to suit their students' ability and confidence. They are also both really friendly guys to spend the day and have a laugh with. We learned and practiced many metal-working techniques on our project, including drawing out, splitting, curving, sharpening, hole punching and riveting - some of which we had never even considered. By the end of our session we were very pleased and proud to have turned three simple bars of iron into a bespoke boot scraper, complete with floor fixation points and decoration - perfect after returning from muddy (dog) walks!"

Naomi W reviewed: Daytime glass fusing workshop with Paula Andrews

"Had a lovely afternoon learning how to fuse glass with Paula. It was just the 2 of us and we were In a light and comfortable craft area. Paula is very knowledgeable and within no time we were creating various pieces given her advice and introductory training brief. She made sure we had all we needed and explained many different things about glass fusing and creating different designs. We were a bit gutted we didn't have enough time to make our 3rd piece, but we had a lovely day, Paula was so helpful and accommodating. We will definitely recommend this course! "

Cat reviewed: Spoon Carving in Stroud

"Fab day learning to use a variety of different tools and gain the skills to confidently start out in green woodworking! Thrilled with my butter knife and spoon! Thank you!"

Katrina C reviewed: Beginners needle felted seascapes

"A really great way to spend the morning, so relaxing and mindful, Rebecca was supportive and helped me create a lovely seascape on my first try at this craft. Definitely a new hobby. I definitely would recommend 😊"

Jack & Alice Crafts responded:

"It was such a lovely couple of times. Thank you for your advice on my felting packs and I hope you have found a place at home for your felted seascape "

Liz reviewed: Reverse Applique and Free-motion Machine Embroidery Bridlington

"I really enjoyed this in person course. Holly had worked very hard to ensure we had everything we needed to get the best from the day. There was a lot of information to take in and remember. I learned some useful skills to complete my piece, but also to apply in future projects. I will definitely be putting my name down for future courses. Thank you."

Hester reviewed: Letter carving in wood

"We had a brilliant day with Andy and Mary yesterday, they were both very welcoming. Andy showed us the techniques both of letter carving and sharpening the chisels. We tried to carve some simple letters and discovered it was extremely difficult! As this was a new skill for us, progress was slow, but Andy was very patient and explained everything well. We would like to thank both Andy and Mary for ensuring we had such a good day, trying out something completely different."

Andys woodworking responded:

"Thanks for your review ! I’m glad you both had a lovely time Andy Mary Angus c"

Hannah reviewed: Bring Your Own Upholstery Project - 1 day workshop - Week Days

"Really enjoyed my class yesterday, I learnt so much in just one day and Sarah was such a great teacher. The class size was great as it enabled each of us to get a lot of coaching and direction throughout the day. Will be booking again so I can continue my project."

Kevin Mitchell reviewed: Introduction to MIG welding and metal fabrication with Conan Sturdy, Artist Blacksmith

"Had a really interesting day with Conan learning to MIG Weld. Came away with a good understanding of how it's done and with a level ability that gives me confidence to have my own MIG Welding setup. Like most things in life "practice makes perfect" and MIG Welding is no exception to this."

Conan Sturdy, Blacksmith responded:

"Thanks for coming Kevin You were pretty good by the end of the day "

Anne reviewed: Introduction to Inkle Loom Weaving Workshop, Fisherton Mill, Salisbury

"A huge thank you to Ellie for a fantastic day's weaving with wonderful women. I'm now completely hooked on inkle weaving and cannot wait to get my hands on my very own inklet loom. This type of weaving was very accessible, I was thrilled to have a beautiful completed work by the end of the day. Ellie explained everything clearly and was on hand for whenever we got stuck. We received a great handbook to take home and refer to at a later stage. Fisherton Mill was a lovely venue and we enjoyed a fabulous healthy lunch and an indulgent piece of cake! I would thoroughly recommend this course to all my friends."

Suzanne reviewed: Virtual Kusudama Flower Workshop

"The online class was great fun. The tutor explained everything patiently and I created a lovely kusudama flower."

L & S Crafts responded:

"Thank you for your review. I'm really glad you enjoyed the class and hope you make many more flowers!"

Naomi Warren reviewed: Linocut printmaking in Cornwall

"Absolutely brilliant. Had a lovely time. Olivia is delightful and explains the technicals throughout. I hadn’t done Lino cutting before, but am blown away with the prints I made. I recommend Olivia’s workshops 100%. "

Alexander Neely reviewed: Blacksmithing Introductory Workshop - One Day

"We had a really good day. Came away feeling I had learnt. Also really pleased to come home with items we made "

Stanwick Lakes Art and Craft Courses responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We are very pleased you enjoyed the workshop! Best wishes, The Stanwick Lakes team."

Arran reviewed: Metal Fabrication for Artists and Designers

"Highly recommend this course. Andrew explained so much over the two days and was really accommodating towards any questions. Very detailed and worthwhile course if you're new to metalworking."

Neil Skipper reviewed: Green Man stone carving in Yorkshire

"Thanks to Helen for all her patience and support to enable us to learn new skills and create something wonderful. The location was great with such good facilities, tools and materials. It was such a mindful experience and really concentrated the mind on the task in hand. I never expected to come away with such a fabulous item after only two days. It was great to socialise and meet kindred spirits helping and sharing which made it a great course and one I would highly recommend. "

The West Riding Stonecarving Association responded:

"Thank you Neil. What a wonderful review! Much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed the weekend. Helen"

Ali and Rob reviewed: Fused Glass - Taster

"This course was such a delight! Julie explained the whole process and the techniques for different types of glass. We had so much fun coming up with designs and the session flew by. We were able to pick up our coasters the next day. I would thoroughly recommend to anyone interested in learning a new craft or making keepsakes/gifts. "

Julies Handcrafted Glass responded:

"Thank you it was my pleasure to help you both with your lovely work. "

Tracy Williams reviewed: Lampworking Workshop: Full Day Beginners Workshop

"I booked this course as a gift for my daughter's 16th birthday. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Suzanne is absolutely lovely, her workshop is well equipped and such a lovely, inspiring space. My daughter said Suzanne was very patient and explained everything to her and she really enjoyed having a go at everything. She was so inspired by Suzanne and is desperate to do more! My daughter loved receiving all the beads in the post and was very enthusiastic telling me how she made each of them! I would definitely recommend doing the course, my daughter absolutely loved it!"

Suzanne Jewellery responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to post a review. I am so pleased Penny enjoyed her day. She is a natural lampworker and it was a pleasure to introduce her to the wonderful world of lampworking. "

Claire Gardener reviewed: Fabric Sculpture Wall Hung Garden Deco

"As a family we attended a workshop at LoveKnott Creations for my birthday. I went with my two kids (16 & 11) and husband. We booked a workshop to make the Wall deco items. We were each allowed to do a different item. We arrived at 10am, having parked on a nearby road as Middleport Pottery carpark was full. The studio is part of the Middleport Pottery complex but based in a row of studios on Harper Street. Kirsty was warm and welcoming. The workshop space was comfortable and set up with tools and products for each of us. Kirsty provided us with aprons, gloves and a cuppa! She explained everything clearly and was set up for the messy process (encouraging me not to worry about drips on the table!!!! 😆😆) We didn't have a time limit, so we felt very relaxed and chilled. We created the foundation of our pieces before they had to dry for an hour. During this time we popped over to the café at Middleport pottery for an oatcake and drink. We then headed back to the studio, where we painted our dried pieces, with some vibrant colours. The paint dried very quickly, so we were able to take our finished pieces home with us. Kirsty is a lovely teacher - patient, empathetic and encouraging. We all had a lovely time. I found it to be simple, fun and therapeutic. I liked how the materials were sustainable and the fabric was recycled. Best birthday as I now have four brilliant pieces of art to keep! We do enjoy craft at home, but I would encourage anyone to have a go. It would suit a beginner too. We had such a lovely time, that we have booked again for later in the year."

LoveKnott Creations responded:

"Thank you so much Claire. It was lovely having you and your family join me See you all very soon again "

Steve Bostock reviewed: Green Man stone carving in Yorkshire

" Really enjoyed it, mainly due to Helen's no-fuss approach. Very much 'hands on' with the right advice at the right time to ensure that we carved something to be proud of! "

The West Riding Stonecarving Association responded:

"Thank you for taking time to write a great review. I'm glad you enjoyed the weekend. "

Sarah reviewed: Pick & Mix Glass Fusing Taster Session (Private Booking)

"Myself and a couple of friends had a very enjoyable afternoon with Dawn. She did a great demo of the different techniques and showed us lots of example pieces before we created our own masterpieces. There are so many different options with what to create and Dawn is very generous with her time. Thank you so much."

Dawn Turner Designs responded:

"Hi Sarah, thank you for the lovely review, I am glad you all had a good time. The work is fired and looking fabulous, will be in touch with you directly - baaaaa! "

Jane Hanson reviewed: Three Day Indian Miniature Painting Flowers Workshop with Samantha Buckley

"The Indian Miniature (birds) course was really enjoyable. The tutor Sam is a real expert and patiently explained the traditional craft and technique behind using natural pigmentation and how to apply as paints. At the end of the three days I had produced a lovely painting and feel inspired to learn more. The hospitality offered by Bridget and Richard was terrific, as were the lunches & cakes. Highly recommend. 😀"

Moor and Sea Holidays responded:

"Thank you Jane we are so pleased you enjoyed the Indian Miniature Bird course at Moor and Holidays. We hope to see you again"