Latest reviews

Douglas Dawson reviewed: Spoon Carving at Manor Wood

"I had good day learning the art of spoon carving at Manor wood. For myself it was even better being the only student. I took along a lump of wood destined for the fire and Matt looked at it and said I should get 2 spoons out of it. I am not used to using an axe to cut wood but Matt soon had me working without any trouble. The knives I found it difficult as I have been using standard woodworking tools since I was at school. At the end of the day I think we both learned something. ."

Steph reviewed: Introduction to green woodworking at Sallerton Wood

"I have recently completed a day experience at Sallerton Wood with Andy. I had no experience at all. I had only ever sawn a piece of wood once and not in a straight line. It was a really good day. I found it relaxing and the teaching of the techniques was memorable. (I think I would know how to do it all again). I made a mallet, a spatula and tried my hand at wood turning (this I later made into candle sticks). It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. Even though it was raining we were all dry and we didn’t even notice the rain as we were so engrossed. Definitely recommend this to everyone. "

Sallerton Wood responded:

"Thank you very much indeed, Steph, for posting that very positive review. We're very pleased that you enjoyed the course, its tuition, and the pleasant conditions out of the elements in the workshop shelter. We look forward to seeing you again one day, if you return for a visit, or another course. In the meantime, enjoy using your mallet, spatula and candlesticks!"

Sue T reviewed: Beginner's Candle Making Private Workshop - Marlow, Buckinghamshire

"Really enjoyable day and a comprehensive and practical introduction to candle making - would highly recommend to anybody feeling creative."

Helen reviewed: Circular sock knitting machine 'Sock School'

"What a wonderful day learning how to make socks on a circular knitting machine. Anne was a wonderful teacher and the pace of the course was just right. Came away with a pair of socks and a desire to buy my own machine and make many more! The lunch and afternoon tea were absolutely divine."

Cymbal Knits responded:

"Thank you Helen. It was a great day, I really enjoyed it. You were an excellent student. "

Katherine reviewed: Landscape quilts workshop

"Had a lovely day in Downton creating a landscape quilt picture. Lots of tips and examples provided for inspiration also delicious homemade shortbread and Bara Brith. Thank you Jacqueline!"

Bee-spoke Quilts responded:

"Thank you for your kind comments Katherine. It was a pleasure to work with you. I will keep you informed of future workshops via my newsletter.."

M. Fitzgerald reviewed: Have fun learning to forage for seasonal wild food and fungi

"What a wonderful day of learning, listening, walking, and foraging! Charming hosts and other participants were delightful. Great experience and definitely recommend it. "

Hedgerow Cottage responded:

"Hi Moe, Thank you so much for the lovely review. It was a delight to meet you both and I hope we'll see you again in the spring! Best wishes, Adrian & Renee "

Emma T reviewed: Upholstery/cushion making

"As a complete novice I was very nervous that I had taken on much too big a project! Jo was not phased however, and took me patiently through every step of restoring my old chair using traditional methods. Thanks Jo! I’ll be back soon! "

What Jo did next responded:

"With the decision to strip it right down to replace the stuffing platforms, and the repairs you made to the frame - your old chair will survive another 100 or more years. You're doing a great job! See you soon! "

Jane Scott reviewed: One day fused glass course at North Norfolk Stained Glass

"Fabulous day. Met some lovely people and learnt a lot. Paul is a great teacher "

North Norfolk Stained Glass responded:

"Thank you Jane, much appreciated:•) "

Elliott reviewed: Blacksmithing Introduction courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"Can’t recommend this enough!"

Amanda reviewed: Stained glass garden panel workshop - Hampshire

"We both thoroughly enjoyed our glass panel making workshop - it was such a lovely, relaxed and friendly course and Rachel was a very patient teacher! We could ask plenty of questions and Rachel was always on hand to help us out. We’re both really happy with our finished pieces - it was great to have something beautiful to take home with us! "

Swanwick Studio responded:

"Thank you Amanda for your very kind feedback. I'm glad you & your sister had a lovely day together, making something unique for your gardens :-)"

Heather reviewed: Woodturning - Beginner's Platter and Bowl Turning

"This course was a present for my husband. He had a wonderful time and produced two beautiful items, a platter and a bowl. He would definitely recommend it and will be going back for another course."

Jacqueline reviewed: Crochet workshops in Leeds City Centre

"Fantastic course. Really helpful written materials, lovely venue and fantastic teacher. Ann really helped us as beginners at crochet. She was patient and really helped to breakdown the method and build our confidence. We will be back to learn more, thanks!"

Leeds Central Faith and Light responded:

"Thank you for this review - I'm glad you found your workshop helpful and I look forward to seeing you back. Kind regards Ann"

Jenny reviewed: Lino printing workshop - introduction to linocut block printing

"Thankyou Vicki for a really enjoyable morning. I had never done lino printing before but I will definitely be doing more of it in the future. It was a lovely relaxed morning with a small group, so Vicki was able to give everyone the guidance and attention they needed. All the tools were provided. There was enough time on the course to finish the lino cut and make several prints. I am really pleased with the results. "

Vicki Jordan Art responded:

"Thank you for this lovely review Jenny. I’m so pleased you enjoyed the workshop, and your prints were fantastic!"

Peter reviewed: Learn to turn in Snowdonia, North Wales - Full day

"Had a brilliant day with Les Symonds. He was an excellent teacher, extremely knowledgeable, and I learn't so much, just hope I can put it into practice. I finished the day having made and finished a beautiful bowl and trinket box, which I will treasure forever. Cannot recommend enough!"

Pren responded:

"Thank you so much for the review Peter and I'm really pleased that you enjoyed your day. Les"

Kay reviewed: Upholstery/cushion making

"Excellent course with a really informative instructor….Jo certainly knows her stuff. Would recommend as you can learn all elements of upholstery- just don’t over face yourself with too ambitious a project."

What Jo did next responded:

"Thanks for a great review Kay - it was lovely to work with you. Your wonderfully decorative black and gold velvet chair will be featuring on my course photos soon! "

JoannaM and MikeD reviewed: Fibre Fusion /Wool painting Masterclasses

"My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop. Jane is a talented artist and a wonderful tutor! We were both wet felting and fiber fusion novices but we learned so much during that session. Jane was really helful and patient with us. We both walked away with great works of our own making, which was amazing. Also, lunch was something else! The home-made spicy squash soup and the Victoria sponge cake were delicious. What a great experience! Thank you both!"

Mariner's Studio responded:

"Thank you Jo and Mike for your feedback. It was lovely to meet you both and a pleasure to show you the techniques needed to produce your works of art. Glad you enjoyed lunch in our garden. Keep in touch . Best wishes Jane "

Debbie Cliff reviewed: Eco Dyeing & Embellishment with Debbie Bryan

"Lovely crafternoon. Enjoyed it immensely. Learnt how to do eco dying at home using vegetables. The result is stunning. Very happy with my embroidery piece. Highly recommend this workshop. "

Debbie Bryan responded:

"Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We really appreciate you taking time to share your thoughts and are so pleased to hear you enjoyed your class with us You made a wonderful piece and are glad you are so happy with it We hope to see you again soon"

Chris howard reviewed: Woodturning Absolute Beginners

"Fantastic course. I had an excellent day and really pleased with what I made. Paul is extremely knowledgeable and very patient making sure I got to grips with using the tools correctly. He also went above and beyond going through other aspects of wood working. I would highly recommend this course. Thanks Paul!"

Paul Hannaby Creative Woodturning responded:

"Thanks for the feedback Chris. I'm glad you enjoyed the day."

Julie reviewed: Silver Circle Jewellery - Silver Jewellery Class with Tori Foster

"Excellent course. As a complete beginner I felt really welcomed by Tori. She guided us every step and shared her knowledge and experience allowing us to experiment with different ways to decorate our pendants. I have been showing off the lovely infinity pendant that I was guided to create to friends and family. I love it. Thanks Tori I will definitely be returning "

Tori Foster Jewellery responded:

"Thanks Julie, glad you’ve been showing it off - that’s the best bit! "

Peter reviewed: Potter's wheel pottery - half day course Siramik

"I was bought a half day course for my 80th birthday as it was something I have always wanted to try and my goodness I had a fantastic time and my respect has gone up for potters. Yoka was a marvellous and very patient teacher for this complete novice. I would 100% recommend anyone who wants to try pottery to book with Yoka, you won’t regret it "

Siramik responded:

"Hello Peter, Thank you very much for your kind words about the teaching and the course, I try to send a little bit of my passion to participants to show them what is possible. You were a lovely participant and got the feeling of the clay quite quickly. Just have a look at the results of those pots!! Thank you for your company that morning."

EH reviewed: Knife Making Class

"It was an enjoyable experience that I would strongly recommend."

Anthony Mcl reviewed: Garden Sculpture Course

"I recently had the pleasure of taking my other half to this blacksmith course, and I can confidently say that it was a truly outstanding experience for us both. I had the privilege of learning from Billy, whose expertise and friendly demeanour made this course an absolute delight. There was not an exact course available for us, but a simple message to Billy about what we wanted to do and get out of the day and he was more than happy to accommodate what we wanted with a custom day. Billy's guidance and encouragement throughout the course were exceptional. His passion for blacksmithing was evident in every step of the process, and he went above and beyond to ensure that me and my partner felt not only welcome but also inspired. His patience and willingness to answer questions and provide hands-on guidance were invaluable. Billy made sure that we both felt comfortable and capable, it felt like we had been doing this for years and just enjoying a laugh with friends while forging our first ever items, a fire pit stoker, a fire pit rake and a ‘blacksmiths knife’. The location of the course was equally impressive. Nestled in a forest, the woodland forge really lived up to its name and provided the perfect backdrop for our blacksmithing adventure. The peaceful ambiance and picturesque surroundings added an extra layer of charm to the entire experience. It was a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle of the city where I live and work, and it allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the art of blacksmithing. I wholeheartedly recommend this, or any other course Billy has up when you read this. Thanks to the exceptional instruction and warmth of Billy and the combination of his expertise and the idyllic location made for a five-star experience that I won’t ever forget. Whether you're a novice or an experienced blacksmith, this course is an absolute must-try. "

Bill's Workshop responded:

"Thank you for your review Anthony ! I hope to see you again on another course soon, good luck with any blacksmithing endeavours until then! -Billy "

Sue Howson reviewed: Willow piglet/small pig workshop Portchester, nr Fareham

"Really enjoyed this busy day making a little Willow piglet. We were provided with all the tools and info to make a pig. And we were given extra willow to take home as we didn't quite finish off the piglet during the day"

Willow and Crafts responded:

"Hi Sue Thank you for sharing your experience I am glad you enjoyed yourself :-) Jacquie "

Paula Lovatt reviewed: Fancy a Cuppa? Create decorative wire sculpture in Derbyshire

"We had an excellent day creating a range of decorative wire and metal items. The pace was just right and there was plenty of scope to develop ideas using the skills Liz taught us. Liz was the perfect host in her beautiful house in the Derbyshire dales. I’m very pleased with my creations and would highly recommend this course for all abilities."

Liz Wellby - Artist, Teacher & Maker responded:

"Hi Paula, Lovely to hear from you and thanks for letting me know about your day at the studio. It was great fun working with you and good to see how you approached the different ideas and techniques. You created some beautiful pieces and I particularly liked your foil tea cup. Let’s hope you find some space to hang your pieces in your new kitchen. Happy making Liz Wellby "

Kathy Thompson reviewed: Painting animals in watercolour

"A BIG THANK YOU Liz for yet another wonderfully, enjoyable course, which really supported your book on 'Painting Animals in Watercolour' book, and online tutorial of the same name. Thank you for being so encouraging in your teaching. I am a big fan of yours and love visiting your YouTube page for more tips and tricks and inspiration. I am really looking forward to your 'Painting Watercolours on Canvas' and 'Painting Portraits in Watercolour' courses 26th and 27th October."