Latest reviews

Josh reviewed: Candle making workshops for beginners - St Albans, Hertfordshire

"A really enjoyable morning for my partner and I. Loved how knowledgeable Anne was, my partner had lots of questions. The 3 hours flew by, the venue was beautiful and our candles that we brought home are lovely. Would recommend to anyone who wants to learn about how candles are made or wants to just make their own. Really lovely day and would 100% go again. "

Irene, Linda and Ruth reviewed: Fused glass items at Bonds with Helen from The Butterfly Effect Studio

"We had a fantastic day with Helen on her fused glass workshop. She was very generous with her time and expertise, and explained all aspects of working with glass safely. It was very exciting experimenting with different types of glass, in many different colours, and we could choose the items we wanted to make, from jewellery to decorative tea lights, with lots of encouragement and support. This was our first attempt, and it was a very happy and creative introduction to fused glass art. 29 April 2023"

Butterfly Effect Studio responded:

"Good morning ladies, it was so lovely to meet you all eventually and I’m delighted you all felt it was worth the wait ( Irene said you were a team and I could clearly see the bond of friendship you shared!) you all created such beautifully unique pieces, it was a joy to watch you all experiment with your ideas so enthusiastically. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a positive review, I really appreciate it.👍🏻🦋 it would be lovely to see you again, especially if you are able to do the butterfly walk in July. 🦋"

Merrin Pearce reviewed: Lampwork Beadmaking Full Day Introduction For One

"I absolutely loved this course. Ruth was thorough, friendly and a really excellent teacher. She ran things at exactly the right pace and was full of fascinating stories and extra information about glass, techniques, tools and her experiences. One of the things I enjoyed the most was the meditative state that you get into when you're watching the beautiful molten glass. The course has inspired me to keep learning and practicing. Can't recommend it highly enough."

Kalypso Glass responded:

"Thank you Merrin, it was great to meet you and glad you enjoyed yourself. Ruth"

Dave reviewed: Woodturning tuition in Wiltshire

"I booked this for my husband as a Christmas present. He really enjoyed the day with Andy, lots of tea and coffee and the company of Angus the dog! It was the first time my husband had done a woodwork course and he said it was great, very proud of the bowl the brought home! "

Andys woodworking responded:

"It was an absolute pleasure to introduce you to Woodturning dave Andy mary angus x"

Mr Barrington Booker reviewed: Spoon Carving Workshop in Hampshire

"A lovely day, thoroughly enjoyed my day. Amazing surroundings, restful open space. Excellent tuition. Thank you."

Jon C reviewed: Introduction to spooncarving at Hill End

"Fantastic teacher who was really knowledgeable. Great at helping with your designs and techniques. David made the whole day a fun experience."

David Knight Woodland Crafts responded:

"Hi Jon, thanks so much for your contribution too. I learned a lot from you sharing your knowledge and experience in crafting. "

Shane L reviewed: Log to tumbler with Gedwood

"What a fantastic day! Ged was welcoming, very knowledgeable and is a very patient tutor. This meant a very relaxed atmosphere. It was my 1st time using a pole-lathe and can't wait to do another course to try it again. I would wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone wanting to try green woodworking."

Gedwood responded:

"Many thanks Shane. And enjoy a fine malt when your tumblers have seasoned! 😊 regards Ged"

Martin Chandler reviewed: Glass blowing course - taster

"Excellent time learning about glass and the basics of glass blowing. Very attentive tuition and great care to explain what is happening all the time. Loved making each item as we progressed through the course! "

Chew Valley HandMade Glass responded:

"Thank you for your kind review Martin, we are very pleased you enjoyed your time with us. Kind regards The team at chew valley handmade glass "

Kate reviewed: Embossed pewter box workshop

"What a great day to share with a friend for her birthday. Mel was very welcoming and made us feel comfortable. The technique is easy to pick up and we were both delighted with the end product. Our boxes looked beautiful and unique. This would be a lovely thing to do for a hen do or with a group and felt very accessible. Thank you, Mel"

Metallix responded:

"It was wonderful to have you in the workshop, Kate. Thanks for the lovely review and hope to see you in another one soon. xx"

Lambros reviewed: Beginners Woodworking: Make a Bread Board

"A great introduction to woodworking! The instructor was fantastic and made everything clear and easy to follow. Will definitely be back!"

Becky reviewed: Fused glass workshop - Plymouth

"We had a really lovely time! Sheena was friendly & knowledgeable & made the whole experience extremely enjoyable. We were lucky to be with some other friendly people & we all chatted away happily. We will pick up our finished pieces next week so hopefully they will turn out well. We would definitely go again & would highly recommend."

Linda reviewed: Beginners/improvers glass fusing workshops in Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire

"A lovely fused glass course with Carole who is an excellent teacher. Lots of really useful information and plenty of time to practice before starting our projects. Would definitely recommend."

Gore Tree Studio responded:

"Thank you for your review Linda, I am so glad you enjoyed your day :)"

Louise B reviewed: Lace pattern porcelain ceramics in Kendal, South Lakes

"Had a lovely relaxed day! Nik was there to show you and advise you, but what you made was up to you! Can’t wait to get the creations back once they have been fired! Really enjoyed the day! "

Roy reviewed: Cleft ash gate making with Gedwood

"I had a really enjoyable 2 days making the ash gate under the expert tuition of Ged. Learnt loads of new techniques that I’m hopping to replicate at home. Also considering booking another course with Ged as I enjoyed myself so much at his workshop setting."

Gedwood responded:

"Thank you Roy. Glad you got a lot out of the course and hope to see you again on an other one!"

Sue reviewed: Candle making workshops for beginners - St Albans, Hertfordshire

"A lovely morning in beautiful settings making candles and wax melts in a relaxed and friendly class would recommend "

Rachel Welton reviewed: Make a 3 legged rustic stool - one day

"What a great course. I enjoyed the day so much. All the tutors were great. Really helpful & knowledgeable but good fun too. I am so pleased with my three legged stool. Thank you"

Liz reviewed: Spoon Carving Workshop in Hampshire

"We gave this course to my son for his 13th birthday - he had been whittling Harry Potter wands for months! He loved his day in the bluebell woods and came back happy and proud of his accomplishment (and full of stories of organic farming!). "

Cath reviewed: SAORI creative weaving day

"My fourth saori experience with Amanda, I love it. "

Jo Mason reviewed: The Big Beautiful Basket

"My friend and I had a wonderful day in the forest creating fantastic baskets that our families couldn’t believe were made by us! Nicki was a brilliant tutor and the whole day felt more like a retreat than a class. Would recommend looking out for Nicki’s emailed instructions before your class to make sure you know where to go etc to help you have a smooth journey. We would totally recommend Nicki’s classes to everyone. "

Peter Austin reviewed: Cleft ash gate making with Gedwood

"This was my second course with Ged, the first being a fortnight earlier making a shave horse. On both occasions it was a great pleasure to learn and work with his traditional tools, which he had obviously spent many hours sharpening and honing. The ash shavings virtually fell away from the work piece. I thoroughly recommend anyone even vaguely interested to take advantage of one of Ged’s courses, you won’t regret it! He takes a stall at various outdoor events and will be happy to elaborate. "

Gedwood responded:

"Thanks very much Peter. Glad you enjoyed the gate making course, and happy shaving on the shavehorse!"

keeley reviewed: Full day pottery experience, Heskin Chorley

"Absolutely wonderful day, Sharon and the other ladies were lovely, I bought the day pottery experience for myself, mum and sister to do. It was our first time using clay and the potters wheel and doing anything like it, but Sharon was great in showing us what to do and gave us plenty of time on each activity so we didn't feel rushed. We made three items, (two on the wheel and one by hand) and then glazed a cup. Its a fabulous studio set within Heskin shopping village, which had lots of other little shops worth a visit too! We all are looking forward to returning to glaze the pots we made! Thank you so much xx "

The Crafty potter responded:

"Thanks for your awesome review, we really appreciate it. It was lovely having you all join us in the studio- you did fab! See you soon Sharon x"

Marion reviewed: Introduction to spooncarving at Hill End

"I really enjoyed this course even though I was apprehensive at first when David said we would be using an axe! This was a journey from a piece of green wood which we reduced to a spoon like shape using the axe and the shave horse . We then used different hand tools to carve out the spoon. David & Caroline explained and demonstrated everything in detail and were very calm and patient. Lovely friendly group. I am amazed at what i made having had no prior experience. HillEnd is a great space. I would really recommend this course."

David Knight Woodland Crafts responded:

"Hi Marion, thanks so much for your review. It was a real pleasure to teach your group and to feel a real buzz in the room, even when there was a quiet focus on carving! I learned a lot from you all as well, a guaranteed sign of a good day!"

Carl reviewed: Blacksmithing for Beginners - Full Day Forging for One

"Fantastic day and 100% value for money. Chris is an awesome tutor and finds the right mix between theory and practical. His training method ensures you know the end to end process of forging from forge design, H&S, tools and equipment, the stages of creating a piece and finishing. The practical element saw me make two pieces within the time and each piece was step by step with Chris demonstrating each step and me following after. I’ve walked away with both the desire and the confidence to do some on my own! Top day Chris thanks very much! Definitely recommend. "

Annemie Cotton reviewed: Introduction to spooncarving at Hill End

"This course is amazing ! We started off with cutting up a log and really went home with a handmade spoon ! David and Caroline are both brilliant, friendly and knowledgeable tutors. They made us all feel so welcome. The day had a fun and good structure. I would recommend this course to everybody who likes to work with their hands and loves to learn a new skill for life. Great venue , green and peaceful! Thank you again, David and Caroline for a memorable day!"

David Knight Woodland Crafts responded:

"Thanks so much for your kind words, Annemie. It was a great day, helped by the sun shining and a really good group of students, willing to have a go. I do hope you’ll sharpen your knife and do more carving in the future!"

Ian MacLennan reviewed: Log to tumbler with Gedwood

"Thoroughly enjoyed the course. Ged was patient, clear, and hands-on with his demonstration and instruction. Learned a lot and wouldn't hesitate in booking further courses."

Gedwood responded:

"Thanks Ian, enjoy a dram in your tumblers!😊"