Alien Spoons reviews

22 Mar 24'

Martin reviewed: VIP 1-2-1 spoon carving day.

"Having already carved spoons for a year or two I was looking for a day that dealt with all of the things that I find more difficult. Alan addressed them all (and more) and I am now in the process of introducing them all into my practice. It was an enjoyable, interesting and useful day. Alan is a good teacher (and his wife is an excellent baker!). Thanks for a great day!"

19 Mar 24'

Patrick reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Really excellent day spent with Alan in his beautiful home learning how to carve a spoon from a log. Clear, concise instructions given throughout with plenty of time spent on techniques to ensure effective and safe carving. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who has an interest in spoon carving or whittling in general. "

12 Mar 24'

Hugh reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"I had a great day carving my first spoon. The pace was ideal with enough time to feel as if I had achieved something worthwhile by the end. Alan is a welcoming and friendly instructor and we had lovely home cooked food at regular intervals throughout the day! Absolutely recommended- Alan knows his stuff and can help anyone to create a great spoon."

24 Nov 23'

Stu Newland reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"I brought my 9 years old son, and two of his friends (9 and 10) on Alan's spoon carving course, and we all had a great time. Alan is a really good, clear and patient teacher - very good at helping the boys use the axes and knives safely. The boys were very proud of their finished spoons and new skills. And the great cooking and baking for snacks and lunch was a definite highlight! Highly recommended!"

14 Oct 23'

Rhona Paterson reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Fantastic day learning how to carve a spoon from a log. Quite intimidating to start but Alan is a great and patient teacher. Homebakes and homemade soup along the way. The day just flew by, as you are totally in the zone carving your spoon. Very mindful practice. Recommend *****"

20 Sep 23'

Sandra McGuire reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"My husband and I really enjoyed this course. Alan was very helpful, patient and explained everything clearly, He showed a variety of carving techniques with safety in mind. Delighted to leave with a spoon. The home baking in the breaks were fabulous as was lunch. Can highly recommend."

11 Sep 23'

Harry and Sasha reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"We had a great day learning how to carve spoons with Alan. He took us through the techniques and safe use of tools. He was so knowledgeable and opened our eyes to a whole world and set of skills we hadn’t known about before but he also made it really accessible and gave you confidence when you needed it. His wife Sim made home-made scones and jam, delicious soup and more home-baking in the afternoon. We felt very well looked after. I would recommend this workshop to anyone who would like to learn how to work with wood safely and to be able to produce an impressive end product."

16 Jul 23'

Rob reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"I really enjoyed the workshop. The tools, techniques and whole process were explained very clearly. Alan has been very friendly answering questions and also going through safety measures. I really recommend this workshop!"

16 Jul 23'

Sarah Morse reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Excellent day with Allen. The catering was really good, and his teaching even better. Patient and kind, he took five of us noobies and turned us into beginning spoon carvers. (Nearly a miracle!) I would highly recommend this course. Experienced teacher. Good facilities, resources, conversations, and tuition. All tools and wood provided. A great day out!"

25 Jun 23'

Filip Stromberg reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Absolutely brilliant. Very pleasant atmosphere, great food, nice environment, useful advice and good health and safety practices. Highly recommended!"

22 May 23'

Graham reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"A great workshop covering lots of useful techniques from Alan supplemented by fantastic homemade snacks and lunch from his partner Sim."

15 May 23'

Linda Ebmeier reviewed: Dala horse carving

"I had a lovely afternoon learning about carving with Alan. Although a complete novice I left with enough confidence to have a go at home using the techniques Alan taught me. I plan on taking a spoon carving session with him as well. A very patient and encouraging teacher. And I had tea and scones as well!"

17 Apr 23'

Max Waldburg reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Alan is a very patient teacher and is extremely knowledgeable on the subject of spoon carving. The plan is to carve some spoons for a wedding present and I feel Alan has given me the skills to get started on this. The day was also a great digital detox with delicious vegan food. "

30 Jan 23'

Alex reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"A great day at Alan’s spoon making course. Very clear step by step instructions with all the materials and tools required provided by him. Highlights of the day (apart from coming home with a finished spoon) were the breaks where we sampled his wife’s incredible cooking and baking!"

26 Jan 23'

Robin reviewed: Dala horse carving

"Had great fun making our horses "

11 Jan 23'

Erin reviewed: VIP 1-2-1 spoon carving day.

"I booked this course for my father and he had an absolutely wonderful time. He learned so much and Alan was so lovely to chat with. He's very excited to continue working on this type of woodcraft in the future. Also having the tools available to purchase after class is incredibly helpful and saves the stress of looking for it later. "

7 Jan 23'

James reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Excellent introduction to spoon carving, Alan provided a safe, relaxed environment, and superb grub. Safety was paramount and Alan's knowledge and expertise shone through as he guided us during hesitant moments and answered all manner of questions. Thoroughly good day, made a spoon. "

4 Dec 22'

Pamela reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"This experience is absolutely amazing! Alan is a great, patient, fun & knowledgeable tutor that's super attentive and passionate about sharing his skills with others. I have learned so much within one workshop and ended up with a beautiful spoon I have never thought of being able to make myself! Extremely happy with the final result of my project and the new skill I learned. Totally reccommend working with Alan, Thank you once again for this experience, I'll definitely be back!"

2 Dec 22'

Jo B reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Really enjoyed the day learning how to carve a spoon. I’ve wanted to do this workshop for ages and was worth the wait. Alan is an interesting tutor and I liked the calm and easy atmosphere and strong emphasis on safety. "

28 Nov 22'

Tam Cameron reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Great day out, Alan is a excellent tutor with a wealth of experience and patience. I learnt a lot about wood craft and best working practices. Very happy to finish the day with a spoon and 10 fingers. "

8 Nov 22'

Pete reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Really enjoyable day of learning and doing. Great information on safe and efficient ways to use the tools, best tools for certain tasks, etc. then plenty of hands on practice with tips and advice along the way. Resulting in a far better looking spoon than I expected. All that and delicious food during breaks and lunch."

6 Nov 22'

Connor reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Alan is extremely passionate about is craft and very knowledgable. He teaches the techniques in an easy to comprehend manner and was happy to go over anything again that I wasn’t too sure on. There were plenty of rest breaks through the day, and Alan’s partner very kindly provided a range of really delicious homemade food through the day. "

5 Sep 22'

Tom Findlay reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"A great course. A very relaxing and enjoyable day in which you become engrossed in mastering the tools and techniques and yes, you do come away with your own carved spoon that is immensely satisfying to make. Alan is a great teacher with a very calm and quiet manner as he runs through the day from that first chop of the log to the finished spoon. Well paced with breaks at just the right time. Excellent and abundant home cooked food throughout the day. Well worth the money."

24 Aug 22'

Helen & Dougal reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Superb day with Alan for our 'Wood' wedding anniversary. A really peaceful, meditative activity which Alan makes look very straightforward but which in reality is pretty fiendish to master! Great teaching; lovely quiet companionship; excellent food in abundance."

15 Jul 22'

Raymond Frisher reviewed: Alien spoon carving

"Woodcarving course was very enjoyable, enabling first time carvers to work at their own pace. Has inspired me to purchase a set of wood carving knives to experiment further."