Latest reviews

Bea Kelsall reviewed: Weekend landscape painting in watercolours

"I have attended a few of Georgina's art courses now and have learnt so much, I was very much an un-confident beginner, and she has really encouraged me to explore and grow as an artist. She has been so generous as a teacher in passing on skills and techniques, and her courses are as fun and enjoyable as they are informative and enlightening. Highly recommended."

Judith Carr reviewed: Weekend upholstery class in Tarland, Aberdeenshire

"I have attended many of Michelle's weekend courses and I cannot give enough praise for the knowledge, skill and encouragement she gives every class member every time. Located in the tranquil countryside, there is no better or more therapeutic place to spend a weekend learning a new skill. I have several items now that will last forever more, due to professional way I was guided through the processes! Again I cannot express the pleasure I enjoy every time I go there."

Kenyon-Roberts Upholstery responded:

"Thank you so much for your kind words Judith, you have been a pleasure to teach, always listening to instructions & striving to do your absolute best work & it shows in the pieces that you have created. Looking forward to seeing you again at the next class, so we can make significant progress on that wingback."

Christine reviewed: Upholstery for Beginners Workshop - in Cheadle

"Had a great day at The Boho Shed. Jo immediately puts you at ease and goes through each stage clearly, giving as much or as little help as required. I love my footstool and can't wait to make another one! I would highly recommend a visit to Jo and The Boho Shed. Christine"

The Boho Shed responded:

"Thank you so much Christine, you were a pleasure to teach. I'm really pleased you enjoyed the workshop. Give me a shout if you need any further help."

JILL MCLEAN reviewed: 1 Day bag making course - 10 design options

"The one day leather tote making day with Rebecca was one of the best crafting days I have attended. I learnt to sew with leather using an industrial machine which was a first for me. Rebecca is a wonderful lady providing plenty of encouragement, supervision and precise instructions on the making of the tote. There was a friendly atmosphere with plenty of encouragement. End result - a beautiful navy tote bag. Thanks Rebecca for such a wonderful day. I’ll be back."

Craig reviewed: Beginners Candlemaking for Two - Anglesey, Wales

"We learnt so many interesting things about candle making from Anita whom was so welcoming and enthusiastic. Couldn't wait to get home to light our new candles.  I endeavour to take up this new hobby of ours and to visit again soon"

Stephanie Day reviewed: Needle Felting the Natural World for Complete Beginners

"I have attended 2 of the courses provided by Sophie, both have been excellent. Sophie is very skilled at making you feel at ease especially if you are new to the craft. She provides all the equipment required and gives you links to buy products to continue with needle-felting. I would have no hesitation in recommending her courses and will be attending further days in 2020."

Valmai Lewis reviewed: Beginners 1 Day Traditional Stained Glass Course

"Brilliant day and learnt so much with lovely company!! Thank you so much!!! Valmai x"

Jayne Daniel reviewed: Beginners 1 Day Traditional Stained Glass Course

"Absolutely loved it and can't wait to have another go! Really really enjoyed the course and had a brilliant day!! Jayne x"

Zara McLaughlin reviewed: Plaster mould making for slip cast ceramics with Ed Bentley

"I am a student from Ulster University in Belfast. I traveled over to Stoke to spend 3 Days with Ed in his studio and had the best time. Having a basic understanding of how moulds work meant that I could really refine my skills and left feeling more confident in how to produce work to a more professional standard. I was able to take endless photos and videos to refer back to when creating work at home and I would recommend to any student out there looking to take their skills to the next level to get in touch with Ed. Ed is a wealth of knowledge and is more than accommodating to his guests needs. As a final year student the tips and tricks Ed has taught me over the past 3 days will be invaluable to me in the coming weeks. Thank you so much Ed for everything, I will definitely be interested in further tuition in the future."

Deborah de souza reviewed: Beginners Soap Making Course

"I have made two batches of soap since attending Paula's soap making course two weeks ago. She was very knowledgeable and a great tutor so that making my own with her instructions and advice was not too difficult. I thoroughly recommend this course and it is also very easy to get to by train."

Old Bexley Soap & Candle Co. responded:

"Thank you. I’m happy to see your already making your own soap at home, brilliant!"

Rory Lewis reviewed: Basic throwing with Jon French

"An extremely helpful and enjoyable course that I can't recommend highly enough. It really is suitable for anyone with an interest in learning to throw, from the absolute raw beginner to those like me with a little experience but desiring some clarification and additional confidence. It was a privilege to be taught by an artist & master craftsman with such extensive experience, but Jon is also amazingly personable, friendly, and encouraging to each and every student. In his demos, he breaks down the throwing & turning processes into easy-to-follow steps, illustrating how the sometimes over-mystified processes are actually really pretty simple, and just requires hands-on practice to progress at. Jon is great at pitching his teaching to each person's level of experience, and frames his tuition in a positive and constructive way that allows students to improve further whilst appreciating what they can already accomplish. In short, just absolutely top notch tuition. Meanwhile, Potclays itself provides a friendly and welcoming environment in which to learn (though it could be a little difficult to find if you're not familiar with it - visiting it in advance to familiarise yourself may be worthwhile). Travel is a little tricky if like me you don't have a car, but Stoke's extensive railway links mean that it is do-able from most places via train and a 5-minute taxi ride from the station (under £5 with a local private hire). A pack of basic tools is included with the course, and additional tools etc can be purchased at a slightly discounted rate in the showroom - though there are thankfully no hard sells or sense of obligation to buy anything further, there is simply the facility to if you wish. Self-serve tea and coffee are available throughout the day, and an extensive buffet lunch is included, with vegetarian or vegan options available (you'll be asked to specify dietary requirements in advance). Overall, a truly accessible course that will boost the skills and confidence of any beginner!"

Potclays Ltd. responded:

"Thanks, Rory, for your in-depth feedback - it's much appreciated! Hope to see you again soon."

Chris and Theresa reviewed: Stonecarving Weekend, Gloucestershire Cotswolds

"Thank you Sebastian. We both really enjoyed the course. It was an Idyllic setting and we were lucky to have excellent weather. Sebastian was inspirational and gave really good teaching and guidance. this course is very good value - we will be back."

Bo Borzy reviewed: Mixed Media Painting Workshop in Brighton Seaside Home

"Art Day 21/08/2019 Laura's mixed media art day was an opportunity to "dabble" in various materials that personally I had not used before, and/or once again try working with acrylics. She had many artefacts, materials and paints for use and we all ended up with a small collage to take home. She was very encouraging, giving demonstrations and also showing her work to inspire us. The morning was spent trying out ideas, gluing and painting on paper before starting on our mini canvas that we had all been given. The class is in her beautiful home, which is also close to the coast. I was warmly greeted and we were treated to delicious refreshments throughout the day. We were 5 ladies which may be the total at any given class, you may want to check."

Lauren reviewed: Glass fusing class - powders and enamels

"I did the glass breaking and painting class with Sarah, and it was absolutely brilliant! Sarah was so lovely and really took the time to teach us all the skills we needed and helped us if we were struggling. There was no limit on what materials we used, and Sarah was happy to answer all our questions, support us and give us examples of things to make! Will definitely be back to try another workshop!"

Dominic Bevacqua reviewed: A Dry Stone Walling Workshop Bedfordshire

"John is as experienced and knowledgeable as they come, having been building dry stone walls since the age of 8. The course struck a good balance between supervised and unsupervised learning - you need to be told some knowledge and shown some techniques, but ultimately getting your hands dirty and making mistakes, with someone checking in and correcting where necessary, is the way to get a feel for it, and by the end of the day I definitely felt I was starting to get my eye in. John was a very patient teacher, especially considering how slow and incompetent we must have looked compared to himself. He's also very keen to make and keep people aware of the what goes into dry stone walling and its heritage, and provided some useful information about e.g. National Dry Stone Walling Centre (which I will be sure to visit next time I'm on my way up north) and bee boles. I'm planning to volunteer for some restoration in the Lake District (although this will require some additional techniques). All round I would thoroughly recommend this course."

London School of Dry Stone Walling responded:

"Hello Dominic - Thank you for your feedback, it was good to have you on board. Great you felt the benefit of important specifics, the balance of teaching techniques and developing your 'eye'. Enjoy the NDSWC and your volunteering day's, Best Wishes, John"

Phillip Wardle reviewed: Stained glass beginners workshop, Cardiff, Wales

"Superb day. Well thought out with enough learning and excellent experience. Not rushed and well supported throughout. I recommend highly. Thank you to you both."

Jonny reviewed: 5 Day Professional Furniture Refinishing Workshop - Traditional & Contemporary

"I had a fantastic week in September 2019 learning how to strip, prep, paint, wax, oil, stain and French polish two pieces I brought with me. I hadn’t done anything like this for about 12 years and these processes were new to me so I had lots to learn. Ollie is really nice and friendly and took me through all the steps I needed to do, and was always on hand to answer questions, share his knowledge and offer support where needed. Ollie knows a great deal about how to get the best finish and also shares which are the best products to use. It was so worthwhile doing the course and I know I could drop Ollie a message if I ever had questions in the future though his course notes are brill and I made sure to make notes and take pictures as I went along. It was totally the best thing I did for myself all year and I’ve told quite a ew people at work about it :) The workshop is really calm and light and in a lovely location. I really couldn’t recommend it enough."

Fiona R reviewed: One day leather work course - small leather goods

"Thank you to Jason for sharing your knowledge and skills so generously. The 2 day course was fabulous...the long days show how immersed we were in learning! A special thank you to Louise for all the encouragement. I thoroughly recommend this course, even for beginners like me - my bag has had so many compliments already. Lovely location, caring tutors, great company."

Amy reviewed: Lampworking Workshop: Half Day Beginners Workshop

"If you have considered having a go at lampworking then i strongly recommend this course. Suzanne is friendly and extremely patient, her workshop is very well equiped and there are always cups of tea on the go! I only did the half day workshop but was amazed at how much was achieved in that time, and also at how fast the time went, a sure sign of enjoying it! I cant wait to have another go as soon as i get chance and if you are considering it then get on and book it. Thankyou Suzanne for a great day ?"

Suzanne Jewellery responded:

"Thank you for your lovely review Amy, so pleased you enjoyed your workshop."

Sue James-Bristow reviewed: Needle Felting the Natural World for Complete Beginners

"Fantastic. I specifically wanted to learn 2D needlefelting and this day was so enjoyable. Sophie was welcoming and included everyone. The venue was lovely too and an added bonus. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending her courses to anyone."

Allan Jeffcutt reviewed: Stained glass beginners workshop, Cardiff, Wales

"A wonderful day, brilliant course, would highly recommend."

Anne from Worcester reviewed: Machine embroidery - stitch doodling with Julie Brand at Tigley Textiles in Worcester

"My third workshop with Julie. Always a relaxing but exciting day where I surprise myself with an item I have loved making. So many ideas and resources. Lovely fabrics, shapes and all with many skills to try. Thank you Julie!"

Georgie from Ludlow reviewed: Machine embroidery - stitch doodling with Julie Brand at Tigley Textiles in Worcester

"Lovely relaxed course and I'm so pleased with the results- New addiction!"

Jennie from Tenbury Wells reviewed: Machine embroidery - stitch doodling with Julie Brand at Tigley Textiles in Worcester

"I can't believe I managed to create something so beautiful. Julie is an inspiration, relaxed environment and a thoroughly enjoyable day. Can't wait to return."

Anne H reviewed: One day leather work course - small leather goods

"What a great weekend - lovely company, very easy going trainers who made the learning of new techniques and tools interesting and easy to follow (tho skills I’ll definitely I need to practice more) Thank-you Jason and Louise for such a warm welcome, all the positive support and information - very proud of my first leather bag - will be keeping in touch. Highly recommend doing this - just for fun or to develop your future business."