Latest reviews

Rosie reviewed: Candlemaking workshops for beginners in Hastoe, nr Tring

"Really learned a lot and met some lovely people. Anne taught us lots of different techniques and I went home with a lot of lovely candles."

Carrie King reviewed: Crochet market bag class - East Grinstead

"Nicole is a great teacher....very patient and knowledgeable. The classes are taught in her home which is very comfortable and with good lighting. Tea and biscuits are in full supply and it is nice to make new friends. I went to the first class as a complete novice and came away knowing several stitches. I am now "hooked" and have signed up to more of Nicole's classes. They are very friendly and relaxed. I would highly recommend these classes for all levels."

Lloyd reviewed: "Game of Thrones"...ish! : metalwork / blacksmithing workshop

"Spent two days at the Forge with John and his great team. They were all friendly and very accommodating. John and team were very enthusiastic and knowledgeable and helped me with the design and explained the processes before letting me loose. I had a thoroughly great time and made a fantastic Viking inspired broad sword, couldn't recommend this course enough. They run plenty of courses which all look fantastic too!"

Louise reviewed: Beginners spoon carving taster session

"This is a lovely workshop allowing anyone to have a go. Its fun and relaxed and plenty of tea, encouragement and support to come away with your own uniquely designed spoon. It was so much fun I'm bringing along the whole family to another workshop :-)"

Katherine Osbourn reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"As a complete novice Mark took me through every aspect of wood turning, tool handling and sharpening with an introduction to both health and safety (a must) and also understanding wood. It was a wonderful, jam packed day trying the various tools, turning methods and producing a bowl. The accompanying notes are extremely detailed, and much needed as so much was covered in the day that I came away buzzing. I now use the notes to guide me through my approach to using the tools and lathe. Mark is a very knowledgeable craftsman and exceedingly generous with his time and knowledge - it was lovely to be in an environment where knowledge was shared so freely. I would thoroughly recommend this course to anyone with an interest in taking up wood turning."

Clare reviewed: Blacksmithing Beginners day courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"Excellent Christmas present. Bashing pieces of hot steel is an ideal way to spend a Saturday after a hard week at work. Adrian and Andy were very patient with the right level of support. Debbie was very welcoming providing lovely food to keep us going. I would definitely recommend but get in quick as the courses are booked up quickly. I will be going back as I really enjoyed the day."

Sue M reviewed: Wet felting workshop: introduction to 3D construction for Bowls, Pods and Bags in Henstridge near Stalbridge, Somerset and Dorset

"I attended this course on 13th July 2019 as a follow on to a previous needle felting day with Sally to refresh the process of both needle and wet felting. It is the third course I have done with Sally and I cannot recommend them enough. It is a very relaxed small group session which means that Sally is able to offer everyone individual tuition as needed. She provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere along with a good sense of humour. Whether you are a beginner or more experienced there is alway something to learn from Sally’s expertise and she is happy to share all her knowledge openly and encourages you to continue with your chosen craft. Each day offers a variety of projects so everyone can have a choice and work at their own speed which is brilliant rather than all doing the same thing. I recommend Sally’s courses and will be booking more in the future and attending her Sunday follow up craft sessions."

Fiona Harrison reviewed: One day bangle/ring workshop

"We had a superb time at Jolene's bangle workshop! It was so enjoyable and relaxing to spend the whole day creating some unique pieces of jewellery under Jolene's excellent tuition. Jolene is very attentive and the environment itself lends itself perfectly to making ones creative juices flow! Thanks again, would love to come back soon!"

Sandra Haines reviewed: ColourWheel art classes for adults - Maidenhead - Thursday

"ColourWheel art classes are great fun, I started in January 2019 with the intention of just going to the one. I am now doing this term and will be back again. Rene (host) and Erica (teacher) are both fantastic, doing everything they can to make you welcome and at ease. A variety of mediums are taught and the atmosphere is very relaxed. Fellow students make for humorous and entertaining banter. ColourWheel is my 3 hour sanctuary- no phones etc. I highly recommend it. Sandra H"

Kim reviewed: ColourWheel art classes for adults - Maidenhead - Thursday

"Love these Colourwheel art classes. You learn such a lot, become completely immersed in this new hobby and meet some lovely people all at the same time. I look forward to Thursday afternoons all week. Whether you're artistic anyway or you just want to take up a new hobby with a professional but very friendly company, I can’t recommend Colourwheel highly enough. Rene always takes the time to make each lesson 'special' so for example we have fortune cookies when painting Chinese lanterns and a Poldark theme when studying the perspective of a Cornish tin mine!! Erica is our resident artist and is always clear, encouraging and very approachable. Windsor Racecourse is a lovely venue too!!"

Rebecca reviewed: Modern calligraphy (full day workshop) - Hampshire

"I had a fantastic day learning modern calligraphy with Sunita. She gives you thorough tuition and gives you the confidence to develop you’re own style. I would highly recommend doing her day course as there was so much to learn and gives you the opportunity to be creative. Have fallen in love with calligraphy, I’m hooked! Thank you for such a pleasant, relaxing and insightful day."

Michael Rawlings reviewed: Blacksmithing Beginners day courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"Thoroughly enjoyed today's blacksmithing course. A very good day out. Many thanks, Mike."

Linda Carter reviewed: Modern calligraphy (full day workshop) - Hampshire

"I had such a lovely day. Sunita creates a warm and relaxed atmosphere with an excellent balance of demonstration and practice. She is reassuring and helpful - super workshop - I would highly recommend. I think modern calligraphy could be addictive!"

Sarah reviewed: Powertex Hare for your Garden or Home with White Sunflower Creations in Birtley/Gateshead

"Had a fabulous day making quirky cats using Powertex. Bev the tutor was excellent and we will definitely be attending more of her courses."

Julie Scott reviewed: Powertex Hare for your Garden or Home with White Sunflower Creations in Birtley/Gateshead

"Loved this craft course! Bev was great, friendly, very organised and prepared. She went through the process at a steady pace so we knew exactly what to do. Great materials, everything was prepared, good choices if we wanted to be more creative! Loved the cat idea, very cute! I will definitely sign up for another class, lots of fun going through the process and a great finished product! Thank you :D"

Melanie Short reviewed: Modern calligraphy (full day workshop) - Hampshire

"Sunita was a fabulous and patient teacher. A well structure course with a good balance of demonstration and practice. Resources were excellent. I had a great day!"

Julie Watt reviewed: Beginners Soap Making Course

"I went with a friend to this course and we had a fantastic time. Paula is lovely and very knowledgeable. The workshop covered soap making from start to finish, product safety legislation, using essential oils, registrations etc. I'm looking forward to using the soaps we made once they finish curing. I now feel confident enough to start making soaps myself at home and in the future would like to set up my own small business using the knowledge and information I got from Paula. My friend and I will definitely be back for the candle making workshop."

Old Bexley Soap & Candle Co. responded:

"Thank you Julie for your feedback. I wish you all the best in your soap business."

Alex smith reviewed: Hand Spinning For All - Norfolk

"Had a great day learning how to use my spinning wheel. Theresa is extremely knowledgable. I would highly recommend this course to anyone, she is a fabulous teacher and very patient and it’s great to know if I need any further advice Theresa is just a phone call away, perfect."

The Spinning Barn responded:

"Thank you so much for your review Alex. I am so pleased that you enjoyed your day. It was such good fun and a delight to see your fabulous yarn at the end of the day. I can't wait to hear all about your progress with your spinning and your wonderful sheep. And you know where I am if you need any help along the way. I am always happy to help."

Maureen Botham reviewed: Glass fusing and slumping (warm glass) in the beautiful Kent Downs near Canterbury

"Superb day spent with very hospitable and knowledgeable host. Matt took great care to ensure that I had a safe and enjoyable experience building up my skills and knowledge to produce 2 pieces of glass work anyone would be proud of. The glass studio is superb (I want one!), really well equipped and resourced, plus comfortable rec space for "time out" and refreshments; which were greatly appreciated including home baked breads and jam. Very good value for money introduction to a fascinating craft, couldn't recommend more highly."

Creative Retreats and Holidays responded:

"Dear Maureen, Thank you so much for taking the time to post a review. It was a pleasure to welcome you to the studio. Your glass has been fused and looks fantastic; I'll be posting it to you this afternoon. I hope to welcome you back! Warm regards, Mattt"

Richard maskall reviewed: Knife Making and Bladesmith Classes: Hand-Forged Viking Knife

"Joined these guys for the day I think last year, and can't think of a nicer bunch of blokes to spend the day forging with. Even though I was very keen before I went on this experience day to get into forging, I have since built a small coal forge and have successfully made several knives of my own including a low layer Damascus kitchen knife. Thanks for the support on the day and igniting a new hobby."

Eddie reviewed: Blacksmithing Beginners day courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"Brilliant day, would recommend this to anyone wanting a go at blacksmithing, perfect gift bought for me at Christmas."

Pippa & Nick reviewed: Three legged stool making and pole lathe introduction at Coed Tylluan near Cardigan

"Such a fun couple of days and we’ll never look at wood in the same way again! Wil is an amazing instructor and we learnt so many new skills and techniques we didn’t know before. Really happy with our stools and they have pride of place by our fire at home. Hopefully we’ll be back again at some point. Really recommend to anyone visiting West Wales."

Miu reviewed: A Practical Dry Stone Walling Workshop Central London

"I attended John’s course which was held at Mudchute City Farm in London. It was my very first introduction to dry stone walling (although I had always been curious about it!) and I found it to be a great way to learn about this ancient and very practical craft. John truly took the time and care to share with us his knowledge and experience in the art and technique of dry stone walling. The small group I was with worked to build a 2m x 1m wall and we were all very proud of completing our wall satisfactorily by the end of the workshop! A day well spent."

London School of Dry Stone Walling responded:

"Hello Miu - Thank you for attending the DSW workshop and particularly pleased you felt the day was 'well spent' from your first introduction to DSW, we must be doing something right. It is always interesting to see how people interact with the stone and juggle around with it before finding a suitable piece and a place it will fit. It is time consuming and takes some practice to develop a feel for the stone and natural eye. I wish you well for any future DSW activity you may undertake. Take Care, Best Wishes - John"

Colin Anderson reviewed: Creating a Viking knife an introduction to forging and knife making at Bearded Pig Forge

"One of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences I've ever had! I've been an avid watcher of 'Forged in Fire' for several years, and commented to my wife how much I'd like to make my own knife - and so, for my 50th birthday, I was given vouchers for a course from friends and family. I did my research, and booked my course with Spike, based on the excellent reviews on this website. Spike's communication was excellent throughout our correspondence, and I booked a two-day knife making course with the intention of making a kitchen knife; something of which I could make good use following my experience. The cost was £250, for two full days of one-to-one tuition with all materials etc provided. I personally find this to be extremely good value. Please bear in mind that Spike's courses are extremely popular - weekend courses are booked for months to come. I was able to sort dates for week days, and still had to wait for a couple of months. Spike adheres to a very strict cancellation policy, which I feel is absolutely fair - it's his living after all... I would recommend getting in touch as soon as possible, particularly if you have vouchers with with a run-out date. On the first day of the course, Spike started with a safety brief, which of course is extremely important as you will be forging metal at extremely high temperatures. All requisite safety equipment is provided, and suitable footwear/clothing must be worn at all times Spike illustrated every concept of forging, before letting me get stuck in. We started with my billet of high carbon steel, which was heated in a coal forge, then 'drawn out' to a suitable length before starting on the tang (the thinner piece to which to handle is attached). Spike then demonstrated how to create the curvature of the blade by hammering on the anvil. At the end of the first day, I had created my basic blade shape. The second day comprised of several techniques - 'quenching' (hardening), grinding to shape, heating and punching a hole in the tang for the pin, attaching the handle etc...all done in a traditional manner with no power tools (other than the belt-grinder). What really impressed me was that Spike never took my work from me to start each process - he demonstrated forging techniques on a different piece of metal - this really was going to be a knife that I made. Throughout the course, I really enjoyed talking to Spike. He's a very easy-going and incredibly knowledgeable guy. There was so much that we chatted about which aided to a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. At the end of the course, my only disappointment was that I didn't get the handle finished - I had the daunting task of shaping the wood at home. I'd never done woodwork before. Spike instructed me what to do, and with a couple of hours work on the following day, my knife was finished. I was absolutely delighted with the final result - a fully functional (and very sharp) kitchen knife that will last for many years. My plan is to look after it well and leave it to one of my children whenever 'that time' comes. As I have two children, I will most definitely be booking another course with Spike in the future..."

C Bartlett reviewed: Jewellery making with silver clay - one day beginners workshop

"Well explained instructions and assistance. Good supply of equipment to use. I made lovely items of jewellery which are much admired by my friends and family."