Latest reviews

Neil Parker reviewed: Make a chef's knife

"Just had a weekend at Anvil Forge on the chef's knife making course. I had the best time, John, Steve & Alex were brilliant. It was a really welcoming place with so much knowledge and a keenness to pass that on but with the freedom to make it your own. Throw in a couple of tasty pub lunches and you couldn't ask for any more! Thanks again"

Anvil Forge responded:

"Hi Neil thanks for you comments , I am saying this on behalf of myself and the team that we enjoyed working together with all of you on the class. I must say that you all produced some great knives that you can be proud of. We hope to see you again soon , Alex has been refining his Damascus skills and watch this space for more info on Pattern welded knives and small axes! John"

Marni reviewed: Flower crown workshop & bubbly in Brighton

"Charlie's studio was really cosy and welcoming. My friend and I decided to make a silk flower head dress instead of using the fresh ones that the rest of the group were doing. Charlie's expertise about floristry and creative approaches was evident throughout and I'll definitely be booking again so I can try out the other activities she does. Really great value too, my daughter was delighted with her new flower crown:) Thanks Charlie!"

Neville Britton reviewed: Forged in flames (Forged in fire experience)

"I only have good things to say about this course. If you're in to metal working then I highly recommend attending. Andy was superb, making the day interesting and extremely fun. A completely genuine lad with a clear passion for his craft. I enjoyed it immensely and will for sure be heading back to Highfield Forge for another class. Cheers for the day Andy. I love my knife!"

Wilma Howat reviewed: Crochet With Crafty Sal

"Salena runs a class for all skill levels and makes everyone feel confident no matter their ability. Patterns are printed and explained/demonstrated as a class and one to one. Theres always laughter and learning in equal measure and it’s time for home before you know it! Great value and good for the soul what more can you ask for?"

Matt Agget reviewed: Wood turning courses

"I spent the day learning about wood turning with George, having not used a lathe since I was in school. George was a great teacher and had a good balance between him showing and us doing, and the end result was something we could be proud of. I'd definitely do it again to learn some different techniques or take someone along with me.""

Julie Briant reviewed: ZZZ Silver bangle making course in South Devon*FULL*

"Thoroughly enjoyed this bangle making workshop on Saturday with a group of friends. Such a lovely thing to do - and you don’t have to be particularly creative! With some guidance from the lovely Fi, I was able to produce two bespoke bangles - one copper and one silver. I’m going to keep the copper one for myself and give the silver one as a gift. Such a therapeutic activity and a sense of accomplishment at the end. I shall be returning to make some earrings and a ring and will be buying vouchers for gifts for friends because it’s such a lovely experience. Thank you!"

Bigbury Mint responded:

"Hi Julie, I'm really pleased you enjoyed the course! I think it's a great thing to do with your friends and your bangle is a permanent reminder of the day. Thanks for taking the time to leave a message. Matthew."

Lara Horner reviewed: Beginners candle making private workshop - Marlow, Buckinghamshire

"I have been on a few Candle by Event courses now and have loved them all. I went on the beginner course, intermediate course and the Christmas one. Sarah is a great teacher and always available for talking through all the mishaps I have tried after the course. She makes you feel at relaxed and comfortable during the courses (as I attend on my own), and always makes sure the information is relevant for those in the room and is a truly encouraging and supportive teacher. I would definitely recommend the array of courses on offer... I will keep attending them as I always learn something new."

Candle by Events responded:

"Hi Lara, thank you for your kind words."

Hilary Lucas reviewed: Needle felting workshop - Create your own woodland creature

"My friend and I attended the course last week at Bonds. We both made the hare. Denise is brilliant, very friendly and helpful and patient. She taught us lots of different skills needed to make the hare. Felting is great fun and everyone managed to complete a very detailed cute hare. Lunch was delicious. The day is relaxed and great fun, we are planning our next course to learn some more advanced skills."

Crafty Gal responded:

"Thank you for the fantastic review Hilary! It was lovely to meet you both and spend the day needle felting with you - your hares were SO cute. I'm looking forward to seeing you both again to take your needle felting to the next level, Dx"

Zane Miller reviewed: 3 day screen printing course for business owners - screen printing classes

"This is an excellent course for business owners. Everything is covered in-depth. I did the class with some who had some previous experience but never felt left behind as a relative novice. The whole setup is very professional with really good equipment to use and everything is explained to ensure you understand why something has to be done in a certain way. If you are serious about making a profit from screen printing, you can’t go wrong with this class."

Kay Eldred reviewed: Saturday Silver Clay Jewellery Workshop at Ransom's Pavilion, Hitchin 9.30am - 12.30pm

"Really good fun and Tuuli was so helpful and explained everything so well. We had a fabulous time and came away with several beautiful and individual items such as earrings and pendants. I've been wearing the earrings every day! The only difficult bit was choosing what to make, there was so much inspiration. A really enjoyable morning, thank you so much."

Tuuli Parker responded:

"Thank you so much for your feedback Kay. Lovely to hear that you've been wearing your earrings!"

Frankie Bridges reviewed: Candlemaking workshops for beginners in Hastoe, nr Tring

"Great course to help with trying out a variety of styles of candles. Anne was so knowledgeable and happily answered all our questions! Would dedinately recommend for beginners wanting to start somewhere!"

Jo Dyson reviewed: Blacksmith Experience Day - Anvil Forge

"I booked this course for a friend and myself to do something different on my birthday. We both loved it. John and the team looked after us really well and worked hard to help us complete our chosen project and to a standard we could be proud of. The support was pitched really well to encourage us to experiment but also to make sure that we were successful. We never felt patronised despite being total novices and the only females on the day. We really enjoyed the day and will we back. Now we have a little more understanding of what we can do next time we will make a plan in advance so that we can get stuck in straight away. A great experience all round."

Chris and Cathy reviewed: Wood turning courses

"Many, many thanks George and Sue for an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable day last Friday. Apart from learning the basics of turning, we actually produced a bowl and got to take it home! Thank you for your patience and expertise and we both hope to come to Burnham for another hands on tuition day. The supply of tea, biscuits, soup and a Daphne cutting was very welcome and please pass on our thanks to Susan. The best part of the day for me was to see a bowl develop and emerge from the sycamore blank you provided and thank you for your input of the coloured rim. Cathy has taken hers to Devon this weekend to show her Mum! You have sown the seed of woodturning and next time we come over the bridge, I hope we can bring something we have made in Wales!"

Sophie reviewed: Intensive beginners silver jewellery weekend

"Intensive Beginners' Silver Jewellery weekend: I had a great weekend making my own silver jewellery in Lucy's studio. I cannot believe how much progress we were able to make in a weekend, I have learnt so many new skills & have come away with some beautiful pieces of jewellery. Lucy has created a lovely studio environment to learn in - It's bright, well equipped & a really welcoming space. I cannot recommend this course enough & cannot wait to book onto my next one!"

Rachel Rowlands reviewed: Rustic oak garden bench - one day course

"My husband and I had the most amazing day making a beautiful garden bench. Going from chunks of wood and branches to a bench to be proud of was frankly astounding. Ian was really helpful and full of knowledge. The day was so relaxing and it was great to learn new skills. Next time we’ll come back with the kids! Thank you Ian!!"

Malcolm Gregory reviewed: Introduction to Leather Craft

"Without doubt the best course I've been on. I have a little knowledge of leatherwork mainly obtained from books and the internet. I was very quickly shown that there is no substitute for an experienced teacher who has made and seen every mistake and can save you years of frustration by passing on his techniques and tips. Even when I messed up Bill managed to help me get back on track. I made two items I am really proud of and am determined to keep up my studies. An outstanding teacher, great venue and brilliant fun. Highly recommended whether just want a fun weekend or are looking to develop an indepth study of leatherwork. Thanks Bill!"

Matt reviewed: Stone carving for beginners - Weymouth

"A great patient teacher, who passed on his knowledge of the tools used and type of stone to be carved, anyone can easily carve under johns instructions, a great way to spend a morning, well recommended"

Lucy sleep reviewed: Pottery throwing course in the South Downs National Park (one day - one-to-one)

"My friend and I had such a great day with Rowena! She was incredibly patient and very informative. She guided us brilliantly but let us experiment with our own Ideas on which shapes to throw/what to make. We were left with a number of pieces we were really pleased with. We also had a real laugh with her; the atmosphere in the studio is really relaxed and fun. I'll definitely be back!"

Dawn reviewed: Quilling for Mother's Day with Learn to be Crafty

"Lovely group, friendly and informative tutor, home made and gluten free refreshments above and beyond what you normally get! Will definitely be looking to go on another course run by these lovely ladies."

Kathryn reviewed: Flower crown workshop & bubbly in Brighton

"This was great fun to do, and I really enjoyed selecting from a wide choice of flowers to create something so pretty for my daughter, who loved her crown! Charlie is a great host and was really well prepared, having laid everything out so nicely with really sweet personal touches and attention to detail. She was so helpful and patient, and is an excellent teacher."

Ami reviewed: Flower crown workshop & bubbly in Brighton

"Really fun and relaxing workshop, will definitely be recommending to friends and family. Charlie is really knowledgable and interactive with the group throughout the process of creating the crowns, as well as caring and kind, and helps you every step of the way to create a beautiful Flower crown. Lovely environment, atmosphere and venue, can't wait to try the candle making workshop!"

Florianne reviewed: Beginners sewing and quilting at Spools and Scissors Suffolk

"Had a wonderful day becoming reacquainted with my sewing machine, which had sat in it's box for many years. Tracey was knowledgeable and it was easy to follow her step by step instructions to make a beautiful and practical tote bag. Would highly recommend this workshop."

Linda sullivan reviewed: Quilling for Mother's Day with Learn to be Crafty

"Really enjoyed the felting session group size was just right and having homemade cake etc.. was a lovely touch"

Jacqueline Lai reviewed: Pottery throwing workshop Saturdays or Sundays

"Booked this for 8 people as part of a birthday celebration for my younger sister. Nadia was welcoming, lovely and friendly. Most of us have never done pottery before but she was ever so patient in helping us get started and correcting our mistakes. She encouraged us to keep trying (despite us being so bad!) and most of us managed to complete 2-3 dishes/bowls each within the 3.5 hours. It was a great introduction to pottery for us and we really enjoyed the whole experience. Would not hesitate to recommend!"

Martin McAssey reviewed: Woodcarving with Jason Thomson sculptural woodcarving with hand tools, eccentric whittling courses, Sheffield.

"I went on this workshop with my 13 year old daughter, we both had a great time and left at the end of the day with all two beautiful wood carvings. Jason is a good teacher and as a very good knowledge of his craft."