Latest reviews

4 Sep 17'

Debbie Hendriksen reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Had a brilliant day turning with Mark. My daughter (13) really wanted to give woodturning a go and she loved it. She picked it up fast and Mark coped well with us being at different stages of our bowls during the day. He was very knowledgable and patient and I would recommend him to anyone looking for a woodturning day that is jam packed. I have a lathe which has been standing idle since having children and I had lost my confidence whick Mark helped me get back. He answered all my questions before we went and gave lots of notes to help in the future. He's also emailed us lots of info since the course to help us both going forward. Thanks Mark."

4 Sep 17'

Nick Jackson reviewed: Woodcarving for beginners - two day course in Suffolk

"I started on a weekend woodcarving course with Gerry three years ago. I had a very low level of confidence and memories of school woodwork with a grumpy teacher and grotty bits of deal that always ended up planed to a sliver. Gerry is the Mary Poppins of the woodworking world (without the outfits). He actually made me laugh and enjoy woodwork as I'd never imagined I could. I signed up for a regular weekly class and discovered a talent I never knew I had and made new friends in his friendly class. He is a skilled craftsman who enjoys passing on his skills to other people and is happy to advise on tool buying and to supply lovely pieces of lime and oak to carve. I'm hooked!"

4 Sep 17'

Darren reviewed: Blacksmithing, bladesmithing and metal craft

"A fantastic day ! Bought a one day course for my son's 13th birthday - his choice - and he had the most amazing day. Nigel is clearly a superb craftsman but he also has a passion for passing his knowledge on. My son received just the right balance of tuition combined with plenty of hands-on time with an emphasis on creating his own work. He left having created more than he ever expected and everyone he has shown his creations to (pretty much everyone he sees !!) has hardly believed he made them. He had lots of time working on his own with input from Nigel when he was unsure or he got to trickier parts. Lots of explaining from Nigel, especially when they undertook really tricky parts together. My son has learnt a lot about the ways in which metal behaves and the vast possibilities of what can be made. He has already planned his next visit. Perfectly OK for Dad to have a go too - which left me very happy !!"

4 Sep 17'

John Mewse reviewed: Woodcarving for beginners - two day course in Suffolk

"Think I speak for most as once the first 15 mins have gone by you loose yourself in your own world of carving and the few hours you spend are a great break from everyday life, tuition is informative without being restrictive and allows you to gain confidence quickly, Gerrys' knowledge of carving backed up with his artistic knowledge nudges you towards producing more than you thought you were capable of very quickly, well appointed workshop, good friendly atmosphere, descent cup of tea at half time, highly recommended!"

4 Sep 17'

Ailsa reviewed: Screen Printing for All - Beginners & Refreshers

"I learnt so much in my one day course with Caroline. She is very inspiring and has such a wealth of knowledge. I would highly recommend doing this course."

4 Sep 17'

Gary Lawson reviewed: Introduction to leatherwork – Belt making workshop

"My first ever experience of leather craft and in all honesty it was excellent. Clive and Wendy are very welcoming and great tutors. Working through the step-by-step process from cutting the hide to the finished piece was fascinating. Using the wide array of tools was very rewarding and the course has certainly inspired me to try some small projects. All in all I am frankly delighted (and very surprised) that I have a belt that looks and feels superb, if I do say so myself. A big thank you Clive and Wendy."

4 Sep 17'

Mona Casey reviewed: Textile design one day workshop for adults with Penny Mason, Birmingham (NO CLASSES UNTIL MARCH 2021)

"Really enjoyed the Textile Printing workshop. Learned loads in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Penny is an excellent teacher and her passion for the area of textiles, drawing and painting, is lovely to be around, very inspiring."

4 Sep 17'

Jane Flower reviewed: Stonecarving Weekend, Gloucestershire Cotswolds

"This was a really enjoyable course: relaxed friendly atmosphere, beautiful setting and skilled, patient teaching. I shall definitely be back for more!"

4 Sep 17'

Shirley reviewed: Candle making with afternoon tea

"What a wonderful day spent with Tracey. Everything was explained in full detail. She really knew her stuff. Her hospitality was really professional and very welcoming. I came away full of inspiration and I cannot wait to get started making candles for my new business venture. The melts we made together are burning as I write this review. Thank you Tracey for an uplifting and memorable experience. Shirley from Leeds"

4 Sep 17'

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

"A truly fantastic day! We had such fun doing our blacksmithing course, the instruction was first class, both guys were very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. The food was great, just wish my end results had been as good :-) .... would recommend this day to everyone."

4 Sep 17'

Kim reviewed: Kate Morrell willow sculpture courses

"Booked this with my daughter as an end of exams treat. We both thoroughly enjoyed the day and made some fantastic sculptures (a heron and a turtle). We'd love to come again sometime and make something else. Sitting in Kate's garden enjoying the sunshine and the peaceful surroundings was idyllic. Thank you."

4 Sep 17'

Lesley reviewed: Make silver jewellery using precious metal clay or silver clay

"I had a lovely day in which I'd booked myself on a silver clay course, Toni is a brilliant teacher very relaxed atmosphere managed to make 3 pendants, I will definitely go back again."

4 Sep 17'

Chantal Haddon reviewed: Woodcarving for beginners - two day course in Suffolk

"Gerald is very generous with his expertise and it is a pleasure to learn from someone with such skill and experience. The atmosphere in the classes is very friendly and you are given lots of scope to develop your own projects.Addictive and enjoyable."

4 Sep 17'

Jane Stock reviewed: 1 day introduction to silver jewellery making

"I attended this course as a complete novice, knowing nothing at all about jewellery making. From a blend of teaching, discussion and practical elements I learnt the basics from Jonathan. I enjoyed the whole day very much and it completely demystified the art of jewellery making. I managed to make both a pendant and a hammered silver ring during the session. Jonathan is very good teacher and manages to make some of the complex processes easy to understand and remember. Plenty of refreshments during the day and a wonderful lunch from Julia. Those ginger biscuits were wonderful. I would thoroughly recommend this course to others."

4 Sep 17'

Richard Coope reviewed: Hand built ceramics: Make your own jug and bowl

"Got the course as a birthday present, wasn't sure what to expect. Spent a great day with Penny and other potters in Horton. Everything was clearly explained and after a few disasters I got the hang of the processes. On opening the fired jug and pot by post, I was amazed at the glazes. Recommended."

3 Sep 17'

Angelika Siem reviewed: Screen Printing for All - Beginners & Refreshers

"I had a brilliant time doing screen print workshop with Caroline, I have learnt a lot from her as she's talking through every step and explaining why things didn't work or did work. Lovely atmosphere, tea and snacks always offered ; ) Efficient equipment. Highly recommended , I would definitely come back. Happy for new skill gained !"

3 Sep 17'

Janis Young reviewed: Lino printmaking in the Dales

"Penny explained everything clearly with demonstrations of all the techniques and provided notes which also included examples of other artists' work. We had a very enjoyable day, learned lots and all produced a few prints to keep. I am looking forward to attending another of her workshops."

3 Sep 17'

Annette Brooks reviewed: Intermediary Glass fusing workshop with Laura Hart of Hart Glass

"I had a really exciting and interesting weekend with Laura. The studio is bright and light and very comfortable to work in. I was able to do so much over the weekend, from cutting glass, grinding, pulling glass through a flame and twisting glass. I used glass powder, fritts and strands as well as choosing from a huge range of coloured glass. Laura is patient and very clear when instructing you. I was thrilled with my end pieces. I would wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone."

3 Sep 17'

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

"Absolutely brilliant. I bought my husband the day for Christmas but I'm so pleased I tagged along. Adrian, Andy and Debbie are so likeable, friendly and knowledgeable you couldn't fail to have an excellent day. Debbie's food was faultless too which made the day even better. Such a great experience. Thanks so much."

3 Sep 17'

Kate reviewed: Make silver jewellery using precious metal clay or silver clay

"I loved this course. It was well organised and Toni was knowledgable and friendly. She had everything in front of me ready to use so I could concentrate on being creative. She allowed me space to focus but was there when I needed any advice. Perfect. I managed to make lots of pieces from just 10g of clay. It felt magical when the silver began emerging after firing. Everyone I've shown is really impressed with my jewellery pieces! Highly recommended course!"

3 Sep 17'

Karen Rhodes reviewed: Create a mosaic in a day in Yorkshire with professional mosaic artist Sue Kershaw

"Just wanted to thank you for a fabulous day at your mosaic course. Linda and I enjoyed it so much. It was lovely to meet you, and other attendees. Made for a wonderful day. I can highly recommend your master class. I am delighted with my first mosaic piece with your expert guidance, and I am now looking forwards to creating another."

3 Sep 17'

Paul Rogers reviewed: Woodturning in Devon with Colin Simpson

"I spent the most wonderful day with Colin. I booked myself a one on one tutorial for the day as an introduction to woodturning. With no experience at all of lathes or turning wood of any description I relied on Colin to teach me from scratch. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and having turned my first bowl and egg cup to a standard I thought well out of my capabilities.... I can thoroughly endorse Colin's teaching ability and the structure of his day course. He was a superb guiding hand throughout the day but let you learn and progress at your own speed. Lunch was superb and I am looking forward to booking a secondary day course soon. Thanks again Colin - your skills were first class and seeing your work gives me something to aim for now....."

3 Sep 17'

Pauleen reviewed: Learn To Crochet On The Norfolk/Cambs Border

"easy informal session. Time given to master each step and a patient teacher. Will be returning for next session to learn a few more stitches."

3 Sep 17'

Sally Struthers reviewed: Annie Sloan Method with Chalk Paint for Upcycling Furniture at La Di Da Interiors - The Basics

"Very informative and enjoyable with a great teacher"

3 Sep 17'

Samantha Tong reviewed: Annie Sloan Method with Chalk Paint for Upcycling Furniture at La Di Da Interiors - The Basics

"A great workshop. Stephanie is a friendly, welcoming tutor, making you feel at ease as soon as you arrive. Very informative class and I left feeling ready to paint furniture with confidence. Highly recommended class."