Emma Jackson (Silversoles - Felted Textiles) reviews

Sue Pryde reviewed: Felt Flowers - Mothers Day Special with Lunch!

"Emma has a vast array of colours and materials to choose from. Her explanation of techniques is excellent and her attention to those on the course is such that everyone achieves a really good standard in what they produce without any feeling of pressure. Emma’s years of experience enable her to see where she should offer guidance and when to let people to explore their own ideas. I really appreciate Emma’s approach: whilst I’m a novice I’m sure that even experienced felters would pick up tips and learn more from Emma."

Maureen Frost reviewed: Shibori Felting: A Felt Sampling Day - Ripples, Waves & Spikes

"A brilliant day, resulting in three different examples of shibori felting. Emma is an excellent teacher and guided us through all stages of the process, enabling us to felt with confidence! Thank you!"

Louise Wright reviewed: Shibori Felting: A Felt Sampling Day - Ripples, Waves & Spikes

"This was a brilliant day!! I had relatively little prior knowledge of felting but Emma helped me through the basics so that I could also enjoy and learn about the shibori felting process. We were busy from 10 til 4 almost nonstop and there were loads of chances to ask as many questions as we needed and seek advice. I loved the variety of techniques which were shown and just being in the workshop, surrounded by Emma's work was inspiring. I am still waiting for my samples to be 110% dry before the big reveal, but can't wait to see how they look when I take the stitching out. Thank you for a wonderful day"

Lise Beynon reviewed: Felt Pod Vessels

"I love the course and learned loads. Emma has such an excellent teaching methodology. I can't wait to do another one!"

Katy Munn reviewed: Felt Pod Vessels

"Emma was a great teacher - patient, encouraging and informative - and I really enjoyed the morning. I am delighted with my pot!"

Shirley reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"Thoroughly enjoyable day. Emma is very knowledgeable and talented and she explained/demonstrated the techniques very well. The small class-size meant we had as much personal help and attention as needed and were able to work at our own pace. It was particularly good to be able make something of our own choosing as we all had very different styles. I came away with a scarf that I will definitely wear. I hope to return for further courses."

Jane Rogers reviewed: Nuno Scarf - An Introduction to Nuno Felting

"Thank you Emma, we really enjoyed the Nuno felting scarves course. It was good to be in a small group of three as we were able to get lots of help and advice where needed. It was good though that you let us develop our own ideas and skills. We ended up with three completely different scarves in the group. Your knowledge was invaluable and your enthusiasm infectious. Love your garden 'hideaway'. Looking forward to coming again."

Jane Rogers reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"Thank you Emma, we really enjoyed the Nuno felting scarves course. It was good to be in a small group of three as we were able to get lots of help and advice where needed. It was good though that you let us develop our own ideas and skills. We ended up with three completely different scarves in the group. Your knowledge was invaluable and your enthusiasm infectious. Love your garden 'hideaway'. Looking forward to coming again."

Lora reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"Decided on a whim to go and do a beginner’s felting course, and really enjoyed it. Making felt is an absolutely fascinating process. Emma demonstrated everything and showed us a variety of different yarns which could be used. Absolutely thrilled to come away from the course with two pieces of handmade felt - amazing to think that we actually handmade a piece of material! Emma left us with an information sheet to take away and a list of stockists to have a look at so all in all a really informative morning."

Sue Green reviewed: Resist Felting - A Felt sampling Day: Cracked Mud, Nuno Resists & Felt Trapunto

"A superb day learning three different wet felting techniques. I enjoyed working with a knowledgeable teacher in a gorgeous studio space. I would recommend this course to other "felters"."

Emma Jackson (Silversoles - Felted Textiles) responded:

"Dear Sue Many thanks for your review - I hope you are enjoying using your new felting skills. Best wishes Emma"

Christina Pinel reviewed: Resist Felting - A Felt sampling Day: Cracked Mud, Nuno Resists & Felt Trapunto

"A great day of felting led by an excellent tutor. Workshop well organised with plenty of resources and materials so that students could learn new skills and complete three different wet felt samples."

Emma Jackson (Silversoles - Felted Textiles) responded:

"Dear Christina Many thanks for your review - I hope you are enjoying using your new felting skills. Best wishes Emma"

Gill Davies reviewed: Nuno Scarf - An Introduction to Nuno Felting

"My friend and I spent a blissful day in Emma's studio each making a scarf using the Nuno felting technique. Emma is a warm and welcoming tutor who explains each step very clearly and provides hands on help and advice at all stages. I would strongly recommend this course."

Julie reviewed: Learn to Felt - An Introduction to Felt Making in Birmingham

"Just loved it!! I was brought a beginners felting course as a present & wasn't sure really what to expect. Emma explained everything, the instructions were easy to follow & she would demonstrate how to do things. Emma was also there to help or offer advice all the way through. I found it really interesting and would say to anyone ,if you have a slight interest give it a go. I went home with my finished piece, which I was really proud of and I'm going to make it into a cushion. Emma was so friendly & helpful I would highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to booking more sessions."

Lesley Stewart reviewed: Felt Lampshades

"It really is a privilege to be part of a workshop with Emma. This was no exception and benefited from being held over 2 mornings. Although I have previous experience of feltmaking I did not expect to come away with such a stunning piece of art! Emma's teaching is clear,precise and focussed,expertly timed (there is a lot to do!), and she is both highly skilled and exceptionally knowledgeable about her art.Fabulous examples of finished products gave inspiration, excellent workshop environment, detailed handouts, and hands on support all made for inspiring and challenging learning.I am delighted with the outcomes and inspired to continue! Thanks so much."

Jane reviewed: Felt Lampshades

"What a joyful way to spend a Saturday morning (or two in this case!) Emma hits a perfect balance between teaching - and her practice is excellent - and a lovely informal social session. I learnt new skills and have come away equipped to carry on this amazing craft on my own. Clear, accurate notes were provided and a list of suppliers too! Would definitely recommend! Thanks Emma!"

Sandy Bridge reviewed: Tailored Workshop: Felted Lampshades & Nuno Ripple Scarves

"Came away with a beautiful lampshade and learnt the skills needed to make another successfully! I learnt more about shibori techniques, but was rather disappointed with my scarf - totally my fault with the colours I chose! I will certainly do another! The day was well organised, notes were self explanatory and it was a lovely, relaxed atmosphere. An excellent day - thank you Emma."

Julie Whitehorn reviewed: Textured Felt: Cushion Panel, Clutch Bag or Book Jacket

"Having attended a previous course with Emma I was eager to return for more, it's a really enjoyable experience in a lovely peaceful garden studio. The felt book jacket was a great project to design, make and complete (!) within the 1/2 day workshop. Arriving without an idea of what would be involved, with discussion we were straight into planning and choosing different fibres from a wonderful array to create our own unique cover, all under excellent guidance and fuelled with coffee and cookies. Then on to dyeing the pieces after deciding on colours and like alchemy our beautiful creations emerged. There was even time to add stitch and create a lovely co-ordinated book cover tie. I can't wait for the next day!"

Julie Whitehorn reviewed: Landscapes in Wool - Painting with Fibres

"A wonderful and inspiring day's workshop. Emma gently took us through the design process in a clear and informative, easily accessible way. The small group was perfect and each one of us had brought a different type of image to create a wool 'painting', which enabled us to discuss and understand different possibilities to achieve pictures. Blocking, laying and blending the wool really 'felt' like painting! There is a wonderful, extensive array of colours and types of wool rovings and all manner of fibres to choose from, allowing endless possibilities. Emma is clearly a very experienced, generous tutor and brings her expertise as a designer and felt maker to her teaching. There was a good balance of support and instruction, with space for our own creativity. The studio is well equipped and an ideal place for this activity. It's set in a charming garden where we had lunch under the tree with the chickens clucking. We all had a thoroughly enjoyable day and we thrilled with our results. Thank you Emma!"

Grace Gourevitch reviewed: Felt Flowers - Mothers Day Special with Lunch!

"Thank you for an excellent session where I was able to reinforce the core techniques of the stages of felt making , and to improve my understanding of adding colour and texture. The exercise of making flowers focused on shaping and finishing to obtain textures and arrangements that suggested a selected botanical form, and I improved my understanding of developing detail through the whole process. The session was tailored to my previous experience and delivered in a positive and encouraging style. The access, premises , teaching materials and refreshments added to the pleasure of the session and I hope to return for further courses."

Di Fenn reviewed: Felt Surface Techniques: Sampling Day

"A most enjoyable, fast moving and well structured course. The information given both verbally and in note form was excellent. The samples with their explanatory labels were very useful and provided plenty of inspiration. I had undertaken felting courses before but seem to have forgotten how physical the activity is! However with 3 partially completed samples I'm now trying to complete the set. Emma, you gave all the participants an equal share of attention and guidance which is so important. Thank you once again - I'm about to consider cutting along the lines of the resist to reveal the underlying design and I'm holding my breath!"

Susan Frier reviewed: Felt Surface Techniques: Sampling Day

"A thoroughly enjoyable day with new and different techniques to try out. It was inspiring to see so many different samples and the lampshade was really beautiful. It's a long time since I did any felt making, mainly due to the amount of elbow grease needed! but the technique with the pipe and rolling is slightly easier than how I had done it previously. Lovely to meet you too, many thanks, Sue."

Tina Watkins reviewed: Felt Surface Techniques: Sampling Day

"Excellent course. Lots of ideas and inspiration. I can now 'see' how the shibori designs I see on the internet are formed."

Mary Sotheran reviewed: Felt Surface Techniques: Sampling Day

"What an excellent day.Information provided was very good and clear. Buying your materials pack made it possible to keep the momentum up not needing to stop to find ingredients from what I had brought with me. The four samples I have made all worked well and I am particularly pleased with the 'Cracked Mud samples that I have made which was of leaves. The least successful sample was the 'Nuno Shibiri which has only partially worked -I suspect I was a bit heavy handed initially!!!! I am sending photographs of the finished samples to your email address for your information. Thank you5"

Beryl Trimby reviewed: Felt Surface Techniques: Sampling Day

"The teaching was clear and concise. Samples beautifully labelled and easy to understand. Tutor friendly and approachable. All in all, an excellent day and I learned tips as to where I was going wrong! Look forward to using the techniques in future."

Carol Clark reviewed: Felt Surface Techniques: Sampling Day

"The first time I had done a bit of Felting was back in the Summer and I must admit I loved doing it. It was only the straight forward kind. It was great to have other ideas and end up with samples of what is possible with the different procedures that we did . I thoroughly enjoyed myself and with Emma's help made it very rewarding, and at the end of the workshop came away very pleased with myself. Thank you."