Latest reviews

Anna reviewed: Lino Printing Day with Oxford Linocut Workshops

"I don’t have an artistic bone in my body so I can only credit Claire for her skill in the production of my lino prints. I proudly showed them off when I got home with nothing less than gasps of amazement from my husband and children. As a bit of a bonus I found myself ‘lost in the moment‘ several times during the course of the day so I am also putting a big tick in the ‘mindfulness’ box. Who would have thought!!! Thank you Claire- a very enjoyable day. I doubt I will ever need to buy a greetings card again!!! Great for sustainability too!!!"

Arabella Dean reviewed: Upholstery for beginners

"My husband and I took this course in autumn 2019. We were both upholstery novices but wanted to re-spring and re-cover an art deco armchair. We thoroughly enjoyed learning with Julian, whose knowledge is wide and whose patience is long. The number of people varied week to week from three or four to six, each person doing a different style of upholstery. There was a great spirit of camaraderie and it was fascinating to see what other people were doing and the progress they made. Patience is necessary. There's only one Julian and he has to share his time amongst everyone; sometimes it's necessary to wait a while for him to get back to you. I have no hesitation in recommending Julian and this course to anyone embarking on an upholstery project. I travelled over an hour each way to do so, and would do it again. I'm looking for a new assignment which gives me cause to do that! Thank you, Julian"

Lewis Towers reviewed: Forest workshop

"Spoon Carving To start, this was something I had no experience in and had only really wanted to see what it was about and get an idea as to what was involved. Steven the lovely gentleman who runs it was so welcoming from start to finish. He is so knowledgeable and you can tell this is his passion and he loves to do it. He explains the processes and how everything works, he shows the techniques and helps you understand how and why we work with the wood the way we do, from everything of what to do, to what not to do. It's so interesting and gives you a real insight into sculpting wood and the different types of wood you can work with after. It gets down to the bones of a lost art form and its great for any beginners. Jake who also helps out is on hand to help understand and tackle any tricky bits, he really helped me develop my technique. All in all I came away with something that resembled a spoon, learnt how to use all the tools and for the price it's a fantastic day out and something out of the ordinary to go and try! Both guys are really interesting to talk to in general and I had a good laugh with them which is always important they are tentative and are soooo helpful too! Go down and see them both!"

Steve H reviewed: Make a Windsor-style stool

"I really enjoyed this course - learnt loads and got a great little stool at the end of it. Ben really knows his stuff and communicates it very well; friendly, patient and just an all round good guy. His workshop is well set up too. I will hopefully be doing more with him soon. Thoroughly recommended."

Helen reviewed: Introduction to fused glass (1 day) in Sheffield, South Yorkshire

"Having never worked with glass before I didn't really know what to expect. The workshop was excellent, Martin was a great tutor and the day exceeded my expectations. I was amazed by how much we made during the day. I will be booking again."

Lisa Dougherty reviewed: Paper Marbling Class Full Day at Portsmouth Museum

"I did a day workshop with James and it was fantastic. I learnt so much and got to try so many different techniques. Being able to take away my work on paper and the wood fridge magnets was so satisfying. James is an excellent teacher - very encouraging and obviously passionate about marbling and very talented. Can’t wait to get started at home now!"

James Mouland Ebru Studio responded:

"Thanks Lisa, you did a brilliant job, I’m sure you will have lots of fun practising at home. James."

Suki reviewed: Weave an alpaca scarf in a day

"I attended this course a short while ago and loved every minute of it. Caroline and the team are so friendly, the location is beautiful and the Alpaca's are worth a drive all on their own. I had zero experience of weaving and chose a slightly harder pattern and thanks to Caroline I made it no problem at all (well, lots of mistakes, but lots of help given). The whole experience from the tour of the wool processing equipment, meeting the alpacas, weaving the scarf to the lunch and refreshments is highly recommended."

Clivewood Alpacas responded:

"Lovely having you here and you made a beautiful scarf Caroline"

Mr and Mrs Cooper reviewed: Interior design and decor onsite 5 week course

"My husband and I enrolled on Nikki’s 5 week Interior Décor Course so we could get to grips with the redesign of our lounge and dining areas, a project we had been putting off for some time. Nikki met us in our home and took us through the many principles and stages of interior décor. We had no idea it was such a complex subject. Over the 5 week period she expertly guided us and helped us determine our concept, colour schemes and finishes, helped us with our selection of furniture, wallpapers and flooring, and in the design and positioning of bespoke cabinets and shelving so every inch of our space was used to maximum effect. The course helped us understand: - the architectural elements of a room and how they appear in their space. - how light affects colour, and the best colours to choose for our room’s aspect. - the qualities that make up the most common Interior styles and how to achieve “the look” within our space. - the different types of lighting and how best to utilise them for best effect within our room. Nikki also organised visits to local lighting, flooring and furniture showrooms and assisted us with making up our final finishes and fixture boards. We never dreamed there was so much to learn, sort and organise but with Nikki’s help and advice we felt totally at ease and in safe hands. She has immeasurable experience and a real passion to help, teach, guide and inspire. This course is a must for students who would like an introduction to interiors or for anybody wanting to learn the rudiments of interior décor, whilst realising the design of their own space. MC, Kingskerswell"

anna sanders reviewed: Pottery throwing course, Aylesbury

"So much fun! This was such a lovely day! I went with a friend and it was a first time ever throwing clay. Charlie was very patient and gave us lots of time and info. It was really great to be in a small class and have your own wheel for the day."

Charlie's Pots responded:

"Many thanks for that Anna. I am glad you enjoyed it and look forward to seeing you again soon. Thank you Charlie"

Sebastian reviewed: Turn a wooden bowl on a traditional pole lathe

"I had a really fantastic day learning how to turn a wooden bowl. Steve is a great teacher and the course provides just the right amount of challenge while not being too overwhelming for a beginner. Highly recommended!"

Sabine Ray reviewed: From fleece to yarn - a beginner's workshop.

"This course was covering all the aspects I was looking for and beyond. Gina is very friendly and knowledgeable person and really knows her stuff. Very well structured course in a very relaxed environment. The time just flew by. And her cakes are absolutely delicious! I can only recommend this course! Many thanks for this wonderful day."

Woolly Workshop responded:

"Thank you for such a lovely review Sabine. It was great to meet you and I'm glad that you got so much from the course. Stay in touch and keep on spinning!"

Matt Groves reviewed: Woodcarving for beginners - two day course in Suffolk

"I booked this course for my Father as a birthday gift. In all booking arrangements, Gerry was friendly, helpful and proactive. The booking process as well as the information provided about both travel and the course was all excellent and clear. My Father loved the course. He found it tiring due to the amount of information that was being imparted, but at the same time thoroughly enjoyable and it has ignited a passion in him to do more carving. His feedback was that Gerry was an excellent teacher, hugely skilled and knowledgeable, but always patient and helpful. He found that he could achieve far better results than he expected. I am hoping to book him on another course with Gerry that can extend his skills further, once he has had time to tinker with and develop those skills that he has already learned."

Jude Bowen reviewed: Silver Clay beginners workshop Todmorden West Yorkshire

"I had the most fantastic day, met nice people, and I couldn't believe how gorgeous my silver jewellery was!! Our teacher Laura was brilliant and very friendly. I really had a lovely day thank you, would love to hear of a slightly more advanced course in the future :)"

Creative with Nature Ltd responded:

"thanks jude! really appreciate the feedback, i'll pass onto laura. joe gregory. xx"

Caroline Lock reviewed: Christmas Pudding - needle felting workshop with The Lady Moth

"Thoroughly enjoyed the 2d needle felting painting workshop. Zenia was very knowledgable and helpful throughout the course and I came away with a really lovely painting I’m very happy with."

Ni Ford reviewed: Silver clay jewellery course in Shaftesbury, Dorset

"I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop. Fiona is a great teacher and explained everything clearly. The location of Fisherton Mill was great too as there was something to do while the jewellery was being fired. I would totally recommend giving this a go. I can't wait to try more of Fiona's workshops."

Fiona Ingram Jewellery responded:

"Thank you for your kind review Nic, lovely to meet you and hope to see you again ?"

Tom Pickles reviewed: Spoon carving course - from log to spoon with Jeffrey Hart

"A great day! Having spent some time trying to teach myself to carve spoons, I soon came to the conclusion that a course might be the best option. I learned more in the first 10 minutes than I did reading a number of books and attempting self-teaching over a few months. The course was run at a good pace and covered everything you need to know to get started. Jeffrey has a clear passion that is infectious, his teaching is clear and concise and he has the necessary patience required for teaching. I can't recommend highly enough - now I just need to find some greenwood to develop my skills"

Constance Wolstenholme reviewed: Small needle felted animals or pictures

"Never having done anything like this before I was a bit nervous but Barbara quickly put me at my ease and assured me that by the end of the morning I would have a little creature to take home. After two hours of expert tuition and a few laughs along the way I left with my first needle felt creation: a cute penguin! I'm now all fired up to start on next year's Christmas tree decorations and am fully intending to go to another of Barbara's workshops very soon."

Feltworld - Creative Arts responded:

"It was lovely to have you on my half day workshop Constance. Your penguin looked brilliant. I will look forward to teaching you in the future. B"

Edna reviewed: Make a silver ring or bangle

"My latest session involved refining the design of my earrings and experimenting with different embellishments. Photographing them I realised how even small adjustments make a massive difference to a pieces appearance. Following on from the session I visited Ruthin gallery to see an artists work recommended by Lucy. It was well worth the visit as I was able to observe various jewellery artists styles and techniques which goes to show you never stop learning"

Sheona Grant reviewed: Christmas Pudding - needle felting workshop with The Lady Moth

"Had a great afternoon creating an owl through needle felting in a nice small group. Zenia has a great teaching methodology where she breaks the process down into stages, with a short demo followed by us having a go. There were also examples on the table of needle felted owls at various stages of the process to help us check the texture required etc. Zenia regularly came round the table to check on how we were getting on and help us individually. We all created amazing owls. I would definitely do another of Zenia's classes!"

Hollie reviewed: Christmas Pudding - needle felting workshop with The Lady Moth

"It was great, the time flew by and I ended up with the cutest little owl! Would absolutely reccomend to anyone."

Kerry reviewed: Denim jeans - be the designer!

"Shared a really lovely day with Angela making a pair of jeans. She was very generous with her knowledge, very patient in explaining slowly and sometimes everything over again! I came away with a replica pair of my very favourite pair of jeans and armed with the knowledge of how to make more, now the fun begins! Thank you Angela for a great day!"

Can Do Crafts . Shop responded:

"Another Great review thank you so much Kerry glad you had such a lovely time. Welcome back anytime with any projects. Angela"

Paul Bolton reviewed: Box making weekend in Cumbria

"Mark and Richard offer a range of woodworking courses from their shop and workshop on the outskirts of Penrith in the Northern Lake District. It is very easy to access being close to the M6 Penrith turn-off and is set in beautiful scenery. I attended the box-making weekend in January with 3 other like-minded students. We were first introduced to the sample pieces on offer in the shop to give us inspiration into the endless possibilities of wood and style on offer. Having been shown how to go about it, the class then proceeded to construct simple oak jewellery / trinket boxes with either mitre or dove-tail machined joints. We were given access to the wood store to select the timber for the lid which is where you can let your imagination run away with you. I chose a beautiful piece of curly mahogany and some burr oak for the lip of the lid to contrast with the oak box .Having fitted the lid we then applied a superb (secret recipe) sealer and wax before lining the base of the interior with suede. I have to say I am very pleased with the result and now have a ready -made Valentine's present for my wife! Mark and Richard offer expert tuition in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere , and I can thoroughly recommend this course to any one with an interest in creative woodworking."

Jason reviewed: Block printing

"Joanna (Jo) was so patient and knowledgeable. I came to her as a complete beginner and went away with a complete project that I'm chuffed to bits with. Cake was excellent too!"

John reviewed: Make a Windsor-style stool

"Incredible fun and rewarding weekend. Ben is a fantastic teacher - extremely knowledgeable, patient and attentive. Not to mention a really nice bloke. Learned an awful lot and took home something I am proud to say I made. I'll certainly be returning to take another course soon. Cheers Ben!"

Hannah reviewed: Self-care Sundays - create a personal pamper pack with The Scottish Soapworks at The Arienas Collective in central Edinburgh

"Wow what a wonderful day! Such a relaxing, welcoming and homely environment - Lynn had thought about every detail to make the day special, tea coffee on arrival, a delicious lunch we could relax over and relaxing music. My partner chose this as a gift for me over others for its relaxed environment and supporter of the local artist community and I’m so pleased he did! I’m pleased to also say how environmentally friendly the set up was - from Lynn's home (plastic free toilet rolls, teabags, local produce etc) to the materials we used on the day. Regarding the course - Jenny was a fantastic teacher - patient and knowledgeable with all our questions, relaxed and supportive and just a lovely gentle and warm approach. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about soap making, and especially the creams - I’ll never buy another cream as I’ve promised to myself I’ll make them. If you’re interested in getting started in soap and cream making I highly recommend this course!"

The Arienas Collective responded:

"Hello Hannah Wow back at you for such a kind and thoughtful review, and thank you also to your partner for choosing us for the reasons he did. It means so much to us. :-) It's great to know that we have another convert to the joys and benefits of making your own products. Jenny will be delighted to hear that you feel confident enough to get going with making your own soap and skincare from now on. It's a fantastic way of ensuring you know exactly what is going into your skincare - and onto your skin - and to reduce your single use plastic, which is clearly as important to you as it is to us :-) We hope to welcome you back to The Arenas Collective sometime soon. With best wishes Lynn :-)"