Latest reviews

Duncan Goulder reviewed: Pole Lathe Bowl Turning - Your First Bowl

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course. Adrian is a great teacher with infinite patience and a very clear and logical delivery style that really helps in understanding the process from tree trunk to finished bowl. Adrian has a wealth of knowledge and an infectious passion for wood craft. I can't recommend this course highly enough."

Vanessa Santos reviewed: Bird sculpture - clay, paper, mixed media craft workshop

"Nikki was really lovely! She had so much patience..,especially when my birdy (peter I've called him!) wasn't playing ball! My fault as I had made him a bit too chunky ;). Really interesting course, beautiful surroundings; even got a delicious lunch! ? Look forward to seeing what other courses Nikki has to offer for the future. Thanks again Nikki!"

NIKKI SZABO responded:

"Thank you so much Vanessa. I had a lovely day too, and I hope Peter is settling into his new home! Hope you see you again soon. Nikki x"

Yvonne Jones reviewed: Upholstery and upcycling furniture and interiors

"Really enjoyed the day. It’s the 2nd upholstery day I’ve done with Lucy and I’m thrilled with results from both. Covered a tub chair this time and although I didn’t get it finished Lucy gave me all the info I needed to complete the project at home. Lucy is very patient, professional and has excellent skills. I would definitely recommend her courses."

Vicky Palmer reviewed: Stool making course at Sallerton Wood

"What a beautiful setting for a green woodwork course. I produced a great footstool under the thorough and patient tuition provided by Andy. I can't recommend highly enough the course and sitting alongside the stream with good food and lovely company was the icing on the cake. Andy and Jane are great hosts and I can't wait to book again.. Thank you ?"

Jayne Ferguson reviewed: Mosaic day workshop on Orkney

"Thoroughly enjoyed the workshop. Left with the skills to know how to do the basics. Met interesting people although all engrossed in our work so did not engage too much. Catherine was very knowledgeable, hands-on and explained things in an easy to understand way as well as demonstrating practically. Huge variety of material to work with. Definitely recommend this workshop to others."

Jill Hilton reviewed: A One Day (week-day) Upholstery Course for Improvers

"As a complete beginner I was amazed how much I achieved in a day. Of course there was far more to it than I imagined but all the stages were explained really well. I went home fully set up to work on my own towards the next step. Philip is a very friendly, hospitable teacher. It was most enjoyable."

Ralph reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Great day out last Thursday at Firebird forge tucked away in a remote part of the beautiful Sussex countryside. Mort not only quickly gets you introduced to the basics of working with a traditional open coal furnace and working metal by hand but also adds his extensive knowledge on the history of this ancient craft skill. There is considerable skill in this craft and learning how to manage the fire and heat in the metal, accurately using the hammer and other tools requires a lot of patience and practice but with Mort there to help its amazing to look back and see what you have learnt in just one day. The day was very relaxed and overran on time but Mort made sure we came away with a finished item, in my case a set of fire tongs, which impresses everyone I have shown."

Alison reviewed: Bring Your Own Upholstery Project - Buy 3 days and save.

"I chose to do a day course with Sarah as she is registered with the AMUSF and having recently completed the AMUSF Diploma myself, I recognised the level of proficiency required by Sarah to be accredited with them. I went with the specific aim to practice traditional upholstery techniques and found her to be informative, attentive and highly professional. I enjoyed the experience so much I then booked and completed a traditional lampshade making course with her and would not hesitate in attending another course. Thanks so much."

Rob Barnes reviewed: 2 day blacksmithing courses

"A fabulous course, professionally run. The content was spot on starting with the most basic of skills and moving on. Aaron is a true master of his trade and a wonderful teacher. I gained so much from this and do plan on coming back. I can not recommend this enough. 5*."

melissa peck reviewed: Interior styling and decorating one to one day course

"Had a fabulous morning.. wish I'd booked for the day. Everyone was having so much fun. I learnt how to do loads of different styles of painting in just a few hours. They really are nice ladies too. totally recommended... I totally loved it."

Susan Green reviewed: Blacksmithing Introduction courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"We had a great day, the course was very informative and fun. It was a nice sized group, not too many. The lunch and homebakes were delicious."

Jane Gregory reviewed: Felt art -(wet felting )with Debra Esterhuizen, Appleby , Cumbria

"I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop. I learnt so much about wool and felting as well as how colours work. Debra was so generous in the amount of different types of materials we used. We each made 2 large pieces of work, encouraging our individual creativity and interests, rather than trying to recreate a previous work. Debra demonstrated and guided us to explore and experiment. I can't wait to attend another session."

Liz Pickman reviewed: Hand spinning for Beginners Level 1 accredited course at All in a Spin

"I thoroughly enjoyed the course and am now beginning to work on my homework and samples. Dunja explains everything well and is very knowledgable on sheep and spinning. The location is stunning and the facilities are excellent. I highly recommend this course."

Barbara Chomos reviewed: Bespoke Contemporary Fine Art Encaustic Wax Workshop.

"While away on a holiday in the Pacific Northwest I stumbled across Encaustic Art and once I returned to Jersey I started searching for a workshop to help me get started. After combing the internet I found Lyn Kirkland who was available for a private two day workshop in Portland, Dorset. Once I made my way there, I had a wonderful time with Lyn learning so many techniques I would have been guessing at if I didn’t have this “hands on” experience. There is so much to know about encaustic painting and Lyn is inspirational and generous with her knowledge and her art supplies. In the end, I came home with two pieces I will treasure forever. Thank you so much for your patience and guiding me through a multitude of steps with your relaxed expertise. And, for putting me in touch with Pam DuVal so I could stay in her cosy Little Bee Cottage. Honestly, between the homemade cakes and and warm comraderie, I would love to come back and spend more time learning this way of artistic expression. I would highly recommend this course to anyone. Barbara Chomos - St. Brelade, Jersey"

Nirosha Sithirapathy reviewed: Half day glass fusing for beginners/intermediate

"A fantastic half day with Nicky! Came with three friends as a birthday celebration. Nicky taught us all about the different glasses, how to achieve different styles, taught us different glass cutting techniques and helped turn an ambitious vision of mine into a reality. Fantastic day with refreshments and a teacher who really knows her stuff. Highly recommended and would definitely come back again!"

Andrew Trigg reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"There is a reason why Mark has so many 5 star reviews. From the start of the day at 9:30am until we finished somewhere around 7:30pm Mark provided a relaxed and extremely informative session. As a complete novice to wood turning I was apprehensive at first, but Mark is a great teacher, and patience personified. By the end of the day I came away not only with a bowl I can be very proud of but also some new skills, a set of very comprehensive notes and the joy of having spent the day with a man that knows his craft inside out and is happy to share that knowledge and passion. The day after the course Mark set a full list of equipment that I would need to progress the hobby further, not affiliated to any one supplier, just based on his experience of what works best, along with links to local clubs. Which is great because after a day with Mark I can safely say I am hooked! Brilliant day, brilliant teacher. Thank you."

Paul Colbourn reviewed: 'Art of Stained Glass' - Oldbury, Birmingham

"Had a great day with Jamal an one other student. He was very good at explaining all the process’s involved an has given me the confidence to have a go at replacing a stained leaded window in my front door. Would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in learning about stained glass an leaded windows"

Jessica Read reviewed: Weave a scarf in a day - handloom weaving

"I had a fantastic day. Anne is a great teacher who explains and demonstrates each step clearly. Due to the small class size you get one to one guidence which was so helpful for me. And its lovely to be able to leave the workshop with a finished scarf."

samantha Hillier reviewed: Needle felting workshops taught live online by Heartfelt by Heidi

"Was easy to pick up and great fun. We had a laugh and a giggle along the way. Would recommend this to anyone who has a crafty side.?"

Heartfelt by Heidi responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to write a review, I am really pleased you enjoyed the piggy workshop. It was a pleasure sharing your enthusiasm and thrill at seeing your creation transform into your very own perfect Piggy."

T Sutton reviewed: Blacksmithing Introduction courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"An excellent day, that I can recommend to anyone willing to get their hands dirty to achieve something in a day. At 71 years old, I was a little apprehensive at going near to a forge, but the instruction and support from Adrian and Andy was just great. And the techniques we used to bend and fashion metal into something useful and decorative were enlightening. Thanks also to Debbie for the excellent lunch and other refreshments during the day. Thank you all."

Lauren Howard reviewed: Introduction to Leather Craft

"I’ve just completed a two day course with Bill, and like many others on this page, I cannot fault it - a truly fantastic experience! I have taken many courses over the years, but none have felt so in depth - Bill’s knowledge and skill is just incredible. And whilst some courses can feel like a ‘paint by numbers’ in large groups, with our group of two, I’ve come away with applicable pattern making, bag making, and leather care skills, with tailored, individual advice to continue with my leather work. Bill is incredibly patient, and with his wealth of experience in the field, answered all my endless questions, as I’m very curious! He is also really encouraging and supportive. If you are considering taking this course, just do it, you won’t regret it - it’s worth every single penny and excellent value for money. I’m so proud of my beautiful bag that I came away with, and had a lot of fun too."

Susan & David Davies reviewed: Blacksmithing Introduction courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"What a fabulous day. Great atmosphere, lovely people and superb instruction. Oh yes and great food! Anyone who is interested in trying this out but unsure of their ability should attend one of these courses. Importantly one goes away with not only a sense of achievement but also genuine 'respect' for this craft and the people involved with it. David & Susan Davies"

Sarah reviewed: Blacksmithing Introduction courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"I bought two places on the course for my husband for Christmas. The idea was to have a nice day out together doing something different and have some fun. Adrian and Andy were great tutors, provided demonstrations and guidance whilst working. We had a good laugh along the way and brought home a key ring and a dragon with three coat hooks each. Debbie was in charge of the catering and lunch and the supply of flapjack/cake were both delicious. We had a lovely day and will be back. Thank you!"

Margaret McDowell reviewed: Needle felting workshops taught live online by Heartfelt by Heidi

"I had THE BEST TIME! Heidi made me feel at ease and was very friendly. The instructions were easy to understand and I left with a wonderful pink pig that I had made. I had never tried needle felting before and now I feel confident to have a go at home! I would recommend this course to anyone."

Heartfelt by Heidi responded:

"Thank you Margaret for your lovely review, I am so glad you enjoyed the workshop and have gone away inspired and confident enough to carry on at home. It is a wonderfully rewarding craft, I hope you get as much pleasure from felting as I do. It was fun teaching you, your piggy was so cute!"

Mike Reed reviewed: Introduction to green woodworking - make a stool or small table

"Thoroughly enjoyed this! Lovely people, great food, idyllic setting and great fun. Very satisfying going from a chunk of recently felled tree to a piece of furniture. Very therapeutic too - hardly thought about the outside world for the entirety of the weekend :-)"