Latest reviews

Iris Fisher reviewed: Xmas Doodle Workshop! 9-12s Price

"I loved the workshop and I really want to come again and I didn’t want to leave. "

Planet Brill responded:

"Thank you for your review I'm glad you had a good time!😊"

Joanne reviewed: Beaded snowflake Christmas decorations - with Lindsay Forbes of Laconic, Durham

"Had a very enjoyable afternoon and left with some lovely snowflakes. Lindsay is a very good, patient teacher and very helpful. "

Bench Box responded:

"Thanks for your feedback Joanne and for coming along to this workshop. The snowflakes you made are fantastic, I hope they add some sparkle to your tree this year! "

Helen reviewed: Wire Christmas Wreath Workshop, including lunch - with Lindsay Forbes of Laconic, Darlington

"Enjoyed the course and learnt some new techniques. I came away with a lovely wreath - which I will treasure. All my family are very impressed. The course is 4 hrs and probably could do with being 1-2hrs longer. The first half was well paced with enough time to practice and produce the different leaf shapes - such as mistletoe, holly. But the afternoon was more rushed, which is where another 1-2hrs would have been useful. I finished mine off at home. Couple of comments to make it easier for others - parking around the venue is difficult with lots limited to 2hrs or residents only. Some information on where best to park would be useful. The venue although well lit and roomy was extremely cold. Other crafters put their coats back on. Either ensure that this is in the information so people wear appropriate jumpers or ensure better heating. The food spread at lunch was stunning and catered for all needs (including vegan and gluten free). I would have been more than happy to have brought a packed lunch though. I’m not sure from a financial point of view whether this level of catering is viable. I was too busy making berries to really benefit from the lunch. Still overall well worth a go - most of the group had no previous wire working experience and all came away with lovely wreaths "

Bench Box responded:

"I'm glad you enjoyed the course Helen and thanks so much for your feedback too. You've made some great points which I'll be sure to take on board going forward!"

Denise Hayton reviewed: Fused glass Christmas decorations- taster

"A friend and I attended a fused glass Christmas decorations taster course. Prior to the day, Karen sent useful information and answered questions promptly by email. On the day, she was welcoming and gave us plenty of clear instructions. The youngest attendee was 8years old and the oldest in their 60´s, but Karen was never condescending; she was keen that we should all produce pieces we were pleased with. She had lots of resources available and encouraged us with suggestions and was always positive. We made far more decorations than I expected and it was interesting to have the techniques and materials explained as we progressed. She is obviously very busy but will still find time, after firing them, to tie coordinating ribbons on thé decorations before they are ready for posting/collection - that really is going the extra mile! We finished the workshop with mince pies. It was a really good course and my friend and I are now considering one of the other courses on offer. "

Redcurrant Glass responded:

"Thank you "

Kate reviewed: Animal clay sculpture workshops- one day

"I have been on a few different courses .. this is one of the best I've attended. I had never worked with clay before but Connie was very welcoming, knowledgeable and patient. I had such a lovely day and would highly recommend."

Connie Fielder Ceramics and Crafts responded:

"Hello Kate I’m glad you enjoyed your sculpture workshop. Your Hare looks great. It was a pleasure teaching you on the day. Connie"

Emma McHale reviewed: Christmas Candle & Table Wreath Workshop With Lunch in Cambridge

"Had a really lovely few hours with a great group of people learning how to make candles and a floral table decoration. We were able to choose from a wide selection of different fragrances for the candle, and after making that and some bonus wax melts they were left to set whilst we moved on to the floristry section. Forming a circular arrangement to house our candles in the centre; it was really interesting to see all the different designs and colour choices - given we all had the same choice of materials the finished products were all very different and personal! All topped off by a relaxed informal buffet lunch and a glass of fizz or a mug of tea. Would highly recommend and I’d gladly do another course."

Suzanne reviewed: Glass Fusing and Slumping for Beginners and Improvers

"Jean and Janice support and assist in making sure you have a lovely day and make sure your glass pieces are as good as they can be. Thoroughly enjoyable. Would definitely recommend."

JJ Fused Glass responded:

"Thank Suzanne for your comments. It was lovely to see you again yesterday. We are very happy that you enjoyed the day and are looking forward to seeing the beautiful pieces you made yesterday when they are finished. Jean and Janice"

LP reviewed: Fused glass at the Stratford School of Jewellery

"Mum and I really enjoyed our afternoon with Helen, her tuition was fantastic. We are looking forward to seeing how our pieces look when they emerge from the kiln!"

Butterfly Effect Studio responded:

"Hi Laura & Jane, really lovely meeting you both last week and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a positive review, I appreciate it. Your items looked great when I took them from the kiln and I think you’ll be especially pleased with the delicate drape candle holder and gorgeous dragonfly soap dish. I’m delighted you both enjoyed it🦋🙏🏻"

Susan Howell reviewed: Christmas Wreath Making Masterclass

"Recently had a wreath making class with Sarah at Bishton Hall. I couldn’t believe from the beginning how it would turn out, but it turned out fantastic. I was lucky to sit with informative ladies who had been before. Sarah was very helpful, informative with her knowledge. It was a very enjoyable experience, I look forward to doing again."

Ferntastic Flowers responded:

"You make my work so worthwhile Susan, I knew you could do it, I’m so proud of you. Enjoy your beautiful creation & I hope to see you again soon x"

Melinda reviewed: Christmas Fused Glass Workshop in the Lake District

"Thoroughly enjoyed this activity. Learnt a lot and looking forward to seeing the fired results. Marilyn was an excellent teacher with fantastic creative ideas and I came away feeling energised and relaxed. Vanda is an wonderful hostess and amazing location. Thank you"

Hare Hill Barn responded:

"Thanks so much Melinda. Hope to see you again in the future. Best wishes Vanda "

Vicci reviewed: Key skills for converting vans into campervans 1 day course

"Amazing day spent with Scott. My husband and I learnt so much, gained insightful advice and even had the most delicious cake from Sue. I have never understood electric circuits but we both got to set up a loom and I now get it! We now have the confidence to wire our own van. Scot was so helpful, patient and a great teacher. Definitely do this course if you are starting out on your van conversion journey. "

Black Paw upcycle project responded:

"thanks for a great review. you were my best type of students. you got stuck in and asked lots of questions. which made it fun for me as well. good luck with your van build and remember have fun. Scott"

Mike Dowson reviewed: Welding with confidence

"Great course with lots of hands-on time welding pieces of metal together. Great equipment to work with and good instruction from Nigel. Might have liked a little more feedback on my “work” but it was an enjoyable and very useful day."

Ria reviewed: Lampshade Making Workshop in The Cotswolds - Gloucestershire/Wiltshire/Oxfordshire Border

"This workshop was better than I expected! I thought we'd all be making a drum shaped lampshade, but was happy to find out we were able to choose the shape, size and whether it was for a table lamp or the ceiling. The group of ladies were lovely and as there were only six of us, it meant that we were able to get the individual help we needed as we progressed through the stages of making our lampshade. Karen is patient and took care not to rush us if we were not finished bang on time. I'll definitely be coming back for more workshops in the future. Tea and coffee was provided and even a mince pie. Thanks Karen, looking forward to the next workshop! ☺️"

Lechlade Craft Barn responded:

"Hi Ria It was lovely to meet you both at the workshop last week and I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. I love to teach lampshade making, it's a great workshop for you to make something for your home without having to sew. I look forward to seeing you again. Many thanks Karen "

Jacqueline reviewed: Quilt in a Day, one-to-one course with Amanda Jane Ogden

"A very enjoyable day. Amanda had planned it well with a selection of fabrics in my choice of colours and equipment to accommodate a left hander. She patiently took me through the various stages of quilting and I went home with a completed mini quilt. Would thoroughly recommend to anyone wishing to start this craft. Thank you Amanda."

Amanda Jane Textiles responded:

"Thank you for your review Jacqueline. It was a pleasure to introduce you to quilt-making. Amanda"

Liz reviewed: Resin Cheeseboard & Coaster Workshop

"I had such a brilliant time on this course! I’d never worked with resin before, but Eunice was a fabulous tutor and explained & demonstrated everything clearly. I’m over the moon with my creations and have already booked a place on another of Eunice’s workshops. I highly recommend giving this a go! "

Tony McDiarmid reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"I throughly enjoyed my day at Firebird Forge. Mort shared his knowledge and experience throughout the day. His in-depth knowledge of his art made the day even more enjoyable and brought the craft alive. I can not recommend this course highly enough, working with a master craftsman was great. Thank You Mort for a great day and ensuring that I left with a great bird feeder!!"

Firebird Forge responded:

"Cheers Tony. Thanks for coming along and for the review. It was a good day and I’m sure the birds will appreciate all your hard work this winter! Thanks again, Mort."

Kathryn Pasco reviewed: Glass Fusing and Slumping for Beginners and Improvers

"What a fantastic day. We were made so welcome and taught well with everything explained so that beginners could experiment and learn different techniques. For someone who is not very arty I found this course inspiring and Jean and Janice were always on hand to help out. Our lunch was amazing and the day went far too quickly. Thank you special ladies for a day of fun, facts and fusion"

JJ Fused Glass responded:

"Kathryn, thank you so much for your kind review. You and your family were a pleasure to teach, so interested and amusing. You made our work easy. We’re looking forward to fusing and slumping your pieces. "

Ann swan reviewed: Glass Fusing and Slumping for Beginners and Improvers

"Have just had a fab day learning about how to cut glass, make many different glass coasters, plates, candle holder… different paints , colour techniques. Janice and Jean were on hand for any questions to be answered. A lovely lunch and can’t wait to see my creations once they’ve been in the kiln etc.. brilliant day "

JJ Fused Glass responded:

"Hi Ann. Thank you so much for your kind words. It was a pleasure to teach you and your family. You were so ready to listen and learn some new skills. We’re looking forward to fusing and slumping your pieces. "

Tracey Morris reviewed: Hare Sculpture workshop with Jo Garden Art in beautiful Norfolk/Suffolk

"What a fantastic time we had. Jo and her husband were great, so organised, relaxed and welcoming. We were 7 friends having a few days away and we were all amazed at the process and what great hare sculptures we took away with us. We are already planning on looking at a 2 day course. Could not recommend Jo highly enough - you will not be disappointed by this course at all, Jo was brilliant at communication from the very start to the end of the process and even said if the manage to break the sculptures afterward she can offer a repair kit!. 4 of us bought other kits to make at home in different poses - but there is absolutely no pressure to buy anything else we just loved the sculptures so much."

Jo Garden Art responded:

"Thank you Tracey - it was lovely having your group here. A really nice buzz to the day. Hopefully you will never need a repair kit 😆. Enjoy making your leaping hares and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Jo x"

Andy White reviewed: Router Day Class

"Great course : A Day with a Router. The whole day went very smoothly and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Full of content and quite a tiring day. We covered all aspects of routing with particular attention to safety - a huge must! For me the routing table and free hand was excellent. Full hands-on with every question answered clearly. I would certainly go back for another course. Congratulations David and Thank-you. Andy W "

Christine reviewed: An Introduction to Weaving with a Table Loom, Oxford

"I had a lovely day learning how to weave. The day was well organised, and everything set out in a lovely studio. Jeremy was very patient, and I could work at my own speed. Having started with no knowledge or experience I am now a convert and eager to do more"

Jeremy Uden Designer/Handweaver responded:

"Thanks Christine. I'm really glad you enjoyed the day and that you're a new convert to weaving! Jem"

Claire Parker reviewed: Fused glass at the Stratford School of Jewellery

"Really enjoyed this workshop, small numbers so plenty of help when needed. Would definitely recommend Thanks so much Helen "

Butterfly Effect Studio responded:

"Hi Claire, great meeting you &your sister and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a positive review👍🏻I especially loved the jellyfish sun catcher you created and the drape candle holder Jackie designed so meticulously, I hope you are both happy with your fired pieces.🦋🙏🏻"

Annemieke reviewed: Full day pottery experience, Heskin Chorley

"Fantastic course, friendly staff, took great care to teach me one on one, would highly recommend. "

The Crafty potter responded:

"Thankyou for your lovely review, it was a pleasure having you join us in the studio. You did awesome x"

Anthony Lupson reviewed: Sword making course

"This course is wonderful. Andy is great teacher. I have a huge respect for blacksmiths, and this course has only deepened that. This three day course is worth every single penny. The one-to-one teaching was excellent."

Veronica reviewed: Basket making for beginners using traditional willow basketry techniques

"Really enjoyable day. Jon and Becky were excellent teachers and so patient! Can't believe that I brought home such a big basket! Great to learn some baskets techniques. Would recommend this course. "