classes
for adults
we want everyone to feel comfortable and safe when learning a new skill and we want you to finish your class with a sense of independence
information about classes, dates and times are below - or see our web shop
we have a separate page about our classes for young people
if you’d prefer to pay in cash or in installments please email us to book onto a class
subscribe to our newsletter to hear about new classes when they are announced
before booking, please read our cancellation policy at the bottom of this page
this six session class is about the basics of home maintenance. the aim of the course is to give you the confidence and know-how to do odd jobs around the house, to understand the variety of tools and materials needed to make repairs, hang pictures and shelves, basic electrics and plumbing, tiling, and so on
the course is for beginners and we'll be covering a whole range of activities in varying detail so that you'll come away with a sense of independence towards looking after your home and helping others. we'll be de-mystifying home repairs so that you can confidently deal with (almost) any problem
we run two classes on Mondays lasting for six weeks:
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morning class - 10am until 12pm
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evening class - 6pm until 8pm
dates available:
- beginning April 13th
- beginning June 15th
(click the link below and choose from the drop down menu)
£150 per person
this two-day weekend class will introduce you to a range of carpentry power tools. we'll be working on making a small table - but this isn't the end goal of the class - it gives us a purpose whilst learning how the tools work and how to use them safely
by the end of the weekend you should have a sense of what the possibilities are with each tool and how you might use your new carpentry skills to complete your own projects
no experience is necessary. you'll learn to use the track saw, router, chop saw, sander, and a drill
dates available:
- 13th and 14th June
- 12th & 13th September
(click the link below and choose from the drop down menu)
- 10am until 5pm
please bring a packed lunch with you on both days - snacks and drinks are provided
£150 per person
in this Saturday carpentry class you'll learn a range of traditional hand tools and techniques in the process of making a small stool. we'll show you how to to cut, fit, and finish the wood in different ways and the skills you gain will be really useful at home for your own projects
using different Western and Japanese hand-saws, we'll cut a single board into five parts, then plane and chisel each to size before assembling them using glue and screws. this process will teach you different sawing and finishing techniques, and the basics of using a drill
the class offers a lot of useful guidance about how to use the tools and materials in a variety of ways. you'll finish the day with a wonderful stool to take away with you
dates available:
- April 18th
- July 11th
(click the link below and choose from the drop down menu)
- 10am until 4pm
please bring a packed lunch with you - snacks and drinks are provided
£75 per person
a one day class on using hand tools to shape and finish a beautiful solid wood chopping board
over the course of the day you’ll be shown how to use a variety of saws, drills, and planes as well as some power tools. there will be an option to add text or decoration using a router or gouges
you'll finish the class with a beautiful chopping board and the skills to make similar objects and utensils at home
dates available:
- June 27th
(click the link below and choose from the drop down menu)
- 10am until 3 pm
please bring a packed lunch with you - snacks and drinks will be provided
£65 per person
on our new weekend framing class you'll learn to frame two pictures in two ways:
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using hand tools so you can make frames on your kitchen table
- using proper framing machinery so you can frame like a pro*
on the Saturday we teach you how to use a range of affordable hand tools and explain all the materials. on the Sunday we teach you how to use a mitre-cutter, an under-pinner, a mount board cutter, how to cut glass, and some other tips and tricks
it’s a comprehensive introduction to the picture framing process
bring two images / prints with you - works on paper / no bigger than A4 - to put in your frames. all materials are included
dates available:
- 16th & 17th May
- 11th & 12th July
(click the link below and choose from the drop down menu)
- 10am until 5pm
please bring a packed lunch with you - snacks and drinks are provided
£150 per person
after completing the class you can come to Do Your Ideas on our open-access days to do your framing
* we are not framing 'pros' - we have used the machinery enough to show others how to use it at a basic level
in this Friday evening class you'll learn the theory, techniques and practice of sharpening tools and how to keep them keen and clean
bring your own tools (no more than 3), this can include knives, chisels, planes, scissors, axes, secateurs, spades etc. rusty items can be dealt with and restored too
all sharpening stones and equipment provided, feel free to bring your own sharpening equipment for assessment and possible use. whatever the task, sharp tools are essential
using sharp tools is a joy, using blunt ones often leads to frustration. leave with the confidence and knowledge of how to keep your tools sharp - whatever the tool
- 5pm until 7pm
dates available:
- May 1st
- June 5th
- July 3rd
(click the link below and choose from the drop down menu)
£25 per person
you are free to cancel an order UP TO 48 HOURS BEFORE the class and you will be refunded the amount of your order to the account the order was originally paid from. regrettably, we cannot accept cancellations after this time and we cannot change your booking to a later date. there are no exceptions to this rule as our classes are priced low to make them widely affordable and cancellations or rescheduling really impacts our business. thanks so much for your understanding. please use our contact form if you need to cancel.
if classes are under-subscribed we may have to cancel them - we will give you 72 hours notice of any cancellations and you'll receive a full refund to the account the order was originally paid from. we will contact you using the email address you gave when booking your class