22 Arts & Crafts courses near Ashford

Located between Canterbury and Ashford, join us on the beautiful Kent Downs for this introductory 1 day coiled basket course. Coiled baskets are baskets made from bunches of plant fibres such as straw or hay,  Those fibres are wound in a continuous spiral around themselves. The coils are kept in place using thread, the work being done stitch by stitch and coil by coil. Coiled basketry was practiced by our hunter-gatherer ancestors all around the world.  They were commonplace in the British Isles, although more so in Scotland; in England they were often referred to as lip work baskets. We’ve put together this coiled basketry course for anyone who likes to use their hands and would like to learn this fabulous ancestral skill. You will be introduced to the materials and tools required and then be guided through the process to make your own round, coiled basket. Throughout the day you will: Learn how to create all the elements of a coiled basket, so the base, the sides, stitching and how to finish it all off with a border. We will discuss care of your basket, making different basket shapes, and alternative materials that can be used as well as hay. At the end of the day you will come away with the satisfaction of having created a wonderful basket that’s unique and has a wide range of practical uses. About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo.  Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. What's included in the price? We'll supply all tools and materials for the course. We'll make sure the kettle is on the go and supply tea, coffee and biscuits. Cancellation policy Medium - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts

Fish and small game made up an important part of our hunter gatherer ancestors diet, meaning that hand knitted net making was a crucial skill to master. A net is an openwork fabric in which threads are fused, looped or knotted at their intersections at regular intervals and have long been used for fishing and trapping animals, as hammocks, or simply as a means of carrying things around. So we’ve put together this net making course to show you how to make your own net from entirely natural materials so that you can go away and make your own net for a variety of situations. You’ll start the day by looking at natural cordage as you’ll need cordage to make your net! We’ll discuss various plants and trees that can be used to make cordages, such as nettles, brambles, lime bast and the inner bark of sweet chestnut. With the materials prepared, we’ll show you how to make a simple 2 ply cord and then, How to plait, braid or ply them. From there you’ll move on to net making itself and will cover: The various netting tools available and different materials they can be made from, How to begin a net, How to change the size and shape of your net, How to finish off your net, How to join nets together to make a bigger one. By the end of this net making course you will have the skills and knowledge to make your own nets from scratch, either for fishing or trapping small game, or even to make your very own net bag! Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo. Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. What's included in the price? We'll supply all tools and materials for the course. We'll make sure the kettle is on the go and supply tea, coffee and biscuits. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

Located between Canterbury and Ashford, join us on the beautiful Kent Downs for this introductory 1 day basket weaving course. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors were particularly skilled at making baskets using a host of different materials for a wide range of uses, from purely practical to ceremonial.  We’ve put together this basket weaving course for anyone who would like to learn this fabulous skill. This day course will look at the ancient craft of willow basketry. You will be introduced to the materials and tools required and then be guided through the process to make your own round, handled, willow basket. About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo. Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. Through the day we will also look at: - Alternative weaves such as randing and wailing - How to make oval and rectangular shaped baskets - Different border designs, - Collecting and preparing your own materials from the hedgerow. Time permitting we will also explore other methods of basketry such as coiled and rubbed baskets. What's included in the price? We will provide all tools and materials as well as a plentiful supply of tea and coffee. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

This pole lathing course has been carefully designed for those who would like to develop their craft skills working with traditional, sustainable materials in a stunning ancient woodland location.  Don’t worry if you don’t have any previous greenwood working skills, we’ll guide you through the prcocess from start to finish. Whilst we’re certain that you’ll leave us with some great hand crafted items, you’ll also leave us with new found confidence and ability and an appreciation of the wondeful material that wood is. We’ll start the course by showing you how to safely use an axe.  We’ll look at selecting your wood, splitting techniques and a variety of methods to cross cut the wood for the raw materials. You will be shown how to cleft greenwood and use an axe, draw knife and a shave horse to shape the wood. You will then get to use a traditional woodland pole lathe where students have turned dibblers, rolling pins, spirtles, honey drizzlers, chair legs and even potato mashers!! All of the materials you use are sustainably sourced from our own woodland in line with our management plan. About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo. Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. What's included in the price? Turning tools, froes, draw knives, a selection of axes are all provided. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

Over the years our 2 day bushcraft course has proven to be our most popular bushcraft course.  It’s been carefully designed to initiate you into the joys of outdoor living, although many of the skills that you’ll be taught are easily transferable to other outdoor activities. This 2 day bushcraft course is intended for people who would like to understand what bushcraft is all about and to learn simple, repeatable bushcraft and survival skills.  This includes campers, backpackers, hikers and other outdoors people who wish to learn some of the skills required to be comfortable in the outdoors, so that you have the time to really enjoy what is around you. We have people attend who have no previous bushcraft experience as well as those with some prior experience and we can say with absolute honesty that everyone leaves knowing more than when they arrived! During your time spent with us on this bushcraft course, you will: - Learn how to safely use essential bushcraft tools including knife, folding saw and bow saw - Have plenty of practise creating a flame using matches, fire steels, fire pistons, wire wool & a battery, solar mirrors, flint & steel, chemicals and fire by friction - Carve your own honey spreader or spatula from materials you gather in our ancient woodland - Understand the pros and cons of debris shelters, where & how to build one, and sleep in one if you wish - Put up a tarp and hammock using only 3 simple knots that can be tied and untied wearing gloves (you can sleep in a hammock if you like) - Find, filter and purify your own water - Go for a woodland walk to gain an insight into some of the trees and plants around us and what they can be used for - Learn how to sharpen a knife so that it will slice through a sheet of paper - Locate and identify different natural tinders easily found in the woods - Gather your own materials and light a fire following a method that will work in all weather conditions. At the end of this bushcraft course you will have a good working knowledge of the skills needed to enjoy your time in the woods or enhance your camping or outdoor activities. About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in  the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo.  Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. What's included in the price? Included in the price is: - Breakfast and dinner - Hot and cold drinks - Tools, equipment and materials Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

Based at our ancient woodland camp in Kent, our 1 Day Spoon Carving course has been put together for anyone who would like to understand how to use simple tools to create beautiful items from greenwood. Whilst we are certain that you will leave us with a great hand carved spoon, you will also leave us with new found confidence and ability having mastered the use of the knife and axe. We'll start the day by looking at a variety of  carving techniques using an axe and knife.  Safety and being able to work with minimum of effort will be the main focus of the session.   You will also learn to identify which strokes are best suited for different kinds of cuts. After this session you will be ready for a days carving. You will also learn about: • Properties of different woods • Selecting your wood and splitting techniques • Swedish spoon design • How to sharpen your carving tools. A really great chance to begin a lifetime of carving beautiful things! About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo.  Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. Whilst we don't have many reviews on Craft Courses, we have hundreds on our website, Facebook page and Google Business page, take a look for yourself! What's included in the price? We'll supply all tools and materials for the course, so carving knives, draw knives, axes and crook knives will be provided. We'll make sure the kettle is on the go and supply tea, coffee and biscuits. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

Located between Canterbury and Ashford, join us at our ancient woodland camp on the beautiful Kent Downs for this introductory 1 day bushcraft course. We’ve put together this 1 day bushcraft course for people whose time is precious but would like to gain a thorough grounding in the key skills of outdoor bushcraft and survival. So we’ve created a package that will ensure that you leave us with simple, repeatable skills that’ll give you the confidence to broaden your horizons in the great outdoors. During your time spent with us on this 1 day course, you will: - Learn how to safely use a knife - Build a debris shelter and gain an understanding of the design principles involved - Have plenty of practise creating a flame using matches, fire steels, fire pistons, wire wool & a battery, solar mirrors, flint & steel, chemicals - Make char cloth, create a tinder bundle and blow an ember into flame - Find, filter and purify your own water - Go for a woodland walk to gain an insight into some of the trees and plants around us and what they can be used for - Gather your own materials and light a fire following a method that will work in all weather conditions. At the end of the course you will have a good working knowledge of the skills needed to enjoy your time in the woods or enhance your camping or outdoor activities. About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo. Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. What's included in the price? We include all tools, equipment and materials. The kettle is always on for tea and coffee. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

Run from our indoor workshop in Tenterden, Kent, we’ve put this one-day leather working course together for anyone with an interest in leather, craft, or who simply wants to explore another avenue of bushcraft. You don’t need any previous experience with leather working as you will learn the core skills and techniques on the course.  It’s a perfect introduction to making traditional leather items. So if you’re looking for an unforgettable day, join our experienced craftsman, Paul Bradley, in a leather working day that focuses on leather work tools, design and construction. We have designed this course around the making of a simple notebook holder.  We have chosen this as a project as it covers all the basic skills required to produce almost any small leather goods.  There is also large scope for customisation of your project. Along the way you will learn about different leathers, techniques and tools. Typically, you will, under the expert guidance and instruction of Paul Bradley: - Use the provided pattern to produce a leather cover for a standard 5.5 x 3.5 notebook - Be guided on how to design and draw out and customise a pattern - Learn all about the different tools used in leather working and how to use them - Learn how to cut out, assemble and mark for stitching - Learn and practice the techniques of the traditional saddle stitch to complete the assembly of your notebook - Learn how to finish your project with edge burnishing techniques and other small but important details that add to the overall professional look. A really great chance to begin a lifetime of making beautiful things! About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. This course is held in a purpose built indoor workshop. What's included in the price? All tools, equipment and materials are provided, as well as a free notebook to take away with you. Tea and coffee provided. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

Working bone is a skill that was fundamental in our journey towards making evermore effective and reliable tools. Not only that, but making bone tools allowed our hunter gatherer ancestors to share a deeper connection with, and understanding of, the animals that they were so dependent upon. Bone is a versatile material that can be used to make all manner of tools and craft items ranging from simple designs to very intricate.  The use of bone allowed us to create more effective clothing utilising tools such as needles and pins. In a recent find, 500,000 year old bone tools were found in Britain, highlighting just how far back in time they stretch. During this one day course you will learn techniques on how to work bone using other natural materials such as flint and abrasive stones, as well as selecting specific bones to create different tools. The day will start by discussing some of the points above and looking at a selection of bone tools such as: Needles, Awls, Harpoons, Spear tips and Arrow heads. After that it will be time for you to warm up those fingers and start shaping some bone! About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo. Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. What's included in the price? We include all tools, equipment and materials. The kettle is always on for tea and coffee. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

Running either mornings or afternoons Nicola’s soap making workshop is for 1 or 2 people to make their own 100% natural cold pressed soaps the old fashioned way. We will run a soap making workshop on demand for either 1 or 2 people in Westwell, Kent. On the day you will: Learn about different soap making techniques, Understand the characteristics of various plant oils and their benefits to the skin, Learn the basics of essential oils, Make your own natural soap using the traditional ‘cold pressed’ method. To find out which soaps you can make, get in touch beforehand. All of the soaps are vegan friendly. You’ll need to leave the soap to cure for 6 weeks, after which you can either collect it or I can post it to you. As an added extra Nicola will prepare  a selection of natural, locally sourced herbal infusions for you to try out. A 3 hour workshop is £70 per person. This includes 10 bars of cold pressed soap and the postage to send them to you once they’ve cured. What's included in the price? Tea/coffee All equipment and materials 10 bars of cold pressed soap Postage and packing to get the soap to you after it's cured Cancellation policy Easy - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 2 weeks before the course starts