London

classes: Silversmithing • Jewellery Making

5.0 (90)

Alison Flanders has more than 30 years of experience designing and hand-crafting silver and gold jewellery. After graduating from Middlesex University in 1976 with a BA Hons degree in silversmithing and design, Alison moved to the States, where for many years she ran her own jewellery business.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, she also held a number of teaching positions in colleges of art in New York City, including the prestigious Parsons New School for Design. Her work has been exhibited at numerous events throughout America and the UK, including the American Crafts Council Show, Philadelphia Museum Show, American Craft Exposition, New York International Gift Fair and the Chelsea Craft Show and Dazzle in the UK.

She relocated back to London in 2005 and is now based at Cockpit Studios in Holborn where she continues to make work for private collectors and teach students in her dedicated workshop.

Classes

Taster Silver Ring Making Class

5.0 (73)

Runs regularly

Central London

1 to 3

£100

Beginner Jewellery Making Course: Stone Set Ring

5.0 (13)

Runs regularly

Central London

1 to 2

£200 - £250

Wedding Ring Making Class

Your choice of time

Central London

1 to 2

£350 per group

Reviews

(90)

Mirabai Galati • Mar 2024

I received this as a birthday gift and I cannot recommend this class enough! It's a really nice experience overall.

Alison is great, she'll show and explain in detail what you're going to do and how. Then she leaves you to do it, ready to help is something is not clear.

I'm not a manual person at all, and yet I managed to make a ring, from beginning to end (almost) by myself! Alison was even able to adapt the ring to a last minute change of hearth.

It was me and another person doing the class, and it didn't feel rushed at all, if anything we finished 30min later!

Ella Smart • Mar 2024

What a brilliant class! Alison was a great teacher, very welcoming and so helpful. I have learnt so much in such a short space of time.
All the materials were provide and I thought it was excellent value for money.
Alison has inspired me to do more jewellery making after this. I had a wonderful time and it feels very special to have a ring I made myself. I would really recommend this class!

Gabriel • Mar 2024

I was gifted this class, so I didn't know what to expect. I certainly couldn't have imagined something this great! Alison was a perfect combination of incredibly pedagogical, impressingly skilful, and effortlessly patient and kind. The materials and tools provided were qualitative and varied, enabling true creativity. I warmly recommend that anyone seeking an introduction to jewelry-making attend this class. The end-product turns out much better than you may imagine ;)

Nicole Buckland • Feb 2024

Absolutely loved the class, I learnt so much and Alison is such a lovely teacher! It was so great to have 121 support for learning something new on some Of the fiddliest parts. Would highly recommend :)

Kimgoddard • Feb 2024

Alison was a really engaging, fun and informative teacher. She made the experience great fun and enjoyable, she has a wealth of knowledge and made the session accessible for us first timers.

Alice Dear • Feb 2024

Alison was great and was really good to learn all about the process of jewellery making. We love our rings! :)

Benjamin • Feb 2024

An amazing class with a kind-hearted and articulate teacher, my partner and I arrived slightly late to the class but was nicely accommodated for. There was a large number of options available for different silver metals that could be used, for which we learned how to mould the metal into a ring. It was fun experience and highly recommendable.

Khushali Shingala • Jan 2024

I can't recommend this workshop enough, for whatever the occassion

I took this class to make an engagement band for my partner. I was amazed at the ring I took home to him. Alison was endlessly attentive and skilled in her craft. There was no problem we couldn't fix with a little bit of tinkering and a sense of wonder. We learned the process of making a silver ring from start to finish, all materials and tools provided, over cups of tea or coffee to go round.

Later, Alison sent a set of notes outlining all the steps we completed should we ever wish to revisit jewelery making.

Nazgol Esnaashari • Jan 2024

Intimate session which was absolutely perfect. Really enjoyed the process and I love the ring! Bought as a birthday present for my partner which he also thoroughly enjoyed

Teacher's response

Hello there Naz. Thank you so much for booking the class. I’m delighted you both enjoyed yourselves. All the best, Alison

Bryn Shuttleworth • Jan 2024

Great day making a sliver ring with alison.
Alison is a great helpful friendly teacher, anyone can do this. Just an all round good experience, highly recommend.

Joanna Janik • Jan 2024

Alison was such a fantastic teacher and a warm and welcoming host to us!
She clearly knows ins and outs of jewelery making, and knows how to transfer the knowledge to others.
It was a very hands-on activity, where we were allowed to do EVERYTHING ourselves, and play with all the tools and parts of the process. And at the end of it we left with a beautiful sterling silver rings that we made ourselves.
Venue is a great and welcoming space, with all the tools and facilities available.

There's simply nothing I'd change about this expeirence - it was a 3 full hours of learning by doing:) I can't recommend it more!

Teacher's response

Morning Joanna… thank you so much for such a wonderful review. It was a pleasure…. Best wishes, Alison

Jodi Kamming • Dec 2023

We loved the experience. Alison is a super teacher. Thank you. We will definitely book again.

Juliette • Dec 2023

Thank you to Alison for a great lesson. It was so much fun to learn about all the complexities of making a silver ring, I had no idea how much goes into such a tiny piece! Very happy with my rings and can't wait to go again! Thank you.

Teacher's response

Thanks to you both for coming to the ring taster class. I’m so glad you enjoyed yourselves and your lovely review is very welcome…. All the very best, Alison

Valerie Lacour • Dec 2023

I booked the class one to one for my son's 21st birthday present. He loved the experience, the quality of teaching, the quality of materials He now wants to do more of it.

Teacher's response

Hi Valerie. Thank you so much for such a lovely review. I’m more than pleased Ben might like to do some more metalwork in his future! All the best, Alison

Karen Roswell • Nov 2023

This was my second visit to Alison's taster silver jewellery class, this time I took my daughter. We learned lots about the jewellery making process and Alison guides you each step of the way. We had a great day and went home with our beautiful and bespoke silver rings!

Teacher's response

Thanks so much Karen x

Mya • Nov 2023

Thank you Alison for such an amazing afternoon :)
My boyfriend and I attended for our anniversary and had the greatest time whilst learning a lot about the intricacies of ring making. We walked away with two great rings we are both very proud of all thanks to Alison’s hands on guidance and patience.

Cannot recommend enough

Emma Szymanski • Nov 2023

What a lovely and interesting lady Alison is. The class was fascinating and I learnt so much. I absolutely love the piece of jewellery I made that day and I'm really excited to do more. I can't wait to learn more!

Julia Kan • Oct 2023

Had a lovely time with my friend in a private class, Alison patiently talked through and demonstrated each step, we are so so happy with our final products, have gotten so many compliments!

Andrew Fisher • Sep 2023

What a fabulous afternoon with Alison from two small strips of silver, we made two lovely rings.

The venue is ideal, with lots of creative people doing very clever things.

Alison has been teaching jewellery making for some years and was the perfect host, a patient teacher and simply lovely.

Susan and I agreed that it was a fabulous afternoon, full of learning and fun. A five star experience.

Tessa • Sep 2023

This was a very good introductory course to beginners. The teacher was welcoming, informative and guided us carefully through all the stages. I was very pleased with my ring and would thoroughly recommend this course.

Jung-Chan • Sep 2023

2 ClassBento workshops attended

Went with my girlfriend and it was great! Alison is super helpful and informative. If anything is not perfect, she will make sure that it is. Not only do you learn how to make a ring, you also learn the different materials and processes. Would definitely recommend!

Caroline Lacey • Aug 2023

2 ClassBento workshops attended

Alison was a great teacher putting us at ease from the start. My daughter and I each made a much admired ring and had great fun doing it. Highly recommend.

Teacher's response

thanks so much Caroline for your lovely reviewso happy you enjoyed yourselves

Karen Roswell • Jul 2023

I was a total begginer to jewellery making and had no idea of what to expect. Alison was fantastic, her studio is well organised with everything you need. Alison expertly guided us through every step of the process and made to feel super comfortable and competent in the different stages of the making process. It's a great feeling to walk away from the class with my own, hand made jewellery. I highly recommend a visit to Alison's jewellery making class.

Teacher's response

Thank you, Karen! We appreciate your kind words about Alison's jewellery making class. It's wonderful to hear that she provided expert guidance and made you feel comfortable throughout the process. We're glad you walked away with your own hand-made jewellery and would highly recommend visiting Alison's studio.

Talitha Allen • May 2023

I loved this class - my sister brought me this as a gift for my birthday and Alison was so lovely and took me and one other through making a sliver ring from start to finish. It was informational but also fun and it was amazing to walk away with a Perosnal ring that you made! Would definitely recommend, lovely gift idea or if you are interested in jewellery making but not sure where to start!

Isla McDonald • May 2023

6 ClassBento workshops attended • 3 reviews

Great class with enthusiastic teacher and learned so much as a beginner and left with a nice new shiny ring. I will defo be continuing with more jewellery classes

Egile Jankute • May 2023

9 ClassBento workshops attended • 8 reviews

I had a great experience with Alison. Thank you for warm welcome and for giving so much professionally detailed information and caring explanations at each step of making a ring, was really helpful and taught me a lot in just 3 hours. Would surely recommend the workshop to any beginner and beyond.

Daniella Weduwer • Apr 2023

Alison is warm, patient and attentive. I'd never done any form of jewellery making before and she took us through the steps clearly and calmly. I loved the experience! And have a couple of lovely silver rings as a result too.

Natalie Lorenzo • Apr 2023

2 ClassBento workshops attended

Alison was amazing! A true professional. Complete novice and left feeling more confident. I’ll definitely be coming back! Could not recommend more. All materials were provided too!

Stephanie Juniat • Mar 2023

I had so much fun! Alison was lovely and I loved the she explained what was happening at each step of the way so I could understand why we were doing things a certain way. There were only two of us and Alison was very attentive to make sure we were doing things right and safely. It was a hands on experience and I am so chuffed with my ring.

Anna Lomeiko • Mar 2023

2 ClassBento workshops attended

Alison is a real jewellery master and excellent teacher! Every step was explained quite clear and was informative. So glad I attended her classes!

Lilly Wood • Mar 2023

A really fun experience. We learnt a lot, pitched really well. Left with a real sense of satisfaction and an amazing end product.

Celine Lam • Mar 2023

we learned so much and got started on some really good basics! Alison was so helpful and giving with her knowledge. the space and setup was also really lovely. we had a great time :)

Sophie Abbott-Strugnell • Feb 2023

Had the most amazing experience with my friend making rings. She even replied fast when I had trouble booking and helped me resolve it as well as doing a different time to help us out due to only being free that day. She explained the whole process step by step and at the end recommended other courses/experiences that we would enjoy!

Freya Hope • Feb 2023

Alison was amazing - I came as a total beginner and left with a beautiful ring! I really appreciated how she guided us through step by step, explaining each stage of the process and giving a demo before we had a go, and then being really attentive throughout to make sure we were OK. We got to try out loads of different tools throughout the process, and it was great to be in a silversmiths workshop. A really great experience!

Jessica Langley • Feb 2023

Really enjoyed the class. Alison made the class really informative and fun. Wearing my ring everyday.

Ana Ladea • Feb 2023

Alison is an amazing teacher with lots of experience and the patience of a saint. All materials and tools were provided and I left home with a beautiful silver ring with a stone. I will definitely book again another class with her!
Many thanks Alison!

Simon Villiers • Feb 2023

Alison was lovely and very knowledgeable and accommodating. The small class size was a big plus to get lots of hands on time. Very pleased with the class!

Meredith Reeve • Feb 2023

I absolutely loved today’s class. Alison was friendly, helpful, patient and incredibly knowledgeable. I learned such an amazing amount in this 3 hour period and am thrilled to have come away with my own handmade ring! I couldn’t recommend Alison’s class highly enough and I’ll be back!

Sharron Lathey • Feb 2023

Allison was wonderful. We were two in the class.From the moment we arrived she gave us 150%. A well equippedstudio with all materials needed. Even refreshments. We were super pleased with our rings. As my son wanted to make rings out if silver spoons, Alison tailored the tutoring to how he could go away.and try things himself once we get back home. We live in Gibraltar so not easy to get vack again, but we are keen to work with mounting simple stones in the future. We will be back. Alison is a natural born teacher and gave us so much confidence. We loved it all. Thanks you so much

Christian Rye • Feb 2023

I had such a lovely day with Alison in her studio, it was really interesting to learn about the techniques and have a go at things myself. I had actually booked a private 1-2-1 session to design and make an engagement ring and I have to say Alison went above and beyond my expectations to help source the materials we needed, gave great suggestions in the design process and we were both thrilled with the final ring we made!

Clare Taylor • Jan 2023

Very enjoyable 3 hours with Alison - and unbelieveably I made a ring - myself! Loved it.

Pippa Burchett • Jan 2023

The authentic setting, hands on for everything, loads of different processes and techniques, Alison to rescue you when you do something wrong and a beautiful piece of jewellery at the end all add to making this a totally enjoyable day - I would recommend it to anyone.

Emma Ferrari • Jan 2023

Alison was wonderful, my partner and I had a great time!
She is very knowledgeable and explains everything in a very detailed and comprehensible way!

We highly recommended, it was well worth it!

Alanah Lenten • Jan 2023

Alison was absolutely lovely! She made us feel so comfortable and we had a good laugh whilst learning lots of new things.

The location is good, it’s about 10 min walk from Holborn station so easy to get to and really cool to see her workshop. All materials and equipment were provided so good value for money, we left with a lovely ring each.

It was cool to make it from start to finish and see the process come together with great hands-on moments so we really felt proud of ourselves seeing our end product!

We Learnt a variety of methods and Alison gave great advice on next steps if we want to continue our jewellery making journey!

We would definitely recommend this workshop to our friends and family, a really fun day, thoroughly enjoyed!

Thank you!

Max Mackenzie • Dec 2022

This class was amazing. Very interactive and lovely atmosphere. Alison is incredible at what she does and shares her passion and extensive knowledge all throughout the session!
Alison made sure we were involved every step of the way, really getting us to understand the steps and how they work. We were so happy with the rings we made and felt accomplished with the fact that we had done the work with Alison guiding us the whole way. The location was really cool and my partner and I will be back for the artists' open house next year!

Thomas Abel • Dec 2022

Team had a great day. And absolutely loved the end product.
Would definitely recommend Alison was fab

Melanie Newman • Dec 2022

2 ClassBento workshops attended • 2 reviews

Absolutely fantastic day. Alison was a fantastic patient teacher, and I came away with a lovely ring. Really made me feel I can try things at home successfully. All the equipment you would need, great 'real' workshop. Would recommend to anyone.

Tammy Boydell • Dec 2022

3 ClassBento workshops attended • 2 reviews

The perfect quick escape/distraction from the crazy world we live in right now. A wonderful day spent in a warm and welcoming studio with an encouraging and informative tutor. Alison is a patient and enthusiastic teacher, happy to go into as much or as little background information as you like (you can geek out on the names of tools and stones if it makes you happy!)
There were 2 of us in the group and we all chatted happily as we worked.
I came away with a beautiful silver ring (with an inset stone), a curiosity about maybe making some more jewellery in future and a mood much lighter than when I arrived.
Perfect.

Angela Weaver • Dec 2022

Alison was very welcoming and explained the whole process step by step in great detail. With guidance, giggles and lots of patience from Alison, we both managed to make a super ring of which we are proud. Highly recommended!

Paola Garnousset • Nov 2022

Alison was great
we really enjoyed the session, Alison took time to explain everything and we learn so much. We are very happy with our new rings! Definitely recommend

Greg Wagstaff • Oct 2022

The whole experience was wonderful. Alison was so so friendly and accommodating. She talks you through everything so well and you feel very confident in what you’re doing. I would highly recommend trying this class, I went with my girlfriend and we had a fantastic time, it’s a great day out and I would definitely do it again or one of Alison’s other classes.

Anne-Marie Cunningham • Oct 2022

Fantastic,great,amazing course.Totally enjoyable in every sense.Will be looking forward to the next course.

Meerabella Shah • Sep 2022

2 ClassBento workshops attended • 2 reviews

I had a private class and it was great! I had very minimal knowledge of jewelry. Amazing and knowledgeable. She listened to my specific needs and made sure those were met.
Will definitely go back to her again:)

Nicoletta Grifo • Sep 2022

Alison was a pleasure to spend time with and learn from. She is so kind, patient and knowledgeable . Thank you very much We will definitely come back!

Rose Atkinson • Sep 2022

Very fun and accessible intro to metalworking/jewellery-making, with a helpful and supportive teacher. And I have a lovely ring now!

Elena Tully • Sep 2022

Great morning making silver rings with Alison Flanders (teacher) & my teenage daughter. Alison was very patient, thorough & methodical process and engage with us through your , giving us confidence and add the workshop enjoyable. The time flew and we’re really pleased by our finished products, two beautiful silver rings! I’d recommend the class - and Alison - to anyone especially parents & teenagers or group of friends. All materials, tools & drinks/snacks provided and looking forward to rebooking another workshop with Alison!

Sabina Croft • Sep 2022

Alison was absolutely lovely; a super patient and knowledgeable teacher and the class was definitely great value for money because our rings turned out beautifully!

Daniel Bloch • Aug 2022

Alison was the perfect teacher and host. She made us feel so welcome and relaxed. The class was very engaging and was a great balance of teaching and do it yourself. We left the class with our own personalised jewelry and couldn't be happier.

Benjamin Cousins • Aug 2022

Really fun, I would like to go again and try some other styles of rings too!

Katie Appadoo • Aug 2022

Amazing! Inspirational artist and patient teacher! Thanks Alison!
Really helped me and took time to explain everything!

Keterin Young • Aug 2022

Alison was extremely lovely, helpful and welcoming. The workshop was very intimate, therefore, I got a hands on experience which was great! Would recommend!

Stefan Bebie • Jul 2022

Alison was an absolutely lovely teacher and has such a passionate way of interacting with her craft ("we have to be patient with silver, it is quite stubborn").

Highly recommend this intimate class, we learned heaps about how to process silver as a handcraft rather than industrial processing.

Jenifer Lourenco • Jul 2022

Alison is so patient and friendly, and I appreciate the calmness of her when I go wrong with something during the process.

Gurvane Gaye • Jul 2022

The best purchase I've done for myself this year. Allison is such a nice and skilled teacher, the atmosphere was great I think I found myself a new passion. 10/10 experience

Melanie Turner • Jul 2022

Fantastic course. Alison is very experienced and knowledgeable. She made us feel welcome and was very helpful - from making initial contact with helping us find the place, to not making me feel bad for being late and also being patient with my constant questions. I learnt loads and will definitely be booking another course with Alison.

Alex Anderson • Jun 2022

A fun, entertaining experience and we learnt a lot. Who could know chemistry and pickling was so interesting! Alison was very welcoming and engaging. We were able to flex what we wanted and came away with some thing memorable and wonderful memories. Thanks Alison

Andrew Joseph • May 2022

2 ClassBento workshops attended

Alison was so lovely and accommodating. Helped us through the whole process and was very kind and patient. Would 100% recommend it!
And thanks for the biscuits and tea Alison!

Yvonne Etherington • May 2022

3 ClassBento workshops attended • 2 reviews

A very satisfying experience, with a lovely textured silver ring to show for my efforts, plus an insight into silver jewellery making techniques in general. Alison is a warm, patient and encouraging teacher of her craft.

Lucy Spong • Apr 2022

Absolutely brilliant! Alison is a joy to learn from, 10/10 experience. We’ll be coming again very soon!

Gareth Chong • Apr 2022

2 ClassBento workshops attended

Really great instructions and overall an amazing experience. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for something fun to learn to do.

Katie O'Connor • Apr 2022

Our course was perfect. Alison is a fantastic teacher who paid constant attentive attention to each of us throughout. She’s truly wonderful. We left feeling fulfilled, pleased and so proud.

Jany Tsai • Mar 2022

Fabulous day/evening spent with ring making guru Allison who structured her class in small digestible chunks and by the end, we walked away with a gorgeous piece of ring that we made ourselves with our own hands. Amazing ! Would highly recommend.

Joss Bogod • Mar 2022

This was a great workshop. Alison took us through the steps on how to make a ring by showing us very clearly what to do. Very pleasant and great teaching.

Fanny Matuszewski • Mar 2022

Allison was very patient showing me through every step slowly both teaching me about the technique but also the materials and reactions taking place on the metal. A great insight into jewellery making!

Christine Bennett • Mar 2022

Brilliant class - really enjoyed the session and will be booking again! Thanks to Alison for being so welcoming and informative.

Safiyo Osman • Mar 2022

The most wonderful and just perfect experience ! The whole process of ring making is fun in itself but what truly made it INCREDIBLE was our teacher Alison, she was incredibly sweet , funny and helpful. Entirely patient and smiley , this was a surprise for my bestfriends’ birthday and it honestly could not have been more perfect due to Alison. WE LEFT SMILING SO MUCH, we loved it:)

Janet Lee • Mar 2022

Alison was a great teacher! Very patient and explained the technical details in a way that was very easy to understand. My daughter and I were in London for a few days and this was a perfect way to make memories as well as learn a new art form. Thanks Alison!

Kristina Hennig • Feb 2022

2 ClassBento workshops attended • 2 reviews

Absolutely loved this class! Alison was a great teacher, who provided a lot of support while making our jewellery and taught us so much about the craftsmanship. It's clear that Alison is very experienced and informed in this area. The class is small (2 people at most), so you are able to ask a lot of questions and get all the help you need. I really recommend this class!

Yin Lo • Feb 2022

Best workshop I have ever experienced. Alison is a really friendly and funny teacher. She is very experienced and we made an amazing ring.

Thea Dunnett • Feb 2022

Such a great experience. Not only did we get to make a cool ring each to bring home, but also we also learnt about everything we were doing. Alison was very friendly and I would definitely recommend the experience

Lucie Bond • Feb 2022

3 ClassBento workshops attended • 3 reviews

My niece and I had a fantastic 2:1 class with Alison and came away with two beautiful silver rings which we've worn everyday since. My niece is a mature 13 year old and this class was perfect for her creative side. Thanks for looking after us so well!

Palvasha Zia • Feb 2022

Alison was amazing! From the minute we walked in to when we left, it was completely comfortable, fun and so informative. I didnt know what to expect when walking in but it was such a lovely experience and the ring was beautiful- I walk around proudly saying "look what I made." A huge thank you to Alison for being so accomodating and helping us throughout the class :)

Kate O'Brien • Jan 2022

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Really great teaching and super happy with the ring I made.

Cathy Caslin • Jan 2022

I really enjoyed this class and came out with a beautiful ring! Alison is a great teacher and as the class is so small it is great value for money. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a hands on experience making jewellery!

Alex Weinle • Jan 2022

Alison is a wonderful teacher, I'd had no experience but she took me step-by-step through everything I needed to do. We talked about what I wanted to make and she helped me produce a ring and a pendant that were way beyond my expectations. Highly recommended and tremendous value for money.

This all took place in the wonderful Cockpit Arts Centre which is a great hub just off Greys Inn Road, and the benches and equipment you use are top-notch, fully capable of making anything you can set your imagination to.

Madeline Meehan • Jan 2022

Alison was a WONDERFUL teacher and I love the rings we made! Super fun and informative (and a great start in jewelry making for two complete novices).
Truly cannot recommend this class highly enough.

Nez Cornish • Dec 2021

2 ClassBento workshops attended • 2 reviews

Alison was absolutely brilliant Patients of a saint! I got to keep my ring too! Top notch jewellery made.

Lots of attention, tea coffee, jokes, listening ear :-))

Thank you soooo much

Maryam Omar • Dec 2021

I enjoyed the class and learnt how to make a ring with a cabochone stone setting.

Lucas Danko • Nov 2021

I enjoyed my time and had a great lesson.
Everything was well taught and explained in detail.

Laura Wood • Aug 2021

Could not have wished to have met a better teacher. Alison was so passionate and guided us through various different techniques. She shared a wealth of knowledge with us. All of the materials were provided too which was great! We can not wait to attend another workshop already. So exciting

Alison Flanders Studio

location_on London

local_activity classes: Silversmithing • Jewellery Making

Reviews

London

classes: Silversmithing • Jewellery Making