Stained Glass Class in Islington: £85 Evening Workshop

Calico Crafts runs a stained glass workshop for £85 in a basement below Nourished Communities, 263 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 2UQ. The session lasts two hours, and the date on its calendar is Wednesday 28 October 2026, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. That date is currently a waiting list, and the site invites you to leave an email for new dates. You cut, grind and solder your own piece and leave with a finished stained glass suncatcher or ornament. All levels are welcome, and everything you need is provided.

Calico describes itself as a studio in London for the art curious, and its location is the story. The official site says the workshops are held in a secret room under Nourished Communities, N1. The Nudge, which reviewed it when it opened, gives the address as below Nourished Communities, 263 Upper Street, Islington, N1 2UQ, and explains the route: you walk into a grocery full of fresh loaves and pantry goods, then go down a set of stairs at the back of the shop.

You emerge into a small den dotted with plants and curtains, with wooden tables and furniture handmade by the founding couple, Isabel and Owen. They come from the US and, according to The Nudge, started crafting as a way of socialising in London. Calico opened on 13 August 2026, which makes it one of the newest places to make something with your hands in north London.

The Nudge points out that you will think you have the wrong address even as you walk down the steps. Take that as part of the fun.

The workshop page says you will learn the basics of stained glass, from cutting and grinding glass to soldering your pieces together. You leave with your own finished stained glass suncatcher or ornament, and all levels are welcome. The price is £85 per person.

The FAQ says the workshops last 2 hours, and that classes are kept small, usually 6 to 10 people. The Nudge describes the format as intimate, with just 10 spaces and a communal table in the middle for people who come on their own. That layout suits a solo visitor, since you share a table and a tutor's attention instead of a private booth.

What is included is simple: all materials, tools and guidance, with the instruction to just bring yourself, create, and let the team handle the cleanup. The FAQ also says some workshops include a glass of wine, and tells you to read the class description for details. For clothing, the answer is anything, and aprons are provided for messier workshops.

The workshop calendar lists Wednesday 28 October 2026, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, for stained glass. The button beside it reads Join Waiting List, so the date is full at the moment. Tickets run through Ticket Tailor, and the site has a Notify Me box where you can leave an email and be told when new dates go live.

On the same calendar page there is an upholstery workshop on Sunday 25 October from 2 pm to 4 pm, also on a waiting list. That tells you how demand runs at a small room with ten seats: a new date can fill before it is widely noticed. My advice is to join the list for stained glass and then check Calico's Instagram, @calico_london, for fresh dates rather than refreshing the page.

If you would rather ask a person, the studio lists +44 7377 254722 and calicolondonteam@gmail.com.

At £85 for two hours, this is a taster rather than a course. The workshop teaches the basics and ends with a small suncatcher or ornament, so you should expect a simple shape with few pieces, not a window. If you want a leaded panel and a full day with a tutor, other London studios run one-day and two-day classes, and they cost more and take longer.

The trade-off is obvious and honest: Calico gives you a sociable weeknight, a small group and a finished object in the time it takes to watch a film. Nothing in the listing promises more than that, and the workshop description is careful to say basics.

People who enjoy the first evening can try other crafts in the same room. The workshops page lists a paper lantern at £65, make a lamp at £85, upholstery at £85, block printing at £40, linocutting at £40 and embroidery at £40, so a second visit is easy to plan.

Calico has two formats, the art cafe and workshops. In the art cafe you reserve a table and pick from an art menu priced at £20 to £25, such as lino print, pastel or embroidery, while workshops are guided, step by step classes with fixed dates. The stained glass class belongs to the workshops side, so it has a booking and a time rather than a drop-in table.

The Nudge says you can rock up solo, on a date or with a couple of friends, get stuck into a creative project and actually finish it. It also mentions complimentary snacks and natural wine from upstairs. The FAQ says only some workshops include a glass of wine, so read the class description.

This is the point about Calico that is easy to miss from the outside. Its homepage positions the place against paint and sip evenings and says to make something you will love.

The address is 263 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 2UQ, below Nourished Communities. The studio is reached through the grocery. The workshop begins at 6:30 pm, so aim to arrive a few minutes early to find the stairs and settle in at the table.

Since the session ends at 8:30 pm, eat before or after rather than during. Islington has plenty of places to eat along Upper Street, and the shop upstairs sells loaves and pantry items if you need a snack on the way in.

Carry your finished piece home wrapped, since a freshly soldered suncatcher is fragile. If you are planning a group outing for friends, ask the studio about booking a block of spaces, because there are only ten seats.

Calico Crafts, below Nourished Communities, 263 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 2UQ. Phone +44 7377 254722. Stained glass workshop: £85, 2 hours, small group of 6 to 10, all levels, all materials and tools included. Calendar date: Wednesday 28 October 2026, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, waiting list open.

Other workshops start at £40. The studio opened in August 2026. Wear anything you like, and aprons are provided for messier classes. Tickets are sold through Ticket Tailor and enquiries go to calicolondonteam@gmail.com.