Here's Nicholas Ball to give you the full details on what you will learn!

​​

Those already familiar with my work will know how much I’m inspired by the natural world. Plants, vegetables and animals have all featured prominently in my quilts and I don’t think I’ll ever tire of using improv patchwork to interpret the lines, shapes and textures found in nature. From the scales in my Koi Carp quilts, to the cores of my Warholian Cabbages, improv piecing techniques have allowed me to put a creative spin on the organic. I am so excited to bring this inspiration to the CraftyMonkies retreat, with a particular emphasis on flora. Even more inspiring is the location we’ll be creating in – Stratford-upon-Avon, home to William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

 

When Anne lived in the farmhouse she shared with her husband, she would have kept a herb garden. Tudor housewives usually kept at least 40 different varieties of herbs in the gardens for medicinal, culinary and strewing purposes.

With that in mind, flowers and foliage will be the emphasis of the retreat as we flex our improv muscles using a number of techniques.

 

We will look at using overlapping triangles to create thistles, tiny curves to create vines and stems, plus an improv herringbone technique perfect for replicating rosemary. The aim of these workshops is not to walk away with a photorealistic interpretation of these plants – we will be looking to evoke, rather than depict perfectly. We will also look at how our fabric choices and colour palette can create even more variation alongside the already organic patchwork, as well as discussing how the fruits of our efforts can be combined into a larger project.

​

Skill Level:-

All the techniques we will look at are suitable for the confident beginner. If you’ve already taken a class with me, then this retreat will help you put into practice what you have previously learnt.

 

Material Requirements:-

Whilst not essential, my books Inspiring Improv (published by Lucky Spool - 2019) and Use & Ornament (published by Lucky Spool – 2024) will expand upon the techniques learnt and provide many more improv tips and tricks. 

​

Fabric requirements:-

Whilst difficult to give exact fabric amounts and measurements when sewing in an improvised way, please use the following as a rough guide:

• An assortment of fat eighths in your chosen colours, approximately 1 - 1.5m total. Look for tone-on-tone prints or anything with texture. Greens, purples, pinks are thematically useful, but bring whatever you like. 

• Larger scraps in your chosen colours for interest/variation

• Background fabric - approximately 1 - 1.5m. This should be simple and not distracting - solids work well.

 

Please don’t stress about these requirements! They are simply a guide and I’ve yet to teach a class where something couldn’t be made because of the wrong fabric pieces. If in doubt, gather up a selection of prints and colours you like and you can cut during the workshops. Accuracy at the cutting stage is not so important using my techniques, so it won’t take long at all if you want to cut your pieces along with me. Also, they don’t need to be perfectly square, so feel free to use scissors.This is very much a technique-based workshop. We will be exploring and won’t have a finished project in mind. Feel free to make as many or as few of the units as you like. You can combine them into a sampler or continue to work on the project after the retreat by adding more units. Don’t feel any pressure to cut up all your precious fabric!

​

Equipment requirements:-

• Sewing Machine

• Good quality Thread in an appropriate weight for piecing (I recommend Aurifil 50wt)

• Rotary Cutter - with a NEW Blade 

• Cutting Mat

• Patchwork Ruler (we can make any size work, but a small 1” x 12” is very handy, as is a 12.5” square).

• Fabric Scissors

• Fabric Marker or Chalk

• Iron and Pressing Mat/Board

• Flatter Spray or Spray Starch (optional but very useful)

• Pen and Paper (for note-taking)

• A willingness to explore your own creativity

​

Tickets for this live, in-person 2027 Weekend Craft Retreat with Nicholas Ball will be limited to no more than EIGHTEEN people and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis, so we would urge all interested parties to be sure to book quickly to avoid any potential disappointment!

 

 

Rachel (owner of CraftyMonkies) and Nicholas really are the most warm, engaging of souls and our total focus is on ensuring that you have an experience to remember - trying anything new is always a wee bit scary but don't be put off; jump in - you're going to love it!

 

We aim to inspire you and give you a lot of fun at the same time!...