Click on each Workshop Info-Graphic (below) for more details about confirmed Sewing & Quilting Online Interactive Zoom Workshops confirmed so far in 2023!

PS: We'll be adding more dates for April, May, June (and beyond!) 2023 just as soon as we have all tutor availability & class content confirmed!

If you are unable to attend any of our upcoming Online Interactive Workshops due to living in a different time-zone

or because you’re otherwise engaged:-

EXCITING NEWS!!!

Sarah Payne

Saturday 25 February 2023

4.00pm - 7.00pm (GMT)

Online Interactive Workshop

Striptease!

We're absolutely delighted to welcome back Sarah Payne into the CraftyMonkies spotlight for a much-requested repeat of her Striptease workshop, which last ran with CraftyMonkies way back in 2020! If any of you missed this class last time, or indeed are new to CraftyMonkies, please don't hesitate to book. Sarah is such a great teacher when it comes to beginners and for people who would like to learn some traditional quilting techniques. Her strong army of followers love her genuine, fun, friendly nature and her willingness to make sure you learn lots!

Introduction by Sarah:-

An overflowing stash pile is a common conundrum for quilters. We love the fabric when we buy it, we have great fun making stuff with it, and then we are loath to throw away those last little bits! So we keep them, and keep them, and keep them. We add to the pile until we can barely see over the top of it! So here is a quilt that will get you using up all those little pieces. Who cares if they match – even better if they don’t!

This Quilt As You Go (QAYG) project is perfect for bashing that stash!

What you will learn on this Online Interactive Workshop:-

This is a really fun way to work your way through all of those piles of scraps you have been collecting in a corner of your sewing room. This class will show you how to create a fun block, and then quilt as you go to put it all together. You won’t get the quilt done in a class, but you can at least make a start!

You will receive a full pattern after the class so don’t worry. You will also be shown how to put the QASG blocks together.

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

This workshop is suitable for ALL skill levels: Beginner and above!...

Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

This sample quilt is approx. 30 x 40 inches and the requirements are based on that size. But you don’t need all of it to get started and can add to it as you go!

A mixture of fabrics for the pattern. Just grab some scraps or some fat ¼ s

50cms of a neutral colour for the contrasting strips
15cms of a neutral fabric for the sashing on the quilt front ( I used the same fabric as the contrasting strips)
1 ¼ m of backing fabric
1 ¼ m of calico (or similar) to be used as the foundation – this wont be seen as and long as it is a light colour, you can use anything, including old sheets.
12 pieces of wadding measuring 10.5” squares of wadding (60cm of wadding cut from the bolt)

Prep before the class:-

Cut out a 10 ½ inch square from the wadding, the backing fabric and the foundation fabric. You can also cut some strips from your scraps if you don’t have any. We will use a mixture of 1 inch, 1 ½ inch, 2 inch and 2 ½ inch strips. You wont need many to get started, and we will cut more during the class!

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Sewing-Machine with a Walking Foot

Pattern Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Sarah's FREE pattern will be sent to you after you have booked & before the class.

Tickets for this Online Interactive Workshop (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! Any free pattern and other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

The ticket price of £30.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

This CraftyMonkies online interactive workshop is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the class time given is based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location!

Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop!

Please ensure you book your place & order any materials/fabrics/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of course dates.

Are you not able to attend this class due to living in a different time-zone?

Are you otherwise engaged on the date of this workshop?

Well, we have excellent news!

A recording of this workshop will be sent to all who buy a live ticket for the Zoom broadcast approximately 5 working days after the event; the video will be available to view for 30 days from the video release date.

Cindy Grisdela

Saturday 04 March 2023

4.00pm - 7.00pm (GMT)

Online Interactive Workshop

Wonky Stripes!

As ever, we're beyond excited to welcome another NEW star improv talent to the CraftyMonkies creative pool and to this end we hope you'll join Cindy Grisdela who will be hosting her fabulous Wonky Stripes improv workshop! This class will see participants embrace their inner 'improv' self and have all kinds of fun whulst learning some excellent techiniques - be sure to book your place TODAY!...

Introduction by Cindy:-

As an improv artist, I’ve always loved stripes, but many of the techniques to make them seemed a little tedious—making strip sets and cutting them up, or adding strips to your units one at a time. Wonky Stripes are made from sets of rectangles that are cut into varied stripes, shuffled, and chain pieced to make the process go faster. They work great on their own in a variety of settings as blocks on their own, or cut up into various size stripes and combined. The asymmetrical lines created by putting the stripes together in a variety of ways add interesting visual texture to your final project. You may never look at stripes in the same way again!

What you will learn on this Online Interactive Workshop:-

You will learn Cindy's method for easy, fun wonky stripes for a small wall hanging or cushion cover. We’ll talk about choosing colours, cutting the stripes from rectangles and shuffling them, and chain-piecing to sew the stripes in no time. Once you learn the technique, you can use it in all kinds of projects—wall quilts, table runners, cushions, bags—whatever you like to make! Best of all, there’s no way to make a mistake in Cindy's Improv classes! If your elements don’t end up to the size you intended, she has lots of tricks to make things work without unstitching or starting over.

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

This workshop is suitable for ALL skill levels: yaaaaay!

Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

While not essential for the workshop, Cindy Grisdela’s Artful Improv (C&T Publishing 2016) book expands on the wonky stripe technique and also includes FOUR other techniques that students can use in combination with the wonky stripes to explore the possibilities further after class!

Fabric requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

6-12 fat quarters of fabrics in colours that you like together. Remember to include a variety of values - from light, medium and dark.
You may also use scraps, as long as they are at least 7” x 9”—to make a small wall hanging, you’ll need at least 18 rectangles.
Fabrics can be solids, prints or a combination

Please remember that this is an 'improv' process, so if you just want to come to class with fabrics that make you happy and decide at the time what to use, that’s absolutely fine! Oh, and you don’t have to cut any fabric beforehand!!!

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Sewing-Machine
Neutral Thread for Piecing
Rotary Cutter - with a new Blade!
Patchwork Ruler – recommend 9” square
Cutting Mat
Thread Snips
Seam Ripper (we hopefully won’t be using this much!)
Pins - if you use them

Pattern Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Not applicable for this improv class!

Tickets for this Online Interactive Workshop (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! Any free pattern and other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

The ticket price of £30.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

This CraftyMonkies online interactive workshop is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the class time given is based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location!

Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop!

Please ensure you book your place & order any materials/fabrics/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of course dates.

Are you not able to attend this class due to living in a different time-zone?

Are you otherwise engaged on the date of this workshop?

Well, we have excellent news!

A recording of this workshop will be sent to all who buy a live ticket for the Zoom broadcast approximately 5 working days after the event; the video will be available to view for 30 days from the video release date.

Gary Mills

Wednesday 08 March 2023

7.00pm - 8.30pm (GMT)

Online Interactive Easy-Art Class

Design Retro Doodles & Patterns!

We're delighted to be hosting the second of three Easy-Art Classes run in winter with the wonderful & hugely talented Gary Mills! This class will see participants engage with Retro Doodles & Patterns - we look forward to seeing y'all in class!...

Introduction by Gary:-

Have you always wanted to learn more about being creative? Have you wanted to explore design, but never had the opportunity? Well, I've created a series of specifically designed classes just for you! They can be accessed by everyone and at all levels and abilities. This is for all of you who would like to learn and have a go, and those who enjoy being creative but would like to become a little freer and more open to some new ideas.

If you love, colour, doodling and playing with scraps of paper, cloth, and ephemera then you are really going to enjoy your time on Gary’s 90-minute Art & Design classes. This 'ticket' is for the March class, Design Retro Patterns & Doodles, which takes place on Wednesday 08 March 2023.

When you buy this ticket you will receive your Zoom link and if applicable, any free pattern, or other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

What You Will Learn in this Online Interactive Workshop:-

In this short 1 ½ hour lesson you will cover making stencils and masking off areas to create your initial shapes to decorate. You will be using both acrylic paint and water colour paints. You will be shown how to mark you’re your stencilled images and assemble your designs with templates supplied to follow.

The outcome measures: A3

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Beginner to Intermediate

Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

All the materials are easily accessible. Such as papers and inks and paints can be sourced from local shops or online and most other materials can be found around your sewing box or in your desk draw.

You will need for this workshop:

· Acrylic paints & water colour paints used:-

§ Titanium White

§ Yellow ochre

§ Orange & Brown

§ Green

· Something to make permanent black marks with, such as a gel pen, ball point pen (a pen which will not smudge or run when wet)

· Optional a white Posca pen for white dots (I love this pen and is great fun adding white highlights to your work, I purchased mine on amazon) alternatively you could use liquid paper such as “Tipex” or even white paint and a small brush)

· Optional some semi-permanent fixative spray to hold down the stencils, although not necessary as you can just hold down while you dry brush in the paint) A Glue stick such as a Pritt Stick or similar

· 1 sheet of good quality paper A3 either water colour paper or mixed media paper 250g /m2 -135lb (I have used a sheet from Winsor & Newton brand but there are many on the market and some art suppliers will sell individual sheets of paper)

· Plus, some extra pieces paper or this card to make stencils 5” x 5” (12cm x 12cm)

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

· Sharp paper scissors & craft knife & cutting mat

· A ruler or quilting square for measuring and cutting against

· 2 x containers such as a jam jars to hold some clean water.

· A large plate or a palette for mixing paint

· 1 small paint brush 1x medium sized flat paint brush

· Either sponge brushes or pieces of sponge for painting

· Some paper kitchen towel to hand

· Ruler or quilting / crafting square

· Pencil and rubber

Additional Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Those attending the workshop will receive Gary’s StencilTemplates & Layout Plan

IMPORTANT: Have a hair-dryer to hand when speed drying is required!

Tickets for this Online Interactive Workshop (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! Any free pattern and other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

The ticket price of £17.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

This CraftyMonkies online interactive workshop is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the class time given is based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location!

Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop!

Please ensure you book your place & order any materials/fabrics/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of course dates.

Are you not able to attend this class due to living in a different time-zone?

Are you otherwise engaged on the date of this workshop?

Well, we have excellent news!

A recording of this workshop will be sent to all who buy a live ticket for the Zoom broadcast approximately 5 working days after the event; the video will be available to view for 30 days from the video release date.

Sarah Payne

Sunday 26 March 2023

7.00pm - 8.30pm (BST)

Online Interactive Talk

Books, TV, Teaching & Quilt Collecting!

As well as hosting educational and interactive classes here on our Zoom platform, our desire has always been to provide you with some very interesting Online Talks from some great experts in their crafting fields.

The online talks give you a chance to grab a glass of wine or cup of tea, sit back and relax as Sarah talks about her areas of expertise and passions. As always you will be able to ask your questions and be very much involved in the Talks; it's almost as if you were all in one room, but of course the beauty is that you don't have to leave your house or jump on a plane! Simply buy a ticket, press a button, sit back and reeeeeeeelax!...

For our second talk of 2023 we're absolutely thrilled to welcome Sarah Payne, author of two books: Sarah Payne's Quilt School and Sarah Payne's Appliqué School to the CraftyMonkies spotlight for what promises to be an interesting insight into the many areas in which she works: Books, TV, Teaching and Quilt Collecting!...

Introduction by Sarah:-

"Hi CraftyMonkies! Anyone who knows me knows I love nothing more than a good chat with either a cup of tea or a gin and tonic! All I ask is that you come along with your beverage of choice and any questions you would like to ask me! I'm going to warn you, my collection of vintage quilts that I'll be showing you in full technicolour close-up may make you cry. chief Monkie Rachel witnessed this at the fabulous CraftyMonkie retreat I taught at in 2022. I love collecting quilts, it's one of my many passions, particularly vintage quilts from around the world.

My favourite quilts are the ones that are full of imperfections and handmade with love. I have so many wonderful stories that I would like to share with you! I should point out that I'm also a freelance quilting teacher, designer, author of two books, TV demonstrator, mountain climber, charity supporter and proud owner of my campervan myrtle! Have you ever wondered what it's like to write a book? How do you come up with the ideas, and how do you approach someone? What is it like to work on television with someone talking in your ear and the machine that's not working and yet you have to state how wonderful it is!? LOL. My plan for the evening is to talk about all of this and more. I would love you to come and join me!"

It would be wonderful to have your support: if the talks we are providing prove popular, we here at CraftyMonkies will aim to provide many more for you! We look forward to seeing you on Sunday 26 March 2023!...

Tickets for this Online Interactive Talk (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! The ticket price of £15.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

This CraftyMonkies Online Interactive Talk is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the time given is based on GMT (Greenwich Meantime). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location! Here's a great world time zone reference:-

https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

IMPORTANT!

This class is a live Zoom-chat ONLY, it will be recorded for the participants who have bought a ticket. So if you can't attend we will send the recording to you a few days later..

Nicholas Ball

Saturday 01 April 2023

4.00pm - 7.00pm (BST)

Online Interactive Workshop

Improv Triangles!

We're absolutely delighted to welcome Nicholas Ball back under the CraftyMonkies spotlight for a repeat of his Improv Triangles workshop, which last ran with CraftyMonkies in February 2023, to coincide with his Improv Triangle Sewalong on Instagram, also during February. There were so many of you who emailed us and Nicholas to ask if we could please put on a second class as you missed this class in February, so we did! Please make sure you book early!

Introduction by Nicholas:-

I’m so pleased to be able to offer a companion workshop to the Improv Triangle Sewalong I’m hosting on Instagram in 2023. If you’re new to improv piecing, or want a little extra tuition during the sewalong, then this is the class for you.

What I love most about my Improv Triangles technique is the versatility of the units created. This simple shape has so many uses in improvised patchwork and is a great skill to add to your improv arsenal. Where some people see trees, others see gnome hats! You can use the familiarity of triangles to suggest all sorts things in your compositions. After you make a few you’ll soon find the only limit is your imagination!...

What you will learn on this Online Interactive Workshop:-

You'll learn how to throw off the dreaded 'shackles of constraint' and let your inner-creative run wild with this fabulous technique-based improv-quilting class! In the workshop you will first learn Nicholas' basic method for creating improv triangle units. We’ll then look at adding variation to these units using inserts. Finally, a quick and easy stacked triangle method will be explored, giving you three different way to use triangles. We will also discuss fabric choice and the different ways to arrange your sewn units into a finished composition.

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

This class is suitable for all skill levels. It’s perfect for competent sewers who want to explore more liberated piecing, perhaps as a change from traditional quilting, but it’s also a perfect improv introduction for quilters who are just starting out and have little quilting experience.

Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Whilst not essential for the workshop, Nicholas's book Inspiring Improv (published by Lucky Spool, 2019) will expand upon the techniques learnt and provide many more improv tips and tricks. Improv Triangles is one of the six techniques featured and detailed instructions for piecing irregular shaped units together are also included.

Fabric requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Whilst difficult to give exact fabric amounts and measurements when sewing in an improvised way, please use the following as a rough guide. Remember, Nicholas will be discussing fabric requirements in more detail during the first week of the sewalong.

For the basic triangles, large scraps of solid and print fabric in square-ish and rectangle-ish pieces work well for the background, whilst smaller scraps are perfect for the triangles. Feel free to cut your pieces from yardage. The background pieces shouldn’t be smaller than approximately 4” for your first attempt at this technique.

For the insert triangles, the same sized background pieces as the basic triangles can be used. For the triangles, strips of approximately 1.5” - 2.5”. These need not be full width of fabric, so feel free to use what you have.

Finally, for the stacked triangles, an assortment of squares, anything from 5” to as large as you want! As the name suggests we will be cutting through stacks of fabric, so as long as your prices are all roughly the same size, anything will work. A layer cake or charm pack would be perfect.

Please don’t stress about these requirements!!! They are simply a guide and Nicholas has 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 workshop. Accuracy at the cutting stage is not so important using these techniques, so it won’t take long at all if you want to cut your pieces along with Nicholas. They also needn’t be perfectly square or straight, so feel free to use scissors!

This is very much a technique-based workshop. We will be exploring triangles 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 workshop by adding more units to it during the sewalong. Don’t feel any pressure to cut up all your precious fabric!!!

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Sewing-Machine
Good quality thread in an appropriate weight for piecing (Nicholas recommends Aurifil)
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
Most important of all - a willingness to explore your own creativity! It's going to be FUN!!!...

Pattern Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Not applicable for this improv class!

Tickets for this Online Interactive Workshop (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! Any free pattern and other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

The ticket price of £30.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

This CraftyMonkies online interactive workshop is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the class time given is based on British Summer Time (BST). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location!

Here's a great world time zone reference:-

https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop!

Please ensure you book your place & order any materials/fabrics/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of course dates.

This class is a live Zoom Workshop ONLY!

IMPORTANT!

Sadly, we are NOT able to offer a recorded Pay-On-Demand video for sale in our shop after this event.

The only way to enjoy this class is to book a ticket for this Zoom Workshop.

Gary Mills

Wednesday 12 April 2023

7.00pm - 8.30pm (BST)

Online Interactive Art Class

The Kitchen 'Draw'!

We're delighted to be hosting this third and final in the winter series of Easy-Art Classes workshops with the wonderful & hugely talented Gary Mills! This class will see participants engage in a fun exploration of rendering art from easily found objects in & around the kitchen!...

Introduction by Gary:-

Have you always wanted to learn more about being creative? Have you wanted to explore design, but never had the opportunity? Well, I've created a series of specifically designed classes just for you! They can be accessed by everyone and at all levels and abilities. This is for all of you who would like to learn and have a go, and those who enjoy being creative but would like to become a little freer and more open to some new ideas.

If you love, colour, doodling and playing with scraps of paper, cloth, and ephemera then you are really going to enjoy your time on Gary’s 90-minute Art & Design classes. This 'ticket' is for the April class, The Kitchen 'Draw', which takes place on Wednesday 12 April 2023.

When you buy this ticket you will receive your Zoom link and if applicable, any free pattern, or other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

The ticket price of £17.00 is based on ONE person attending this class.

What You Will Learn in this Online Interactive Workshop:-

In this short 1 ½ hour lesson you will cover collaging with fabric and paper, using glue and stitch to reveal a drawn outline in stitch. You will then take this idea further by stencilling your image in paint and then reworking back into the stencilled image with machine stitch. You will be shown how to mark you’re your stencilled images and assemble your designs with templates supplied to follow.

The outcomes measure: 2X 10” X 10” (25cm X 25cm)

Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

All the materials are easily accessible. Such as papers and inks and paints can be sourced from local shops or online and most other materials can be found around your sewing box or in your desk draw.

Supplies you will need for this workshop:-

· Acrylic paints

§ Titanium White

§ Black

· Optional some semi-permanent fixative spray to hold down the stencils, although not necessary as you can just hold down while your dry brush in the paint)

· A Glue stick such as a Pritt Stick or similar

· To make the stencil you will need A4 strong paper, card, or this clear acetate. (12cm x 12cm)

· 2 x 10” X 10” (25cm X 25cm) firm calico (medium weight or you can use cream cotton or linen (all pressed and ironed flat)

· Black sewing thread

· A couple of old book pages with plain text

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

· Sharp paper scissors & craft knife & cutting mat

· A ruler or quilting square for measuring and cutting against

· 2 x containers such as a jam jars to hold some clean water.

· A large plate or a palette for mixing paint

· 1 small paint brush 1x medium sized flat paint brush

· Either sponge brushes or pieces of sponge for painting

· Some paper kitchen towel to hand

· Ruler or quilting / crafting square

· Pencil and rubber

IMPORTANT: Have a hair-dryer to hand when speed drying is required!

Tickets for this Online Interactive Workshop (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! Any free pattern and other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

The ticket price of £17.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

This CraftyMonkies online interactive workshop is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the class time given is based on British Summer Time (BST). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location!

Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop!

Please ensure you book your place & order any materials/fabrics/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of course dates.

Are you not able to attend this class due to living in a different time-zone?

Are you otherwise engaged on the date of this workshop?

Well, we have excellent news!

A recording of this workshop will be sent to all who buy a live ticket for the Zoom broadcast approximately 5 working days after the event; the video will be available to view for 30 days from the video release date.

Jennie Pickett

Saturday 15 April 2023

4.00pm - 7.00pm (BST)

Online Interactive Workshop

Hyacinth Supply Case!

We're absolutely delighted to be hosting this Hyacinth Supply Case workshop with the wonderful & hugely talented Jennie Pickett from Clover & Violet fame! This class will see participants engage in a carefuly detailed step-bystep guide to make Jennie's wonderful Hyacinth Supply Case - we look forward to seeing y'all in class!...

Introduction by Jennie:-

I have always loved organizing and sewing pouches and organizers to keep projects separate. The Hyacinth Supply Case is designed to hold whatever supplies you want to organize, keep them together, and provide the perfect place to store things while you’re on the go. The magnetic closure and vinyl pockets help you see whatever you’re working on!

What you will learn on this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Learn to sew with vinyl, install a zipper, and magnetic closure to make an organizer that’s functional and can be used for sewing, knitting, crochet, art, planners. This is a larger case to accommodate all kinds of supplies. The case is secured with a magnetic closure and has two interior zipper sections, two large vinyl pockets, and six smaller pockets.

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Intermediate

Understanding of using the sewing machine, pre-cutting fabrics, and familiarity or desire to learn to sew zippers are required to sew the case. This class is appropriate for someone who has not sewn zippers or vinyl before, but must have a working knowledge of sewing. All fabrics and interacting for this class must be pre-cut to allow for time to sew and assemble the case and to install the zippers and binding during the workshop.

Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Sew In Magnet: 1 - 18mm
Zippers: 1 - 12" and 1 - 10"
Velcro: (3) - 2" pieces of ½" Velcro
Zipper Foot
1 Fat Quarter sew-in foam such as Pellon Flex Foam or byAnnie Soft and Stable OR two layers of batting
2 - 10" x 7" rectangles medium woven interfacing such as Pellon SF101 or Viline Woven G700 or Legacy L101 OR cut a second lining fabric panel and place wrong sides together to give the pocket more structure
Matching thread for sewing and top stitching

Fabric requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Scrap fabrics are suitable for this project, as the majority of the pieces are small.

Patchwork: (12) - 3 ½" Squares
Back & Pockets: 3 Fat Quarters
Lining & Binding: ½ Yard

Fabric and Interfacing cutting for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Please pre-cut all your fabric and interfacing well BEFORE the class takes place - a detailed Pattern & Material sheet will be sent out to all those who book their place, well in advance of the class taking part! The assorted elements will include:-

Back, Right Pockets, Handles...
Magnetic Flap, Back Pocket Flap, Right Pocket Flaps...
Back Vinyl Binding, Left Pocket Zip Edge, Project Pocket...
Case Binding, Vinyl Binding, Lining...
Left Pocket Edge, Project Pocket Edge, Foam - Body...
Foam - Handles, Interfacing - Handles, Interfacing - Lining...
Interfacing - Right Pocket, Vinyl - Back Pocket, Vinyl - Left Pocket...
Vinyl - Project Pocket...

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

The following equipment is required for the class, in addition to preparing all the pieces in advance. Please note, an extra sewing machine needle is advised as a needle is occasionally broken when sewing zippers.

Sewing Machine
Regular Machine Foot
Zipper Foot
Extra Sewing Machine Needle (always a good idea when sewing zippers!)
Iron
Thread

Pattern Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

A PDF pattern is included free with the purchase of this course, so you can make the case on your own after the class. Patterns will be delivered the week before the class and will include a video on finishing the zipper and binding.

Additional Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

A video to make your own bias tape is included, please make your bias tape before the workshop. Alternately, In place of handmade bias tape, purchase 3 yards premade bias tape and use the cover print to cut the bookmark, bookmark holder, and zipper tab.

Tickets for this Online Interactive Workshop (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! Any free pattern and other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

The ticket price of £30.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

This CraftyMonkies online interactive workshop is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the class time given is based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location!

Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop!

Please ensure you book your place & order any materials/fabrics/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of course dates.

Are you not able to attend this class due to living in a different time-zone?

Are you otherwise engaged on the date of this workshop?

Well, we have excellent news!

A recording of this workshop will be sent to all who buy a live ticket for the Zoom broadcast approximately 5 working days after the event; the video will be available to view for 30 days from the video release date.

Karen Miller & Nicholas Ball

Sunday 16 April 2023

7.00pm - 9.00pm (BST)

Online Interactive Talk

Aurifil-osophy: It's All About The Thread!

Just £15/approx $18

As well as hosting educational and interactive classes here on our Zoom platform, our desire has always been to provide you with some very interesting Online Interactive Talks from some great experts in their crafting fields. The online talks give you a chance to grab a glass of wine or cup of tea, sit back and relax as our experts talk about their areas of expertise or their passions. As always you will be able to ask your questions and be very much involved in the Talks; it's almost as if you were all in one room, but of course the beauty is that you don't have to leave your house or jump on a plane! Simply buy a ticket, press a button, sit back and reeeeeeeelax!...

For our third talk of 2023 we're absolutely thrilled to welcome Karen Miller & Nicholas Ball to the CraftyMonkies spotlight. This 'talk' costs only £15.00 for a couple of hours and we think this represents exceptional value for a thoroughly enjoyable evening!...

Introduction by Nicholas:

"Hi CraftyMonkies! I'm so excited to be working alongside Karen (a fellow Aurifilosopher!) When I began quilting I had no idea that the thread you used could have such an effect on the finish and successful outcome of your project. After making do with whatever was to hand at the time, I was given my first spool of Aurifil at a quilting retreat in 2014 and I've never looked back since! I could spend hours waxing lyrical about why I love Aurifil, yet if I only had a few seconds to convince someone to try it, I would say the quality and versatility of the product is what sold it for me.

We invest so much time in our cult making, why would you want to compromise that by using an inferior thread? Aurifil has been my choice for almost 9 years now. It's strong, produces very little lint and comes in that oh so important wide range of colours. There can be an attitude that "thread is thread", but I speak from experience when I say "that is simply not true"! For this reason I'm so excited to offer the Aurifilosophy lecture in collaboration with my friend and fellow educator Karen Miller. Karen is passionate about Aurifil as I am and I personally have learned so much from her. My journey from Aurifil artisan and Aurifil designer to Aurifilosopher has opened my eyes to the wealth of creative opportunities the thread offers. I hope with this talk to inspire not only quilters but sewists and textile artists. Aurifil has a wide product range.

There is a weight for every project, which not everyone is familiar with and will share many examples of my work to show you the differences, as well as taking you through some of my personal fave as showcased in my two thread collections Inspiring Improv and Use and Ornament. Together Karen and I will be taking you behind the scenes and share all our top tips to get the most out of this wonderful thread."

Introduction by Karen:-

"Greetings quilty monkies!! I’m Karen Miller of Redbird Quilt Co. As an Aurifilosopher and Master Educator for Aurifil USA I find sharing my passion for thread comes pretty easy and I couldn’t be more excited about joining forces with the wildly talented and inspiring UK creator and fellow Aurifilosopher Nicholas Ball to present “Aurifil-osophy” – It’s all about the thread!

Together, Nicholas and I will share a wealth of knowledge gained while working with the best cotton thread on earth! As Nicholas explained, thread is incredibly important to our creative journey – it’s literally “the fiber that hold our creations together”. Over the years, through experience and experimentation we’ve both found Aurifil thread to be the highest quality with the largest selection of colours and weights – and let’s not overlook oh! that beautiful natural cotton sheen.

We’ll begin our chat with a little history on this family owned business based in Milano, Italy and talk too about some fine details that set Aurifil thread apart from other cotton threads. Folded into our chat we’re going to share some inspiring quilts and projects from designers across the globe – encouraging YOU to step outside of your creative comfort zone and use these luscious threads in ways you have yet to consider.

Pair that with tips, tricks and details on weights, ply, spool positioning, needles, tension settings and more -- at the end of our time together you’ll be running to your machine to create with brilliant results.

Finally, Nicholas and I are both thrilled to share our own quilts with you – providing even more inspiration and education on using all the weights of Aurifil threads. Honestly – I can’t wait to hear Nicholas talk about and show some of his favourites. He is so darned talented. It’s an honour to spend this time with him and YOU!

Let’s get started – this is going to be so much fun!"

Tickets for this Online Interactive Talk (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! The ticket price of £15.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting talk.

This CraftyMonkies online interactive workshop is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the class time given is based on British Summer Time (BST). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location!

Here's a great world time zone reference:-

https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

IMPORTANT!

This class is a live Zoom-chat ONLY and as such we are sadly NOT able to offer a recorded Pay-On-Demand

video for sale after this event.

Victoria van der Laan

Saturday 22 April 2023

4.00pm - 7.00pm (BST)

Online Interactive Workshop

Explore Your Intuition Further!

We're so excited to welcome back Victoria van der Laan again under the CraftyMonkies spotlight for a follow-up class to her Use Your Intuition workshop, which last ran in January 2023! This brand new class was requested by the classmates in her first class (they wanted to go deeper!), so she got to work creating it and here we are!

Introduction by Victoria:

"Hi folks! I'm Victoria van der Laan, a textile artist and quilter living and working in Albany, NY. In January I taught my first workshop with CraftyMonkies, Use Your Intuition, in which I shared how I create my intuitive stacked forms quilts in the moment with no planning or pattern. Even before that class ended folks were asking for a second workshop to further explore my intuitive approach to quilt-making. I am so excited to bring that to you in this new offering!"

What You Will Learn in this Online Interactive Workshop:-

In this workshop we'll take a deeper dive into the techniques I shared in the Use Your Intuition! workshop and explore some of the many variations possible with this technique. PLEASE NOTE: Though completing the first workshop is not required as a prerequisite, I will only briefly review my technique for making intuitive stacked forms quilts which are the basic building blocks for the compositions we'll make in this class. From there we'll discuss some of the variations that are possible with this technique and dive in to some new ways to approach the design of these pieces and experiment together.

In addition to working from scratch to build different compositions I will show you how to incorporate cast off bits from the process into new works as well as how to alter and/or combine already made stacked forms pieces. If you're able, make some pieces with a few stacked forms to bring along to the class, along with any fabric pieces you've cut away in the process. Prior to class you will also receive a pdf with instructions for putting together some basic patchwork to use in some of the variations I'll show you. Even more so than my first workshop, this is a process-based class with the goal of experimentation and generating ideas. You will hopefully leave the workshop with some patchwork that can be built onto to create finished pieces and lots of new ideas, as well as the confidence to give them a try!

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

PLEASE NOTE: This is technically a follow up to Victoria's first CraftyMonkies workshop, Use Your Intuition! Though it is not a prerequisite, the first workshop covers a lot of the foundational techniques that will be required in this class. If you're a more seasoned sewist who has experience sewing curves you will likely be able to catch on just fine, but if you're more of a beginner, or if you'd like to have some material to cut up and work with, I would suggest watching the recording of the first class and practicing a bit before taking this workshop. The class can be rented for 60 days from the CraftyMonkies shop by clicking here: https://www.craftymonkies.com/product-page/video-of-workshop-victoria-van-der-laan-use-your-intuition

Fabric requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

NOTE: It's not imperative to have these exact lengths of fabric, especially as we experiment with some different ways to approach this technique. I prefer solids but prints are fine, too! I will be showing you several different variation options so it's a good idea to have a bunch of pieces to work with. Please make sure your fabrics are fully pressed and ready to go--it will make the process much easier!

one (or more) half yard length (width of the bolt) of quilting cotton for the background
one (or more)16 inch length (width of the bolt) of quilting cotton for the forms
a variety of medium-large scraps to experiment with
any cut-out pieces from the first workshop (fabric cut away from the background to make the forms)
any completed or semi-completed tops from the first workshop that you'd like to experiment with

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Sewing Machine
Rotary Cutter (with a sharp blade!)
Cutting mat, at least 20 inches wide (or at least as wide as your background fabric)
sewing/hem gauge with sliding marker or small clear acrylic ruler (a regular school ruler can work, too)
fabric marking pen or tailor's chalk
straight pins
thread to match the background fabrics, or a neutral color
iron
fabric scissors
Optional - starch alternative spray, like Flatter or Best Press

Pattern Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Within a few days of purchase all participants will receive a pdf with simple instructions for prepping some simple patchwork prior to the workshop. This is not required but will help you get the most out of the live instruction.

Tickets for this Online Interactive Workshop (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! Any free pattern and other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

The ticket price of £30.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

This CraftyMonkies online interactive workshop is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the class time given is based on British Summer Time (BST). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location!

Here's a great world time zone reference:-

https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop!

Please ensure you book your place & order any materials/fabrics/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of course dates.

This class is a live Zoom Workshop ONLY!

IMPORTANT!

Sadly, we are NOT able to offer a recorded Pay-On-Demand video for sale in our shop after this event.

The only way to enjoy this class is to book a ticket for this Zoom Workshop.

Sarah Hibbert

Saturday 29 April 2023

4.00pm - 7.00pm (BST)

Online Interactive Workshop

Leap Into Collage!

After seeing the beautiful book ‘Collage to Quilt’ written by Sarah Hibbert we were absolutely determined to bring Sarah to the CraftyMonkies platform, her work is just too good! Luckily she was quite excited by the prospect of running a class for us and so our discussions began..."What to teach?" "How about a class that teaches people how to collage with a view to creating their own quilt designs?" We jumped at the chance and said yes! We think you will absolutely love this class, particularly as it uses break out rooms (the first for us here at CM!) So please read the below and then book a place with us!

Introduction by Sarah:

I owe huge thanks to Rod Stewart for my interest in collage! Why? Well, as a teenager I used to cover my walls with cutting and posters of Rod. Unfortunately, one term I came home from school with a bad report and my Father decided it was my interest in Rod that was hindering my school work and promptly tore down all my posters and banned me from putting anymore up. So I changed over to adding photos, tickets and odd pages from my Mother’s Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue to my walls. Needless to say Rod was still there in scrap books under my bed! So my love of collage, cutting and sticking began and I love nothing more that sharing my passion for collage with others and now with you dear CraftyMonkie! I must stress that although this is an art based class, it's still very much with the sewist in mind. Its what I do; collage and then quilt, I hope to inspire you in the same way...

What You Will Learn in this Online Interactive Workshop:-

I would like to share with you in this fun session the love of collage and how it can give you an idea into creating your own unique art work which can in turn turn into a quilt or wall hanging. It will open your mind to looking at magazines and those brochures that come through your door in a new light, don't throw anything away! Now if you're thinking, "oooh, collage, bits of paper, I'm not sure, thats very arty", wait...I'll be talking about colour balance, values and layering, all elements we use in quilting. Do you see where I'm going now?! We'll begin with a brief 'lecture' (more like a presentation and time for you to ask questions) showing you the different aspects of collage and then Rachel and I will split the whole group into smaller groups, these are called ‘breakout rooms’. In these rooms you can create your own designs. In the rooms you can get as chatty or not as you like...turn your own sound/camera on or off or make some new friends! I'll be bobbing into the rooms teaching you and helping you. I love working in this way, its so personal! Plus you get to chat as there aren't many in each group, what a lovely to way to spend a Saturday night! After we have all created in our small rooms we will finally come back together to share each others work and a discussion as to how to take your design further. Its a very unique way of working and you will learn so much, maybe something entirely new. Give it a go!

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

This class is open to all ages and abilities, if you can cut up magazines and use a glue stick, you’ve got it. Let go of control, art happens… if you let it!

Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Wait! Don’t throw those papers out! Anything will do for collage, collect tickets, magazine articles and old postage stamps and bring them along. It will all create something unique.

Card to be able to stick down your collage pieces, suggest 10” square
Glue Stick for paper
Pencil, market pens, ruler
Paper scissors

While not essential for the workshop, Sarah’s book ‘Collage to Quilt’ (published by Lucky Spool, 2022) will give you further ideas and quilt patterns taken from her collage collection.

Fabric requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

We will only be working with paper on this workshop to create a collage, but of course I am happy for you to bring along complimentary fabrics to discuss for a quilt piece to be made at a later stage. We can also chat about those and the best way to transfer the collage designs.

Tickets for this Online Interactive Workshop (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! Any free pattern and other information, relevant to this course will be forwarded to you after booking and approximately 5 days before the course date.

The ticket price of £30.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

This CraftyMonkies online interactive workshop is being broadcast from the United Kingdom and the class time given is based on British Summer Time (BST). We advise you check via Google Search (or similar) to see corresponding start-time in YOUR location!

Here's a great world time zone reference:-

https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop!

Please ensure you book your place & order any materials/fabrics/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of course dates.

If you cant attend live don't worry, this class is being recorded for anyone who buys a ticket. A recording will be sent to you a few days later.