Friday 04 June 2021: Online Workshop (Summer Meadows)

Gary Mills - Friday 04 June 2021 - 6.00pm to 9.00pm (BST)

Online Interactive Workshop: Summer Meadows & Grassy Banks

The inimitable and multi-talented Gary Mills joins us once again to host this Free-Motion Stitch & Mixed Media workshop where participants get to create a wonderful canvas based on the theme of Summer Meadows & Grassy Banks!

Introduction by Gary:-

I just love the summer! The warmth, the colours and how nature is literally just buzzing with life. In this mixed media outcome, I feel I have captured in stitch, with colour washes and applique the essence of this time of year; creating something I can view and admire as I let my mind wander back in time when the weather has changed to those darker winter months.

As always in my workshops, I like to offer a ‘skills-bomb’ of processes for you to learn. This is a portfolio of skills for you to take away and continue to build upon in your own creative journey. I have tailored this project for all to enjoy learning a mixture of creative textile skills. You will begin the session firstly by layering found and collected natural fabrics to build your background which you will lightly tint with colour washes from a simple water colour paint box. I will then guide you through using free motion embroidery to add an artistic stitched touch to the pebbles, grasses, and stems. When your confidence has grown, I will show you how to free motion embroider some simple daisies into your image. As your mixed media work comes together you will add colour and hand stitches along with some simple petal shapes to create more interest to your outcome.

This workshop is a great way to get to grips with these addictive skilled processes; The class is full of 'how-to' tips to get the best results from both yourself and your sewing-machine.

Your finished outcome could be simply framed but would make a great panel for a quilt or even a cushion or bag front - I will discuss with you any ideas that come up through this workshop!...

What You Will Learn in this Online Interactive Workshop:-

This three-hour session is divided into two halves with a short comfort break for 10 minutes in the middle.

To begin, you will be introduced to the project, and then Gary will guide you through each of the skilled processes:-

You will learn how to build up a layered background of fabrics to work upon. You will be using colour washes for your background and then further working into your work with more colour as it develops. You will be practicing free motion embroidery along with complementing hand stitches. Appliqué is used for additional details both initially on the background and then applied to the final layers as your work into your subject of florals.

Outcome measures 7” x 9”

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:

Gary has many years’ experience as a professional practitioner and teacher of textiles; his workshops are so enjoyable, fun, and very well organised with his clear and patient guidance. This workshop is suitable for all; if you are a beginner this is a great project to learn and understand mixed media textiles with the range of processes contained within this workshop. For those more experienced and advanced you can further hone your skills by working on improved accuracy and artistic ability to achieve a first-class professional finish.

Fabric requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

The following items are required for this online interactive workshop:

• 11” x 16” (28cm x 41cm) For the background in white or light cream, either light weight washed calico or cotton sheet washed
• 11” x 16” (28cm x 41cm) stitch and tear
• 11” x 16” (28cm x 41cm) Bonda web or similar iron on fusible fabric adhesive for bonding applique pieces
• 11” x 16” (28cm x 41cm) (to layer over the top of the textile) Light weight tule or fine dress net
• To add depth to the pebbles: Small piece or pieces of Domet or wadding interlining, max required will be 5” x 5” (12cm x 12cm)
• 11” x 4” (28cm x 10cm) strip of lightweight pure cotton or could be a vintage piece of table linen in a similar weight.
• Optional or some: A selection of white / cream scraps of vintage washed natural fabrics for bonding onto the background. I have used bits of embroidery anglaise, decorative edges of old vintage table linen and decorative woven stripes from cotton shirt fronts etc.
• Optional or some: I have used cut-out stylized flower motifs from old cream and white silk and cotton lace and bonded them on to my background. Natural fabrics take colour better as synthetic tends to stay white.
• Small scraps of coloured cotton; in my example I have used red for the poppies, but any strong colour could work.
• Threads for free motion machine embroidery; good quality machine threads in a range of greens for grasses and stems, red for stitching poppies, white and yellow for daises and a dark black / dark grey for the rocks and pebbles.
• Threads for hand stitches and embroidery. You can use Perle or an embroidery cotton such as DCM. Colours used are white, yellow, purple, and pink.

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

• Sewing machine with an embroidery or darning foot attachment with a new needle size 12-14
• An iron, sheet of baking parchment for pressing
• Small sharp embroidery, fabric scissors and small paper scissors
• Pins & hand sewing needles
• A palate of water colour paints (a children’s set will do you will be using greens, greys, browns, and colours such as yellow and pink) with a small pot of water
• A plate for colour mixing
• A soluble fabric marker pen is useful
• For applying background colours, you will need a small sponge paint brush or a small square of sponge to apply colour washes to the fabric
• For applying small dots of colour for the flowers you need a small paintbrush
• Some fabric glue or PVA glue
• You will need to dampen your background fabric before applying the colour so a plant mister or damp / wet towel can be used (have paper towel to hand for any spillages or overuse of water)
• IMPORTANT: To dry your work ready for stitching, you will need a handheld hair dryer!

Pattern Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Those attending this workshop will receive Gary’s unique PDF image to help guide you for placement during the workshop.

Additional Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

• Print off image x 2 (one for you to follow and one to cut up!)
• Please have filled bobbins and threads ready for the start of the session.
• NOTE: Please check that your sewing machine is working well; therefore, do run off some stitches on a scrap of fabric prior to the start of the session.

​Tickets for this Online Interactive Workshop (via the Zoom platform) will be limited & allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! 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 £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!

Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop! In light of current uncertainties regarding potential lockdowns in some/all parts of the UK due to Covid-19, please ensure you book your place & order any materials/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of any course dates.  Enjoy This Class/Workshop Again on YouTube! A link to 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.  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! This class will be available to view via Pay-On-Demand via our Online Shop for 30 days following the video release date (approximately 5 working days after broadcast on Zoom).