Saturday 05 December 2020: Online Workshop (Christmas Countdown)

Gary Mills - Saturday 05 December 2020 - 10.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm (GMT)

Online Interactive Workshop: Christmas Countdown

The wonderful Gary Mills returns in early December with no fewer than THREE festive-flavoured projects for you in his fabulous Christmas Countdown!

Introduction by Gary:-

This is one FULL day of festive creative activities which has been specially designed by me for an incredibly special CraftyMonkies Christmas-themed Workshop! Throughout the day you will be expertly guided through three separate Christmas themed ideas that I've carefully prepared for you to enjoy.

Firstly you will be making a contemporary fabric Christmas Wreath, which utilizes all those scraps of fabrics you’ve squirrelled away for a useful project… this is now that project! You will select a range of festive coloured fabrics, (I've used a mix of reds, greens, candy stripes, tartans and plaids) and I'll show you how to make some large felt pompoms and some Christmas roses from felt to add in amongst your decorative wreath, then finish with a large bow to hang the wreath either inside or out for all to admire; it is something you will want to display each year.

You will then have time to pop the kettle on for a cuppa while I take you into my kitchen to show you how to make an amazingly simple yet effective Gluten-free Christmas Chocolate Log. It is a quick ‘failsafe’ if you have guests dropping by and it also freezes well. You can choose to either bake along with me or just watch, enjoy your cuppa and I'll talk and demonstrate you through the whole recipe!

After the 'crafty cookery' demonstration, there will be a short lunch break before you move onto the final project for the day, an adorable Snowman Christmas Decoration. It will then be time to get out your sewing machine as I will guide you through the making of this relatively simple to make, yet effective, sewn character figure, with his little carrot nose, a scarf and long hat, twigs for his arms and his sack of presents… I guarantee that EVERYONE will just adore him once you have him on display alongside your festive decorations! Fabrics and materials can easily be sourced to complete this project.

This is FULL-ON FESTIVE FUN for all you CraftyMonkies and as always, the session will be relaxed with plenty of conversational chatter from both our lovely Zoom-host/Monkie-CEO Rachel Pierman and myself: we look forward to having you along for this bumper creative session!

What You Will Learn in this Online Interactive Workshop:-

The session will be divided up into the specific elements for each of the projects.

For the Christmas Wreath you will be sent any pattern elements and asked to pre-cut the set number of squares to fill the wreath. You will be shown how to equally divide your combination of colours and consider their distribution around the wreath. You will learn how to make decorative features such as pompoms and roses from felt, using cutting and some simple stitches, finally how you can fix them into your wreath. Outcome measures approx. diameter 18” (46cm)

For the Christmas Chocolate Log, you will be learning combining and mixing the ingredients and baking, you will be shown how to simply decorate with an effective and professional finish. Outcome would feed 6-8 people

For the adorable Snowman Decoration, you will learn some basic cutting out fabric from a supplied pattern and simple sewing assembly of a decorative figure on a sewing machine, there is both machine stitching and hand sewn decorative features to learn. Outcome measures 13” (33cm) tall.

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Skill-Level needed for this workshop is for an Intermediate or Practiced Beginner: all the skill elements are broken down into stages and Gary is a very experienced/engaging teacher who will give clear guidance or further links to help support your learning requirements. Relative Pattern(s) and Guidance Notes to support the session will be sent to you prior to the workshop!

Fabric & Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop: -

For the Fabric Christmas Wreath:

• 12” (30cm) diameter WIRE WREATH MOSSING RING. Please check out the example below, UK link from Amazon so you purchase the correct type https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/6042670409?pf_rd_r=6AST1KAAZR81K8VFSS8F&pf_rd_p=e632fea2-678f-4848-9a97-bcecda59cb4e. You can also purchase these from other online supplies or even your local florist. Allow time as these will sell out quickly nearing to Christmas. If you are stuck and you live within the UK, Gary has a small supply which you can purchase directly from him via: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/895082091/12-florist-wreath-wire?ref=listings_manager_table - please allow 3 working days). For those outside the UK, seek similar suppliers or alternatives.
• 80 x fabric squares each measuring 5”x 5” (12cm x 12cm) limit your fabric choices to 4-5 different colours and designs, consider your colours and how festive they are. Suitable fabrics are polyester cottons and natural cottons and fabrics of a similar weight in plains and prints. Note: all squares must be pre-cut and ready prior to the workshop, you can cut with a rotary blade or pinking-shears for a decorative edge if you prefer.
• 72”x 1” (2metres x 2cm) ribbon to tie as decorative bows, you can use burlap or hessian or more Christmas themed ribbon (consider something which works well with your fabric choices)
• 60” x 4” (1 ½ m x 10cm) ribbon for hanging and making a large bow, you can use burlap or hessian or more Christmas themed ribbon (consider something which contrasts with your fabric choices)
• For the flowers and pompom decorations you will need 10” widths x 60” lengths (25cm x 100-150cm) lengths or craft squares of felt in RED, Green and White.
• Optional Extras: You may also wish to have additional trimmings: gold, silver, plain colours and themed pieces of ribbon, trims, braids, and embellishments. (Even small fur-cones could be incorporated into the designs)

For the Christmas Chocolate Log:

• 6 medium sized Eggs (separated)
• 5 oz (125g) Caster sugar (plus another 1oz to sugar the paper for turning out)
• 2oz (50g) Cocoa
• ½ pt. (250ml) Whipped Cream or diary free whipping cream
• 6oz (150g) of thawed frozen raspberries or (fresh if you can get them)
• 1-2oz (25-50g) icing sugar for decoration
• Holly sprig for decoration

For the Decorative Snowman Figure:

• For the body 24” x 20” (60cm x 50cm) good quality white cotton sheeting or fine linen
• Hat & Present Sack 12” x 16” (30cm x 40cm) Red polyester or pure cotton
• Scarf and applique heart motif 30” x 3” (75cm x 8cm) in a red & white themed print polyester or pure cotton
• For applique 3”x 3” (8cm x 8cm) small square of fusible adhesive such as bonda web or you can use fabric glue
• 3 x ½” (15mm) red decorative buttons
• 1x ½” (15mm) white pompom or similar for the end of his hat
• For a carrot noise you need 1” x 1” (2cm x 2cm) orange felt or similar type of fabric
• 2x thin twigs for arms 5” x 1/8th thick (12cm x 5mm)
• Polyester toy stuffing 4oz or 110g
• Red, Cream & Black decorative sewing thread such as cotton Perle or DMC thread
• White machine thread
• Optional extra: For his rosy cheeks, a little pink water colour paint with a brush

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop: -

For the Fabric Christmas Wreath:

• A mixture of hand sewing threads in colours of the felt red/green/ white
• Small scissors and fabric scissors / rotary blade for cutting out
• Hand sewing needle
• Pins
• Solvent based glue or Optional hot glue gun

For the Christmas Chocolate Log:

• Two large mixing bowls
• Hand whisk or electric whisk
• Sieve
• Large metal spoon for folding in ingredients
• Swiss Roll tin approx. 13” x 10” (33cm x 25cm)
• Non-stick baking parchment
• Oven at 180 C 350F gas mark 4
• Cooling rack
• Small bowl and fork to mash raspberries
• Palette or wide knife to spread cream
• Approx. 14” (35cm) long Platter for serving

For the Decorative Snowman Figure:

• A sewing machine (straight stitch)
• Fabric, paper, and embroidery scissors
• Pins
• Hand sewing needles
• Fabric marker pen (I have used a Frixion pen) or similar
• Chopstick or similar for stuffing
• Iron and board (small sheet grease proof paper to protect work when bonding on heart with iron)

Pattern Information Relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop: -

Any FREE patterns will be sent to you via email to download; this is/these are to be printed in advance of the course!

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 £50.00 is based on ONE person attending this crafting class.

IMPORTANT:

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.