Saturday 05 June 2021: Online Workshop (Improv Crumb Blocks)

Chris English - Saturday 05 June 2021 - 4.00pm to 7.00pm (BST)

Online Interactive Workshop: Improv Crumb Blocks & Half-Square Triangles 

We’re super-excited to have new tutor Chris English on board! Chris is an heirloom quilt maker based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who specialises in making improv quilts from clothing and found fabrics. Chris is known for his ‘Crumb’ Blocks that use up any scraps from the beautiful precious pieces you’ve been saving forever to the ‘fugly’ fabrics that you can’t even remember acquiring! 

"What the heckety-doo-daa are Crumb Blocks?", we hear you say? Crumb blocks are when you take little pieces of left over fabric and repeatedly join them together to make something. This can used as it is or cut up to make squares, triangles, whatever you fancy as part of a quilt block. Chris has exhibited his dynamic quilts many times at Festival of Quilts as well as an exhibition at the Saltaire Arts Trail, Saltaire. His inaugural class for CraftyMonkies will include making his signature improv crumb blocks and combining that with deconstructing a couple of shirts and combining the two to make an Improv Crumb Half-Square Triangles Cushion Cover. He’ll encourage you to open your mind to fabrics that you may have overlooked, to seeing your scraps and textiles afresh! 

Chris studied textile design at university and continues to explore colour, pattern and print through quilt making and more recently, painting. Chris has written for a number of magazines, had his work included in Uppercase ‘Quilted’ (Ed. Janine Vangool) as well as taught at Festival of Quilts and many UK guilds and quilting groups so we are looking forward to following his sustainable and liberated teaching techniques in his new class: 'Welcome aboard, Chris!'

Introduction by Chris

Hello, everyone! My name is Chris and I’m a quilt maker based in Huddersfield. I make modern improv quilts from primarily recycled and found fabrics. I love using a variety of fabrics to create something beautiful and unique and I'm very much looking forward to working with you on my inaugural CraftyMonkies workshop. Crumb blocks are when you take little pieces of left over fabric and repeatedly join them together to make something. This can be used as it is or cut up to make squares, triangles, whatever you fancy really, as part of a quilt block!...

What You Will Learn in this Online Interactive Workshop:-

You’ll learn how to deconstruct a shirt, make improv crumb blocks, how to make half square triangles four at a time and then bring it all together to make an exciting improv cushion cover. We’ll add machine and hand quilting to create an interesting texture on the cover. If you decide not to make a cushion cover then this could be the start of a new quilt!...

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:

Beginner to Intermediate

This course is suitable for anybody interested in learning about improv and using recycled fabric. The sewing skill required is perfect for beginners!

Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

We’re going to bust your stash. No new fabric is required for this workshop.

• A mix of quilting threads and needles – use what you have, we can experiment with different thread weights.
• A 52 x 52cm or 20 x 20” cushion insert
• A 60 x 60cm or 24 x 24” piece of wadding
• Spray basting spray or pins dependent on your basting preference.
• Basic sewing kit
• An open mind!

Fabric requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

• Two old shirts, ideally the same size, one stripe and one check works well but use what you have. Charity shops (assuming they'll be open again in June!) are a great place to find shirts; go for it and choose a pattern or print you wouldn’t normally go for. Cotton is fine but so are other fabrics.
• A big bag of scraps – including those ones you have been saving forever!...

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

• Scissors
• Iron and Ironing Board
• Basic Sewing Kit
• Rotary Cutter and Cutting-Mat

​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).