We believe Matt Wilding is one of the brightest lights in quilting at the moment! His mind works in a really interesting way, he creates wonderful 3-D quilted pieces that are not only beautiful to look at, but are also practical, as is the case with this truly marvellous Tessellated Heart Bag. This bag created such a buzz at the 2025 Festival Of Quilts as Matt walked around wearing it. So many people asked him which stall he'd bought it from and he was able to say those wonderful words: "I made it myself!" We knew it had to become an online class and we were so happy when Matt agreed. Although this is Matt's first class with CraftyMonkies, believe us, it won't be his last, as he has so many exciting ideas to bring you. Plus he has given us the exclusive WORLD Launch of the Pattern! It's priced at just £8.00 for Matt's inaugural class with us (included within your ticket price of £43.00), and the pattern will be £10.00 when it goes on general sale after November 23rd! Here's Matt to tell you all about this great class...

 

Introduction by Matt:-

Hi, I'm Matt and I'm from sleepy Dorset. It is lovely to be joining the CraftyMonkies gang! I studied Sculpture at university but decided to use my creative hands in a different way when I opened an artisan bakery, I know right?! Sculpture to bakery! Sadly I had a life changing accident in 2009 where I broke my back. You'll hear more about this in my upcoming episode of Breaking The Blocks, Rachel's (owner of CraftyMonkies) podcast, set to air in the Autumn of 2025. But, as with all things in life, sometimes the worst things can lead you down a path you were meant to take and it was during this period I discovered quilting as part of my recovery. I combine my love of sculpture with quilting in some would say a unique way. My latest piece, 'Wear Your Wings With Pride', won a 1st Prize in the Quilted Creations category at Festival Of Quilts in 2025 - something I'm beyond thrilled about! I'm really excited to share my ideas with you in my first online class! I'm looking forward to meeting you and I do hope you will join me!

 

What You Will Learn in this Online Interactive Workshop:-

My latest creation is my Tessellated Heart Bag. The inspiration behind it is a heart cut gemstone. After studying gemstones for some time, I was able to come up with a pattern for this bag. It went viral on the internet when I shared my design process. It's a mix of creative techniques that make this a unique bag that will certainly grab people's attention when you wear it. I wore it to this year's Festival Of Quilts and it proved to be very popular!

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Now here's something really important:-

This is a three-hour class: to complete a bag in that time alongside learning the design process I'm going to teach you would be very difficult, too rushed. So what I'm going to do is show you how to create the 3D heart shape during this Zoom workshop. I will then talk you through how this can be used to make the bag or to use it as a piece of wall art. Don't worry, the full downloadable PDF instructions will detail everything you need to know to make it into a bag (in essence creating a back panel with a zip and attaching it to your piece we will have made in class. You can then add a strap.) The bag-making is quite a simple process, the more difficult process is what I'm going to teach you in the class, the front of the bag! But, as I just mentioned, you may want to use this as a piece of wall-art by simply sewing a panel onto the back of the piece we're making. The options on how you want to finish it are endless, the main thing is to make the front piece with me!

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In this workshop I will teach you how to:-

• Making a three-dimensional design

• Freezer Paper Foundation Paper Piecing

• Work with iron-on foam stabiliser

• Quilt-as-you-go

 

Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:- 

Suitable for intermediate. 

 

Material for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Full material requirements for the complete bag can be found in the downloadable PDF - See Below 

 

Fabric requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

• Fabric Outer:

• ½ metre of an ombre fabric

OR

• 3 Fat Quarters - one each of light/medium/dark shades.

OR

• Scraps - make it however you want!

• Fabric Lining: ½ metre

• 26” x 13” Single Sided Fusible Foam Interfacing (Bosal In-R-Form)

• 26” x 13” Fusible Non Woven Interfacing  (Vlieseline 220)

 

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

• Sewing Machine in full working order

• Iron

• Pressing Mat

• Cutting Mat & Rotary Cutter

• An Add-a-Quarter ruler would be helpful but not essential.

• Temp Fabric Glue – I use the Sewline Glue Stick.

• Pins/Fabric Clips (Clover Wonderclips are perfect for this)

• Hardware:

• 1 x 9” plastic Zipper

• 2 x 25mm D Rings

• Pre-made bag strap with clip ends

 

Pattern Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

A PDF copy of the pattern will be available to download to all who purchase a ticket for this class from 01 November 2025. Rachel is going to provide a link in your ticket to a folder on her Google Drive. After 01 November 2025 the pattern will be in that folder. You simply have to come back after 01 November, click on the link in your ticket to the Google Drive and then you'll be able to download your pattern. Don't worry if you lose the ticket, Rachel will be emailing you again closer to the time reminding you of the Zoom link and the Google Drive link.

 

NB: There are actually 3 x PDF files: Instructions, FPP Pattern and a Cutting Pattern

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Sizing Guide relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Size of bag: Width 12”, Height 11”, Depth 3”

 

Additional Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

Matt's Zoom workshop on 23.11.25 will cover making the 3D Heart - due to time restrictions we will NOT be able to make the complete bag, but you will have fully illustrated instructions and Matt will be happy to help post workshop - contact him via his social media.

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Tickets for this Online Demonstration (via the Zoom platform) will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! The ticket price of £43.00 (approx $47.00) is based on ONE person attending this crafting class including Matt's Instructions, FPP Pattern and Cutting Pattern (when this package is launched, it will cost £10.00, so you are receiving a £2.00 discount on the pattern). Matt will also not be launching the pattern until after our class, meaning we have a Worldwide Exclusive Launch on the pattern within this class!

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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

 

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 is being recorded and a link will be sent to all classmates a few days after the class, so you can watch in your own time!

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You can either attend live or wait for the RECORDING to be sent a few days after the event for you to watch for 60 days. As long as you buy a ticket you can attend or just be sent the recording!

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