Purchase this digital product and receive a link to the YouTube video of the CraftyMonkies Online Interactive Workshop featuring leading designer, tutor & craft expert Gary Mills and his fabulous Riot of Colour
 
Once you have purchased this product, the PDF document you will receive contains a link to the private-access video on YouTube
 
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!...
 
What You Will Learn in this Online Interactive Workshop:-
In this three-hour workshop you will cover creating a colourful painted background on ‘stitch and tear’
by adding a patch work of water-based colour with either acrylic paints, water colour paints, coloured inks or even food colourings will work. You will be cutting out further shapes in coloured ‘stitch and tear’, and by using heat bonded collage to applique stylized floral shapes on to this background. During the session Gary will discuss how you can use primary and secondary colours to complement each other, and how you can best use this knowledge to greatest effect when assembling your image. Once your shapes are bonded down you will then further work into your mixed media textile with machine stitch using simple yet effective free motion embroidery.
The outcome for this project is an 11” x 11” (inch) finished piece of artwork!
 
Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-
Gary has many years of experience as a professional practitioner and teacher of art and textiles; his
lessons are so enjoyable, fun, and very well organised with his clear and patient guidance. This lesson is suitable for all; if you are a beginner this is a great way to find your creative ability through learning process and skills which explore the rudiments of creative art and design practices. For those with some confidence and experience you could add further diversify to approaches in your own artistic ability and imagination!
 
Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-
All the materials are easily accessible. Such as fabrics, inks and paints which can be sourced from local shops or online and most other materials can be found around your sewing box and fabric stash.
You will need for this workshop... Some COLOUR!!!
First choose your primary colours of Red, Yellow, and Blue and you will be mixing these to make
further pinks, oranges and greens and purples.
Types of paints and inks you could use are:
Acrylic, a paint box of simple Water Colour Paints (a child’s set will do)
You can also use coloured inks
Or you can also use food colourings to achieve the colours in the design.
1x 12” x 12” light weight plain cream or white cotton fabric (this is a backing to the design so you
can use found or recycled fabric but make sure it is well pressed.
2 x sheets 12” x 12” Bonda web or similar heat transfer adhesive
2 x 12” x 12” Stitch and Tear (you can find this paper like fabric baking in most sewing and
haberdashery shops and is used for free motion embroidery....(it’s also great for painting on!)
 
Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-
A container such as a jam jar to hold some clean water.
Something to dampen your Stitch and Tear before painting such as a clean sponge in water or even
a water mister spray / bottle
A large plate or a palette for mixing paint
3-4 small sponge paint applicators or use a good size paint brush
Plenty of paper kitchen towel to hand
Paper and embroidery scissors for cutting out and trimming
Some pins
A ruler or grading ruler and rotatory cutter for squaring up (optional a Cutting mat)
An iron, ironing mat or board and baking parchment to protect your work when you press
Useful optional: A fabric pen / marker (I use one which disappears with heat, but any similar will
do)
IMPORTANT: A hair-dryer to hand for speed drying is required
Basic sewing machine with a free motion embroidery / darning foot and some dark good quality sew all thread. (The example has used black Gütermann thread)