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Starting on 01 June 2023 (don't worry if you're here after this date, you can still see all the filmed content and the inclusive live Zoom classes - find out how below) we’re super-excited to announce that improv-guru, Mr Nicholas Ball (aka @quiltsfromtheattic on Instagram) will be our featured Guest Tutor for the WHOLE YEAR - yes, Nicholas will be delivering a year-long exploration (via recorded content and live interactive Zooms just for you VIP members) of his quilt making process, from beginning to end. You simply won't find this content in any sew-alongs, in his books or on his Instagram feed. It's a totally unique opportunity to get creative, be inspired and learn from an incredible artist! Scroll down to read the full course details!
Here's what Nicholas has to say about this exciting new chapter:-
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Just a quick point...
A few people have asked:
Do I have to make the butterfly? Is this a pattern? Will I learn lots still if I don't make the butterfly?
NO, you don't have to make a single butterfly if you don't want to! When we say a single butterfly, we mean you don't have to make any butterflies. Nicholas wanted to teach you many different key elements of improv quilting so he decided to use a butterfly to illustrate these lessons. If you look at the 12 month plan below you will see the sort of lessons he is going to be teaching and how relevant or irrelevant the butterfly actually is. If you wanted to create a moth for example, you could think Gothic moth compared to pretty butterfly! If you wanted to create a different insect, you absolutely could. If you don't want to create any literal creature or object, you could still do that and create some abstract shapes using the techniques, Nicholas will teach you and you can use whatever you learn on your OWN CREATIVE JOURNEY!
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The choice is yours!
"Whenever I teach a CraftyMonkies workshop, I love being able to share part of my process with the students.
The workshops I offer are more often than not focused on a particular technique and, whilst we get through a lot, there are some things I would love to have the time to elaborate on. It’s for that reason, I’m so excited to be offering a year-long course through the
CraftyMonkies VIP Member Club!
My quilt-making process is driven by inspiration; it is at the heart of what I do and by signing up for VIP club you’ll get to see this process from the very beginning and, even more exciting, take your own improv journey alongside me, inspired by the wonderfully eclectic world of butterflies!
We will be using these colourful creatures as the basis of our creative journey, which will take us from initial planning through to edge finishing. Before we even think about our sewing machines, we’ll be taking a deep-dive into the where and why of inspiration. We’ll be curating individual colour stories. We’ll be learning about scale and size, as well as experimenting with many different improvised piecing techniques (piecing slabs, inserts, curves, rings) through to preparing to quilt and creating a truly unique quilt. I'll also be running Zoom sessions just for you lovely members on a regular basis across the 12 months. All the content will be available for 15 months to view, so you can take it at your own pace within that time!
I’m so looking forward to this year with you: be sure to sign up for what promises to be a fabulous, year-long 'improvtasticquiltathon'!..."
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Nicholas
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So, what will you be learning?
The full details are below!
Month 1 - Introduction Plus a Live Zoom interaction this month!
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What will be doing? Show finished quilt.
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What are the learning objectives? Breakdown finished quilt and discuss.
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What new skills will we learn? Breakdown finished quilt and discuss.
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Tools and notions. Highlight what would be useful. Discuss thread, blades, needles etc.
Month 2 - Inspiration, Colour and Fabric!
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What is inspiration and where to find it? My many sources, the natural world etc. Show other quilts as examples and discuss.
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Creating a mood board. Where to find images – internet, books, magazines, butterfly houses etc.
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Homework to find inspiration images.
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Choosing colours. Using a colouring sheet.
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Looking at fabrics – patterns, prints, scale, fussy cutting.
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Creating a swatch sheet.
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Discussing quantities of fabric. Using scraps.
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Homework to curate a fabric pull.
Month 3 - Scale, Size and Symmetry!
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The nature of improv – no fixed pattern, no specific cutting list, no specific measurements.
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Discuss how the butterfly is better suited to slightly larger scale due to the intricacy of the piecing.
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Explain how the quilt won’t be perfectly symmetrical.
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Take inspiration image and make a copy using tracing paper to show how to create copies of the wings. Discuss the piecing order and how the quilt will come together.
Month 4 5 6 7 - Piecing - Slabs, Inserts, Curves, Triangles, Inset Circles plus a live Zoom interaction in this 4-month period!
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Slabs are essentially larger pieces of fabric. Show how to rough cut to size etc.
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Inserts – skinny, segmented, lots of variation.
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Basic curves, deeper curves, arcs, wedges. Using curves to round off corners etc.
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Rings – they don’t have to be circular.
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BONUS – create a caterpillar using curved wedges.
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Using the template to make mirrored copies.
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Filling in the space.
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Talk at this stage about adding background or having the perimeter of the quilt be the shape of the butterfly.
Month 8 + 9 -Completing Making the Body!
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Using the body to join the wings, like a central column
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Ensuring you have adequate fabric for your perimeter
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Adding antennae if wanted, although they can be quilted in.
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Positioning wings and joining the halves
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Month 10 - Preparing to Quilt!
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Basting – discussing various methods, pins, spray etc.
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Demo spray basting.
Month 11 - Quilting plus a Live Zoom interaction with a Special Guest!
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Quilting designs and what works.
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Using a diagram to help plan the design.
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Threads and weights.
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Use footage from Trudi talk.
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Month 12 - Edge Finishing plus a live Zoom interaction!
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Discuss options – pillowcase facing, binding etc.
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Demo pillowcase facing
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Wrap up course with a conclusion etc.
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How do I join? Can I pay in my own currency?
It's really easy to join. Simply hit the 'Join Today' button below, this will take you through to the Membership page where you will see two options, Monthly Membership and Annual Membership. Choose your option. You will then be taken through to the payment options and yes, you can join from anywhere in the world via our secure payment system!
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What's the difference between monthly and annual membership?
We wanted to give you the option to split the cost and pay monthly or pay in one go to suit your financial arrangements. However, if you choose the annual option you get TWO months content for FREE! That's £14.99 a month or £149.99 for the year (approx $19.00 a month or $185.00 a year)!
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I've only just heard about this club and it's after June 2023, am I too late?
Nope! Great news, as a member of the VIP club you get to re-watch the content (from beginning to end) as many times as you want via our private YouTube area. Members have 15 months to watch all the content from the beginning of June 2023 onwards. If right now when you're looking it's July 2023 or beyond, then Simply click here and we'll contact you to arrange a payment for the content (months) you've missed. You can then watch and catch up!
How do I watch the content and join the Zoom classes?
Once you've joined the club, you'll be able to access the private members area on this website. This is where you'll find the months video content. At the end of the month that content will be removed and put onto our YouTube channel, you'll receive a direct link to that channel where you can then watch the content for as many times as you want until 31st August 2024. Regarding the live Zoom classes, once again in the private members area you will see the link, time and date to the Zoom class that month. On the day of the Zoom class you simply click the link and the Zoom window will open for you. The zoom class will also be recorded and uploaded to YouTube where, once again, you'll be able to watch until the 31st of August 2024. Simple!
What will Nicholas be teaching?
Please see the full 12 month listing above!
I have other questions...
No problem! Simply click here to email us your question and we'll get back to you.
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Ready to get cracking? Let's do this together!
To gain access to the CraftyMonkies VIP Member Club simply click on any of the text/image/button links that appear on this page - this will take you to the next step, which enables you to choose a Pricing Plan sign-up & pay your subscription online for the fabulous, one-of-a-kind CraftyMonkies VIP Member Club!
You can pay just £14.99 each Month or choose to pay £149.99 if you take advantage of our Annual Membership which gives you
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IMPORTANT - Cancellation Policy
Of course, we very much hope you're going to love all the content we supply and want to be part of the VIP Member Club for a very long time, but please remember that you can cancel a MONTHLY Membership at any time by simply emailing us at hello@craftymonkies.com. For Monthly subscribers all we ask is that you give us at least 48 hours notice to enable us to cancel your monthly subscription. By nature of the Annual Membership giving subscribers TWO months worth of content for FREE when they sign up, please note that we are NOT able to cancel Annual Membership subscriptions, once activated, during the twelve-month period. Should subscribers not wish to renew their Annual Membership subscription for the following year, all we ask is that you give us at least 5 working days notice via email to enable us to cancel your Annual Membership subscription. Of course, with regard to either the VIP Member Club Monthly or Annual Membership Plans you can cancel automatic renewals yourself by contacting your bank directly and instructing them to stop future Direct Debit payments.
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