When Rachel visited the Knit & Stitch Show at Alexandra Palace this year, she was blown away by the quality of the work on display. There were so many interesting artists exhibiting unique, and individual pieces. But she was particularly attracted to the work on display created by leading artist Cas Holmes. Rachel asked her if she would consider teaching for CraftyMonkies and was over the moon when she said 'Yes'!

 

We've created TWO workshops for you, with space in-between for you to go off and play with the techniques learned in Class One; Cas has asked that you attend both parts to get the most of the techniques. When Cas hosts this workshop in person it's priced at £150! So to have the TWO offered to you lovely CraftyMonkies folks for a total of just £70 is an absolute treat. We do hope you'll join us and welcome Cas to the CraftyMonkies stable of talent!...

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Introduction by Cas:-

Hello, I'm Cas Holmes, an artist and writer of Romani descent and I'm very interested in the liminal, ‘in between’ spaces connecting land, people and place. I trained in fine art, and my work combines mixed media with found materials and stitch and is best described as ‘painting with cloth’. The history and familiarity of worn cotton, linen and paper mark the passing of time informing the narratives contained within my work.

 

After receiving a fine arts degree at Maidstone College of Art (UCA), further studies in textile and paper arts in Japan (funded by the Churchill Fellowship and The Japan Foundation) and research in India, I've been led to my adaptation of techniques and distinctive layering of found paper and cloth with paste, paint. If you'd like to know a bit more about me, my work and projects feature in publications for Batsford  Books including Soulful Stitch, co-authored with Deena Beverley (publishing date 10 October 2024), Embroidering the Everyday (2021) and Textile Landscape (2018) I'm so looking forward to meeting with you and seeing just what we can create together!

 

For further information on me and my work:-

www.casholmes.co.uk

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What you will learn on this Online Interactive Workshop:-

This will be a mixed media workshop exploring  marks and lines in layered textile and papers. Design exercises will then lead to machine or hand stitched studies onto lightweight fabrics, cottons, muslins,  silk organza, and combining them with paper. We will have fun with creative exercises referencing ideas surrounding 'found objects' and their application in relation to different fabrics (torn and old materials such as handkerchiefs, clothing and vintage fabrics) and found materials/paper will further help you to develop YOUR personal expression and add meaning to your work. Your 'visual narrative' could take inspiration from the garden and wild flowers/wildlife, or any other of your own references.

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What you may achieve on this Online Interactive Workshop:-

• A series of small sample pieces which could be used as a starting point for your own practice for textile based work and mixed media, collage, stitching.

• Developing the stitched mark as an additional decorative mark.

• Explored layering and collage methods

• Shared and discussed ideas for working. layering and stitching.

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Skill Level for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

A series of small sample pieces which could be used as a starting point for your own practice for textile Suitable for those with some experience in textiles or mixed media work.

 

Material requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-

All materials listed are readily available and inexpensive. The following list contains suggestions; we can improvise and adapt!:-

• Your favoured drawing media/paints Felt or Sharpie pens, inktense or watercolour pencils

• Small tubes of acrylic or fabric paint, Koh-I Noor paint pallets. Any dyes stains you may like to use (ink/ silk paint etc) not oil paint as it will not dry.

• 1 inch brush, 2/3 finer brushes, small pieces of sponge, containers for paint and paste

• Wallpaper paste or methyl cellulose paste or a small quantity PVA glue

• Pritt/glue stick for sketchbook work.

• Masking tape

• Clear or white plastic sheet to use as a working base (pedal bin liner would do)

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Fabric requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop:-​

• A range of cloth, scraps of cotton, linen, silk, lace, fabrics/organza with or without prints Include some larger pieces of pre-washed linen cotton or similar cloth to use as a base for work (about half metre/2 feet maximum.

• Papers: Collect assorted waste papers from patterned paper bags, oriental specialist papers, art papers, printed photocopies,old or discarded sketchbook drawings paper offcuts 

• You may want to think of natural forms, flowers and plants in some of your collection.

• Include lighter weight papers, wet strength tissue/tissuetex/conservation tissue and/or oriental paper.

• 2-3 large sheets of plain white drawing paper or photocopy paper.

 

Equipment requirements for this Online Interactive Workshop Class ONE:-

• Scissors for paper and cloth. (Scalpel and cutting mat if you have one)

 

Equipment requirements for Online Interactive Workshop Class TWO:-

• Sewing machine with free-motion capability, in good working condition (if you have one) and basic sewing kit with selected threads for machine and hand sewing as appropriate scissors, threads, pins)

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Additional Information relevant to this Online Interactive Workshop:-

• Collect materials/images/references from personal images or ideas, garden flowers, surfaces of walls, garden tools for inspiration.

• The course is suitable for students with different levels of textile/art experience  

• You may find it useful to have one or two small objects or references for inspiration.

• Sketchbook/notebook and ‘camera’ to make notes and record work as you progress.

• Wear suitable clothing for workshop and check health and safety guidelines on any media your are using.

 

Useful links:

https://casholmes.uk/about/

 

https://youtu.be/Hj88zNsjRx8

 

UK Suppliers of tissue and paste:

https://colourcraft.uk/product/abaca-tissue-tissuetex-25cm-x-20m-roll/

 

https://colourcraft.uk/product/cellulose-adhesive-45g/

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Tickets for these TWO Online Interactive Workshops (via the Zoom platform) on Saturday 17 May & Saturday 14 June 2025 will be limited and allocated on a first-come/first-served basis! Any free pattern and 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 £70.00 is based on ONE person attending BOTH classes!

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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/

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Ordering MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT Online For Any Class/Workshop!

Please ensure you book your place & order any materials/fabrics/equipment online in plenty of time ahead of course dates.

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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!