Under the expert guidance of internationally acclaimed Textile Artist, Author and Lecturer Cas Holmes, it’s easier than you might think.
Cas’ signature online course has been designed as an approach-based exploration that offers you the opportunity to delve deep into the thought process and methods Cas uses to create her famous textile landscapes.
Throughout the course Cas encourages you to take a risk as you develop ways to close the gap between materials, making and meaning.
You’ll learn achievable ways to create texture and depth in your fibre artwork using printing, layering and stitching techniques with paper and cloth.
All course materials, including self-paced beautifully filmed streaming videos and comprehensive resource guides, are within an easy to use member portal and yours to access and revisit anytime.
Making Connections – Mark, Layer & Stitch is a rich creative resource full of inspiration and ideas to last a lifetime. It’s a worldwide community for enrolled students to connect in a private online forum and share your textile adventures directly with Cas, ask questions, bounce ideas, and gain the skills and confidence needed to create your own mixed media masterpiece.
Be guided by Cas and learn to see with fresh eyes through a series of achievable ways to observe and evaluate your world and fall in love with sketching. You’ll be surprised how the everyday things and objects around you act as a stimulus for the narrative to develop in your work and how everything is connected and begins with looking differently.
You can find great joy in the unexpected. Through Cas’ playful nature you’ll learn to let go of the outcome, embracing uncertainty as part of the investigative and discovery process that leads to invention and experimentation. Cas will show you aspects of transference, moving the work on, reflecting and making ideas more concrete with copious tools to keep things flowing.
Using low-tech methods to transform raw materials and found objects into individually designed mixed media and textile works that tell your story fuelled by deep meaning and connection to a place, landscape or family history. By walking alongside Cas for a little while you’ll learn to see the extraordinary in the everyday as you make your own connections between found materials and meaning to tell your own story.
Over 8 modules, 8 hours of footage, 8 weeks of ongoing guidance and comprehensive downloadable resource guides, Cas has created an in-depth experience that covers the techniques and methods she has developed over her 40-year career as a textile artist.
Cas invites you to take a walk, collecting a variety of found materials as you learn to make marks and print using paint and ink, exploring how papers and cloth behave differently. Your confidence will grow as you learn to create your own compositions that relate to the things that you’ve seen and you’ll finally understand why your sketchbook is an invaluable tool for connecting drawing with free-motion machine and hand stitching.
Throughout each module, you’ll see Cas’ fine art training shine through as she shares ways to create texture and depth by not only layering materials but through the often overlooked use of colour and tonal value.
In the end you’ll have the skills to create pieces without the limitations of edges or borders with the confidence to create work layered with meaning using your unique voice.
Keep scrolling for a detailed description of each module and learn more about this course in the video below.
“I believe Cas to be one of the best teachers I have ever had.
She is an extremely talented artist and a highly skilled teacher.
She knows how to get down the nitty gritty of concepts
and can explain the ‘how to’.
Not everyone has both these talents!”
As an experienced instructor, Cas recognises that all methods of learning are valid.
This is the only platform that Cas has chosen to deliver a longer online course. Giving you the luxury to take time to develop and evolve the processes between each module.
With instant and lifetime access to beautifully filmed instructional videos and comprehensive written accompaniments, the Making Connections online course also includes ongoing guidance from Cas over the following 8 weeks after enrolments close. This gives you a wonderful opportunity to have a lengthier discussion and delve deeper into your own process, building your knowledge in a more profound way.
There’s nothing worse than purchasing an online course only to be left in the dark.
That’s why we have created a worldwide community to further support your learning where you’ll be able to ask questions, get feedback and connect not only with Cas but a close knit network of fellow Making Connections students in a members-only online Facebook group.
Here you’ll receive invaluable support, have access to live Q&A sessions with Cas and it is also yours to access for life.
You are further supported by the team at Fibre Arts Take Two with the personal and attentive customer service that we have become known for!
Cas Holmes is an internationally acclaimed Artist, Writer and Lecturer.
Her training in fine art painting and photography is evident throughout her well-known work with textiles and mixed media.
Cas’s work comes from the place between the what and the why of creation, between natural and urban environments, people and place and flows from neither a solid idea, technique or desired outcome but rather through a subliminal, intuitive and fluid process.
Often working on multiple pieces simultaneously responding to materials such as discarded cloth and papers, Cas’s work contains a history and offers the viewer an instant feeling of intimate friendliness as she magnifies the details of the often overlooked simplicities of daily life.
Cas’ work is often and perfectly described as Painting with Cloth and Stitch Sketching.
Cas is the author of several books for Batsford Publications including Stitch Stories (2015) and Textile Landscape: Painting with Cloth (2018).
Cas has received many awards for her work and recently completed a commission as part of Gypsy Maker 4 exhibition created by the Romani Cultural and Arts Company supported by the Welsh Arts Council.
Her work can be found in private and commercial collections all over the world from, London to New York to Australia.
As part of her practice Cas works on community collaborations developing a range of projects based on environmental themes from the natural and observed world. These collaborations offer her the insight to discover commonalities across these communities, which continue to inform her particular, take on the world.
Cas.
“A huge thank you Cas. The best, most inspiring and value-for-money course, both online or in person, I have ever done. It’ll continue to inform my journey into textile art for a very long time.”
Cas will demystify the sketchbook allowing you to let go of the old belief “I can’t draw!” Drawing may seem hard at first but under Cas’s guidance, you’ll learn how to engage with your own narrative through your sketchbook to create your own story. From traditional spiral bound to creating your own improvised sketchbooks, you learn how to work on different surfaces using different techniques including continuous line drawing and how it relates so well to free-motion stitching.
Cas will now take you deeper into how to develop what you have discovered. By laying the foundations of a daily sketch practice and bringing the outside in you have the stimulus for your work to progress. Through a series of achievable exercises including, isolation techniques, exploring colour and tonal value together with the beginnings of the layering process through instinctive collage, which is surprisingly similar to how you’ll later work with paper and cloth, you begin to appreciate how everything is related to the sketchbook.
Building on what you have been developing with your observations, in this module you’ll understand why the connection between drawing and stitch is so strong. Using the sewing machine with simple exercises and consideration to help you build your confidence with free motion stitch by following forms on paper and constructional straight stitch, with seams and folds. You’ll learn what types of papers work best with machine stitching and why Cas prefers mechanical machines as a simple tool for making a mark with stitch.
Use what’s available from the garden, kitchen and your surroundings to make marks on cloth and paper using printing and other mixed media techniques. You’ll now have the opportunity to build a library of textured cloth and paper to use throughout the course using printing methods Cas has adapted over many years. Explore relief printing with textured cloth, botanicals and printing using different paint and dye mediums whilst discovering their unique qualities. There’s no need for expensive presses, use what you have to create amazing results.
It’s time to find joy in the accidental by looking at your marks in a new light. Using your printed materials and other materials you enjoy working with this is the beginning of where painting meets cloth and your printing meets textile collage. As you move through the auditioning process continuing to investigate what your materials can do and what colours you might use you’ll create some dry sampling in preparation for module 6.
Establishing and continuing your line of enquiry with your found materials you’ll explore how your work and materials further respond to Cas’s unique wet applique method. Temporarily laminating your cloth together allows you to use your sewing machine without pins giving you the freedom to move more instinctively. Step outside of your comfort zone and have some fun by having a go at a new temporary method.
Stitch holds everything together. Using your machine to stitch into your dried pieces you’ll discover how the newly created surfaces respond and how you can further extend your ideas and meaning within your work. You’ll realise this is not a linear process, things can keep moving forwards or backwards at any time remembering the primary motivation is to always discover things anew. You’ll move your palette around the table, rediscover, rework, destroy in order to create, take a risk to never stop reimagining.
Discover different ways of making a mark, from the fast and vibrant machine stitch to the more contemplative and reverent hand stitch. Explore why hand stitch is as equally relevant as making a mark with a machine, by using slow stitch to take a moment to focus and slow down by creating sampler pieces exploring french knots and different textures learning to use your threads as a paint palette, re-evaluate your work whilst enjoying the simple things in life.
Reflecting on the process that you have been exploring on the course Cas will take you on a journey through two beautiful pieces of work that document her travels in Australia and her family history, before inviting you to participate in a collaborative project.
Created by composing many different elements of what Cas found and observed along her travels throughout Australia.
You’ll be mesmerized by this impressive 4 metre piece of textile artwork as you begin to
visualise your own.
Enjoy looking through Cas’s family history as she discusses how you can connect cloth to memory and the connection we make to place.
The peaks and troughs of her life and family ancestry are represented in a beautifully constructed folding book.
With years of community development and collaborative projects under her belt, there is nothing Cas likes better than a group exhibition.
In this exciting bonus, Cas invites you to exhibit and showcase a special piece of work that reflects your
sense of place.
Cas is the author of 5 books including the most recent Embroidering the Everyday and Textile Landscapes with Bastford Publications so it’s no surprise that her course includes comprehensive written accompaniments along with valuable resource guides and detailed action tasks. With over 45 downloadable pages of additional information to complement and extend your online experience.
This course has been created to the highest standards. Professionally filmed and crafted for your viewing pleasure.
Through Cas’ expert guidance you will have the opportunity to learn new processes and techniques, to create artwork that truly reflects your sense of place.
The tuition for lifetime access to Making Connections – Mark, Layer and Stitch. Payment plans are also available, please see below for details.
We also offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee! If you’ve watched less than 10% of the course within the first 7 days we’ll give you a full refund.
We’re confident that if you do the work and engage with the community you’ll get enormous benefits from this experience. And we’re happy to back that up with our risk-free guarantee.
Learn from an expert textile artist for a fraction of the cost of in-person lessons. Invest once for lifetime access.
“Cas Holmes is one of the most skilled and generous teachers I have encountered over the decades.
Her deep knowledge of painting, sketching, and drawing informs the connection between the natural landscape and textile art.”
“A huge thank you Cas. The best, most inspiring and value-for-money course, both online or in person, I have ever done. It’ll continue to inform my journey into textile art for a very long time.”
“I believe Cas to be one of the best teachers I have ever had.
She is an extremely talented artist and a highly skilled teacher.
She knows how to get down the nitty gritty of concepts
and can explain the ‘how to’.
Not everyone has both these talents!”
“Cas’s work often contains snippets of text or discarded materials that have associations or conjure up memories.
There is always a dialogue with the materials she uses.
They bring their own history which is woven into the work.
These collections of ephemera might seem meaningless but their apparent banality is open-ended. They are available to stimulate the imagination through the poetry of ordinariness.
Everything has a connection and each viewer makes their own connections.”
Inspiring and Encouraging
“You gave so generously not only of your knowledge and ways of working but also of the terrific “self” that you bring to your work and your students.
You are inspiring and encouraging; I am very grateful to have met and learned from you.”
More Than Expected
“Each session is a challenge and an inspiration.
Your encouragement to each of us to look for our own direction with your support is more than I expected – you are indeed a very generous teacher.”
A Professional & Thoughtful Approach
“Your approach was not only highly professional but was delivered with respect, thoughtfulness and made us feel we were creating together.”
A Master
“Cas Holmes is a masterful artist and teacher.”
“Cas Holmes is one of the most skilled and generous teachers I have encountered over the decades.
Her deep knowledge of painting, sketching, and drawing informs the connection between the natural landscape and textile art.”
Please note a full suppliers list and resource guides will be available for enrolled students with links.
The recommended minimum requirements for this course are:
Starting Kit:
A Notebook or Sketchbook 150 to 300 gsm
A variety of pens and pencils, both water-soluble and non-soluable
Found materials, cloth and textiles
A variety of paper and card
3 Colours of Acrylic Paint plus Black & White
Black Ink
Watercolour Paints
Scissors for Cloth and Paper
Sewing Needles and Threads for Handstitching
A sewing machine with a free motion foot is highly recommended by not essential
Please email support@fibreartstaketwo.com if you would like a more detailed minimum requirement list emailed to you before enrolling.
2 out of the 8 modules in the Making Connections course involve techniques demonstrated using a sewing machine.
Whilst it is not essential to have a machine Cas recommends that this is a wonderful place to start and open your practice to new ways of working.
Second-hand mechanical machines are a wonderful investment.
Hand stitching is also covered in this course and is an important part of Cas’s practice.
Great question! Cas has explained to Fibre Arts Take Two that the Making Connections course is for both beginners looking to learn achievable ways to begin their textile and mixed media practice and advanced artists who are feeling a little unsure about where their work is taking them.
Both beginners and advanced artists will discover more clarity in their making process by connecting the materials with meaning through a series of professionally developed tasks stemming from Cas fine art training and as a professional tutor.
With Cas Holmes supported by Friday Arts Take Two, both professional artists and beginners are in safe hands.
The Making Connections – Mark, Layer & Stitch online course – contains the equivalent of 10 days of live workshop material and is designed as deep dive into the process and techniques Cas uses to create her textile landscapes.
There is over 9 hours of pre-recorded content for you to immerse yourself and many techniques for you to try. It may take you weeks or even months to get through all that Cas has to share and that’s why it is a self-paced course with 8 weeks of initial support from Cas including live Q&A’s within a closed Facebook group.
When you enrol you have access to the entire course immediately. Some people choose to immerse themselves and watch the entire course before getting started while others choose to take their time working their way through each module tyring out the techniques and experimenting in their own time.
Remember, it’s yours to revisit time and time again!
Online courses are building in popularity. They are a great way to supplement live workshops affordably and from the comfort of your own home. Learn new skills and see behind the scenes into the studios and lives of your favorite artists.
Our platform is very simple to use and we offer a great support team should you ever run into problems.
Nope, you will have full access to the course via your online portal.
We offer a closed Facebook group for enrolled students only to connect and share their journey.
The group also offers you the opportunity to gain further insights and tuition from Tara and other students. This group it is not compulsory but is highly recommended.
The Making Connections, Mark Layer and Stitch online course is: $398 and sold in USD.
Payment Plans are available:
2 x Monthly Instalments of $225 USD
5 x Monthly Instalments of $90USD
Please check your local exchange rate before purchasing.
To ensure a solid learning experience and to build community, the Making Connections, Mark Layer & Stitch online course is only offered as a full course.
The Making Connections, Mark Layer & Stitch online course has a 100% money back guarantee should you watch less than 10% of the course within 7 days we will offer you a full refund.
If you feel that this course doesn’t meet your expectations please email us at support@fibreartstaketwo.com within 7 days of enrolling. If you have watched less than 10% of the content we will immediately purchase the course back at the current exchange rate, less any associated transaction fees.
Absolutely! All of the course content is fully responsive so it will work regardless of whether you’re on a computer or mobile device.
Good question! You’ll be able to post your questions about the course in our private Facebook group, either someone from the community, Fibre Arts Take Two or Cas herself will be able to help you.
If you have more technical questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to support@fibreartstaketwo.com
Yes we do. We offer closed captions in English, Spanish, German and French.
“Cas’s work often contains snippets of text or discarded materials that have associations or conjure up memories.
There is always a dialogue with the materials she uses.
They bring their own history which is woven into the work.
These collections of ephemera might seem meaningless but their apparent banality is open-ended. They are available to stimulate the imagination through the poetry of ordinariness.
Everything has a connection and each viewer makes their own connections.”
