This course invites students to explore the craft of crochet with a fine art approach. We will explore how we can combine crochet techniques with other materials to create interesting and experimental forms, textures, and compositions that utilise crochet in a new and modern way.

Students will create a selection of samples and experiments; working around dowels, sticks, and rings; working through mesh fabrics and papers; and working through punched holes in collage materials, letting play and experimentation with colour, texture, and form lead the way. In later sessions, students will have the option to continue with experimental sampling or work on a final piece.

Students with all levels of artistic or crochet experience, including beginners, are welcome.

All materials are provided – please bring a sketchbook and pens for notetaking and planning swatches.

Cathy Van Hear is a textile artist and crochet specialist based in Brighton. She has 7 years of experience teaching workshops, courses, and classes at venues such as Make Town, Morley College, and the Southbank Centre as well as in collaboration with Brainchild Festival and Bestival.

In her classes, she balances technical skill development and the joy of creating to build both technical and creative confidence in her students. Her studio practice focuses on crochet, but also includes stitch, natural dyeing, quilting, and surface manipulation. Using these traditional craft techniques, she delves into the tapestry of human experience, unravelling threads of identity, belonging, and self-discovery.