Advanced Stitched Textiles Foundation

This course will run on Mondays in Ipswich from Sept 2024 (6 sessions per term) 10.00-16:00

Tutor Mary McIntosh

You can download an application form here.

Term one – Design work and fabric surface design.
Design: You will need to select a subject for your design work and produce a portfolio of designs from which your stitched samples and stitched assessments will be inspired. The design work will be reviewed each term and added to throughout the course. It forms part of your final assessment.
• Using workbooks/sketchbooks/journals
• Decorating papers
• Reviewing design techniques
• Looking at collage and pattern
• Design progressions
Journal: You will keep a personal journal throughout the course in which to record your thoughts and records of visits, travels, quotations, newspaper clippings – whatever inspires.
Techniques: Term one looks at Surface Design to create a range of fabrics to reflect your design work for use throughout the course for stitched samples
• Dyeing and painting fabrics
• Screenprinting
• Resist techniques
• Discharging
• Breakdown printing
• Book making
Study: Each term you will research and make a study of a textile artist related to the theme of the term and/or your own area of interest. This is a written study with stitched samples. Term one will be a study of a textile artist who uses surface design as a feature of their work and is to be handed in at the beginning of the spring term.
Assessment: To create a fabric book of printed of stitched personal cloths related to your design theme. To be handed in at the beginning of term two.



Term two – Mixed Media
Design: You will continue to add to your design portfolio working with new materials.
Journal: You will continue to add to your personal journal.
Techniques: Term two looks at working with Mixed Media to create stitched samples in response to the materials and to reflect your design work.
• Working and stitching with paper
• Working with plastics
• Working with metals
• Making handmade paper
• Creating your own fabrics using soluble fabrics
• Creating your own fabrics including fuse effects
Study: Term two will be a study of a textile artist who uses mixed media as a feature of their work. This is a written study with stitched samples and is to be handed in at the beginning of the Summer term.
Stitched Assessment: to create a framed piece of mixed media textile art based on your design theme. To be handed in at the beginning of the Summer term.



Term three – Structure and Texture and Natural Dyeing
Design: You will continue to add to your design portfolio.
Journal: You will continue to add to your journal entries
Techniques: You will look at different ways of manipulating and altering fabrics to create a range of experimental samples.
• Burning techniques
• Fabric manipulation
• Shrinking
• Constructed fabrics
• Stiffened fabrics
• 3D work
We will also look at natural dyeing:
• Natural Dyeing
• Eco Printing
• Cyanotype printing
• Rusting

Study: Term three will be a study of a textile artist who works in 3D or natural processes. This is a written study with stitched samples to be handed in at the end of the summer.
Stitch Assessment: You have been commissioned to make a “set of items”, this could consist of a set of bowls, a set of jewellery, a set of vases, a set of cushions or a set of your choice. This is to be handed in at the end of the summer.
Additional information.
Students are expected to attend exhibitions, museums and galleries and to keep a record with drawings and photographs. This should be recorded in your journal.
Students may be requested to take part in an educational visit which will vary in response to gallery exhibitions.
Students will have an individual tutorial with their tutor each term. In addition tutorials can be requested at any time.
Distance learning students are invited to attend one weekend per term in Ipswich. Other sessions and tutorials are conducted via zoom.
Graduate Show. All students are expected to help organise and mount an end of course exhibition.

© Creative Stitch Suffolk 2022.
Courses are accredited and supported by SEFWI

Now booking for Tuesdays in Nowton to start in Sept 2024