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resources for the textile arts community
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resources for the textile arts community
I
am a partner in, and tutor and lecturer at,
the School of Stitched Textiles based at Eccles
Farm Needlecraft Centre, Lancashire.
We deliver City & Guilds qualification courses
via day/weekend workshops, residential holidays
and distance learning. We also design and market
a range of our own needlework kits.
I have an honours degree (Bachelor of Design - specialist metal and textiles), a BTEC Diploma in Art & Design and a Further and Adult Teaching certificate. My City & Guilds qualifications are in Patchwork and Quilting as well as Embroidery. I am currently completing a Masters Degree in Education, specialising in e-learning.
I have been teaching textiles courses for the last 12 years and City & Guilds for the last 8, although I still very much enjoy doing single day workshops and talks because of the contact with other like minded people.
My work is exhibited nationally through a number of groups specialising in art textiles - One Step On and All Together Now, as well as locally through The Douglas Valley Quilters.
I have had articles and designs published in various magazines, such as Needlework and Patchwork and Quilting, and have designed the new range of embroidery kits for the School of Stitched Textiles.
I am quite happy to travel abroad and within the UK to deliver talks and workshops as this often allows me to maintain contact with my distance students at the same time.
| Funky Cushion 1 | Funky Cushion 2 | Funky Cushion 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Using layered and burnt transparent fabrics and soldering
irons we will produce a beautiful flame coloured cushion
to my original design. Full Day - Machine needed. | Using painted and burnt plastics incorporated within
the design (this is done as a demonstration!) and
frayed fabrics/threads to build up the rest of the
design. Full Day - Machine needed. | Using layers of silk and felt we will be cutting
away to form a 3 dimensional finished piece. Full Day - Machine needed. |
A day for hand stitchers - how
far can you take a stitch? It can be twisted, turned,
piled and layered. An exciting way of making a modern
day stitch sampler.
Full Day or Half Day.
I personally work substantially
in this field and am often asked 'how do you get it
to stay there'? The answer is it's actually quite
simple when you know how! Students will produce a
small sculptured piece on the day.
Full Day.
Why not try incorporating wood
into your stitching? We will be colouring and stitching
with wood during the day. This is an embroidery course
for those of you who prefer hand stitching.
Full Day or Half day.
A day spent working on your own
design and then transferring it into stitch. This
can be patchwork or embroidery and either hand or
machine stitched - the choice is yours. But it will
certainly give you an insight into what is involved
in the 7900 courses.
Full Day or Half Day.
This is often a problem area for prospective patchworkers or embroiderers. If they no longer want to work from a kit or book then how can they develop and use their own designs? I will help to point them in the right direction with an illustrated talk.
My specialist area! I love incorporating different materials into my textiles and this is a great way of doing it. Again lots of photos to get everyone's mouth watering!
I am frequently asked "How does this work?", "Is it possible and practical?" and "What sort of work is produced by students?" Because of the amount of illustrations this is a very interesting talk and gives students a good insight into what they are letting themselves in for!
Any of the listed courses can be combined for weekend or summer schools or run over several weeks. Alternatively, if you have different requirements, then do contact me and we will see what we can come up with.
All classes can be adapted to suit beginners, intermediate or advanced students and I normally limit classes to 12, depending on space available, to ensure individual attention.
Fees for 2008/2009
Talks £110 Day Workshops (10-4) £165
Travel is charged at 35p per mile
Or by arrangement abroad.
For more details please contact:
The School of Stitched Textiles
Eccles Farm, Eccles Lane,
Bispham Green,
Ormskirk, Lancs UK L40 3SD
Phone 0044 (0)1257 463163 or e-mail
Read Gail's articles on Crafting with Your Kids, Felt and Felting, The Comedy of Machine Embroidery, Breaks and Bloomers, and A History of the Fan.
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