Piecing and patching – hand-stitched textiles with Amanda Clayton

Ref: SLW32754

Book now

Places available

About this course

Give 'scrap' cloth a new lease of life, or chose to explore new qualities, using traditional hand piecing, as well as contemporary ways with hand stitch to join small pieces together to explore the unique qualities of cloth in textile art.

Course Description

You will be working with different ‘scrap’ cloth to bring them a new lease of life using traditional and contemporary techniques.

Layering and inlay will be part of the workshop as there will be an emphasis on transparency and contrasts of surface. You will find a use for the smallest of sentimental and vulnerable fragments of cloth. Paring down to neutrals you will learn or revisit some of the tutors signature and favourite ways to join such as flat seam, French, butting, flange, stitch rivets and darning with overlays.

There will be an emphasis on neutral qualities and transparency but over the three days colour can certainly be introduced and embraced!

The workshop is also about many other elements of art. Making decisions, selecting and responding to the unique qualities of cloth as well as transferring these skills back to your studio.

Course Materials

Included

  • On this course the tutor will supply most of the materials.

What students need to bring

  • Fabrics – bring your personal scrap bag which hopefully will have in it some lighter weight as well as medium weight cloth. Consider bringing chiffon, organza, habotai, net, velvet, fragments of lace. Maybe some old cloth samples, hankies or sentimental clothing pieces. Something that may be personal to you.These can be the tiniest bits. You will not need anything bigger than 6 x 6 inches
  • A selection of threads from fine to thicker. The tutor will have a selection of threads for you to supplement your own if you need at no charge. Please do not go and buy anything especially. You may consider swaps with other participants too.
  • A basic sewing kit: pins, needles, embroidery scissors, tape measure
  • A sheet of A4 graph paper if you have
  • A pen to mark cloth, ruler and paper scissors

Available to buy

  • Available from shop:
  • Needles and cloth.
  • Available from tutor:
  • The tutor will also bring some small pieces of cloth to sell in case someone would like to try a quality that they are not familiar with.

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).

Timetable

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

General Information

Tutors

Amanda Clayton

Having trained in Embroidery Amanda is still obsessed by the purity of thread and cloth. She is now working freelance after an enjoyable and satisfying few decades working on Art Foundation courses. She enjoys sharing her practice with others and is particularly interested in the way we all respond to similar elements with our own visual language.

Accommodation

Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.

Courses of interest

Contemporary paper folded fan making

Online
Buy course
Tutor: Kate Colin |
Suitable for all
£47

Introducing raised embroidery techniques

Online
Buy course
Tutor: Fleur Oakes |
Beginners/Intermediate
£47

Stories in stitch

1 to 4 Dec 2024 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Jessie Chorley |
Suitable for all
£479
Caroline Allington, Making a fan

An introduction to fan making

23 Nov 2024 | West Dean
1 place available
Tutor: Caroline Allington |
Beginners
£186

Further study options

Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study. 

Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.