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Textiles

infoWhy this? Textiles broadens our understanding of how artworks and designs can be constructed and decorated through fibres, fabrics, stitch, and appliqué. Research into Day of the Dead imagery supports informed design development, while practical work builds precision, material awareness, safe working habits, and the ability to refine ideas into a finished outcome.

scheduleWhy now? Following Cultural Masks, we examine another mask-related visual tradition while transferring our experience of pattern, symbolism, and layered construction into textile processes. The unit introduces new materials and techniques and develops a more structured journey from research and sampling to design, production, and evaluation.

neurologyYou need to know

  • Textiles are materials made from fibres, including fabrics such as cotton, wool, silk, and synthetic fibres.
  • Fabrics can be constructed in different ways: woven (interlacing threads at right angles), knitted (interlooping yarns), and bonded (joining fibres together using heat, adhesives, or pressure).
  • Common decorative techniques in textiles include embroidery, appliqué, fabric painting, tie-dye, batik, and printing.
  • Scissors must be carried with the blades closed and the points facing downwards.
  • Pins and needles must be stored securely when they are not in use.
  • Fingers must be kept away from a sewing-machine needle, and the machine must be stopped before it is adjusted.
  • An iron must be placed safely on its heel or stand when it is not in use.
  • Embroidery involves decorating fabric with needle and thread, using different stitch types such as running stitch, backstitch, satin stitch, and French knots.
  • Appliqué is a technique where pieces of fabric are sewn onto a larger piece to create patterns or pictures.
  • Artists have drawn inspiration from the Day of the Dead festival, incorporating its motifs, colours, and symbolism into their textile designs.
  • Acrylic paint can be used on surfaces such as MDF (medium-density fibreboard) to recreate textile-inspired designs.

rocket_launchYou must be able to

  • Identify and describe the construction methods of fabrics (woven, knitted, and bonded) by examining fabric samples.
  • Select and use appropriate textiles equipment safely and effectively, following health and safety guidelines.
  • Complete an embroidery and appliqué sample that includes at least three different stitch types.
  • Develop two distinct design ideas and refine one into a final design, inspired by artists or cultural themes such as the Day of the Dead.
  • Annotate design ideas clearly, identifying and explaining the different embroidery stitches and decorative techniques used.
  • Apply decorative techniques, such as embroidery and appliqué, to fabric in order to realise design ideas and enhance a product's aesthetics.
  • Transfer a design accurately onto MDF, ensuring correct scale and placement.
  • Use acrylic paint to recreate a textile-inspired design on MDF, demonstrating control and attention to detail.
  • Evaluate project outcomes critically, identifying areas of success and suggesting improvements.


Revision Quiz

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