Level 1, 7722 course

The City & Guilds Level 1 Stumpwork Embroidery course allows the participating student to make their first forays into this fascinating form of raised embroidery. Designed for those who have never worked any before, or perhaps have only stitched small pieces this course covers all the main techniques in easy 'bite size' pieces.

The small amount of design work makes the student consider the colours and threads that they use, and allows the pieces made to be individual and personal to the stitcher. This is the ideal course to get you started on this fascinating form of traditional embroidery. Chris leads you gently by the hand, with no assumptions to your ability, the only thing you need is the willingness to learn and 'have a go'.

Method: The candidate will complete and supply for assessment

a. A set of stumpwork embroidery techniques as listed in the syllabus

b. Folder of essential notes including relevant Health & Safety advice

Each module is split into lessons, with each lesson consisting of notes, photographs and where required step by step instructions. Included with each module is a question and answer sheet as well as a check list, this ensures that students have completed all of the work within the module prior to it being returned for assessment.

Being a distance learning scheme students are able to communicate with the centre via post, e-mail and telephone, or visit us on one of the workshop days if possible.

Module 1- Select and prepare fabrics identification, steam fix and iron fix colouring for wings and backgrounds, wiring techniques, interlinking stitches, appliqué procedure, design ideas. You will complete a wired dragonfly, as well as an appliqué one, stitch a wired pansy in a colourway of your own choosing, along the way you will be learning how flowers can be wired successfully.

Module 2- collage techniques, procedure for making heads and torsos, head with a hat, needlelace sample, natural dyeing for skin tones, four types of hand construction. Colouring fabric to create mermaid, this will be of your own design, resulting in a picture that will have pride of place in your home.

Module 3- alternative slip technique to construct camel on quilted background, embellishment to include knot stitches, design slip animal of choice, this could be a fantasy type like a dragon, or a wild creature maybe to work into a jungle scene, or maybe a pet of your own. With evaluation and basic costing, evaluation of course.

Level 2, 7822 course

The City & Guilds Level 2 Stumpwork Embroidery course takes the participating student into the world of raised embroidery, the modules look at the full range of techniques that make this form of embroidery so very popular as well as so different.

From hard and soft slips, wiring techniques, padded work the making of figures, from traditional to modern. Insects, animals, reptiles as well as the whole range of trees and flowers. Stitches will be explored in full from surface work to canvas. Designs units allow the student to create there own work with confidence.

Chris Hammacott's name has become synonymous with this form of embroidery, she has been teaching it through distance learning for longer than any other tutor, and her modules reflect the experience and practice that comes with time. Her work has appeared in magazines across the world, and her own work reflects the humour and joy she finds in this form of embroidery.

Method: The candidate will complete and supply for assessment

a. Work to satisfy the core unit

b. A set of ten samples

c. 2 Assessment pieces

d. Folder of work

Each module is split into lessons, with each lesson consisting of notes, photographs and where required step by step instructions. Included with each module is a question and answer sheet as well as a check list, this ensures that students have completed all of the work within the module prior to it being returned for assessment.

Being a distance learning scheme students are able to communicate with the centre via post, e-mail and telephone, or if possible visit our regular workshop in Dorset

Module 1- basic, tint, tone colour wheel, understanding fibre and fabric construction, colour combinations, start stitch sampler; knot, straight and interlocking. Colouring of fabric with fabric paint, wirework, flower studies, completion 2 x wire flower designs, study and copy of historical flat stitched piece.

Module 2- explore line to generate shape, couching threads, insects to scale, canvas slips for knolls and hillocks, canvas slip fruit, completion of couched tree on a slip with wired leaves and a choice of padded canvas fruit.

Module 3- Texture, rubbings, collage of hair, wool, feather, textural stitching, quilted padded backgrounds, hard and soft (padded) and felt slips, dyeing fabric, animal of own choice produced in slip form.

Module 4- mark making techniques, with a range of tools, needlelace samples detached with cordonnet, small building created on knoll, printed backgrounds, sampler using printed/coloured background and own choice, exercise on scale and proportion, bonding and layering.

Module 5- surfaces, in paper, and mixed media, use of moulds, assessment piece of a building of choice depicted in stumpwork using techniques from this module, to be displayed as a frame or panel.

Module 6- creating texture and form from paper. Human figures in trapunto and slip form, samples of various heads, to illustrate features, hair and expressions, dyeing fabric for skin tones, sketching to understand proportion, copy a figure from a photograph into stumpwork.

Module 7- research into an original piece, assessment piece to include a figure, and an animal or insect onto a cushion, bag, hanging or panel, to include traditional padding and slip techniques and a range of stitches, completion of course, with evaluation.