Embroidery: Absolute Beginners

This Embroidery course has been designed to accommodate absolute beginners and is perfect for those who want to be inspired and get creative. No embroidery skills or experience is needed but basic hand sewing skills would be an advantage.

This practical beginner's embroidery course will build your confidence in sewing, teaching you all of the basic techniques you will need to create beautiful projects for you and your home. Each project will introduce you to different embroidery skills and teach you beautiful hand worked stitches including outline & filling stitches, chains, daisys and knots, bead embroidery and try them all out with different materials and threads.
The course starts with the very basic techniques of hand embroidery from how to transfer designs from paper to fabric and how to thread a needle to designing your own projects. You will explore and experiment creatively with fabric manipulation through stitch, colour and texture to develop a small portfolio of samples. Beginning with simple exercises on binca fabric, we will move on to Aida fabric and then to finer fabrics when you will learn to work with an embroidery hoop or frame. You may also experiment with simple applique using machine embroidery stitching. You will design your own projects to embroider using all the new skills you have learnt.

By the end of the course students will be able to:

' Demonstrate 10 hand embroidery stitches
' design an image to use for a hand embroidery project
' identify suitable materials and equipment and plan an embroidery project
' transfer designs from paper to fabric
' make an small item using hand or machine stitching techniques or a combination of both

Teaching methods: Skills and knowledge will be learned initially through weekly visual demonstrations and simple projects. Students will then work independently supported by written hand-outs with visual diagrams, group discussions and 121 teaching.
Learning methods will include hands-on practical activities, reading handouts, following verbal and written instruction and group discussion.
Your progress is assessed by questions and answers during group discussions and 121 teaching, recording students' progress and achievement on an assessment sheet as they achieve the course objectives. Practical work produced is evidence of learning. Individual advice is always available and verbal feedback, support and encouragement is given to you throughout the course.

A selection of basic materials is provided but you will need to provide additional materials for your personal project work. Your tutor will advise on this. Please bring your basic sewing kit to the first session; to include needles, needle threader, pins, scissors, tape measure and any threads that you might like to use. Bring a notebook and pen, and an A4 folder for handouts and samples.

Other embroidery and textiles courses are available at the Mary Ward Centre. Your tutor will advise you on which course will suit you best or information is available from Reception.
Information about other learning opportunities can be obtained from Learn Direct: www.learndirect.co.uk tel: 0800 101 901, and from the following websites: www.floodlight.co.uk; www.hotcourses.com; www.citylit.ac.uk; www.wmcollege.ac.uk; www.morleycollege.ac.uk