Enrolment Advice:
How the Courses Work:
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How The Courses Work:
- Distant Stitch has devised a Foundation Module as a ‘taster’ for the full Certificate Course.
- Both the Certificate and Diploma Courses have been written and is administered by your tutor, Siân Martin.
- The Course is verified by City and Guilds of London Institute at Urchfont Manor College, the official City and Guilds’ Centre for Distant Stitch.
- Both the Certificate and Diploma Courses are divided into six Modules and are each designed to be completed in 3 years.
- Each Module contains written instructions, diagrams, illustrations and colour copies of samples and designs around one particular design theme in each Module.
- Along with the first Module, each student will receive an informative Induction Manual.
- A Summer School is arranged every year at Urchfont Manor College. Students are encouraged to attend these events if possible, but it is not an essential part of the Course.
- A City and Guilds Student Logbook describes the syllabus in detail. It will be sent to the student on registration. This is filled in and signed by tutor as each part of the syllabus is completed.
- Students are expected to provide their own reference books, equipment and materials. A sewing machine is essential for the Course. Guidance is given on all these. Access to a photocopying machine and a computer is helpful but not essential for some of the design work.
- The copyright of the Course material belongs to the tutor, Siân Martin. No part of any Module can be copied in any form or given to any other person or organisation. Students will be asked to sign an undertaking to that effect.
- The student’s coursework is continually assessed by the Tutor and the Internal verifier at Urchfont Manor.
- Students will be requested sign a form to authenticate their work for each Module.
- On completion of either the Certificate or the Diploma Course, the student has thre opportunity to take part in an exhibition at Urchfont Manor’s Textile Open Day. Students unable to come to Urchfont Manor College can send selected pieces of their work.
- On successful completion of either Course, students will receive a formal certificate from City and Guilds to acknowledge that they have reached the required standard of either the Certificate or Diploma Course.
- Each Module is paid for in advance. On completion of each Module, an order form will be sent to initiate the next.
- The City and Guilds registration fee will be paid on enrolment. The City & Guilds Student Log Book, issued free after registration, will be your property. It will be signed by Siân Martin, your assessing tutor as you complete each Module.
Online Students
- Enrolment and payment of the first Module plus City and Guilds registration is made online by credit card via Paypal, a secure method of making online payments or by cheque drawn on a UK bank. ONLINE STUDENTS will download each Module after payment has been completed, allowing five working days. Instructions on downloading are on the website.
- Advice on how to store and handle the downloaded Module will be given in the Induction Manual.
- ONLINE STUDENTS are invited to set up their own personal blog to show their work to the Tutor which saves time and postage for you. A digital camera and/or scanner will be necessary for this.
- ONLINE STUDENTS will notify the tutor by an email that new work has been added to their blog. They will receive thoughtful and detailed written response from the tutor by email. Distant Stitch is closed during August.
Postal Students
- A student who opts to be a POSTAL student will receive their Modules in a printed and bound format, one at a time. The cost of each Module includes - the Module book, two return postage costs from tutor to student (once for the Foundation Module).
- A POSTAL student can choose to pay by credit card via Paypal or by cheque drawn from a UK bank.
- A POSTAL student can choose to send their work to the Tutor by post or by setting up a blog.
- The return postage UP TO 2Kg (ie. small packet rate) for each half a Module to the student is included in the cost of each Module. Students need to enclose the return postage of extra small elements in which they need further advice.
Foundation Module Outline
- The Foundation Module has been devised for you as an introduction to the idea of learning through a correspondence course so you can find out whether this method suits you and answers your needs.
- The Foundation Module is about half the length of a full Certificate Module. It is a ‘self- contained’ series of exercises that is not part of the City and Guilds syllabus but is similar enough to give students an idea of the time commitment and work involved.
- The Foundation Module is designed to be completed in two months although you may take longer if necessary.
- The tutor will also be able to assess your particular needs in order to address the future Modules to more specific abilities and needs.
- The presentation of your work for this Foundation Module is to be in the form of a diary or small notebook based on a stone wall - or any surface that is convenient to you in your neighbourhood that gives you the opportunity to investigate colours, textures.
Certificate Course Outline
- The Certificate Course is divided up into six self contained Modules, each with its own design theme, embroidery techniques and finished embroidered item.
Design Certificate Course :
- Each design theme is quite general so the student can choose his or her own individual variation within the theme. Simple design exercises are described for the student to follow. Media such as inks, paints, and crayons will be tried on a variety of different paper surfaces using implements such as brushes, sponges, pens and anything appropriate. The design work covered is based on SHAPE, COLOUR, TEXTURE, FORM and LINE. These elements are used to interpret the embroidery techniques
Embroidery Techniques Certificate Course:
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Each Module will explain a range of techniques and methods using text, diagrams and colour illustrations of actual examples. The student will be given advice on the appropriate fabrics, threads, technical hints and ways of exploring further possibilities and variations. Each Module will add to a series of technical and exploratory samples.
Resolved samples, which are ‘special’ samples, are worked from specified designs within the Module that demonstrate how the technical methods are resolved from a design into an embroidery technique.
Finished Embroidery Items Certificate Course:
- Most Modules will ask you to make a completed embroidered item combining the design work and the embroidery techniques in the Module. These items relate to four finished assessment pieces that City and Guilds require: an embroidered panel, a wall hanging, an accessory and a three-dimensional item
Certificate Course Module 1
- Design Theme – Shape and colour from research theme based on symbolism.
- Techniques - Appliqué, layering, cut work methods
- Finished item - A resolved sample developed from above.
Certificate Course Module 2
- Design Theme - Animal markings to explore texture, pattern, tone and proportion.
- Techniques – Use of fabric dyes and paints, machine stitchery and decorative piecing methods.
- Finished item - A functional, three-dimensional item and a resolved sample.
Certificate Course Module 3
- Design Theme – Spirals to explore line, shape and colour.
- Techniques - Beads, cords, tassels and buttons.
- Finished item - Accessory - buttons/jewellery plus a resolved sample.
Certificate Course Module 4
- Design Theme - Media and lettering to explore line, texture and form.
- Techniques – Paper-making and drawn thread work.
- Finished item - An embroidered panel as part of an item such as a book cover plus a resolved sample.
Certificate Course Module 5
- Design Theme – Texture and form in landscape.
- Techniques - Hand stitchery and fabric manipulation techniques; gathering, quilting, tucks and folds.
- Finished item – An embroidered panel and a resolved sample.
Certificate Course Module 6
- Design Theme – Colour and texture in a study of water and sky.
- Techniques - Fabric manipulation and free machining methods.
- Finished item - Embroidered wall-hanging
Diploma Course Outline
- The Diploma Syllabus is divided up into two units, which are outlined below. These are re-arranged and organised into student-friendly themed Modules.
- The Diploma Correspondence Course comprises six Modules, encompassing the syllabus within their design themes and embroidery techniques.
- Ideas to develop the four assessment pieces from the Embroidery Unit are spread between the six Modules to help the student maintain a steady pace of work during the three years of the course
Research for Design Unit Diploma Course:
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Each student chooses his or her own personal topic for study. This should be a topic that can give inspiration and ideas on which to base at least one of the four assessment pieces. It should be a non-embroidery topic.
- Module 1 will cover the necessary study techniques to start the student working on the Research Unit.
- A personal note/sketch book will accompany this study.
Embroidery Unit Diploma Course :
- Four finished embroidered items derived from the four design studies: a large-scale piece, a functional three-dimensional item, a panel or hanging, an item to incorporate the use of metallic threads.
- A portfolio of samples showing techniques detailed in the syllabus; these techniques will be explored in samples within each Module.
- An illustrated study of embroidery history and designers.
Diploma Course Module 1
- Design Theme – Making a sketchbook; designing exercises using studies of texture/surface relief, colour and shape/pattern studies based on student’s personal Research Topic.
- Techniques –Stitched texture and colour mixing, fabric colouring.
- Assessment Piece - Design and samples for first assessment piece
Diploma Course Module 2
- Design Theme - Study of Bayeux Tapestry and Opus Anglicanum and shi-sha mirrors - design studies based on the figure and head.
- Techniques - Laidwork, underside couching and use of metallics and transfoils.
- Assessment Piece - Design and samples for second assessment piece.
Diploma Course Module 3
- Design Theme - Study of Tudor Strapwork and borders
- Techniques – Braids, ribbons, fabric construction, edges
- Assessment Piece – Making and completion of the two assessment pieces
Diploma Course Module 4
- Design Theme - Study of flowers in historical and foreign embroidery
- Techniques – Slips, raised work, layers, felt.
- >Assessment Piece - Working and samples for third assessment piece
Diploma Course Module 5
- >Design Theme – Texture and form in landscape.
- >Techniques - Hand stitchery and fabric manipulation techniques; gathering, quilting, tucks and folds.
- >Finished item – An embroidered panel and a resolved sample.
Diploma Course Module 6
- Design Theme - Foreign study of foreign embroidery + recycling
- Techniques – Beads and, paper-making. Use of re-cycled materials.
- Assessment Piece – Making and completion of third and fourth assessment pieces.
