Module 1004: Embellishment and Textile Art

Location: This course is delivered online via Zoom & WhatsApp

Duration: 10 Week Embroidery Course (1 x 3 hour session per week for 10 consecutive weeks) 

Explore Embellishment and Textile Art, where intricate stitch techniques bring needlework to life, creating raised, lifelike designs that emerge from the fabric. In this unit, you'll delve into the contemporary combination of padding, layering, and layered beading, transforming a flat surface into a textured, sculptural piece inspired by the ‘Living Surfaces’ brief.

With the guidance of our expert tutors, you'll master the art of replicating 3D sculpture and form using threads, crystals, beads, and bullions, exploring a diverse array of technical studies. As well as textile elements including fabric manipulation and felting.

Entry Requirements:  No formal qualifications are required for joining the course, but those who have never embroidered before are encouraged to attend at least one Hand & Lock online course first.

The Living Surface

Each of our Diploma units has a bespoke design brief to help you begin to craft your design ideas. *Disclaimer: The amount of inspiration you take from the brief is up to you, the brief is designed as a guide to assist you in starting the design process and can be taken in any direction you desire as long as it is explained. 

This module invites you to step beyond the traditional boundaries of embroidery and explore textile art as a medium for experimentation, expression and material discovery. Inspired by the extraordinary textures, structures and layered complexity of the natural world, you will investigate how stitch, fabric and embellishment can be manipulated to create richly tactile, contemporary textile artworks. 

Nature is filled with remarkable surfaces. Delicate lichen creeping across stone, tangled woodland undergrowth, weathered bark, intricate fungi, coral formations, feathers, seed pods, mineral deposits and microscopic cellular structures all reveal incredible variations in texture, rhythm and pattern. These landscapes remind us that beauty is rarely smooth or uniform; instead, it emerges through accumulation, growth, decay and constant transformation. Begin by observing nature closely. Look beyond obvious floral imagery and consider the hidden worlds that often go unnoticed. Explore macro photography, botanical illustration, geological formations, marine life, aerial landscapes and microscopic structures. Investigate repetition, growth patterns, erosion, layering, transparency, density and organic movement. 

Throughout this module, you will embrace a spirit of curiosity and play, using embroidery not simply as decoration but as a means of building sculptural surfaces and expressive textiles. Traditional stitch techniques become starting points rather than fixed rules, encouraging you to experiment freely with materials, scale and process. You will explore an exciting range of contemporary embellishment techniques alongside mixed media processes, learning how layering, manipulation and surface intervention can transform fabric into something richly dimensional and visually engaging. Threads may become structural, beads may create topography, and unexpected materials may find new purpose within your work.

Week 1: Introduction to the course

Students meet each other and tutors

Course overview (mark schemes, submitting work, deadlines, how the course will run)

Brief Overview (review of the content of the brief for the Module)

Research and Design (design techniques, creating moodboards, using resources, Hand & Lock resources, guidelines for research and design)

Guidelines of work that need to be produced 

Week 2: Design Session

In this session you will learn the basics of designing. Taking elements of your mood board and creating an inspiring composition. 

Your tutor will show you several different ways to start creating your initial design ideas as well as some drawing exercise to get you warmed up.

Week 3 - 4: Embroidery Sampling

Embroidery Sampling - week by week sessions of taught content using the embroidery kit and materials provided to create your class sampler

Students will be working on their design ideas in their own time. Emailing ideas over to the tutor for feedback.

Week 5: Application & Embroidery Sampling

Design Application presentation 

Embroidery Sampling - week by week sessions of taught content using the embroidery kit and materials provided to create your class sampler

Week 6: Embroidery Sampling

Embroidery Sampling - week by week sessions of taught content using the embroidery kit and materials provided to create your class sampler

Week 7: Final Design Presentations

Students to present their final designs and talk about their designs to students and tutors 

Week 8: Stitch Planning

Stitch plan presentation, students will learn what is required and how to turn their design into a set of stitch plans. 

Tailored help and advice sessions for students as they realise their final designs tweaking stitching and plans week by week

Week 9: Combining Embroidery Techniques

Learn how to take all of the embroidery techniques you have learnt and create something new and relevant to your final design.

Week 10: Your Formative Hand In 

Final session with the tutor, help and advice on designs, submission guidelines etc. 

How to create a finalised Diploma Module Submission, looking at past students' submissions.

After the live taught teaching session (optional)

Week 24: Formative Submission 

All students hand in their first submission for feedback and advice.

Between week 24 - 104: Final submission 

Students will have two years from the start of the course to create their final piece. 

Kit List

Included within this course is a generous kit of basic materials for you to produce the fundamental technique samples within this unit of the Diploma.

We encourage you to be as creative as possible and we would love for you to source your own original materials to add to the final piece you create with us. When you sign up to the course we will share our comprehensive list of suppliers for any materials you would like to purchase additionally. This is not mandatory but it is encouraged as you will be able to explore individual design creativity. Students will also receive 10% off the Hand & Lock shop online and in person for the duration of their course. 

You will need to source a slate frame or 10 inch embroidery hoop for working each unit (this frame/hoop can then be used across all of your units).Students will also need to have drawing and designing implements for the design elements of the course. Please ensure you have pens, pencils, coloured pencils, paints and any additional materials you would like to design with. 

See below for Technical and Shipping information, please make sure to read all of this before booking

Embroidery Design Elements

Each unit of the Diploma includes an element of hand embroidery design. This can often be seen as intimidating but we encourage you to see it as the most exciting aspect of the course as you can craft your own pieces. Our tutors will guide you through the design process from creating moodboards and researching your designs to creating your final stitch and padding plans. No prior design or drawing experience is required for the course.

Embroidery Techniques

Stacked beads, bead loops,3D bugle bead rows, sequin application,crushed bullions, bullion loops, goldwork knots, chipping, couched bullions, soft string padding, cutwork, beads over padding, mixed couching using experimental threads, pearl purl application, essing, needle felting, ribbon embroidery, applique, hand pleating, hand smocking, fabric manipulation, feather stitch, french knots, twisted knots, satin stitch, turkey rug

You will also learn how to take these techniques and apply them to your design. Learning how to manipulate and experiment with the traditional embroidery to create something new and exciting. 

Assessment Information

Assessment of work is completely optional, students will be awarded with a Certificate of Completion if they choose not to submit their work for marking and a Certificate of Achievement if they do. The Certificate of Achievement will detail the level achieved through the assessment process. There are three submission points. The first two submissions occur as you are completing each unit to provide you with detailed feedback as you work through the unit to give you a clear direction and understanding of improvements and developments. The final submission is then used to determine your final assessment mark.