Louise T Davies and Heidi Ambrose Brown led a workshop on making GCSE textiles learning more active and engaging. They demonstrated several hands-on activities teachers could do with students to reinforce key concepts like fiber properties, fabric construction, and 3D shaping. These included dyeing fiber samples, finger knitting, and modeling with non-woven fabrics. The presenters emphasized learning by doing and giving students opportunities to apply their skills through focused practical tasks and design projects. Upcoming professional development events were also announced.

1. © The Design and Technology Association
Textiles Technology
GCSE Rescue – workshop
Funded by the All Saints Educational Foundation

2. © The Design and Technology Association
Welcome and introduction
1. Ensure that you can hear us
– headphones do help
– Ensure your speakers are not muted
– Use audio wizard (meeting on menu bar)
– Type in the chat box on screen if you are
having trouble hearing
2. If you are still having difficulties call
01789 470007

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Introduce yourselves
Please type in the name and town of your
school in the Chat Box

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Biography
• Louise T Davies joined the Association as Deputy Chief Executive in 2005
after six years at QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority), advising
DfE on D&T national curriculum and examinations and offering advice
nationally and internationally on curriculum and assessment issues. She
manages all the food and textiles technology national programmes at the
Association. She has published over 40 D&T textbooks and speaks at national
and international conferences and runs numerous courses for teachers.
• Heidi Ambrose Brown works as a Textile consultant within Design and
Technology and her primary aim is to raise the profile of Textiles within
schools. Heidi acts as part of the West Midlands Regional Support Centre for
Digital Design and Technology and has most recently written the D&T
Association’s “Get Organised”, “Engineering Elegance” and two of the “D&T
STEM Careers Resources for Textiles.”

6. © The Design and Technology Association
Making GCSE Learning Active and Engaging
This session should give you ideas to develop quick practical
tasks which will help to embed skills and knowledge
required for GCSE.
• Properties of Fibres
• Fabric construction
• 3 dimensional work
• Time for questions
• Evaluation
• Next steps and next events

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Linking with previous on line sessions…….
• Improving your class grades in controlled
assessment - Julie Boyd
• Improving your class grades in the final
examination - Julie Boyd
Focus on variety of ways to convey theoretical knowledge and understanding.
Methods of helping students become more independent workers – creating
greater ownership and sense of achievement.
Download these sessions from www.data.org.uk - search GCSE Textile Rescue

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How many products do your students
make during their GCSE course?
Excluding controlled assessment.
Type your thoughts in the Chat box and
press return or enter on your computer

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“LEARN BY DOING”
Practical ways of re-enforcing theory/techniques:
• Properties of fibres
• Fabric construction
• Shaping products

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PROPERTIES OF FIBRES
Using multi fibre strip to demonstrate
differential dye uptake.
Not everything dyes in a bucket of Dylon!
www.sdc.org.uk

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Mauve and Aqua samples were
Procion dye.
Sample on right was Navy Dylon
Cold water dye. – Nylon goes
flesh coloured!

12. © The Design and Technology Association
WORKING WITH PROCION DYES
1. Cut up samples of different types of fibres
e.g. wool fibre (felting), nylon net, polyester,
cotton calico, silk, cotton muslin…..
2. Place in a microwavable poly bag and add
dye plus chemical water. Squish it around
and put in microwave for 2/3 minutes.
3. Leave it for 24 hours, rinse and admire
different shades.

13. © The Design and Technology Association
What do I do with all these bits
of fabric?
Layer them onto a backing fabric
Place some stitch and tear behind
Free machine embroidery over the top
Cut out a rectangle
Iron on lamifix to give a shiny finish
Cut out contrasting lining
Iron on interfacing to stiffen further if
required
Stitch on Velcro fastening
Fold up and zig zag stitch on right sides to
make………………………….

14. © The Design and Technology Association
MEDIA CASE!
• PROPERTIES OF FIBRES
• DIFFERENTIAL DYE UPTAKE
• COLOURING FABRICS
• USING INTERFACINGS
• FREE MACHINE
EMBROIDERY
• CHOOSING CLOSURES
• APPLYING AN IRREVERIBLE
FINISH – LAMIFIX
• PURPOSE OF A LINING
• CHOOSING MACHINE
STITCHING ACCORDING TO
PURPOSE
• TESTING COLOURFASTNESS
• ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
LINKED TO DYEING

15. © The Design and Technology Association
LINK TO THEORY – TESTING FABRICS
www.satra.co.uk
COLOUR TRANSFER
FROM SHOULDER STRAPS
Useful DVDs relevant to adding
colour to fabric and subsequent
testing.
Considers Environmental issues
re water pollution from residual
chemicals in effluent.

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How do you deliver properties of fibres
and fabrics?
Is it an area that your students lack real
knowledge of?
Type in your thoughts and ideas?

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FABRIC CONSTRUCTION
• Difficult to do in class if using traditional techniques
• Need specialist equipment e.g. knitting machines or
looms
• Time consuming and can be expensive
• Students don’t tend to respond positively.

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How well do your students
understand how fabrics are
made?
What are the problems you face
in communicating fabric
construction?
Let us know in the chat box.

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FINGER KNITTING
Sari yarn – finger knitted into long strip –
coiled around to make traditional coil pot –
stitch layers together as you coil.
Try making
own yarn from
old T- shirts.

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CREATING WOVEN FABRIC
Cut up strips of fabric and
experiment with weaving
together to give different
effects.
Demonstrate warp, weft,
bias.
Students understand plain,
twill and sateen weaves
and why long floats can be
a problem.
They can make up their
own colour and weave
effects.
TIP: lay woven strips on top of iron on interfacing.
Press to keep in place before stitching.

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Add stitching over the surface to
unify the pieces.
Cover with PVA glue – mix it with
glitter to make it sparkle.
Another example of an
irreversible chemical finish.
Fabric used to make a focused practical
task e.g. bag to include construction
skills such as: making a basic pattern,
pleats, lining, creating straps.
Majority of product made by reusing
old fabric and old components.

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Links to theory
• Issues concerning sustainability and recycling
• Fabric construction in industry
• Methods of fabric construction determine
possible end use

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Useful resources from
Practical Action

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Generally Textile teachers are
good at recycling projects.
Tell us what works well for your students.

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SHAPING TEXTILES TO CREATE
3D PRODUCTS
• Could be garments – we are 3 dimensional!
• Could be much broader to include pots/
containers/boxes or lighting.
3 D work does capture boys imagination.
Using non woven fabrics also blurs the
boundaries – is it paper, textile or plastic.
True reflection of modern products.

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Quick Containers
• Working with graph paper, start with a
square and add triangles that will be cut
out.
• Bring the cut edges together and you have
made a dart – tape in place.
• Students quickly model lots of ideas.

28. © The Design and Technology Association
QUICK RESULTS!
Paper template transferred
onto pelmet Vilene.
This can be transfer printed
onto using the pens/crayons
or by sublimation printing.
Alternatively just colour with
paint effects!
Darts are joined by stitching
on the outside with zig zag
stitch.
Add further embellishments as
required.

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MODELLING IS IMPORTANT
• Challenge the attitude that “the first idea is
the one I will make!”
• Try modelling in PlayDoh for 3D products.

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USING NON WOVEN FABRICS
• Easy to work with.
• Alternative to felt – used throughout primary
school.
Gives a direct link to the
extent to which non
wovens are used in a
diverse range of industries
– from automotive to
geotextiles, from medical
to aerospace.

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How do students remember
what has been learnt during
these making activities?
• Students photograph key stages and develop them into own power
point or add written notes to them.
• Link the focussed practical task to an exam design question
e.g. create some 3D work then get them to design an artefact for a
souvenir shop.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?

32. © The Design and Technology Association
Set a design task where they will need to apply their newly acquired
knowledge to a different problem – this could link into the
basic/intermediate and higher level skills boards.
Skill Basic Intermediate Advanced
SEAMS
Flat/plain Curved French
Overlocked Doubled stitched Lap
Overlaid seam Taped seam
Piped
EDGES
Overlocking Faced edge Bound edge
Machine stitched
narrow hem
Rolled edge – hand
stitched
Cover stitch (overlocker)
Hand stitched hem Piped/corded
FASTENINGS
Velcro Buttons Zips
Poppers Drawstring Covered buttons and
Rouleaux loop
Drawstring Eyelets
Parachute clip Hook and eye
‘D’ rings
SHAPING
Darts Pleats from a pattern
(knife, inverted/box)
Elastic sewn to fabric
Gathers Elastic in casing Pleats – creating own
Tucks
E.G. Design a bag using skills from blue and red column – include
bound edge, pleats, zips…
Make it an design project.

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Reviewing your questions
• Have your questions regarding making learning more
active been answered?
• Is there something else we can help you with?

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Evaluation
Please record in the chat box
• How useful you have found this session
• The topics that you would still like help
with
• THANK YOU for taking part and to our
speakers

35. © The Design and Technology Association
Next events- 2 hour practical
workshops
Sat 28th April
10.30-12.30
Husqvarna Studio, Coles Sewing Centre Nottingham
(Julie Boyd) £15 BOOK NOW
April date tbc
4.30-6.30pm
London (Julie Messenger) £15
Date coming soon
4.30-6.30pm
Gloucester (Julie Messenger) £15
Sat 7th July
University of Keele (Julie Boyd)
£30 for 2 hour workshop 11-1pm ONLY
£150 for whole conference event 9.30-4.30
including keynotes, workshops and lunch
BOOK NOW
BOOK email Yvonne@data.org.uk
01789 473917

36. © The Design and Technology Association
On line conferences
Tues 1st May
2012
Using new technologies to improve
GCSE grades
Mon 2nd July
2012
Reviewing the best resources to use
in teaching GCSE
Sign up for events www.data.org.uk
Yvonne Davies 01789 473917
Yvonne@data.org.uk

37. © The Design and Technology Association
Thank you for joining us
If you have any queries, please do contact
the D&T Association www.data.org.uk
See you at the next GCSE Textiles
Rescue event

38. © The Design and Technology Association
With thanks to our funders