This is a residential Summer School tutored by Textile Study Group members and open to everyone.
Our 2026 Summer School will be inspired by the themes of extract and animate. Each course will guide you through innovative approaches to a specific subject matter. You’ll explore captivating figurative and floral symbolism, create vibrant collages, and delve into the fascinating realms of design and composition. Immerse yourself in these dynamic explorations that will enrich your textile practice, providing gentle encouragement and support along the way.
We are currently accepting applications for new members. Full details of requirements and how to apply can be found on our website. (more info here) The closing date for applications is 31st May 2025.
We are a group of nationally and internationally recognised textile artists and tutors, well known for innovative and challenging approaches to art practice and contemporary teaching.
The objectives of the group are to cultivate and advance the practice of stitch and textile art through a broad spectrum of education – workshops, courses, lectures, publications, exhibitions – and to deliver expertise and excellence in all areas of textile art across all levels and ages of students.
The Textile Study Group retains a core membership of about 25 experienced textile teachers who value the importance of the development of their own individual art practice in their role as educators. Based throughout the UK, members meet for two weekends a year in a supportive but challenging environment to participate in workshops led by outside tutors from a wide range of disciplines.
Each member is required to undertake a critical five-year review with an appointed mentor, who adds their unique expertise to the process. These reviews are considered very valuable by members, as it gives them an opportunity to reflect on both their practice and teaching over the past five years, as well as discuss possible future developments. Our new mentor for the next five years in Sally Payne.
Patchworking Motherhood – Some reflections at the half way point.
‘Patchworking Motherhood has made Monday mornings something to look forward to!’
(comment from a group member)
The Patchworking Motherhood group is made up of six participants all with babies under 8 months old, alongside myself and Fiona, and two additional staff members to support the mothers and babies.
The project had a slow start initially, as some of the participants were unable to join the first session. This gave those of us who did attend a chance to get to know each other and for Fiona and myself to trial the format of the group in preparation for when it gets busier. We have been able to sit the group around one large table and hope to keep this layout throughout the project. One of our support staff members has commented on how she really enjoys the sense of community that the group provides. I think sitting together is a big part of this, along with the home-made cake that has become a weekly staple.
During the initial sessions I have been introducing the term matrescence to the group by reading a short piece from the book Matrescence by Lucy Jones. Matrescence is the term used to describe the transition to motherhood and the physical, psychological, and emotional changes that a mother goes through after the birth of a child. I want to draw a connection between the piecing together of textiles pieces through patchworking with the metaphorical re-piecing together of oneself in the process of becoming a mother.
I want participants to reconnect with their own preferences and connect with what they like, as personal taste is associated with our own identity which can feel lost when we become mothers. We talked about colours and patterns that reminded us of moments in our lives. With a pile of fabric offcuts in the middle of the table, I invited the group to select fabrics that they connected with, and this sparked some very personal choices and interesting conversations.
I must give special thanks to all those who donated fabrics for the project. We have a wonderful selection including Liberty’s offcuts, printed cottons and beautiful silks, which provide plenty of colour and pattern for participants to choose from.
The group had varying degrees of hand sewing experience prior to the project. As each participant found their way in both selecting fabrics and piecing them together by hand, their confidence and pace slowly increased. It was magical to experience the group, all chatting and noise one minute, fall into a silence as everyone, including the babies, appeared busy and full of concentration.
The babies have been fantastic. It’s a joy to have them in the room with all the energy they bring. They seem to enjoy laying on the playmat or being held by one of us. One mother appreciates having the extra hands on board saying
‘It means we can have some much-needed calm, quiet and focused time on what, for me, has become a new hobby’.
I look forward to reporting back again after the project has finished.
We’re thrilled to announce that the project was launched on Monday 14 October.
I met Fiona Wilkinson, lead occupational therapist for the Dorset perinatal community health team, at a wild swimming group in Studland, Dorset. Our shared interests in early motherhood, mental health, and my desire to bring textiles practice into this space, sparked the idea to apply for the STAR project award together.
Planning the project, from a simple idea to a proposal for an 8 week course, was incredibly rewarding. By working through the numbers on a spreadsheet, considering amount of participants, number of sessions, cost of materials, room hire, staffing and other costs, we were able to calculate and adjust the plan until we reached a viable project within the funding available. This led us to make decisions on where to focus the funds, and where we might save money, for example borrowing instead of buying.
Since this project is aimed at Dorset Perinatal Mental Health clients, offering the course free of charge was a priority. We also recognised the challenge of balancing caring for young children with engaging in textile craft. So, we budgeted for additional staff to help with children during sessions.
In planning the project, we reflected on whether an outcome was necessary. Creating a finished item is often the assumed goal of a textiles course, however, in my experience, a focus on end result can sometimes interfere with in-the-moment making. I want participants to engage intuitively with the process whilst letting go of expectation. However, we also recognised the value of completing a personal patchwork to keep as a memento of this time.
Our aim is to create a non-judgemental, safe and welcoming space where participants will be invited to focus on themselves for the time that they are with us. This will include plenty of tea, coffee, and maybe even cake! We will encourage a light-hearted and instinctive no rules approach to piecing and stitching, whilst supporting participants to work to their own interest and pace to complete a textiles piece that will feel meaningful to them within the timeframe.
Participants are very welcome to bring any fabrics they would like to use for their patchwork, although this isn’t necessary as we have gathered together a large supply of materials and plenty of embroidery threads for them to rummage through and select from.
I look forward to reporting back once the project is well underway, and would like thank the Textile Study Group for their generous award and for selecting our project, Patchworking Motherhood.
