Description of Course

This course is based around investigative techniques and practical fabric skills. There is no set written paper and assessments are completed in project form with supporting fabric item manufacture.

Course Content

Fashion and Textile Technologies

This is the first unit to be completed and consists of learning practical skills and techniques such as using the sewing machine, constructing items from fabric and developing basic skills. We also cover the properties of textiles and how this affects their uses e.g. Why do we use cotton for summer clothing? The final outcome is to make a textile item.

Fashion and Textile Choices

This unit allows the learner to examine what affects different people’s choices of clothing and why different occupations have different uniforms from different textiles e.g. what properties does a firefighters uniform have to have OR what textiles are best for fast fashion items that are only meant to last a short time. Also covered is factors that affect the fashion industry and the consumer from Organic fabrics to Celebrity Endorsement.

Fashion and Textile Development

This unit concentrates on examining fashion trends and the history of fashion. Learners will be expected to investigate a choice of fashion trend and discover how it originated. The effects of trends in fashion on the fashion and textiles manufacturer will be highlighted. The final outcome is to manufacture an item to fit with a chosen trend.

Assessment

Unit assessments as detailed above and two practical tasks.

Course Assignment

The final assessment takes the form of an assignment in order to investigate a given brief which is worth 60% of the final mark and the manufacture of a textile item to meet the brief which is worth 40%.

Note: There is flexibility in the course allowing students to choose different items to design and construct. The choices include clothing, children’s clothing and toys, household items and bags.