Fashion Knitwear Summer School - Short Courses at NTU

About

11 - 29 July 2022 | Duration - Monday to Friday, 10 am - 4 pm, three weeks
Nottingham Trent University
Course Fee - £1795

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Course Description

Nottingham Trent University has one of the most famous fashion and knitwear departments of all UK universities, with a team of expert tutors and specialist technicians that work with students and industry on innovative and creative projects.

This practical course combines the two interconnected disciplines of fashion and textiles through the medium of knitted fabric design.

It will start with design and trend research, followed by technical workshops on the industrial knitting machines to create knit samples, and will finish with garment construction.

By the end of three weeks, you’ll have a portfolio of work and a finished, accomplished and wearable piece of knitted fashion.

The course is aimed at anyone interested in knitting and learning to make up a complete garment.

You'll experience industry-level resources, explore design processes, extend your portfolio and create some amazing new work.

And all this takes place in the centre of Nottingham, a city that’s famous for its textile and fashion heritage.

During the course, you’ll learn about and experiment with:

 - ​​​​​Knitted fabric design - specialising in the industrial Dubied machine

 - Fashion knitwear trend research

 - Yarn and material awareness

 - Knitted garment construction techniques

 - The toiling process

 - Digital knit workshops.

 - You’ll also see the future of smart knitted textile technology.

The projects will enhance your knowledge of garment specification and terminology, enabling you to understand the potential in taking a piece from concept to manufacture.

By the end of the course you’ll have:

 - The expertise to produce samples and swatches on the Dubied knitting machine that you can develop in the future

 - The creative and technical ability to design, knit and construct a basic yet accomplished garment

 - Innovative, contemporary work for your portfolio

 - A new network of knit practitioners.

This course is ideal for a range of people, especially:

 - Students who have completed at least one year of an undergraduate course in fashion or textiles

 - Fashion or textile professionals looking for inspiration

 - Teachers and technicians looking for ways to engage with knit design and technology.

 Learning will take place during scheduled workshops including technical knit and garment make up sessions, sketchbook and research investigation, and portfolio development.

 You’ll be encouraged to use the University's extensive library resources and visit galleries or museums to help generate your own personal concepts.

Supporting your studio work, and to help put your skills and knowledge into a historical and global context, there’ll be a visit to a famous knitwear manufacturer (subject to availability) during the course.

Level: Beginner

Entry requirement: You should have an academic or professional background in fashion or textile design. Knit experience is not required.

Where you'll learn: You will be based in the Bonington building at the City Campus, our dedicated art and design hub.

You will have access to an excellent range of facilities and equipment in the knitwear studio, with knitwear hand flat workshops and dubied / domestic machines, and industrial flatbed hand knitting machines.

There are also knitwear make-up workshops, with circular machines, linkers, overlockers, lockstitch machines, and button hole machines and fully-fashioned Shima and Stoll v-bed digital machines.

You’ll also have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing.

Here's what our previous attendees have said:

'It has always been my dream to study fashion knitwear at NTU, and the course has been perfect.' IW, Switzerland

'I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at NTU. The course was as good as I hoped it would be, and all the staff involved were helpful and enthusiastic.' SC, UK

'I enjoyed getting to focus solely on knitting for three weeks and getting to use industry-standard machines and design software.' TF, Australia

Tutor profile:

Jane Thomson is an accomplished knitwear designer and co-founder of Acorn Conceptual Textiles.

She has over 25 years’ of experience in knitwear design and fabric development for the interior and fashion knitwear market.

Jane is highly skilled in the use of industrial and domestic machines, competent in both hand knit and crochet, and has worked with clients including Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Abercrombie and Fitch and French Connection.

A dedicated knitwear designer, lecturer and mentor, Jane teaches on both the BA Fashion Knitwear and Knitted Textiles, BA Textile Design and MA Fashion Knitwear design courses at NTU.

With her vast and varied experience in the knitwear industry, she’s been able to identify and develop creative talent in those she’s employed and lectured, helping them discover their potential.

Jane will be joined by CAD and garment make up specialists during the course.

Need accommodation?

You can book a self-catered, single room with private bathroom on our city campus, right next door to our studios and classrooms.