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20
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Arts Degree Show

Twenty Twenty

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Gridded beading sample

Gridded beading sample

Heavily beaded sample, exploring the pixelated imagery within an embroidered context. 100 hours of embroidery time.

Crepe paper embroidery

Crepe paper embroidery

Showcasing how embroidery can incorporate paper for decorative purposes.

Tatting & hand embroidery

Tatting & hand embroidery

This sample employed traditional shuttle tatting and hand embroidery. The fabric was hand-dyed in an indigo vat, then painted with bleach to create the patterned background.

Naturally dyed & digitally embroidered sample

Naturally dyed & digitally embroidered sample

This sample was naturally dyed with onion skins, digitally embroidered and then hand beaded & couched. The wire adds a 3D quality to the piece, allowing the piece to be shaped to the wearer's body.

Digital & hand embroidered cotton

Digital & hand embroidered cotton

Digital and hand embroidery with wire couched into the sample. The design was taken from Jessica's mixed media paintings.

Jessica Strain

Jessica is a multi-media textile graduate who focuses on combining heritage textile techniques with contemporary machine led processes.

Jessica’s graduate collection Nature Reclaiming Spaces, focuses on fusing the best of what modern machinery has to offer with specialist hand led embroidery and lacemaking techniques. Passion for manual processes can be seen throughout Jessica’s work; double exposure film photography, shuttle tatting and limerick lace were driving processes for this project.

Sustainability is at the heart of Jessica’s design process; she experimented with natural dyeing at home and spent hundreds of hours embroidering her pieces by hand. This intensive and considered approach to design is something she will take forward in her career. She aspires to continue creating work in a studio environment, honing her embroidery skills through future projects.

Dissertation

Investigating traditional embroidery industries in a digital world

Final year project

Nature reclaiming spaces

Awards

Graduate collection sponsored by Hawthorne & Heaney, digital embroidery provided for graduate collection.
Graduate collection sponsored by Green Fibres, fabric supplied for graduate collection.
'20 Diploma in Professional Studies

Experience

Freelance digital embroiderer, Hawthorne & Heaney. Working events for Dior & Ugg alongside my final year studies.

Placements

March 2019 - June 2019

Digital print designer, Fusion CPH

November 2018 - February 2019

Embroidery assistant, Hawthorne & Heaney

June 2018 - September 2018

Set decor assistant, Bearded Kitten