Brief - SWATCH – ‘a feeling for cloth’

Stage One PROJECT

SWATCH – ‘a feeling for cloth’
Project to be reviewed at Unit 2 assessment 14th February 2011

Choice of fabric is crucial in design – it affects weight, texture and the mood of your collection.

Collect samples of fabric, yarns & fibres from as many places as you can, making them into a book of swatches. You could bind the book yourself - or cover an existing one to make it more interesting.

Whilst collecting, look for a range of unusual materials from as wide a range of sources as possible, including fabric shops, street markets, grannies’ cupboards, the attic, charity shops…

Analyse and collate your samples. Write notes as you go along - for example, what they are made of, what they remind you of, what their history might have been or what their most appropriate use might be.

Try to arrange and catalogue your samples within the book. Use dressmaker’s pins, paper clips or staples - No glue - to attach swatches.

Here are some sample headings:

· Natural/synthetic
· Nets & Laces
· Velvets
· Knits & weaves
· Paper
· light sensitive (S.M.A.R.T. fabric)
· antique
· stripes, dots and spots
· metallics, lurex & sequinned
· reactive
· re-usable
· text/image
· rainproof
· techno, industrial , rubber & latex
· embroidered & embellished
· denims
· pleated, quilted, seersucker
· wrappings
· carpet & curtains
· fragments, sackcloth, tape & string
· serge, drip-dry & Bri-nylon
· haberdashery
· dishcloths, flannel, Brillo
· checks
· fluffy & fur


This book should be an ongoing obsession – it is a resource for you and can be added to in the future.