Hello and welcome to the final newsletter from STITCHBUSINESS.

This is our last week as a City & Guilds centre, and the end of an era for us! We have been teaching at our independent centre for 14 academic years, and although STITCHBUSINESS will not be running a new programme of courses in the near future, we are not ruling out the idea in the longer term.

We opened our doors in September 2006, with just a handful of local students. Today we close our virtual doors, as we conclude our teaching in a different world – our last few students finished their studies online during lockdown due to the current global Covid-19 pandemic.

We would like to say a massive THANK YOU to all the students who chose to study with us at STITCHBUSINESS. From just along the road to the other side of the earth, we welcomed more than 200 students of different ages, abilities and cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Learners engaged with our experience as tutors and with the ethos of our small centre and came to study from the opposite ends of the British Isles (Isle of Wight and The Shetlands), and the furthest reaches from us (including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan). We taught onsite and online and offered seven different City & Guilds courses and our own masterclass in stitched textiles. Many of those who have studied with us gained multiple qualifications through our Centre, and some have gone on to win national awards for their embroidered textiles.

When students leave us, most continue to stitch with increased confidence and a greater understanding of the value of the design process. We are always pleased to hear from ex students who are enjoying designing and making their own creations and putting their skills into practice; some have gone on to set up their own businesses, form exhibiting groups, sell their textile artworks, teach related subjects and continue their learning in higher education or by participating in workshops with their local Guilds or international organisations. Due to personal circumstances, some students were unable to finish their courses, but despite this, they learned new skills and gained valuable experiences along the way.

Teaching is always a two-way process, and we learned from our students too. We will continue to develop our own practices and embark on our individual projects in the near future. In the meantime, we would like to extend our congratulations to our most recent graduates, and to all of you who have previously gained qualifications with us. Thank you for your support and for helping to make STITCHBUSINESS such a success. Do stay in touch!

Best wishes to you all

Julia and Tracy

We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Linda Williams who received the Worshipful Company of Broderers Prize for the outstanding work she produced for her City & Guilds Diploma in Stitched Textiles. Luckily The City and Guilds of London Institute Livery Company Prizegiving went ahead just before lockdown, and Linda was able to attend the ceremony with her husband and receive her award in person. Here she is in London receiving her prize (photo credit: Phil McCarthy) Well done Linda!

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING: news and views . . .

STITCHBUSINESS would like to extend congratulations to the following students who have completed a City & Guilds course with us recently: -

Jane Booth (Stockton on Tees, UK) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-06 Level 1 Certificate in Hand Embroidery

Marie Keen (Whitby, UK) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-18 Level 1 Certificate in Machine Embroidery

Marcel Bak (West Midlands, UK) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-39 Level 2 Certificate in Stitched Textiles

Katherine Andrews (Iowa, USA) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-39 Level 2 Certificate in Stitched Textiles

Hannah Kozich (Cockermouth, UK) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-61 Level 3 Certificate in Stitched Textiles

Susan Hensby (Australind, Australia) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-61 Level 3 Certificate in Stitched Textiles

Katherine Diuguid (North Carolina, USA) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-61 Level 3 Certificate in Stitched Textiles

Krystyna Stenhouse (Durham, UK) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-64 Level 3 Diploma in Stitched Textiles

Fiona Greenwood (Edinburgh, UK) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-64 Level 3 Diploma in Stitched Textiles

Linda Kathleen Williams (Weston-Super-Mare, UK) who has gained a
City & Guilds 7716-64 Level 3 Diploma in Stitched Textiles