Florals and plant studies can provide exciting inspiration for contemporary textile designs; explore some methods of drawing flora, and start to create ideas that could grow into a printed design.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
Experiment with drawing techniques to capture the energy and transient beauty of flora. Research different mediums to sketch expressive lines, make painterly marks, or add delicate tones. Be inspired by a range of textile designers; from Charles Rennie Mackintosh, to Vera Neumann, to Josef Frank to Laura Slater. Begin to look at, and record, with a designers eye, leading to drawings that are accurate or abstract, and have the potential for printed textile design.
What will we cover?
- Influence of some contemporary and historic textile designers; looking at realistic, abstract, geometric, or stylised floral designs. - Pencil and ink/wash drawings of flora. - Interpretation of drawings as textile designs.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Use a range of different drawing techniques to make representations of your flora. - Describe how to interpret drawings as a textile design. - Practise using flora drawings to experiment with some design styles.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is designed for complete beginners.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
- You will be taught using Zoom for the live sessions with your tutor. You will receive an email 2.5hrs before your session starts with details of the live session link. Please be aware you will need to check your email address associated with your account within this window. - We use Google Classroom E-learning platform which will store all tasks/notes/resources/ demo videos. You will need to login into our Google classroom before each sessions starts. - You will need a computer or laptop. Ideally with a fully updated google Chrome browser. - Using headphones with microphones will block out all room noise in sessions. - If you are using a tablet or mobile device you will need a microphone, and optionally a camera. - You will require a good broadband connection as mobile data 3G/4G or a mobile dongle will not provide sufficient Bandwidth for live sessions.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
- Flora that inspires you. This could be a flowers, a houseplant, sprigs of leaves and foliage, or a pot plant. - Black or sepia ink, brushes/dip-pen. - Variety of pencils; hard and soft, and a rubber. - Variety of pieces of light/white paper, any size, strange shapes are ok, but not too much smaller than A4: - Found or repurposed paper; brown, wrapping, patterned, tissue, wallpaper… - Scissors and Sellotape and a glue stick.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
City Lit offers a range of courses in dye, print, embroidery and stitch and contemporary crafts for beginners to advanced learners and professional practitioners. Please browse the website for upcoming courses. General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:30 – 12:00 then 15:00 – 17:00.
Amarjeet Nandhra is an artist and educator, originally trained in Graphic and Printed Communications. She went on to gain a first class honours degree in Creative Arts. She has exhibited nationally and internationally , both independently and as a member of Studio 21 Textile art and Textile Study Group . Amarjeet’s teaching experience covers a range of courses; printmaking, mixed media and contemporary stitched textiles. She has taught at Diploma level, City & Guilds and Adult Education, both in Spain and the UK. Her current practice explores the narrative of cloth within a social, economic and cultural setting. This work examines the hidden meaning, looking beyond the aesthetic sensibility of these textiles.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/textiles-experimental-hand-stitch165533Textiles: experimental hand stitchhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/v/o/vo714_exp_hand_stitch_2.jpg239239GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Art & design/Courses/vm/Courses for Making Your Own Art/Courses/Short Courses/Courses/Short Courses/Art & design/Courses/vm/Beginners courses in art & design/Courses/Art & design/Fashion & textiles/Courses/Art & design/Fashion & textiles/Embroidery & stitch/Courses/Online courses2285113217901341113414136081155173017311228516531341111321155Florals and plant studies can provide exciting inspiration for contemporary textile designs; explore some methods of drawing flora, and start to create ideas that could grow into a printed design. <div data-content-type="html" data-appearance="default" data-element="main">This course will stretch and challenge your thinking of how hand stitching can be used. Whether you are a beginner or have some experiences, it is an opportunity for you to adopt a more experimental approach with embroidery. Working through a series of guided exercises you will learn / revisit a range of stitches and techniques, and be encouraged to break the rules of traditional embroidery. The end outcome will be a range of exciting and imaginative samples that demonstrate a very individual and personal response. <br />
<br />
This is a live online course. You will need:<br />
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.<br />
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad if you don't have a computer.<br />
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.<br />
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.</div>94.9https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/v/o/vo714_exp_hand_stitch_3.jpg2564164Textiles: experimental hand stitch239239https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/v/o/vo714_exp_hand_stitch_2_2.jpgInStockDaytimeTueOnlineAvailable courses5-10 weeksWeekday2026-05-19T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceMay 2026Art & designVO179239239Textiles: experimental hand stitch191155239Amarjeet Nandhratextiles-experimental-hand-stitch/vo179-2526Florals and plant studies can provide exciting inspiration for contemporary textile designs; explore some methods of drawing flora, and start to create ideas that could grow into a printed design.0000-Available|2026-05-19 00:00:00Experiment with drawing techniques to capture the energy and transient beauty of flora. Research different mediums to sketch expressive lines, make painterly marks, or add delicate tones. Be inspired by a range of textile designers; from Charles Rennie Mackintosh, to Vera Neumann, to Josef Frank to Laura Slater. Begin to look at, and record, with a designers eye, leading to drawings that are accurate or abstract, and have the potential for printed textile design.Florals and plant studies can provide exciting inspiration for contemporary textile designs; explore some methods of drawing flora, and start to create ideas that could grow into a printed design.- Influence of some contemporary and historic textile designers; looking at realistic, abstract, geometric, or stylised floral designs.<br/>- Pencil and ink/wash drawings of flora.<br/>- Interpretation of drawings as textile designs.- Use a range of different drawing techniques to make representations of your flora.<br/>- Describe how to interpret drawings as a textile design. <br/>- Practise using flora drawings to experiment with some design styles.This course is designed for complete beginners.- You will be taught using Zoom for the live sessions with your tutor. You will receive an email 2.5hrs before your session starts with details of the live session link. Please be aware you will need to check your email address associated with your account within this window.<br/>- We use Google Classroom E-learning platform which will store all tasks/notes/resources/ demo videos. You will need to login into our Google classroom before each sessions starts.<br/>- You will need a computer or laptop. Ideally with a fully updated google Chrome browser. <br/>- Using headphones with microphones will block out all room noise in sessions. <br/>- If you are using a tablet or mobile device you will need a microphone, and optionally a camera.<br/>- You will require a good broadband connection as mobile data 3G/4G or a mobile dongle will not provide sufficient Bandwidth for live sessions.- Flora that inspires you. This could be a flowers, a houseplant, sprigs of leaves and foliage, or a pot plant.<br/>- Black or sepia ink, brushes/dip-pen.<br/>- Variety of pencils; hard and soft, and a rubber.<br/>- Variety of pieces of light/white paper, any size, strange shapes are ok, but not too much smaller than A4:<br/>- Found or repurposed paper; brown, wrapping, patterned, tissue, wallpaper…<br/>- Scissors and Sellotape and a glue stick.City Lit offers a range of courses in dye, print, embroidery and stitch and contemporary crafts for beginners to advanced learners and professional practitioners. Please browse the website for upcoming courses.<br/>General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:30 – 12:00 then 15:00 – 17:00.Fashion & textilesEmbroidery & stitchvirtual191239155VO179NONETue19/05/26 - 16/06/2610:00 - 13:0010:0013:005 sessions (over 5 weeks)55-10 weeksWeekdayOnlineOnlineAmarjeet NandhraSome experienceAvailable courses2026-05-19T00:00:00+00:00DaytimeMay 2026Art & design239239Textiles: experimental hand stitchtextiles-experimental-hand-stitch/vo179-2526Florals and plant studies can provide exciting inspiration for contemporary textile designs; explore some methods of drawing flora, and start to create ideas that could grow into a printed design.0000-Available|2026-05-19 00:00:00Experiment with drawing techniques to capture the energy and transient beauty of flora. Research different mediums to sketch expressive lines, make painterly marks, or add delicate tones. Be inspired by a range of textile designers; from Charles Rennie Mackintosh, to Vera Neumann, to Josef Frank to Laura Slater. Begin to look at, and record, with a designers eye, leading to drawings that are accurate or abstract, and have the potential for printed textile design.Florals and plant studies can provide exciting inspiration for contemporary textile designs; explore some methods of drawing flora, and start to create ideas that could grow into a printed design.- Influence of some contemporary and historic textile designers; looking at realistic, abstract, geometric, or stylised floral designs.<br/>- Pencil and ink/wash drawings of flora.<br/>- Interpretation of drawings as textile designs.- Use a range of different drawing techniques to make representations of your flora.<br/>- Describe how to interpret drawings as a textile design. <br/>- Practise using flora drawings to experiment with some design styles.This course is designed for complete beginners.- You will be taught using Zoom for the live sessions with your tutor. You will receive an email 2.5hrs before your session starts with details of the live session link. Please be aware you will need to check your email address associated with your account within this window.<br/>- We use Google Classroom E-learning platform which will store all tasks/notes/resources/ demo videos. You will need to login into our Google classroom before each sessions starts.<br/>- You will need a computer or laptop. Ideally with a fully updated google Chrome browser. <br/>- Using headphones with microphones will block out all room noise in sessions. <br/>- If you are using a tablet or mobile device you will need a microphone, and optionally a camera.<br/>- You will require a good broadband connection as mobile data 3G/4G or a mobile dongle will not provide sufficient Bandwidth for live sessions.- Flora that inspires you. This could be a flowers, a houseplant, sprigs of leaves and foliage, or a pot plant.<br/>- Black or sepia ink, brushes/dip-pen.<br/>- Variety of pencils; hard and soft, and a rubber.<br/>- Variety of pieces of light/white paper, any size, strange shapes are ok, but not too much smaller than A4:<br/>- Found or repurposed paper; brown, wrapping, patterned, tissue, wallpaper…<br/>- Scissors and Sellotape and a glue stick.City Lit offers a range of courses in dye, print, embroidery and stitch and contemporary crafts for beginners to advanced learners and professional practitioners. Please browse the website for upcoming courses.<br/>General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:30 – 12:00 then 15:00 – 17:00.Fashion & textilesEmbroidery & stitchconfigurable
