1. construction technique and a decorative technique?
Learning Objective:
What is the difference between a construction technique and a decorative technique?
How can they be applied to Textile products?
What components could be used on Textile products?
What is difference
between a
construction technique
and a decorative technique?
Starter - card sort activity
Complete the card sort to decide if each of the given techniques is decorative or construction.

2. Construction techniques
Learning Objective:
What is the difference between a construction technique and a decorative technique?
How can they be applied to Textile products?
What components could be used on Textile products?
Construction techniques
A construction technique is anything that relates the construction or manufacture of a textile product. They can be a process that holds the fabric together, creates a neat finish to the fabric or provides shaping.
Examples of construction techniques…
Seams
- plain seam (the flattest seam of all, seam edges need to be neatened)
- double stitched/flat felled seam (a self neatening seam used for jeans)
- French seam (all edges are enclosed, used for lightweight clothing)
- Overlocked seam (trims and neatens the edge whilst stitching)
Darts
Gathers
Pleats
Hem

3. Learning Objective:
What is the difference between a construction technique and a decorative technique?
How can they be applied to Textile products?
What components could be used on Textile products?

4. Decorative techniques
Learning Objective:
What is the difference between a construction technique and a decorative technique?
How can they be applied to Textile products?
What components could be used on Textile products?
Decorative techniques
A decorative technique is a process that adds pattern, surface decoration or embellishment to a product.
Examples of decorative techniques…
Applique (fabric shapes are sewing onto a background fabric using a zigzag stitch)
Embroidery (involves decorative stitches, for example cross stitch and chain stitch)
CAD embroidery (produced with a computerised sewing machine)
Printing
- Block printing (a block with a cut design in relief ‘stamps’ onto fabric)
- Stencilling (uses card with a cut out design and colour is applied through the cut out)
- Screen/silk printing (dye is place on a nylon screen in a wooden frame and pushed through using a squeegee)
- Heat transfer printing (for example sublimation printing)
Dyeing (dyes need a mordant to fix the colour in place)
- Tie dying and batik (both examples of using a resist method for dyeing which stops the dye from coming in contact with the fabric)
- Direct dyeing (a process that can only be done once in a single colour)
- Disperse dying (involves the fibre being place in hot liquid and applying dye under pressure)

5. Learning Objective:
What is the difference between a construction technique and a decorative technique?
How can they be applied to Textile products?
What components could be used on Textile products?

6. Used to enhance, embellish
Learning Objective:
What is the difference between a construction technique and a decorative technique?
How can they be applied to Textile products?
What components could be used on Textile products?
Components
Used to enhance, embellish
or add functionality.
Bindings
Fastenings
Interfacings
Buttons
Zips
Velcro
Press
studs

7. What are the top 3 facts or
Learning Objective:
What is the difference between a construction technique and a decorative technique?
How can they be applied to Textile products?
What components could be used on Textile products?
Activity:
Use the revision guide (pg54-57, pg62-63, pg48) to help you produce revision resources focussing on…
Decorative techniques
Construction techniques
Components (add to the mind map you just started)
Make sure you understand the process involved in at least 1 construction technique and
1 decorative technique.
What are the top 3 facts or
pieces of information
you will take away from
this lesson?