For passionate quilter and sewing tutor Lucy Morrison, enrolling onto the Textiles Skill Stage 2 course with the School of Stitched Textiles marked a turning point in both her creative and professional journey. Despite years of dedication to patchwork and quilting, Lucy felt the absence of a formal qualification sometimes held her back. She was eager to fill in gaps in her technical knowledge, strengthen her confidence, and refine her creative voice—not only for her own practice, but also to enrich the teaching she provides to young sewing students.
What began as a quest for skill-building quickly became a transformative experience. Throughout the course, Lucy embraced new and inspiring design strategies, explored the expressive potential of machine embroidery, and deepened her understanding of how to develop and execute a cohesive artistic idea. Her natural passion for textiles, coupled with her desire to empower others through craft, made her a standout student—and her efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Lucy has been nominated by her tutor to take part in the Student Excellence Awards 2025 skill Stage 2, an exhibition that celebrates outstanding student work across all skill levels. You can view Lucy’s work and cast your vote for her.
In addition to her academic achievements, Lucy’s creative momentum continues. Her textile art has recently been accepted into a gallery exhibition, and she’s currently exploring improv quilting with renowned artist Sherri Lynn Wood. With plans to exhibit more, teach further, and potentially advance to Textiles Skill Stage 3, Lucy’s journey is far from over.
“I wanted to build my confidence in creating meaningful pieces of art, and I knew that a greater range of skills would allow me to create more refined work.”
Motivation for Studying
I learnt patchwork and quilting many years ago and have been obsessed with quilt-making and sewing ever since! However, I had no formal qualifications in any creative subject which meant I sometimes lacked confidence and technical knowledge.
I wanted to fill in gaps in my knowledge as I am mostly self-taught. I was also keen to learn new skills – I teach sewing to young people so I am always aiming to pass on this knowledge. I wanted to build my confidence in creating meaningful pieces of art and I knew that a greater range of skills would allow me to create more refined work.
I was interested in gaining a formal qualification to support my teaching role. The School of Stitched Textiles course has a strong design element so I knew it would also be beneficial to my art making practice. I applied for the Joan Harrison Bursary and was fortunate enough to win a place – I think it is marvellous that SST provide this support to those who might not otherwise be able to access the course.
Benefits of the course
I found it fascinating to learn new and different strategies for developing an idea into a design. I also loved the machine embroidery module which introduced me to several new techniques and tips for getting the most from my sewing machine.
I’m delighted that my work has just been accepted into a textile art exhibition opening in a gallery this month (February 2025). I am learning more about improv quilting with the wonderful quilter Sherri Lynn Wood and will continue to exhibit and teach. I’ll also definitely consider studying Textiles Skill Stage 3 with SST in the future.
Advice for new students
I learnt so much from this course and it was a really valuable experience in my development as an artist and teacher. If you would like to develop your skills or start creating your own designs, the course is very well structured and supported and it’s wonderful to be able to access it wherever you are located.
Start keeping a sketchbook straight away of images, ideas and colour schemes that appeal to you, so you have a rich source to draw on when it comes to creating your final piece. I would also recommend putting aside a regular weekly time to work on the course if you can, as steady progress will be the greatest support to your growth.
