Rachel Drake Art/Foiled and Stitched Textiles

  • £49

Foiled and Stitched Textiles

  • Course
  • 19 Lessons

Take your foiling further by combining it with the beauty of stitch. In this hands-on course, you’ll learn how to layer, foil, and embroider fabric to create shimmering, textured samples full of depth and character. Using simple, accessible techniques, you’ll explore how stitch and foil can work together to transform fabric surfaces into something truly unique.

Explore the Beauty of Foiled and Stitched Textiles

In this course, you’ll learn how to combine shimmering foils with layers of fabric, thread, and organza to create tactile, light-catching surfaces. You’ll experiment with freehand machine embroidery, simple hand stitching, and layering techniques to build texture and pattern.

Each section guides you step by step — from preparing fabrics and adhesives to foiling, stitching, and finishing your samples. The focus is on ideas, play, and creative discovery, not perfection or complex stitching.

Fabulous course!!! I've learnt so much, thank you!!! I would like to do your first course on foiling.

Jane Baskerville

Take a look at what the course is all about.

Why You’ll Love This Course

  • Accessible for Everyone – You don’t need to be an experienced embroiderer to enjoy this course. The techniques are simple, adaptable, and designed for all skill levels.

  • Combining Foil and Stitch – Explore how stitch can change the way foil catches the light and adds movement and depth to your textiles.

  • Idea-Led Approach – Instead of working toward a single outcome, you’ll build a collection of unique fabric samples — perfect for future projects, collage, or inspiration boards.

  • A Natural Follow-Up – If you’ve completed Textile Foiling, this course takes your skills further, but it’s also a complete, stand-alone experience for new learners.

What You Might Discover

Sometimes it’s the smallest experiment — a new stitch, a layer of foil, or an unexpected colour combination — that sparks your next big idea. This course gives you space to play, explore, and enjoy those moments when something just clicks.

What You’ll Learn

Part 1: Preparing Backgrounds and Exploring Adhesives

We’ll start by layering fabrics, applying adhesives through stencils, and painting Bondaweb with watery acrylics to create crinkled textures. You’ll prepare a set of fabrics ready for stitching and foiling.

Part 2: Machine Embroidery and Foiling

Learn how to build texture and pattern using freehand machine embroidery, layering organza, and experimenting with adhesive, Bondaweb and Mistyfuse. You’ll be foiling directly onto stitched fabrics, exploring how stitch and foil interact to create rich surfaces.

Adding Stitch and Embellishment

Bring your samples together by layering organzas and adding simple hand stitches for contrast and detail. You’ll see how these small touches elevate your foiled textiles, ready to use as inspiration for future projects.

What's Included

  • Step-by-step video lessons — clear, close-up guidance.

  • Lifetime access — learn at your own pace and revisit anytime.

  • Encouragement to explore, experiment — make the process your own

By the end, you’ll have a beautiful collection of stitched and foiled samples that sparkle with texture and individuality — and plenty of ideas to carry forward into your textile practice.

Course Contents

Materials.mp4
Preview

Part 1: Preparing Backgrounds and Exploring Adhesives

Part 1 - #1 Painting and Preparing Adhesives
Part 1 - #2 Creating Painted Bondaweb Backgrounds
Part 1 - #3 Making Your Own Stencils and Layering Foils
Part 1 - #4 Foiling and Detailing with an Iron

Part 2: Machine Embroidery and Foiling

Part 2 - #1 Preparing Fabrics for Stitching
Preview
Part 2 - #2 Free Machine Embroidery Techniques
Part 2 - #3 Foiling Over Stitched Samples
Part 2 - #4 Adding Foil in Small, Controlled Areas
Part 2 - #5 Finishing and Layering with Organza

Part 3: Adding Stitch and Embellishment

Part 3 - #1 Final Foiling and Adding Texture
Part 3 - #2 Preparing for Stitching
Part 3 - #3 Building Texture with Machine Stitching
Part 3 - #4 Exploring Stitch on Embroiderie Anglaise
Part 3 - #5 Hand Stitching
Part 3 - #6 Simple Stitches with Impact
Part 3 - #7 Seeding and French Knots
Part 3 - #8 Mixing Stitch Styles
Part 3 - #9 Finishing & Reflecting

Ready to Begin?

Join me on this creative journey and see how foil and stitch can bring new energy and depth to your textile work.