Textiles and Design 2023 HSC exam pack

In better responses, students were able to:

• focus on the quality of the project rather than attempting lots of decorative techniques or producing too many items
• create a textile item(s) that clearly relates to the intended end use with attention to both aesthetic and functional features
• demonstrate a high level of proficiency in both the techniques used and manufacture of the item(s)
• create textile item(s) which demonstrates a level of creativity/innovation, degree of difficulty and degree of proficiency
• focus on using a number of quality techniques, a variety of unique and innovative fabrics and creative techniques and/or pattern modifications.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring creative techniques have a direct link to the overall purpose
• creating an item(s) with a textile end use that incorporates textile techniques rather than gluing and/or painting
• ensuring all pins and needles are removed from the textile item(s) prior to submission
• ensuring the item(s) is/are functional, and able to be used for its/their intended purpose. For example, including appropriate closures or a means of hanging a wall hanging.

Students should:

• nominate the focus area they have worked in and clearly explain the relationship of specific aspects of design inspiration to this area
• select and present only relevant images and samples of inspiration.

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a major source(s) of inspiration, and explain in detail the relationship to the product made within a specified focus area
• justify in detail their creative and innovative design ideas with communication using both prose and annotated images
• analyse cultural, historical and/or contemporary factors in depth, explaining the relationship of these to their design ideas.

Areas for students to improve:

• relating relevant inspiration to the product made within a nominated focus area
• linking the design ideas to a focus area rather than defining the focus area
• analysing the influence of cultural, historical or contemporary factors on their design ideas, rather than simply presenting research
• annotating the inspiration clearly and analytically.

Students should:

• include rendered sketches labelled in detail with standard size text
• link design ideas to the design inspiration
• include front and back views on the final design, and where necessary, in the design development to show how the design has evolved.

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain the development of design ideas, using high quality labelled sketches in a logical and sequential manner, which include design features, construction and decorative techniques used, colour range and fabrics chosen
• analyse strengths and weaknesses of each design to support the development of the final design, including its end use
• analyse the functional and aesthetic aspects of the final design using elements and principles of design, and relating these to the products end use.

Areas for students to improve:

• linking design ideas to the inspiration identified without repeating the analysis from the design inspiration section
• completing sketches to an appropriate size that effectively visualises all the design features
• labelling all the design features on the final design in detail, taking care to use the prescribed font size when using computerised drawing programs.

Students should:

• clearly identify the use of a commercial or downloaded PDF patterns and the modifications made to these by indicating in a different colour
• detail any outsourcing or commercially produced components of the textile item(s), for example, commercial quilting and digital printing
• draw or computer generate accurate, labelled production drawings showing all appropriate measurements in metric
• draw or computer generate pattern pieces rather than submit photocopies of commercial pattern instruction sheets
• draw pattern pieces with appropriate labelling, which may reflect current trends in pattern production, for example Indi designer PDF patterns
• present detailed cutting instructions
• present a logical and sequential outline of the order of construction rather than submit a detailed set of instructions on how to make the items
• present clearly labelled and correctly identified fabric swatches
• include a product care label with all the relevant and correct information for the item made in the appropriate font size
• include an accurate cost table for the textile item with a total cost.

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide an accurate and detailed written description of the textile item(s)
• present high quality production drawings to scale and in proportion, with appropriate views, accurate measurements, and labelling
• provide accurate drawings of pattern pieces to scale with all appropriate labelling
• clearly indicate pattern modifications.

Areas for students to improve:

• clearly indicating pattern modifications and explain pattern markings
• including accurately labelled fabric swatches in this section of the folio
• completing high quality production drawings to scale, that indicate all construction details and pattern markings
• ensuring that care labelling relates to the end use of the item and complies with Australian guidelines.

Students should:

• provide thorough evidence of experiments with materials, equipment and manufacturing processes by including the actual samples of techniques relevant to the textile item(s), rather than scans or photographs of evidence
• analyse the properties of fibre, yarn and fabric that are relevant to the items end use, rather than including research on how the fibres, yarns and fabrics were manufactured
• use comprehensive experimentation, evidenced by inclusion of actual samples, to analyse and justify the selection of materials, equipment, and manufacturing techniques.

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate relevant and extensive experimentation for the materials, equipment and most significant manufacturing techniques used in the production of the textile item(s)
• provide control samples and actual samples of results from appropriate experimentation to justify the use of materials, equipment and manufacturing processes, and modification to the item
• select fabrics for materials experimentation that are highly appropriate for the item(s) being made
• include relevant information to justify the selection of fibre, yam and fabric for the end purpose of the textile item(s) produced.

Areas for students to improve:

• completing the experiments using the actual fabrics and notions being used
• selecting experiments that relate to the end use of the item, and detail how the experiment led to modifications in fabric selection, manufacturing or design.
• evaluating the research on fibre, yarn and fabrics used in relation to the end use of the textile item(s) made
• experimenting with equipment to justify and modify selection rather than simply including a list or table.

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• develop a plan for an extended response to assist with the logical sequencing of information
• engage with any stimulus material provided and refer to it in the response
• study a contemporary designer where all factors that impact success and failure can be addressed in detail
• study a culture where all cultural influences related to textile production and art forms can be addressed in depth
• communicate ideas and information clearly and comprehensively in written, visual and graphic forms
• review their response to ensure that it addresses the question requirements.

Question 11

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a suitable marketing strategy that could be used for promoting children’s swimwear to a relevant target market, such as parents and grandparents (a)
• demonstrate understanding of how a specific strategy could be applied (a)
• relate to contemporary marketing strategies such as specific social media platforms, loyalty memberships and use of online marketing (a)
• indicate the impact on the textile industry, the environment and consumers of the growing demand for textiles made from organic sources (b)
• demonstrate a clear understanding of globalisation (c)
• relate the effect of globalisation to availability factors such as access, variety, cost, supply and import of textiles to Australia (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• describing how social media can be used to market a range of children’s swimwear (a)
• understanding how loyalty and email programs can be used in marketing (a)
• understanding the impacts of consumer demands on the textile industry rather than simply detailing the reasons for changing demands (b)
• relating the impact of globalisation to specific aspects of the Australian textile industry (c).

Question 12

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding that embroidery uses thread or stitches to create a design on a fabric, whereas applique involves creating a design by applying one fabric to another fabric base (a)
• identify ONE principle of dyeing that impacts colour fastness such as fixation or using a mordant (b)
• provide a description of how the principle of dyeing could be completed to ensure that the colour is locked into the fibres of the shirt to prevent the colour running(b)
• refer to a contemporary designer and outline the area of their expertise (c)
• relate the expertise of the designer to the success and/or failure of their business (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating knowledge of surface decoration techniques by outlining their main features (a)
• identifying principles of dyeing (b)
• understanding what happens at each stage of the dyeing process relating to colour retention (b)
• relating knowledge of a designer’s expertise to their success and/or failure, rather than providing general information about the designer (c).

Question 13

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding of bicomponent yarns by relating specific properties to a textile item commonly made from bicomponent yarns, such as socks and tights (a)
• relate advantages and disadvantages to employees of introducing innovative machinery into a workplace. For example, the need to upskill, more interesting work, higher skill level developed, possible loss of job, time out of work to retrain (b)
• relate the properties of cotton. For example, good conductivity of heat, coolness, absorbency and sun resistance to its use in a sunhat (c)
• select and provide features of a suitable finish for a cotton sunhat such as soil resistance or ultra-violet (UV) protection (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding how bicomponent yarns result in properties that enhance performance of a specific textile item (a)
• distinguishing between yarns that are bicomponent as opposed to a blended yarn (a)
• relating the advantages and disadvantages of the introduction of innovative machinery to employees only (b)
• recognising the impact of introducing new machinery to a workplace (b)
• identifying the functional requirements of a specific textile item (b)
• relating the positive properties of cotton to the functional requirements of a sunhat (c)
• identifying a suitable finish for a sunhat (c).

Question 14

In better responses, students were able to:

• select and demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of TWO suitable printing methods for flags
• recognise the limitations of requiring 200 flags to be produced in a five-colour design for a local council festival in six months
• provide a comprehensive justification of why one method of printing is more suitable than another, unpacking both positive and negative factors
• analyse the features and processes of printing methods.  For example, direct digital printing and silk screen printing, justifying how they could be used to print the flags within the limitations.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing knowledge of a range of printing methods and relating them to different end uses
• demonstrating knowledge of industrial printing methods rather than relating only to school-based activities such as lino print, block printing and fabric painting
• analysing the features of different printing methods including their advantages and disadvantages
• applying knowledge of printing methods to given situations, considering limitations such as time, cost, colour requirements, skill level, available machinery.

Question 15

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide a thorough analysis of the most important functional requirements of a winter coat
• select an appropriate combination of a fibre, yarn and fabric structure that would be suitable for the material to construct a winter coat
• describe how the properties of the selected fibre would be beneficial for its use in a winter coat
• correctly identify yarn structure and its characteristics such as woollen, worsted, staple spun, highly twisted or soft spun when justifying its use for a winter coat
• justify the use of a selected fabric structure, relating its properties to the end use of a winter coat.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a more detailed analysis of the functional requirements of the specified end use, a winter coat
• selecting a fibre, yarn and fabric structure that produce a suitable material for the winter coat
• understanding the difference between staple and multifilament yarns and which fibres can be manufactured as a multifilament
• demonstrating a deeper understanding of properties of different fabric structures and their selection for specific end uses.