Textiles and Design 2024 HSC exam pack

In better responses, students were able to:

• focus on the quality of the project rather than attempting many 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 the manufacture of the item(s)
• create a textile item(s) which demonstrates a level of creativity or innovation, a degree of difficulty and a 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 of the item(s)
• ensuring all pins and needles are removed from the textile item(s) prior to submission
• ensuring the item(s) is functional and able to be used for the 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 using prose and annotated images or samples
• 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 textile item 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 evolved.

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain the development of design ideas in a logical and sequential manner using high quality labelled sketches 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 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 commercial or downloaded PDF patterns and the modifications made to the pattern pieces by indicating these 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
• 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 in the appropriate font size with all relevant and correct information for the item(s)
• include an accurate cost table for the textile item(s) with the total cost indicated.

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide an accurate and detailed written description of the textile item(s) relating specifically to design and construction features
• 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 in a different colour.

Areas for students to improve:

• clearly indicating pattern modifications and explaining 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, pattern markings and measurements
• ensuring that care labelling relates to the end use of the item(s) 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 extensive, relevant 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(s)
• select fabrics for materials experimentation that are appropriate for the item(s) being made
• include relevant information to justify the selection of fibre, yarn and fabric for the end use 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(s), and detailing how the experiments led to modifications in fabric selection, manufacturing or design
• experimenting with fabric selection, manufacturing techniques and equipment rather than simply comparing samples
• experimenting with equipment to justify and modify selection rather than simply including a list, comparison or table
• evaluating the research on fibre, yarn and fabrics used in relation to the end use of the textile item(s) made.

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:

• indicate the main features of government strategies that are used to address air, water and/or land pollution in relation to the Australian textile industry. For example, pesticide legislation encouraging reduced use of chemicals when growing cotton to limit impact on soil or waterways (a)
• provide the similarity or difference in distribution of mass-produced and niche textile products using examples such as socks or designer t-shirts (b)
• recognise that mass-produced textiles may be distributed through wholesalers and department stores whereas niche textile products are often distributed via market stalls and social media platforms (b)
• identify the effect of increasing consumer demand for textile items such as inexpensive clothing, and the impact this has on the environment, explaining how the industry can address this conflict. This may include strategies such as producing higher quality, longer lasting clothing or using more environmentally friendly fibres such as organic cotton or bamboo (c)
• demonstrate understanding of how using alternate fibres such as organic cotton, bamboo or hemp reduces soil and water pollution from chemicals and dyes (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying strategies or initiatives the government uses to address environmental issues caused by the Australian textile industry such as legislation that prevents pollution from textile manufacture (a)
• comparing the distribution channels of mass produced and niche textile products rather than defining mass-produced and niche products (b)
• identifying specific textile examples of mass-produced and niche products (b)
• demonstrating understanding of how the Australian textile industry has developed environmentally-sustainable practices to reduce the impact of high textile consumption on the environment (c).

Question 12

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide points for and/or against the use of hand embroidery on cushion covers (a)
• demonstrate understanding that the application of hand embroidery on cushion covers can enhance the visual appeal of the cushion cover and can produce variations in colour and texture, but may be time consuming (a)
• explain the influences on the historical design development of a specific focus area such as apparel, swimwear, denim jeans (b)
• provide a range of specific examples of influences on the design developments in the chosen focus area, such as the impact of new fibre developments, societal change, consumer sun awareness, sports competitions and cultural factors (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating knowledge of the application of hand embroidery to a specific end use such as cushion covers, rather than listing stitch types or outlining how each stitch is produced (a)
• providing examples of historical design developments in a specific focus area such as changes in swimwear over time, and providing reasons why they occurred (b).

Question 13

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide reasons for one advantage and one disadvantage of woven and non-woven interfacings for use in a collar on a woven school shirt. For example, one disadvantage is that wastage occurs when cutting woven interfacing on the grainline (a)
• demonstrate understanding of the properties of woven and non-woven interfacings such as strength and durability, and relate them to the end-use of a woven school shirt (a)
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the properties and structure of cotton fibre and nylon microfibre that relate to their end-use as cleaning cloths (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the properties of both woven and non-woven interfacing (a)
• relating properties of woven and non-woven interfacings to the specified end-use of a woven school shirt rather than comparing them and choosing one (a)
• relating fibre structure to properties for a specified end-use such as cleaning (b)
• providing the advantages of the properties of cotton and nylon microfibre cloths related to the specified end-use for cleaning rather than comparing them and choosing one over the other (b).

Question 14

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate comprehensive understanding of a culture, which may include knowledge of textile production, textile art forms and/or cultural influences such as resource availability, geographic location and religious practices
• identify the relationship between their chosen culture and the design of a new range of beach bags, indicating where and/or how the inspiration could be incorporated in the design and/or construction of the beach bags
• provide specific examples of how aspects of a culture such as dyeing and other colouration techniques, embroidery, symbolism, colours, fibres and fabrics used could be developed for use in a new range of beach bags
• relate the cultural influences specifically to the design and/or production of beach bags
• demonstrate understanding of how traditional textile art forms of a culture, for example indigo dyeing, could be adapted by a designer to contemporary methods such as use of synthetic dyes or digital printing.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating detailed knowledge of a chosen culture and how this relates to textile products
• relating the inspiration of aspects of a culture to the development of a range of new beach bags, using examples that demonstrate cultural knowledge
• answering the question from the perspective of a culture studied rather than attempting to relate a culture to a designer studied.

Question 15

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify an appropriate selection of fibre, fabric structure and fabric finish for a picnic rug
• demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the functional requirements of a picnic rug
• demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the properties of a fibre and fabric structure and relate the desirable properties to the end-use of a picnic rug
• provide reasons why a picnic rug would need a finish such as soil resistance and state how the finish would enhance the performance of the picnic rug.

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying appropriate selection of fibres and fabric structures for the end-use of a picnic rug
• selecting a fabric finish that meets the functional requirements of a picnic rug, for example soil resistance or water repellency
• relating properties of fibre and fabric structures that enhance the functional properties of the specific end-use of a picnic rug without outlining negative aspects
• identifying appropriate fabric finishes, for example soil resistance, rather than providing construction finishes such as overlocking.