The essays will highlight the importance of Scottish textiles. Themes may include individual pieces within the collections, textiles as art works, textile manufacturing processes, international trade, textile education within Scotland, the influences of Scottish designers, or the development and decline of the Scottish textile industry.

Resources for design students
A section of this website will feature resources for students of design. For example, the site will illustrate how individual textile designs can be used in the study of a particular designer’s style, to influence new designs, to demonstrate particular techniques of construction or design, or a particular period of design style.

Making connections
Many of the collections, though geographically dispersed, contain closely linked objects and records. For example, the Needlework Development Scheme was funded by J & P Coats Ltd of Paisley: The archives of both the scheme and company are represented in the database. The Scheme built up a collection of embroidered textile pieces which were used as teaching aids and loaned to various institutions. When the Scheme was disbanded in 1961 the collection was dispersed across the UK with Dundee University and the Glasgow School of Art receiving some pieces. These disparate objects have all been brought together for the first time on this database. Through the database, these related collections demonstrate one aspect of the history of textile education in Scotland, the links between industry and education, textiles as both pieces of art and as practical teaching aids. Today they are preserved as museum and archive objects that still have the potential to inspire future generations.

By demonstrating the research potential of textile collections held within Scotland, the on-line essays, resources, and database will inspire further study and creative use of our textile heritage.
If you are interested in contributing to this page or have a suggestion for an article, then please contact us.