Fashion Knitwear Summer School
- Level(s) of Study: Short course
- Course Fee:
£1,895
- Start Date(s): 6 July 2026
- Duration: Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm, three weeks
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: City Campus
- Entry Requirements: More information
Introduction:
Course dates:
6 - 24 July 2026, Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm, three weeks
This practical course combines the two interconnected disciplines of fashion and textiles through the medium of knitted fabric design.
It will start with design and trend research, followed by technical workshops on the industrial knitting machines to create knit samples, and will finish with garment construction.
By the end of three weeks, you’ll have a portfolio of work and a finished, accomplished and wearable piece of knitted fashion.
View images of previous students in the studio and their final work.
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Nottingham Trent University has one of the most famous fashion and knitwear departments of all UK universities, with a team of expert tutors and specialist technicians that work with students and industry on innovative and creative projects. -
You'll experience industry-level resources, explore design processes, extend your portfolio and create some amazing new work. -
And all this takes place in the centre of Nottingham, a city that’s famous for its textile and fashion heritage. -
This course is ideal for a range of people, especially students who have completed at least one year of an undergraduate course in fashion or textiles, fashion or textile professionals looking for inspiration, teachers and technicians looking for ways to engage with knit design and technology.
Here's what our previous attendees have said:
"The fashion knitwear summer school has quite simply changed my life. The course gave me so much confidence and provided everything I needed to design and make a garment from start to finish. Jane and the staff at NTU were so welcoming, their skills and expertise made everything look so easy and they were always on hand for questions and guidance" - LC
"As a total beginner the course gave me the chance to learn so much about the knitwear industry. It was the exact course I needed to help me make a decision about studying knitwear design back home in Belgium" - BV
"Through this course, I have gained not only a complete knitted garment, some nice swatches, a portfolio, a happy memory and a unforgettable experience, but also a further understanding of knitting and related techniques, as well as very practical design skills, which will be a great help to my study in my last year of university. I'm so glad I made the choice to sign up! I'm sure you won't regret coming to experience this summer course." - YL
What you’ll study
During the course, you’ll learn about and experiment with:
- knitted fabric design - specialising in the industrial Dubied machine
- fashion knitwear trend research
- yarn and material awareness
- knitted garment construction techniques
- the toiling process
- digital knit workshops.
You’ll also see the future of smart knitted textile technology.
The projects will enhance your knowledge of garment specification and terminology, enabling you to understand the potential in taking a piece from concept to manufacture.
By the end of the course you’ll have:
- the expertise to produce samples and swatches on the Dubied knitting machine that you can develop in the future
- the creative and technical ability to design, knit and construct a basic yet accomplished garment
- innovative, contemporary work for your portfolio
- a new network of knit practitioners.
Aims and objectives of week one
To deepen your knowledge, build your skills base and develop your initial fabrics on hand flat knitting machines.
Sketchbook and design development begins.
Design tutorials held during the week, providing you with informal critical feedback.
Day 1
- Introductions
- University resources tour
- Health and safety
- Introduction to the CAD suite
- Presentation and discussion of set brief
- Visual research, design and concept development
- Opportunity to view sketchbooks and portfolios of recent Knitwear graduate leavers from NTU.
Days 2 and 3
- Intensive day of demonstrations, instructions and guided explorations of the Dubied machine knit process using domestic machines, covering basic techniques.
Day 4
- Research and exploration of personal project
- Further development of Dubied machine knit techniques.
Day 5
- Demonstrations and guided exploration of methods of make-up and garment construction
- Development of your personal garment block.
Aims and objectives of week two
To build your skills base and continue to develop knitted fabric swatches, selecting appropriate techniques which identify links between contextual research and own sketchbook development.
Garment design.
Factory visit.
Introduction to CAD knitted fabrics.
Design tutorials will be held during the week, providing you with informal critical feedback.
Day 1
Factory visit.
Finalising 2D garment design and colourways.
Fashion knitwear illustration and presentation techniques.
Days 2 and 3
Knitting trials and experimentation.
Day 4
CAD knitted fabrics - lecture, demonstrations and development of fabric designs.
Day 5
Knitting trials and experimentation.
Aims and objectives of week three
Use the structures developed from knitted swatches in weeks one and two, knit and construct a final designed garment.
Complete portfolio sheets, outlining illustrations of final garment using CAD.
Finalise your technical files, using specific technical terminology.
Days 1 and 2
Knitting of final garment.
Day 3
Garment construction.
Day 4
Developing a series of portfolio sheets showing primary and secondary research.
Concept, colour, design and garment generation illustrations using CAD.
Day 5
Project and portfolio presentation and technical files.
Presentations and farewell celebration.
Fashion Knitwear Summer School in action
Student Work
How you’re taught
Learning will take place during scheduled workshops including technical knit and garment make up sessions, sketchbook and research investigation, and portfolio development.
You’ll be encouraged to use the University's extensive library resources and visit galleries or museums to help generate your own personal concepts.
Supporting your studio work, and to help put your skills and knowledge into a historical and global context, there’ll be a visit to a famous knitwear manufacturer (subject to availability) during the course.
Contact hours
You will receive 75 contact hours of quality tuition with an experienced tutor.
Careers and employability
On successful completion of the course you will receive a digital certificate and badge which will further enhance your CV.
Campus and facilities
You will be based in the Bonington building at the City Campus, our dedicated art and design hub.
You will have access to an excellent range of facilities and equipment in the knitwear studio, with knitwear hand flat workshops and Dubied / domestic machines, and industrial flatbed hand knitting machines.
There are also knitwear make-up workshops, with circular machines, linkers, overlockers, lockstitch machines, and button hole machines and fully-fashioned Shima and Stoll v-bed digital machines.
You’ll also have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing.
Entry requirements
Level: Beginners to knitwear
Entry requirement: You should have a background or interest in fashion and textile design, ideally through current or previous undergraduate studies or professionally.
You should be familiar with computers but no CAD skills are required.
Knit experience is not required.
You must be over the age of 18 in order to attend this course.
Fees and funding
The fee for this course is £1,895.
Payment is due at the time of booking - ask us if you'd prefer an invoice sent to a company.
Secure your place with a deposit - We can accept a £200 deposit to secure your place. The balance is due by 6 May 2026.
Your course fees cover the cost of studies, including yarns and materials to create your designs and samples, the factory trip and other great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course. Depending on the scale of your finished project, you may be asked to contribute towards yarns if there are any specialist or higher-cost items required.
Please bring with you to the first session:
- your everyday art box contents including pens, pencils, paints etc.
- choose a sketchbook that suits your style of working – A4/A3 allows you to have some freedom yet isn’t so large that it becomes intimidating to use.
A project brief and further details will be sent to you separately, prior to the course starting.
You can read the terms and conditions of booking here.
Looking for accommodation for a summer course?
You can read about short-stay options on the Visit Notts website:
How to apply
You can book your place via the NTU online store:
Browse all our fashion, textiles and costume short courses
Any questions?
Contact the short course team:
Email: creativeshortcourses@ntu.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2813
