Tracy's CV

Career Profile

A totally adaptable positive creative person, who can work under pressure, meets deadlines, and works well with all levels of authority and learning abilities.

Key Experience

• Overall management skills in:
  • Administration, organising and planning
  • Communicating and motivating
• A successful teacher, teaching all abilities of students
• A skilled crafts person in embroidery, both traditional and contemporary
• A pattern cutter in both theatrical costume and fashion designer
• A self employed and proprietor of own business
• An author of specialist embroidery technique books
• Manager of an open studio in Durham City
• Manager and co-proprietor of an independent City & Guilds Centre

Career History

October 2001 to Present: Self-employed Specialist Embroiderer

Owner and Proprietor of Own Freelance Business

Self employed business includes:

• Running an independent City & Guilds centre - STITCHBUSINESS - since October 2006 - teaching City & Guilds Design and Embroidery up to level 3
• Teaching the Northeast branch of the Royal School of Needlework course
• Managing Durham Cathedral Broderers since January 2007
• Publication of three Batsford books:
  • Self employed Crewel work, published 2010
  • Contemporary Whitework, published 2005
  • New Ideas in Goldwork, published 2002
• Management of own studio in Durham City
• Working to commission, exhibiting and writing for specialist magazines

September 1991 to 2001: Royal School of Needlework

Apprenticeship Co-ordinator September 1997 to 2001

Workroom worker and teacher September 1994 to August 1997

Managed and organized the three-year apprenticeship scheme since September 1997 and was responsible for:

• Interviewing prospective apprentices
• Organizing time table of work, booking and hiring tutors
• Researching and buying materials, and calculating apprentice accounts
• Dealing with day to day running of the apprenticeship
• Assisting as a Royal School of Needlework worker and teacher

August 1990 to December 1990: Freelance Costume Business

Full time junior assistant

Involved in the assisting of making costumes for stage and screen, within a small independently run business in South London.

September 1987 to August 1988: Sunderland Empire Theatre

Cinema assistant, Theatre usher and Back Stage worker

I was responsible for running a small independent cinema, selling tickets and confectionery, ordering confectionery, and dealing with the weekly paper work. I also worked in the main theatre both in front of house as an usher, and back stage as a costume assistant, and dresser

Education and Training

January 1998 to June 1998: Richmond Adult and Community College

September 1996 to December 1996: Surrey Youth and Adult Education Service

Part 1 and Part 2 City and Guilds NVQ Teacher training, including assessing units D32/D33

Part time course, learning to teach adults

September 1991 to August 1994: Royal School of Needlework

Three year Apprenticeship in Traditional Embroidery

Full time work placement, learning the traditional embroidery

September 1988 to June 1990: London College of Fashion

HND B/TEC Diploma in Theatrical Costume Interpretation

Full time course in costume making, including headdresses and millinery

September 1987 to June 1988: Monkwearmouth College of Further Education

Part One - City and Guilds Certificate in Creative Studies - Embroidery

Part time course in design and embroidery

September 1985 to June 1987: Jacob Kramer College, Leeds

OND B/TEC Diploma in Light Clothing

Pattern cutting and garment construction for industry

Interests

Interests include visiting galleries, exhibitions, and fairs, collecting sourcing and researching, textiles, embroideries, costumes, materials, threads, and fabrics, then experimenting, designing inventing and producing new designed work.