And That's a Wrap!

As the Cardiff School of Art & Design Degree Show comes to a close, it feels like the right moment to reflect on what has been an extraordinary three years of learning, experimentation and growth.

My final major project, Threads of the Taff, began close to home. I became fascinated by the history of a 17th-century tinplate works situated near the River Taff and the way the landscape has transformed over time. Once defined by industry, the site is now home to wildlife, including kingfishers, magpies and jays whose vivid blue feathers became an important visual reference throughout the project.

Bottom left - Melingriffith Tinworks, Whitchurch Cardiff 1900s. The degree show at Cardiff School of Art and Design 2026

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The work explores the relationship between industrial heritage and ecological renewal. Through layers of stitch, print, rust dyeing and oak gall and iron ink, I sought to create textiles that carry traces of both past and present. Heavy industrial tones sit alongside flashes of blue, symbolising the resilience of nature and its ability to reclaim and regenerate.

Central to the project was a commitment to circularity. Rather than beginning with new materials, I worked with discarded textiles and metal, samples and remnants, reassembling them into new compositions.

Piecing together fabrics - donated, discarded and unwanted

This process became a metaphor for renewal itself: overlooked materials given a second life through creativity and care.

Indigo dyed scraps and discarded copper. Rust dyed fabric and archival documents printed with iron and oak gall ink.

The project has also helped crystallise my ambitions for Textiles Reimagined. As a textile designer, I increasingly question the need to produce new textiles when so much material already exists. My focus is shifting towards repair, repurposing and reimagining existing materials, helping people see value where others might see waste.

While the degree show marks the end of my studies, it also feels like the beginning of something new. Over the coming months I will be developing workshops that encourage people to engage with textiles in a more sustainable and creative way, whether through mending, upcycling or creating entirely new pieces from existing materials.

For now, I'm taking a short pause to celebrate the end of this chapter and to thank everyone who has supported me along the way.

My lovely family. Jo, Tony and Josh. Thankyou x

Your encouragement, conversations, feedback and enthusiasm have meant more than you know.

The degree may be ending, but the journey of Threads of the Taff and Textiles Reimagined is only just beginning.