AI Skill Report Card
Preparing Crewel Embroidery Certification Submissions
Quick Start13 / 15
Before threading a needle on a TEC step, do this:
- Read the official judging sheet for that specific Step (not a general crewel guide) — it lists the exact criteria the judge scores against.
- Confirm your materials match the packet exactly: specified crewel wool colors (e.g., Pastel vs Vibrant palette for Step 1), the exact ground fabric, and the provided design/motif placement.
- Stitch a small swatch of each required stitch type on scrap ground fabric first, checking tension, direction, and coverage against reference technique standards — not against sample photos.
- Self-score your finished piece against the judging sheet categories (typically: stitch accuracy, tension/coverage, thread direction consistency, outline crispness, color placement, overall neatness) before submitting.
Recommendation▾
Examples are still somewhat abstract (describing process rather than showing a concrete stitched outcome with specific judging scores); add a worked example with actual self-audit results (e.g., 'tension: pass, outline: fail—gaps at corner X')
Workflow14 / 15
Progress:
- [ ] Obtain program packet (after enrollment, ~2 week processing)
- [ ] Review judging sheet for the specific Step
- [ ] Verify fabric, wool colors, and design match requirements exactly
- [ ] Practice/swatch each required stitch for consistency
- [ ] Stitch the full motif design per placement instructions
- [ ] Self-audit against judging sheet line items
- [ ] Correct deficiencies found in self-audit
- [ ] Submit by May or November judging deadline
- Enroll and wait for packet. Do not start stitching from assumptions — the packet contains the authoritative design, stitch placement instructions, and required wool color list.
- Treat judging sheets as the specification. Each Step has its own sheet; criteria differ by motif type (contemporary vs. floral vs. Jacobean vs. symmetrical). Memorize the categories before stitching, not after.
- Match materials precisely. Wrong wool color, wrong fabric, or substituted stitches are objective deficiencies regardless of stitching quality.
- Avoid photo-copying. Reference photos show one acceptable interpretation, not the target. Work from written stitch/placement instructions; judges evaluate against the written criteria, not visual similarity to the sample photo.
- Self-audit like a judge would. Check each required stitch individually for: correct stitch identity, even tension, consistent thread direction within a motif, clean edges/outlines, appropriate coverage density, and color-to-motif-area placement accuracy.
- Only fix identified deficiencies you understand. TEC feedback (if resubmitting after a prior non-pass) names deficiencies but not fixes — you must diagnose the correction yourself using core crewel technique knowledge.
- Submit to correct judging cycle. Judging occurs only in May and November; plan stitching time backward from these dates.
Recommendation▾
Include a sample judging sheet excerpt or scoring rubric structure so Claude has a concrete template to reference rather than just naming categories
Examples13 / 20
Example 1: Input: Preparing Step 1 (contemporary motifs, Vibrant color option). Output: Confirm the Vibrant wool color list matches packet exactly; swatch-test each specified stitch (e.g., stem stitch, long-and-short, seeding) on scrap fabric for even tension; stitch motif following placement diagram, not photo; self-check thread direction consistency within each shape; verify no color substitutions before submission.
Example 2: Input: Self-auditing a completed Step 3 (Jacobean motifs) piece before submission. Output: Checklist run: stitch identity correct per instructions (yes/no per motif area), tension even across all fill areas, outline stitches unbroken and smooth, no visible fabric show-through in fill areas, wool colors match required list exactly, overall piece free of visible knots/tails on front — flag any "no" answers as deficiencies to fix before submitting.
Recommendation▾
Add guidance for edge cases like resubmission after a non-pass, or how to handle ambiguous packet instructions, to round out completeness
Best Practices
- Work from written instructions and judging sheets as primary sources; treat sample photos as illustrative only.
- Swatch unfamiliar or rarely-used stitches before committing to the final piece.
- Keep tension and thread direction consistent across an entire motif, not just within small sections.
- Budget stitching time with buffer before the May/November deadline — rushed finishing is a common cause of visible quality deficiencies.
- Double-check wool color numbers against the packet list, not against memory or a prior kit.
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming the reference photo defines a "Pass" — it does not; exact replication of a photo is not the standard.
- Mixing color options (e.g., using some Pastel and some Vibrant threads) within one Step.
- Skipping the judging sheet and relying on general crewel knowledge alone — criteria are specific per Step.
- Substituting a similar stitch for the one specified because it's faster or more familiar.
- Waiting until just before the deadline to start, leaving no time to self-audit or correct deficiencies.
- Expecting corrective instructions in feedback — the program identifies deficiencies but does not teach fixes; this is a certification, not instruction.