Sunday, February 13, 2011
Integrating art - promoting creativity?: Ken Robinson RSA animation
Integrating art - promoting creativity?: Ken Robinson RSA animation: "I just found this video www.artsmanagement.ie and thought it was worth sharing here:"
Fabric and Fibre for 5th and 6th Classes
Fabric and fibre for Fifth Class and Sixth Class
Exploring techniques
During this stage children are encouraged to use and mix the wide variety of techniques introduced in the earlier levels. The role of the teacher is to provide them with opportunities to make choices concerning the content, materials, tools, and techniques to be used in their work. They require the opportunity to make decisions regarding the variations in colour relationships, texture, the use of plain or patterned fabrics, contrasting light and dark fibres and so on. Through experimenting, selecting and planning, well-structured creative work of a high quality can be achieved. The planning phase can be explored using paper and drawing materials. All such preliminary sketches can be stored in the child’s portfolio. One planned on paper the child is encouraged to ask themselves the following type questions;
what qualities am I trying to achieve?
what materials can best achieve this quality?
have I used this type of fabric before? Can I get it easily?
what techniques of changing the surface of a fabric will best give the texture of a stone wall, or the effect of the bark of a tree, or the grid in a metal railing?
will I use batik, or will I paint the fabric using a variety of fabric paints and dyes?
what techniques of inventive stitchery or knotting will I add to the piece?
what other fabric and fibre materials do I need besides fabric and threads? …buttons, feathers, shells?
Changing the surfaces of fabrics and fibres
Tie-dye
Children are encouraged to use their previous experience in knotting and pleating the fabric to achieve a more thought out tie-dye piece - fabric can be tie-dyed in one or a combination of the ways as follows:
by knotting the fabric extremely tightly
by pegging or stitching the fabric in carefully selected areas
by rolling the fabric and tying it at carefully selected intervals
by fan-folding the fabric, first in one direction, then re-tying in another direction and dying in a second colour
As before, the fabric is immersed in dye, rinsed and hung to dry before removing the ties - these can be used for further creative work in fabric and fibre e.g. as backgrounds for work in embroidery.
Children might be asked to keep drawn / written records of how particular designs / patterns are achieved.
Batik
Batik is that process of changing the surface of a fabric, whereby melted wax is applied to fabric, where it dries, and forms a barrier, or resist. Once the waxed fabric is immersed into cold-water dye, the section with the wax on it, does not take the dye. The fabric is dried and the wax is removed by ironing between two pieces of brown paper. The sections that had the wax are un-dyed. A good way to introduce the batik method, is simply to use a candle to draw directly onto the fabric. A thin layer of wax will form a resist and when dyed as described above, the pattern will emerge as drawn. Alternatively, mix flour and water into a batter that is the roughly the consistency of pancake batter. Using a funnel, the children draw directly onto the fabric using the mixture. Allow it to dry. Paint onto the fabric, up to the ‘flour line’ using fabric paints or dyes. Allow this also, to dry. Ask the children to remove the flour resist from the surface of the fabric. The children will have great fun ‘picking’ off the flour from the decorated piece. Iron to give a finished look.
Appliqué
Appliqué simply means sewing one fabric to another fabric, in other words a stitched collage. A piece of fabric can be padded as it is being stitched into place. Pleating crumpling or rolling fabrics prior to attaching can also give a three-dimensional effect. Decorative objectives, beads, acorns, can be added. The design for such creative pieces can be discussed before the work commences, and during its construction.
Creating New Fabrics
The fabric making techniques of weaving, plaiting, knitting and crochet, introduced in the earlier phases, can be further extended. The aim is to encourage the children to gain greater control over the techniques previously learned, while including a few more techniques.
Knitting
The purl stitch is introduced, which when combined with the plain stitch, allows children to make rib, double rib, basket and moss stitches, to name but a few. Invite parents and grandparents into the classroom to help out. Small inventive pieces such as hot-water-bottle covers, scarves, handbags, and so on can be knit. The emphasis is on fun and creativity.
Crochet
Simple crochet stitches, can be further explored to extend the skills of the group. Simple objects, as mentioned for knitting, can be created.
Constructing with Fabric and Fibre
The extended techniques of working with fabric and fibre (stitching, knotting, weaving et cetera) can be used to create simple three-dimensional forms. Fabric pieces can be pleated, rolled, padded, gathered, and folded to create a three-dimensional stand-alone form. These can then be joined to make objects of any description, including people and animals. Buttons, beads and fibres can be used to add features or details to the constructions. Parts of constructions can be joined together by wrapping, stitching, pinning, or taping sections together. Older children will be more inventive given their greater exposure to exploration and experimentation with fabrics and fibres.
Stockings, socks or tubes of fabric can be stuffed (with crumpled newspaper, cotton wool, old nylon stockings) and modelled into shape as desired. Details can be added as described previously. These structured can be created by knitting on circular needles.
Examine fabric, fibre and textiles in history and in the modern world
Make a display of pictures showing examples of the ancient needle-and-thread crafts such as embroidery, lace making (Carickmacross, Limerick lace-making Tradition), appliqué, and tapestry and loom weaving, especially mentioning samples from the western sea-board of Ireland - work might be integrated with the geography curriculum
The significance of the Bayeux Tapestry can be explored with senior classes in conjunction with the history curriculum
Children can through discussion come to appreciate the universality of these basic techniques - they answer a basic human need for warmth and protection from the elements – integrate this with work from the science and SPHE curricula
Encourage the children to bring in present day examples of fabric and fibres - samples of textiles from India, Egypt, South America, et cetera, can all to be found in most large centres of population - discuss the methods, materials, and tools used in their construction or creation
Discuss how people have used these techniques to decorate clothes, and household objects such as patchwork quilts - such decorative techniques provide a wonderful means of exploring and investigating examples of cultures worldwide
Discuss modern fashions – look at fashion magazines
Examine and discuss fabric and pieces such as flags, banners, hangings, tapestries and any textile used for special occasions
Look at garments such as christening robes, Holy Communion dresses, Confirmation outfits and church vestments from different religions - children’s discussion can be focus on the function, composition and design qualities of such items.
Invite crafts people from the locality to visit the school and talk to the children about their work- a local batik artist might be asked to give demonstration of how he/she approaches making a batik piece - crafts, such as basketry, macramé, and tufted rug making have a place here. Children are encouraged to see the connection between their art making in the classroom and the role of the craftsperson or artist in the local community. The tradition of planting willow, hence the ‘sally garden’ can be introduced. Willow grows readily in the moist Irish climate. The class might like to plant one in springtime, as the sap rises.
Older members in the community, can be invited to add their experiences of knitting, sewing, weaving, lace making and embroidery, to enrich the children’s experiences – a display of Irish Dancing costumes would be a rich source for initiating a discussion on embroidery.
A display might be mounted of pieces decorated using tie-dye or batik techniques - such a collection might include items such as scarves, skirts, evening bags, wall hangings, and murals from around the world - children may like to research the traditional Indonesian craft of batik - research could include an exploration of the traditional materials and tools used and the traditional designs created - the children, using a variety of drawing or painting materials, could reproduce these traditional patterns - the possibility of creating dyes from natural substances such as tea, mosses, onionskins and berries can be explored.
Displaying work
Items to display might include
drawings, painted designs and prints on fabrics
drawings / pieces of writing on the topics listed above
appliqué banners, wall hangings, cushion covers, dolls clothes, costumes and toys
stitched and appliqué imaginative objects
costumes made for plays or dramas – photos of these
designs created on such garments as denim trousers, jeans or shirts - add pieces of cloth, beads, braid, and sequins, to personalize a design
items of clothing that have designs silk-screen printed onto them
woven, knotted, and stitched articles such as wall hangings, banners, and class murals – possibly made of individual pieces stitched together.
pieces showing either tie-dye or batik techniques - make bags, scarves, puppets, or dolls’ clothes from dyed fabrics
knitted or crochet belts, scarves, bags, dolls, puppets, etc.
Exploring techniques
During this stage children are encouraged to use and mix the wide variety of techniques introduced in the earlier levels. The role of the teacher is to provide them with opportunities to make choices concerning the content, materials, tools, and techniques to be used in their work. They require the opportunity to make decisions regarding the variations in colour relationships, texture, the use of plain or patterned fabrics, contrasting light and dark fibres and so on. Through experimenting, selecting and planning, well-structured creative work of a high quality can be achieved. The planning phase can be explored using paper and drawing materials. All such preliminary sketches can be stored in the child’s portfolio. One planned on paper the child is encouraged to ask themselves the following type questions;
what qualities am I trying to achieve?
what materials can best achieve this quality?
have I used this type of fabric before? Can I get it easily?
what techniques of changing the surface of a fabric will best give the texture of a stone wall, or the effect of the bark of a tree, or the grid in a metal railing?
will I use batik, or will I paint the fabric using a variety of fabric paints and dyes?
what techniques of inventive stitchery or knotting will I add to the piece?
what other fabric and fibre materials do I need besides fabric and threads? …buttons, feathers, shells?
Changing the surfaces of fabrics and fibres
Tie-dye
Children are encouraged to use their previous experience in knotting and pleating the fabric to achieve a more thought out tie-dye piece - fabric can be tie-dyed in one or a combination of the ways as follows:
by knotting the fabric extremely tightly
by pegging or stitching the fabric in carefully selected areas
by rolling the fabric and tying it at carefully selected intervals
by fan-folding the fabric, first in one direction, then re-tying in another direction and dying in a second colour
As before, the fabric is immersed in dye, rinsed and hung to dry before removing the ties - these can be used for further creative work in fabric and fibre e.g. as backgrounds for work in embroidery.
Children might be asked to keep drawn / written records of how particular designs / patterns are achieved.
Batik
Batik is that process of changing the surface of a fabric, whereby melted wax is applied to fabric, where it dries, and forms a barrier, or resist. Once the waxed fabric is immersed into cold-water dye, the section with the wax on it, does not take the dye. The fabric is dried and the wax is removed by ironing between two pieces of brown paper. The sections that had the wax are un-dyed. A good way to introduce the batik method, is simply to use a candle to draw directly onto the fabric. A thin layer of wax will form a resist and when dyed as described above, the pattern will emerge as drawn. Alternatively, mix flour and water into a batter that is the roughly the consistency of pancake batter. Using a funnel, the children draw directly onto the fabric using the mixture. Allow it to dry. Paint onto the fabric, up to the ‘flour line’ using fabric paints or dyes. Allow this also, to dry. Ask the children to remove the flour resist from the surface of the fabric. The children will have great fun ‘picking’ off the flour from the decorated piece. Iron to give a finished look.
Appliqué
Appliqué simply means sewing one fabric to another fabric, in other words a stitched collage. A piece of fabric can be padded as it is being stitched into place. Pleating crumpling or rolling fabrics prior to attaching can also give a three-dimensional effect. Decorative objectives, beads, acorns, can be added. The design for such creative pieces can be discussed before the work commences, and during its construction.
Creating New Fabrics
The fabric making techniques of weaving, plaiting, knitting and crochet, introduced in the earlier phases, can be further extended. The aim is to encourage the children to gain greater control over the techniques previously learned, while including a few more techniques.
Knitting
The purl stitch is introduced, which when combined with the plain stitch, allows children to make rib, double rib, basket and moss stitches, to name but a few. Invite parents and grandparents into the classroom to help out. Small inventive pieces such as hot-water-bottle covers, scarves, handbags, and so on can be knit. The emphasis is on fun and creativity.
Crochet
Simple crochet stitches, can be further explored to extend the skills of the group. Simple objects, as mentioned for knitting, can be created.
Constructing with Fabric and Fibre
The extended techniques of working with fabric and fibre (stitching, knotting, weaving et cetera) can be used to create simple three-dimensional forms. Fabric pieces can be pleated, rolled, padded, gathered, and folded to create a three-dimensional stand-alone form. These can then be joined to make objects of any description, including people and animals. Buttons, beads and fibres can be used to add features or details to the constructions. Parts of constructions can be joined together by wrapping, stitching, pinning, or taping sections together. Older children will be more inventive given their greater exposure to exploration and experimentation with fabrics and fibres.
Stockings, socks or tubes of fabric can be stuffed (with crumpled newspaper, cotton wool, old nylon stockings) and modelled into shape as desired. Details can be added as described previously. These structured can be created by knitting on circular needles.
Examine fabric, fibre and textiles in history and in the modern world
Make a display of pictures showing examples of the ancient needle-and-thread crafts such as embroidery, lace making (Carickmacross, Limerick lace-making Tradition), appliqué, and tapestry and loom weaving, especially mentioning samples from the western sea-board of Ireland - work might be integrated with the geography curriculum
The significance of the Bayeux Tapestry can be explored with senior classes in conjunction with the history curriculum
Children can through discussion come to appreciate the universality of these basic techniques - they answer a basic human need for warmth and protection from the elements – integrate this with work from the science and SPHE curricula
Encourage the children to bring in present day examples of fabric and fibres - samples of textiles from India, Egypt, South America, et cetera, can all to be found in most large centres of population - discuss the methods, materials, and tools used in their construction or creation
Discuss how people have used these techniques to decorate clothes, and household objects such as patchwork quilts - such decorative techniques provide a wonderful means of exploring and investigating examples of cultures worldwide
Discuss modern fashions – look at fashion magazines
Examine and discuss fabric and pieces such as flags, banners, hangings, tapestries and any textile used for special occasions
Look at garments such as christening robes, Holy Communion dresses, Confirmation outfits and church vestments from different religions - children’s discussion can be focus on the function, composition and design qualities of such items.
Invite crafts people from the locality to visit the school and talk to the children about their work- a local batik artist might be asked to give demonstration of how he/she approaches making a batik piece - crafts, such as basketry, macramé, and tufted rug making have a place here. Children are encouraged to see the connection between their art making in the classroom and the role of the craftsperson or artist in the local community. The tradition of planting willow, hence the ‘sally garden’ can be introduced. Willow grows readily in the moist Irish climate. The class might like to plant one in springtime, as the sap rises.
Older members in the community, can be invited to add their experiences of knitting, sewing, weaving, lace making and embroidery, to enrich the children’s experiences – a display of Irish Dancing costumes would be a rich source for initiating a discussion on embroidery.
A display might be mounted of pieces decorated using tie-dye or batik techniques - such a collection might include items such as scarves, skirts, evening bags, wall hangings, and murals from around the world - children may like to research the traditional Indonesian craft of batik - research could include an exploration of the traditional materials and tools used and the traditional designs created - the children, using a variety of drawing or painting materials, could reproduce these traditional patterns - the possibility of creating dyes from natural substances such as tea, mosses, onionskins and berries can be explored.
Displaying work
Items to display might include
drawings, painted designs and prints on fabrics
drawings / pieces of writing on the topics listed above
appliqué banners, wall hangings, cushion covers, dolls clothes, costumes and toys
stitched and appliqué imaginative objects
costumes made for plays or dramas – photos of these
designs created on such garments as denim trousers, jeans or shirts - add pieces of cloth, beads, braid, and sequins, to personalize a design
items of clothing that have designs silk-screen printed onto them
woven, knotted, and stitched articles such as wall hangings, banners, and class murals – possibly made of individual pieces stitched together.
pieces showing either tie-dye or batik techniques - make bags, scarves, puppets, or dolls’ clothes from dyed fabrics
knitted or crochet belts, scarves, bags, dolls, puppets, etc.
Fabric and Fibre for 3rd and 4th Classes
Fabric and fibre for Third Class and Fourth Class
Look at and examine fabric and fibre
Examine some fabric and fibre using magnifying glass or a microscope if one is available to further explore the methods of construction. Children are encouraged to pull apart hessian, netting of all types, string bags and lace curtains to see how they are made
integrate your work with work in the strand of MATERIALS in the science area
Visit show houses, furniture shops, craft centres, or local galleries as applicable
museums and local arts centres and craftspeople could be accessed as centres of excellence
visits can be made to department stores and shops.
magazines can be explored for examples of interior design’s use of fabric and fibre.
property supplements from newspapers are a good source for investigating interiors.
Discuss the different types of fibres
Animal fibres - wool, hair, silk,
Vegetable fibres - cotton, flax, jute, raffia,
Mineral fibres - glass, metallic yarns, plastics
If working in a rural area – perhaps you might collect some sheep’s wool and experiment with carding and spinning.
Can you name some of the different types of fabrics you can buy?
Can you give me the names of fibres?
Can you suggest why are fabrics made in different ways?
Are handmade fabrics superior to machine-made ones? Discuss. What about the cost?
Look at labels on your clothing. Can you make a list of the types of fabrics / fibres that have been used?
Study clothes
Initiate a class discussion on the theme of clothes designed for different purposes:
• special occasions
• uniforms
• sports clothes
• overalls
• party gear
• dress-up, etc.
This is an area that presents wonderful opportunities for inter-cultural study.
Ask the class to bring in examples of clothes that reflect this – different items of clothing e.g. saris, kilts, sarongs, etc. and items of printed clothing that show motifs based on designs from other cultures
Make Collections
Children are encouraged to make collections of old buttons, belts, ribbons, hair bobbins, wooden, plastic or glass beads, braid, sequins, bells, clothes labels, and found objects such as bone, twigs, feathers, shells, which could be used later to decorate or enhance a piece of fabric or a work in fibre.
Practicing techniques
The children could create or invent pieces quickly, in order that they can experiment and practice previously learned techniques. It is important that value is placed on these resulting inventive creations, as the final product is not always the priority. All results are given pride of place in the child’s visual arts portfolio. In this way, children can revisit a piece of work and add additional changes to the surface of the fabric
continue to explore the creative possibilities of inventing stitches and combining stitchery with other methods of changing the surface of a piece of fabric - parts can be attached and given a three-dimensional effect by the appliqué method and at this stage stitches like, satin or chain may be introduced if the need arises.
continue to explore simple fabric collage - greater variety of material can be selected at this stage - according to colour, texture, tone, shape and construction
continue to explore simple tie and dye activities - children can be encouraged to pleat and wrap sections of their piece to create different patterns - pebbles or small coins can be tied into the fabric for greater variety - the pattern can be added to using inventive stitchery or collage methods, once the dyeing process is completed.
continue drawing and painting on a variety of fabrics - fabric may be painted using a variety of different paints and markers, once it is not intended to wash the fabric after completion – commercially made fabric crayons and fabric paints are available for use when the fabric is going to be machine washed with the regular laundry - as is the case when, for example, painting a tee-shirt.
continue activities in printing onto fabrics. Simple relief blocks can be created by the children to transfer the pattern from the block onto a piece of fabric. The simplest of these would be made from materials such as sponge. These are inked up and applied by hand to the surface of the fabric to be printed. If the finished piece is likely to be washed, care has to be taken to ensure that the ink is heat sealed to make it fast, so ensuring it will not run when washed. Follow the instruction on the fabric paint pot carefully.
Exploring weaving
Introduce the concept of creating a fabric, by inviting the children to examine and explore how the clothes, which they are wearing at that moment are made. Usually skirts, trousers and shirts or tops will be of a woven fabric, as will tracksuits, jackets and coats.
Demonstrate the weaving process
Have ten children stand in a line with the first child holding one end of the rope. Place the rope in front of the first child, behind the next, in front of the next and continue in this way to the end. Go back alternating front to back to illustrate the weaving process. This is best done outdoors or in the hall space.
Discuss the tradition of weaving
Weaving is seen as one of the first crafts developed by people everywhere. Most civilizations have preserved examples of weaving. The basis of weaving – the under over rhythmic movement, is universal in its application. The basic design of the loom has not changed much throughout history. Make the connection that other animals like birds and insects also weave e.g. the spider and the weaverbird. Note the tradition of weaving in Ireland, especially along the west coast. Traditionally, weaving was a task undertaken by the men. Carding and spinning the wool were tasks, which the women did.
Think about the language of weaving and how it has crept into commonly used phrases
the fabric of life
to weave a story / spell
to get yourself into knots
to spin a yarn
to tease it out
Get some small wooden frames – they are invaluable as weaving frames and as fabric stretchers.
Working with a cardboard loom
Fabrics may be created on a variety of different shaped looms. Having had the experience of weaving using paper, the children at the phase, can progress onto weaving using a simple cardboard loom.
Cut slits into the top and bottom edges of a piece of cardboard. The slits may be any distance apart, usually, about 1cm. Judge it best to suit the yarn or material with which you are going to weave. Place warp threads, usually cotton type, through the slits. Then weave or thread fibres through the warp, under over as stated. When completed the fabric may be removed from the loom and made secure using any type of knot top and bottom to tie the warps together. A simple rod may be attached to the top to hang the woven piece.
Any continuous material can be used for weaving, wool, plastic bags, rags, and grasses. Be adventurous. At this introductory stage of weaving, use materials, which ensures the weaving will grow quickly, otherwise the child will get tired of the process. Branch loom.
Other structures can be used as a frame for weaving. A forked branch is just such a structure. The warp threads are wound around the forked branch. The weft threads are woven into these. This can be a good outdoor group project, when a large branch with many forks is used. It is a good introduction to site-specific work, if done in situ in the school garden.
create individual dream catchers as used by the North American Indians
make God’s Eye weavings
weave in a circle using a paper plate – or work large on an old pram / bicycle wheel
Introducing knitting and crochet
Children are introduced to the basic garter stitch, plain knitting row after row. The objective is to encourage the children to knit small create pieces, armbands, hair bands, bookmarks, et cetera. The children are invited to make patterns with different wool colours adding interest. Little purses, pencil cases and the like can be knit
Use small knitted pieces as backgrounds for collages. Simple crochet stitches can be explored and variety achieved by combining simple shapes with colour. Similar pieces as listed for knitting can be created.
make a bracelet or small arm band
Constructing with fabric and fibre
The techniques of working with fabric and fibre (stitching, knotting, weaving et cetera) can be used to create simple three-dimensional forms i.e.
fabric pieces can be pleated, rolled, padded, gathered, and folded to create a three-dimensional stand-alone form.
these can then be joined to make objects of any description, including people and animals.
buttons, beads and fibres can be used to add features or details to the constructions.
parts of constructions can be joined together by wrapping, stitching, pinning, or taping sections together.
stockings, socks or tubes of fabric can be stuffed ( with crumpled newspaper, cotton wool, old nylon stockings ) and modelled into shape as desired. Details can be added as described previously e.g. stuff a nylon stocking with some other stockings - with a needle and fibre start to attach facial features - catch some of the stuffing with the outside fabric as you stitch, pulling threads together to create a three-dimensional sculptures face - children are surprised and delighted as the funny features develop before their very eyes.
stuff a square of fabric - tie it with a rubber band or thread - pieces of fabric, fibres, beads, sequins et cetera can be used to add special details and character to the unique creation.
threads and fabrics can be used to decorate spaces or to create a fabric and fibre environment in a classroom corner - it could be a jungle or web like structure inhabited by various imaginative creatures, each child having a part to contribute - children can use a variety of techniques to complete this activity - especially suitable as an activity for the Halloween period.
Other techniques to explore
The children are encouraged to create inventive imaginative pieces so that they can experiment with and practice previously learned techniques of working with fabric and fibre. It is important that value is placed on all such work and that the final product is not the only consideration - it is the inherent learning process that is of more value. At this stage, some simple techniques of stitching, knotting and weaving can be introduced if desired.
Through problem solving activities introduce the children to further simple stitching methods.
make a line of stitches with spaces – draw with a fibre
make a line of stitches without spaces.
make a curvy line with loops and spaces.
make a line wavy line of stitches with crosses
use stitches to fill in a space – simple embroidery
A true spirit of invention is to infuse all this work with inventive stitchery. Colour and textures in threads will of course add immense interest to such activities. A fabric chart could be kept to record all invented stitches, and proudly displayed in the classroom as a reference point.
Knotting and Plaiting Activities -
Children can be introduced to the idea of a creating a simple knot using one thread. They can nest make a simple knot to join two or more fibres together. Children discover the best way to create a lasting knot, and explore which knots can be easily undone. Children are encouraged to plait, using three different coloured wools or suitable yarns. Plaits may be made in the county colours or those of the school. They might make a study of knots and splices used in the scouts or on the sea.
Displays of work
Work to be displayed might include items such as
designs and images drawn, painted or printed onto fabrics
images on fabric showing the use of collage or appliqué techniques
pieces of weaving – mobiles made with woven pieces
pieces of simple embroidery – possibly done on dyed pieces of fabric
knitted or crochet pieces
soft toys – sock puppets, stuffed figures, invented toys, glove puppets
stocking-face dolls with invented costumes added
stuffed toys
simple jewellery that has been constructed using scrap items
drawn / painted designs for clothes / fashion items
Look at and examine fabric and fibre
Examine some fabric and fibre using magnifying glass or a microscope if one is available to further explore the methods of construction. Children are encouraged to pull apart hessian, netting of all types, string bags and lace curtains to see how they are made
integrate your work with work in the strand of MATERIALS in the science area
Visit show houses, furniture shops, craft centres, or local galleries as applicable
museums and local arts centres and craftspeople could be accessed as centres of excellence
visits can be made to department stores and shops.
magazines can be explored for examples of interior design’s use of fabric and fibre.
property supplements from newspapers are a good source for investigating interiors.
Discuss the different types of fibres
Animal fibres - wool, hair, silk,
Vegetable fibres - cotton, flax, jute, raffia,
Mineral fibres - glass, metallic yarns, plastics
If working in a rural area – perhaps you might collect some sheep’s wool and experiment with carding and spinning.
Can you name some of the different types of fabrics you can buy?
Can you give me the names of fibres?
Can you suggest why are fabrics made in different ways?
Are handmade fabrics superior to machine-made ones? Discuss. What about the cost?
Look at labels on your clothing. Can you make a list of the types of fabrics / fibres that have been used?
Study clothes
Initiate a class discussion on the theme of clothes designed for different purposes:
• special occasions
• uniforms
• sports clothes
• overalls
• party gear
• dress-up, etc.
This is an area that presents wonderful opportunities for inter-cultural study.
Ask the class to bring in examples of clothes that reflect this – different items of clothing e.g. saris, kilts, sarongs, etc. and items of printed clothing that show motifs based on designs from other cultures
Make Collections
Children are encouraged to make collections of old buttons, belts, ribbons, hair bobbins, wooden, plastic or glass beads, braid, sequins, bells, clothes labels, and found objects such as bone, twigs, feathers, shells, which could be used later to decorate or enhance a piece of fabric or a work in fibre.
Practicing techniques
The children could create or invent pieces quickly, in order that they can experiment and practice previously learned techniques. It is important that value is placed on these resulting inventive creations, as the final product is not always the priority. All results are given pride of place in the child’s visual arts portfolio. In this way, children can revisit a piece of work and add additional changes to the surface of the fabric
continue to explore the creative possibilities of inventing stitches and combining stitchery with other methods of changing the surface of a piece of fabric - parts can be attached and given a three-dimensional effect by the appliqué method and at this stage stitches like, satin or chain may be introduced if the need arises.
continue to explore simple fabric collage - greater variety of material can be selected at this stage - according to colour, texture, tone, shape and construction
continue to explore simple tie and dye activities - children can be encouraged to pleat and wrap sections of their piece to create different patterns - pebbles or small coins can be tied into the fabric for greater variety - the pattern can be added to using inventive stitchery or collage methods, once the dyeing process is completed.
continue drawing and painting on a variety of fabrics - fabric may be painted using a variety of different paints and markers, once it is not intended to wash the fabric after completion – commercially made fabric crayons and fabric paints are available for use when the fabric is going to be machine washed with the regular laundry - as is the case when, for example, painting a tee-shirt.
continue activities in printing onto fabrics. Simple relief blocks can be created by the children to transfer the pattern from the block onto a piece of fabric. The simplest of these would be made from materials such as sponge. These are inked up and applied by hand to the surface of the fabric to be printed. If the finished piece is likely to be washed, care has to be taken to ensure that the ink is heat sealed to make it fast, so ensuring it will not run when washed. Follow the instruction on the fabric paint pot carefully.
Exploring weaving
Introduce the concept of creating a fabric, by inviting the children to examine and explore how the clothes, which they are wearing at that moment are made. Usually skirts, trousers and shirts or tops will be of a woven fabric, as will tracksuits, jackets and coats.
Demonstrate the weaving process
Have ten children stand in a line with the first child holding one end of the rope. Place the rope in front of the first child, behind the next, in front of the next and continue in this way to the end. Go back alternating front to back to illustrate the weaving process. This is best done outdoors or in the hall space.
Discuss the tradition of weaving
Weaving is seen as one of the first crafts developed by people everywhere. Most civilizations have preserved examples of weaving. The basis of weaving – the under over rhythmic movement, is universal in its application. The basic design of the loom has not changed much throughout history. Make the connection that other animals like birds and insects also weave e.g. the spider and the weaverbird. Note the tradition of weaving in Ireland, especially along the west coast. Traditionally, weaving was a task undertaken by the men. Carding and spinning the wool were tasks, which the women did.
Think about the language of weaving and how it has crept into commonly used phrases
the fabric of life
to weave a story / spell
to get yourself into knots
to spin a yarn
to tease it out
Get some small wooden frames – they are invaluable as weaving frames and as fabric stretchers.
Working with a cardboard loom
Fabrics may be created on a variety of different shaped looms. Having had the experience of weaving using paper, the children at the phase, can progress onto weaving using a simple cardboard loom.
Cut slits into the top and bottom edges of a piece of cardboard. The slits may be any distance apart, usually, about 1cm. Judge it best to suit the yarn or material with which you are going to weave. Place warp threads, usually cotton type, through the slits. Then weave or thread fibres through the warp, under over as stated. When completed the fabric may be removed from the loom and made secure using any type of knot top and bottom to tie the warps together. A simple rod may be attached to the top to hang the woven piece.
Any continuous material can be used for weaving, wool, plastic bags, rags, and grasses. Be adventurous. At this introductory stage of weaving, use materials, which ensures the weaving will grow quickly, otherwise the child will get tired of the process. Branch loom.
Other structures can be used as a frame for weaving. A forked branch is just such a structure. The warp threads are wound around the forked branch. The weft threads are woven into these. This can be a good outdoor group project, when a large branch with many forks is used. It is a good introduction to site-specific work, if done in situ in the school garden.
create individual dream catchers as used by the North American Indians
make God’s Eye weavings
weave in a circle using a paper plate – or work large on an old pram / bicycle wheel
Introducing knitting and crochet
Children are introduced to the basic garter stitch, plain knitting row after row. The objective is to encourage the children to knit small create pieces, armbands, hair bands, bookmarks, et cetera. The children are invited to make patterns with different wool colours adding interest. Little purses, pencil cases and the like can be knit
Use small knitted pieces as backgrounds for collages. Simple crochet stitches can be explored and variety achieved by combining simple shapes with colour. Similar pieces as listed for knitting can be created.
make a bracelet or small arm band
Constructing with fabric and fibre
The techniques of working with fabric and fibre (stitching, knotting, weaving et cetera) can be used to create simple three-dimensional forms i.e.
fabric pieces can be pleated, rolled, padded, gathered, and folded to create a three-dimensional stand-alone form.
these can then be joined to make objects of any description, including people and animals.
buttons, beads and fibres can be used to add features or details to the constructions.
parts of constructions can be joined together by wrapping, stitching, pinning, or taping sections together.
stockings, socks or tubes of fabric can be stuffed ( with crumpled newspaper, cotton wool, old nylon stockings ) and modelled into shape as desired. Details can be added as described previously e.g. stuff a nylon stocking with some other stockings - with a needle and fibre start to attach facial features - catch some of the stuffing with the outside fabric as you stitch, pulling threads together to create a three-dimensional sculptures face - children are surprised and delighted as the funny features develop before their very eyes.
stuff a square of fabric - tie it with a rubber band or thread - pieces of fabric, fibres, beads, sequins et cetera can be used to add special details and character to the unique creation.
threads and fabrics can be used to decorate spaces or to create a fabric and fibre environment in a classroom corner - it could be a jungle or web like structure inhabited by various imaginative creatures, each child having a part to contribute - children can use a variety of techniques to complete this activity - especially suitable as an activity for the Halloween period.
Other techniques to explore
The children are encouraged to create inventive imaginative pieces so that they can experiment with and practice previously learned techniques of working with fabric and fibre. It is important that value is placed on all such work and that the final product is not the only consideration - it is the inherent learning process that is of more value. At this stage, some simple techniques of stitching, knotting and weaving can be introduced if desired.
Through problem solving activities introduce the children to further simple stitching methods.
make a line of stitches with spaces – draw with a fibre
make a line of stitches without spaces.
make a curvy line with loops and spaces.
make a line wavy line of stitches with crosses
use stitches to fill in a space – simple embroidery
A true spirit of invention is to infuse all this work with inventive stitchery. Colour and textures in threads will of course add immense interest to such activities. A fabric chart could be kept to record all invented stitches, and proudly displayed in the classroom as a reference point.
Knotting and Plaiting Activities -
Children can be introduced to the idea of a creating a simple knot using one thread. They can nest make a simple knot to join two or more fibres together. Children discover the best way to create a lasting knot, and explore which knots can be easily undone. Children are encouraged to plait, using three different coloured wools or suitable yarns. Plaits may be made in the county colours or those of the school. They might make a study of knots and splices used in the scouts or on the sea.
Displays of work
Work to be displayed might include items such as
designs and images drawn, painted or printed onto fabrics
images on fabric showing the use of collage or appliqué techniques
pieces of weaving – mobiles made with woven pieces
pieces of simple embroidery – possibly done on dyed pieces of fabric
knitted or crochet pieces
soft toys – sock puppets, stuffed figures, invented toys, glove puppets
stocking-face dolls with invented costumes added
stuffed toys
simple jewellery that has been constructed using scrap items
drawn / painted designs for clothes / fashion items
Fabric and Fibre for Ist and 2nd Classes
Fabric and fibre for First Class and Second Class
Exploring fabric and fibre
Children need to be provided with an ever-widening selection of fabrics and fibres, to explore in terms of gaining visual and tactile experiences
sort according to shape, colour, feel, rub, pattern, construction and so forth.
look at and discuss the feel of a pieces of fabric, whether they always feel as we expect, what are the surprises about how a fabric looks and how sometimes it can feel
discuss what uses are made of different fabrics and fibres
put groups of fabrics and fibres into collections, according to texture - whether they are soft, dull, rough, patterned, regular, or irregular.
Discussing different materials
Encourage the children to bring along samples of fabric and fibre from their own environment. These can be categorized in terms of material type - natural, synthetic (person made) e.g.
What are bubble wrap and other types of plastic packaging made from?
What are the various stages in making wool?
There are obvious integration chances here with the strand of materials in the science curriculum. Discussion can take place regarding the origin of the fibres
Can you research the story of the silkworm?
Can you make charts to show the different types of fabrics?
Look in bookshops / libraries to find children’s books in which fabrics and fibres have been used to create the illustrations.
Developing skills and techniques
Children continue the process of deconstructing open weaved fabrics such as hessian, to gain real understanding of how any woven fabric is constructed. Twines, wool, cotton, fruit bags, old knitted or crocheted garments can all be pulled apart and examined. Once deconstructed, these parts can be reused in other activities.
deconstruct some parts of a piece of Hessian by fraying the edges – make openings in the body of the fabric – add colour to your piece using chalks and wax crayons – display your piece on a background card. Children are introduced to the creative possibilities involved in different methods of joining fabric and fibre, such as pinning, sewing, stapling, gluing, and tying. It is important to note that any sewing is approached in a very free and not-directive manner. What is intended is really the notion of inventive stitchery, a means of attaching two or more pieces of fabric or other material together. Children will in their own time discover the necessity for some form of knot, at, for example, the end of a thread, to stop it undoing.
Take two or three fabric scraps from the fabric box – take some thick wool and a bodkin – work out a way of joining your pieces together. Pieces of fabric and garments can be examined to discover how buttons, studs and decorations have been added.
Add some buttons, beads or other decorations to the piece you have made. Children can explore the effect of colour applied to fabric, using food dye, thinned paint or fabric paints. Colour can be added, as in dyeing fabric, or colour can be taken out as in bleaching. Experiments can be made using coldwater dyes and bleach. This is best done outdoors on a sunny day. Give over a complete day for this event. The care labels on garments can be discussed. Reference can be made to the effects of burning, and a discussion can be held around the safety warning on night-ware.
Add colour to small pieces of cotton using a variety of materials – use one of your own drawings or paintings as a stimulus. Using simple stitching methods threads and fibres can be attached in a free creative manner to a background piece of fabric to create an endless variety of possibilities.
Draw with a bodkin and wool on a piece of blanket material. Fabric can be tie-dyed using cotton string to tie knots to create random patterns. The children are encouraged to tie as many knots as possible to add variety.
Work as a class to create a flour batik banner. A batter consistency mixture of flour and water is applied to a piece of fabric to create a design. This is left to dry and fabric paint is painted onto the other areas. Once dry, the flour is picked off the fabric and the design is complete. (This form of batik is seen in Africa.)
Begin a school collection of art fabric pieces e.g. pieces of batik / silk scarves / rugs, etc.
Making fabric activities – simple weaving
Large strips of paper, coloured newspapers or magazines, are torn and positioned in the under-over universal weave pattern. Children can work in pairs or small groups on tabletops to further explore the pattern of the weave.
Try weaving other materials through, as well as paper e.g. weave strips of fabric, reeds, raffia, wools through your paper loom
Weave through ready-made grid structures, such as onion sacking, fruit bags, soft chicken wire, binka, carpet underlay or any other available grid structure. Different structures can be introduced on which children can explore the technique of weaving using wool or other suitable fibre. These include paper plates, and lollipop sticks, garden sticks or even old wheels. Using a circular movement, wool is woven in the same under/over pattern.
Can you think of other things you might weave through?
Simple construction activities
Use fabric scraps and fibre scraps to
Try weaving other materials through, as well as paper e.g. weave strips of fabric, reeds, raffia, wools through your paper loom
construct pom pom and tassels - these can form the structure for an imaginative fantastical creature or other imaginary playthings
Previously learned techniques can be applied in problem solving situations and further techniques can be introduced as the need arises.
Playing with fibres
Provide the children with quick problem-solving exercises as follows
change a fibre by cutting and fraying it e.g. fray and decorate a piece of rope
add to a fibre by joining it with another fibre - try twisting it or plaiting it if you can e.g. plait three different coloured ribbons together to make a hair decoration
add to a fibre by decorating it with beads, seeds, buttons, sequins or other decorative objects e.g. thread beads onto a piece of thick wool to make a pattern
knot pieces of fibres together to create a pattern.
dip pieces of fibre in glue and stick them to paper or card – take some ribbings, or wrap them around three-dimensional forms such as plastic bottles, boxes, and clay pieces
Make a fabric and fibre collage
It is important to give the children time to design on paper before they commence their work in fabric and fibre. The child is to remain the designer throughout the creative process. Encourage the child to sketch their design onto the fabric before starting to cut out at all. The pieces can be relocated and moved before deciding on the final product as follows:
glue down a slightly larger backing cloth on to cardboard. Allow the cloth to extend over the edges of the cardboard. Fold the fabric under and glue. Cut, glue and press down each piece on to the backing fabric. Add yarns, fibres and other decorative elements. Draw on details with ordinary felt tipped pens. Cover the entire piece with protective paper, waxed if possible, and press with a heavy object such as a large book, until all the pieces are dry.
Inventing stitches
Spend time experimenting with different stitches and encourage the children to invent their own stitches – this is where the term inventive stitchery comes from. They can practise on plastic mesh or hessian, using thick thread and a bodkin/blanket needle. When there are no preconceived plans or established goals, the children will enjoy the experience all the more. Encourage the children to add to or to change their pieces through discussion.
How did you make that stitch?
Can you make it join another?
Can you make another to join it?
Can you join fabrics by stitching?
Can you add an object such as a button or a bead, which you made in clay yourself?
Can you make a stitch on top of another?
Begin to make a collection of interesting fibres and of bodkins – both plastic and metal.
Display work
The types of work that would be displayed might include
photographic records of dressing-up activities or of invented costumes e.g. a record of a drama and the children’s costume inventions for the drama
drawings / paintings / pieces of writing about these
pieces of deconstructed hessian decorated with colour
simple pieces of weaving
representational or non-representational pictures made using fabric collage techniques e.g. an individual or group collage made on the theme of favourite stories
a patchwork piece made using invented stitchery
simple sock / glove puppets
drawings / paintings on fabric – made using fabric crayons or paints
a touch picture – a collage made with various textured pieces of fabric
a class / group fabric mural created on a hessian or cotton background - children add stitches, pieces of found materials, collected objects and so on. The class and teacher decide on the theme for the mural.
mobiles made from decorated fibres
rubbings or prints taken from pieces
Exploring fabric and fibre
Children need to be provided with an ever-widening selection of fabrics and fibres, to explore in terms of gaining visual and tactile experiences
sort according to shape, colour, feel, rub, pattern, construction and so forth.
look at and discuss the feel of a pieces of fabric, whether they always feel as we expect, what are the surprises about how a fabric looks and how sometimes it can feel
discuss what uses are made of different fabrics and fibres
put groups of fabrics and fibres into collections, according to texture - whether they are soft, dull, rough, patterned, regular, or irregular.
Discussing different materials
Encourage the children to bring along samples of fabric and fibre from their own environment. These can be categorized in terms of material type - natural, synthetic (person made) e.g.
What are bubble wrap and other types of plastic packaging made from?
What are the various stages in making wool?
There are obvious integration chances here with the strand of materials in the science curriculum. Discussion can take place regarding the origin of the fibres
Can you research the story of the silkworm?
Can you make charts to show the different types of fabrics?
Look in bookshops / libraries to find children’s books in which fabrics and fibres have been used to create the illustrations.
Developing skills and techniques
Children continue the process of deconstructing open weaved fabrics such as hessian, to gain real understanding of how any woven fabric is constructed. Twines, wool, cotton, fruit bags, old knitted or crocheted garments can all be pulled apart and examined. Once deconstructed, these parts can be reused in other activities.
deconstruct some parts of a piece of Hessian by fraying the edges – make openings in the body of the fabric – add colour to your piece using chalks and wax crayons – display your piece on a background card. Children are introduced to the creative possibilities involved in different methods of joining fabric and fibre, such as pinning, sewing, stapling, gluing, and tying. It is important to note that any sewing is approached in a very free and not-directive manner. What is intended is really the notion of inventive stitchery, a means of attaching two or more pieces of fabric or other material together. Children will in their own time discover the necessity for some form of knot, at, for example, the end of a thread, to stop it undoing.
Take two or three fabric scraps from the fabric box – take some thick wool and a bodkin – work out a way of joining your pieces together. Pieces of fabric and garments can be examined to discover how buttons, studs and decorations have been added.
Add some buttons, beads or other decorations to the piece you have made. Children can explore the effect of colour applied to fabric, using food dye, thinned paint or fabric paints. Colour can be added, as in dyeing fabric, or colour can be taken out as in bleaching. Experiments can be made using coldwater dyes and bleach. This is best done outdoors on a sunny day. Give over a complete day for this event. The care labels on garments can be discussed. Reference can be made to the effects of burning, and a discussion can be held around the safety warning on night-ware.
Add colour to small pieces of cotton using a variety of materials – use one of your own drawings or paintings as a stimulus. Using simple stitching methods threads and fibres can be attached in a free creative manner to a background piece of fabric to create an endless variety of possibilities.
Draw with a bodkin and wool on a piece of blanket material. Fabric can be tie-dyed using cotton string to tie knots to create random patterns. The children are encouraged to tie as many knots as possible to add variety.
Work as a class to create a flour batik banner. A batter consistency mixture of flour and water is applied to a piece of fabric to create a design. This is left to dry and fabric paint is painted onto the other areas. Once dry, the flour is picked off the fabric and the design is complete. (This form of batik is seen in Africa.)
Begin a school collection of art fabric pieces e.g. pieces of batik / silk scarves / rugs, etc.
Making fabric activities – simple weaving
Large strips of paper, coloured newspapers or magazines, are torn and positioned in the under-over universal weave pattern. Children can work in pairs or small groups on tabletops to further explore the pattern of the weave.
Try weaving other materials through, as well as paper e.g. weave strips of fabric, reeds, raffia, wools through your paper loom
Weave through ready-made grid structures, such as onion sacking, fruit bags, soft chicken wire, binka, carpet underlay or any other available grid structure. Different structures can be introduced on which children can explore the technique of weaving using wool or other suitable fibre. These include paper plates, and lollipop sticks, garden sticks or even old wheels. Using a circular movement, wool is woven in the same under/over pattern.
Can you think of other things you might weave through?
Simple construction activities
Use fabric scraps and fibre scraps to
Try weaving other materials through, as well as paper e.g. weave strips of fabric, reeds, raffia, wools through your paper loom
construct pom pom and tassels - these can form the structure for an imaginative fantastical creature or other imaginary playthings
Previously learned techniques can be applied in problem solving situations and further techniques can be introduced as the need arises.
Playing with fibres
Provide the children with quick problem-solving exercises as follows
change a fibre by cutting and fraying it e.g. fray and decorate a piece of rope
add to a fibre by joining it with another fibre - try twisting it or plaiting it if you can e.g. plait three different coloured ribbons together to make a hair decoration
add to a fibre by decorating it with beads, seeds, buttons, sequins or other decorative objects e.g. thread beads onto a piece of thick wool to make a pattern
knot pieces of fibres together to create a pattern.
dip pieces of fibre in glue and stick them to paper or card – take some ribbings, or wrap them around three-dimensional forms such as plastic bottles, boxes, and clay pieces
Make a fabric and fibre collage
It is important to give the children time to design on paper before they commence their work in fabric and fibre. The child is to remain the designer throughout the creative process. Encourage the child to sketch their design onto the fabric before starting to cut out at all. The pieces can be relocated and moved before deciding on the final product as follows:
glue down a slightly larger backing cloth on to cardboard. Allow the cloth to extend over the edges of the cardboard. Fold the fabric under and glue. Cut, glue and press down each piece on to the backing fabric. Add yarns, fibres and other decorative elements. Draw on details with ordinary felt tipped pens. Cover the entire piece with protective paper, waxed if possible, and press with a heavy object such as a large book, until all the pieces are dry.
Inventing stitches
Spend time experimenting with different stitches and encourage the children to invent their own stitches – this is where the term inventive stitchery comes from. They can practise on plastic mesh or hessian, using thick thread and a bodkin/blanket needle. When there are no preconceived plans or established goals, the children will enjoy the experience all the more. Encourage the children to add to or to change their pieces through discussion.
How did you make that stitch?
Can you make it join another?
Can you make another to join it?
Can you join fabrics by stitching?
Can you add an object such as a button or a bead, which you made in clay yourself?
Can you make a stitch on top of another?
Begin to make a collection of interesting fibres and of bodkins – both plastic and metal.
Display work
The types of work that would be displayed might include
photographic records of dressing-up activities or of invented costumes e.g. a record of a drama and the children’s costume inventions for the drama
drawings / paintings / pieces of writing about these
pieces of deconstructed hessian decorated with colour
simple pieces of weaving
representational or non-representational pictures made using fabric collage techniques e.g. an individual or group collage made on the theme of favourite stories
a patchwork piece made using invented stitchery
simple sock / glove puppets
drawings / paintings on fabric – made using fabric crayons or paints
a touch picture – a collage made with various textured pieces of fabric
a class / group fabric mural created on a hessian or cotton background - children add stitches, pieces of found materials, collected objects and so on. The class and teacher decide on the theme for the mural.
mobiles made from decorated fibres
rubbings or prints taken from pieces
Ideas for working with Fabric and fibre
It is important that children learn to use the language of Fabric and fibre.
Here are many of the key words/terms that are used in this strand.
INFANTS
fabric, fibre, thread, cloth clothes, material, rough, smooth, prickly, spongy ,thick, thin, wool, cotton, plastic, cord, tape, raffia, twine, rushes, tie, knot, fringe, fray, tease, web, cut, clothing, costume, uniform, bubble-wrap, ribbon, dye, colour, repeat
, 1st AND 2nd CLASSES
match, sort, sew, bond, staple, unravel, hessian, fruit, nets, onion-sacking,
stitch, pom-pom, tassel, loop, twist, curl, , under and over, netting, woven, construct, deconstruct, running, stitch, crochet, cross, plaiting, draw(meaning pulling a thread),fold, gather, beads, buttons, seeds, sequins
3rd AND 4th CLASSES
curtains, tapestry, furnishings, dye-bath, knitted, needlegauge, crochet, hand-made, machine-made, warp( vertical )
weft (horizontal) shuttle, (device which carries the yarn over and under the warp) beater, (used to push the woven yarn into place), backstitch, hem, satin, stitch, embroidery, lace, pleat, gather, wall-hanging, hang,
heat, seal, tease, colour-fast, temperature
5th AND 6th CLASSES
spinning, weaving, macramé, tapestry,
mat, braid, basketry, patchwork, appliqué, embroidery, needlecraft, knit (cast on, cast off, increase, decrease, pattern, plain, purl, moss stitch, rib, ply of wool), crochet (hook, double, chain, treble) beeswax, gutta,
resist, dye, absorb, dye-bath, cast,
penetrate, wall, hanging, flag, banner,
tie-dye, flour-batik, tjanting-tool, Java,
dowel, cat-gut, textiles, immerse
Can you think of other words?
Fabric and fibre for Infant classes
Exploring fabrics
You can make collections of cloth scraps and old clothes for the children to explore. Factories, craft shops, DIY shops and haberdashery suppliers are often good sources as are local dressmakers and often parents who work with fabric or in the fashion business. Fabrics explored should include fabric of different weights, colours, patterns, textures, and method of manufacture.
Can you find fabrics in the scraps box that you think show bright happy colours?
Can you make a collection of pieces that are all smooth?
Can you pick out some pieces that have lots of pattern on them?
Can you make a collection of some of your favourite pieces and glue them onto a card background to create a simple fabric collage?
Can you take some rubbings / prints from some of the scraps?
Can we make some charts for our classroom that tell others what we have discovered about fabrics?
WE FOUND FABRICS THAT ARE
ROUGH - SMOOTH - THICK - BUMPY - PATTERNED - THIN - SPONGY – COLOURFUL - WOOLLY - FURRY – TEXTURED – SHINY – TRANSPARENT – HEAVY - LIGHT
Introducing Fibres
Provide children with a wide variety of fibres to explore, to touch, to feel and to compare their qualities.
Fibres to be explored should include natural fibres, wool, raffia, feathers, cotton, linen, reeds, rushes, etc.
Can you find some red fibres and tie them to the top of your pencil?
Can you find a piece of rope and pull it to pieces – what have you discovered?
Can you look at a feather through a magnifying glass – can you see the individual fibres/threads? Can you do the same thing with a spider’s web?
Can you make some patterns with fibres on a piece of cardboard and take some rubbings?
Let’s make another chart e.g.
WE FOUND DIFFERENT KINDS OF FABRIC AND FIBRE
wool - cotton - linen - twine - rope - thread - nylon – raffia - silk
hessian - grasses - reeds - twigs
Sorting Fabric and Fibre
Ask the children to make sets with their fabric and fibre collections. These could be grouped according to category:
A set of pieces with colours I like
A set of pieces with my favourite textures
Pieces of fabric I have dyed
Which is your favourite piece of fabric?
Why do you like that particular piece?
Pin the fabric and fibre collections to charts on a display board. The children can be encouraged to invent other categories as they each add a favourite fabric/fibre to the group collection.
Integrate this work with work in sorting and classifying in mathematics. Have a sorting for texture box – can you find pieces of fabric with the same texture when you are blindfolded?
Identify local sources for fabric and fibre supplies.
Look at how fabrics are made
Explore simple open-weave fabric such as hessian, and tweed. The children are encouraged to
pull out, and ‘deconstruct’ the entire piece – discover that all fabrics are made from fibres
make patterns/draw with the fibres you get and take rubbings
use the fibres to mask out in some simple mono-printing activities
put some of the fibres into a net bag and dye them. These can later be used for a variety of purposes.
In this way children come to understand how the weave works in any fabric. The term ‘over under can be further explored in simple terms. Children, working in groups, could be encouraged to tear up newspapers and position torn strips on the worktop following the ‘under over’ weave pattern.
Hessian can also be stretched and pulled at random to create gaps and holes.
Fabric and Fibre in the environment
Find examples of fabric and fibre in the children’s environment.
Begin with their own clothes; look at the weave in their uniform, the wool in their jumpers, and the carpet in the classroom.
have a fabric and fibre day – ask the children to come to school dressed in some of their favourite clothes – discuss lines, shapes, colours, patterns, textures (the elements of art) that you can see in the clothes/
draw pictures about yourself in your favourite clothes
Dressing up/Inventing a Costume
Create a dressing up corner in the classroom, containing different outfits such as ball-gowns, overalls, fantasy outfits, belts buckles and magic wands. Include large pieces of fabric and fibres like satins and netting, so that the children can practise joining methods using
velcro
elastic bands
double-sided tape
masking tape
ribbons
string etc.
Make a list of what you feel should be in a good quality dressing-up box – and begin to assemble these.
Provide a context for children through informal questioning e.g. integrate this with work from the drama curriculum, dress up as a favourite character and
tell the class about your costume.
tell them who you are ( or maybe let them guess )
make up a story about your character
Discuss clothes
Gather examples of various ways in which people dress. This is a good avenue for exploring multiculturalism. Discuss fabric and clothes in general. Integrate work here with work in the SPHE and Science curricula
Why do we need clothes?
What types of clothes do you have?
How do we use fabrics in our homes?
Ask the children to bring in examples of fabric in use in their homes e.g. they could display a series of favourite cushions
Examine the science and SPHE curriculum documents to find the links.
Talk about our work
Encourage the class to discover the possibilities for using fabric and fibre to create imaginative collages with various designs and patterns. The children could be engaged in a discussion as follows
Can you show me ways in which you can use fabrics and fibres to make a pattern or picture?
Can you draw a picture using fibres?
Can you take a line for a walk, now can you take a fibre for a walk?
Can you arrange a design created with fabric and fibres on a different background e.g. pieces of felt, cardboard sheeting, pillowcases, etc?
Do you like doing this?
What ways have you discovered to change the surface of a fabric? Did you take away a part, add a bit, colour or dye the fabric?
Can you tell me all the different types of fibres you used from our fabric and fibre boxes?
It is important that children learn to use the language of Fabric and fibre.
Here are many of the key words/terms that are used in this strand.
INFANTS
fabric, fibre, thread, cloth clothes, material, rough, smooth, prickly, spongy ,thick, thin, wool, cotton, plastic, cord, tape, raffia, twine, rushes, tie, knot, fringe, fray, tease, web, cut, clothing, costume, uniform, bubble-wrap, ribbon, dye, colour, repeat
, 1st AND 2nd CLASSES
match, sort, sew, bond, staple, unravel, hessian, fruit, nets, onion-sacking,
stitch, pom-pom, tassel, loop, twist, curl, , under and over, netting, woven, construct, deconstruct, running, stitch, crochet, cross, plaiting, draw(meaning pulling a thread),fold, gather, beads, buttons, seeds, sequins
3rd AND 4th CLASSES
curtains, tapestry, furnishings, dye-bath, knitted, needlegauge, crochet, hand-made, machine-made, warp( vertical )
weft (horizontal) shuttle, (device which carries the yarn over and under the warp) beater, (used to push the woven yarn into place), backstitch, hem, satin, stitch, embroidery, lace, pleat, gather, wall-hanging, hang,
heat, seal, tease, colour-fast, temperature
5th AND 6th CLASSES
spinning, weaving, macramé, tapestry,
mat, braid, basketry, patchwork, appliqué, embroidery, needlecraft, knit (cast on, cast off, increase, decrease, pattern, plain, purl, moss stitch, rib, ply of wool), crochet (hook, double, chain, treble) beeswax, gutta,
resist, dye, absorb, dye-bath, cast,
penetrate, wall, hanging, flag, banner,
tie-dye, flour-batik, tjanting-tool, Java,
dowel, cat-gut, textiles, immerse
Can you think of other words?
Fabric and fibre for Infant classes
Exploring fabrics
You can make collections of cloth scraps and old clothes for the children to explore. Factories, craft shops, DIY shops and haberdashery suppliers are often good sources as are local dressmakers and often parents who work with fabric or in the fashion business. Fabrics explored should include fabric of different weights, colours, patterns, textures, and method of manufacture.
Can you find fabrics in the scraps box that you think show bright happy colours?
Can you make a collection of pieces that are all smooth?
Can you pick out some pieces that have lots of pattern on them?
Can you make a collection of some of your favourite pieces and glue them onto a card background to create a simple fabric collage?
Can you take some rubbings / prints from some of the scraps?
Can we make some charts for our classroom that tell others what we have discovered about fabrics?
WE FOUND FABRICS THAT ARE
ROUGH - SMOOTH - THICK - BUMPY - PATTERNED - THIN - SPONGY – COLOURFUL - WOOLLY - FURRY – TEXTURED – SHINY – TRANSPARENT – HEAVY - LIGHT
Introducing Fibres
Provide children with a wide variety of fibres to explore, to touch, to feel and to compare their qualities.
Fibres to be explored should include natural fibres, wool, raffia, feathers, cotton, linen, reeds, rushes, etc.
Can you find some red fibres and tie them to the top of your pencil?
Can you find a piece of rope and pull it to pieces – what have you discovered?
Can you look at a feather through a magnifying glass – can you see the individual fibres/threads? Can you do the same thing with a spider’s web?
Can you make some patterns with fibres on a piece of cardboard and take some rubbings?
Let’s make another chart e.g.
WE FOUND DIFFERENT KINDS OF FABRIC AND FIBRE
wool - cotton - linen - twine - rope - thread - nylon – raffia - silk
hessian - grasses - reeds - twigs
Sorting Fabric and Fibre
Ask the children to make sets with their fabric and fibre collections. These could be grouped according to category:
A set of pieces with colours I like
A set of pieces with my favourite textures
Pieces of fabric I have dyed
Which is your favourite piece of fabric?
Why do you like that particular piece?
Pin the fabric and fibre collections to charts on a display board. The children can be encouraged to invent other categories as they each add a favourite fabric/fibre to the group collection.
Integrate this work with work in sorting and classifying in mathematics. Have a sorting for texture box – can you find pieces of fabric with the same texture when you are blindfolded?
Identify local sources for fabric and fibre supplies.
Look at how fabrics are made
Explore simple open-weave fabric such as hessian, and tweed. The children are encouraged to
pull out, and ‘deconstruct’ the entire piece – discover that all fabrics are made from fibres
make patterns/draw with the fibres you get and take rubbings
use the fibres to mask out in some simple mono-printing activities
put some of the fibres into a net bag and dye them. These can later be used for a variety of purposes.
In this way children come to understand how the weave works in any fabric. The term ‘over under can be further explored in simple terms. Children, working in groups, could be encouraged to tear up newspapers and position torn strips on the worktop following the ‘under over’ weave pattern.
Hessian can also be stretched and pulled at random to create gaps and holes.
Fabric and Fibre in the environment
Find examples of fabric and fibre in the children’s environment.
Begin with their own clothes; look at the weave in their uniform, the wool in their jumpers, and the carpet in the classroom.
have a fabric and fibre day – ask the children to come to school dressed in some of their favourite clothes – discuss lines, shapes, colours, patterns, textures (the elements of art) that you can see in the clothes/
draw pictures about yourself in your favourite clothes
Dressing up/Inventing a Costume
Create a dressing up corner in the classroom, containing different outfits such as ball-gowns, overalls, fantasy outfits, belts buckles and magic wands. Include large pieces of fabric and fibres like satins and netting, so that the children can practise joining methods using
velcro
elastic bands
double-sided tape
masking tape
ribbons
string etc.
Make a list of what you feel should be in a good quality dressing-up box – and begin to assemble these.
Provide a context for children through informal questioning e.g. integrate this with work from the drama curriculum, dress up as a favourite character and
tell the class about your costume.
tell them who you are ( or maybe let them guess )
make up a story about your character
Discuss clothes
Gather examples of various ways in which people dress. This is a good avenue for exploring multiculturalism. Discuss fabric and clothes in general. Integrate work here with work in the SPHE and Science curricula
Why do we need clothes?
What types of clothes do you have?
How do we use fabrics in our homes?
Ask the children to bring in examples of fabric in use in their homes e.g. they could display a series of favourite cushions
Examine the science and SPHE curriculum documents to find the links.
Talk about our work
Encourage the class to discover the possibilities for using fabric and fibre to create imaginative collages with various designs and patterns. The children could be engaged in a discussion as follows
Can you show me ways in which you can use fabrics and fibres to make a pattern or picture?
Can you draw a picture using fibres?
Can you take a line for a walk, now can you take a fibre for a walk?
Can you arrange a design created with fabric and fibres on a different background e.g. pieces of felt, cardboard sheeting, pillowcases, etc?
Do you like doing this?
What ways have you discovered to change the surface of a fabric? Did you take away a part, add a bit, colour or dye the fabric?
Can you tell me all the different types of fibres you used from our fabric and fibre boxes?
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