Sewing

Nassera will work with our young people who are at all levels.

BRIEF 1: Constructed Textiles Project – Making fabric

Objective:

• Understand basic fabric structure

• Explore texture and color through weaving yarns

• Construct a textile

Create a weave using a broad range of materials from fine cotton, muslin, scrim, hessian sheeting to coloured yarns.

Also, withies, pipe cleaners, raffia, wooden sticks, string, wool, thin wire, buttons and beads, cocktail sticks, cling film, old tights, bin liners, carrier bags, drinking straws, string and rope, ribbon, bits of jewellery, acetate, washers, chains and anything that can be threaded.

YP could brainstorm to identify which material they will be using eg: glass quality ==> celatape, cling film,…

They will also consider shapes by creating patterns, carving,…

Wide start for this project by thinking of materials in terms of textures. YP will be weaving any type of ‘weaveable’

material that can describe best the qualities and textures they chose to explore.

Most things have been woven. It is 2 threads that lock on each other. A commercial example is checkered fabrics, it is one of the most basic ones, we can change and create a different look by adding a colour by, the interplay creates interesting shapes and patterns.

At the end YP will display their woven samples on a suitable background like a piece of lacquered wood or wood cut print. They will also be able to draw Fashion illustrations from these samples or integrate it to a garment eg: sew it on a tee-shirt front or the back of a jacket…

Choosing a type of fabric:

3D

Abstract

Commercial (pattern repeat)

Colour theme

This can be extracted from an Art project research, a picture they like, a movie, … by analysing/investigating the COLOURS, TEXTURES and SHAPES in order to develop a particular theme.

YP could hand colour their materials using inks, dyes, paints, tea, coffee and plant dye. they could also consider random dying using a small amount of bleach, if appropriate.

The choice of colour and material can be displayed on little painted samples on coloured and textured paper according to their chosen theme. They can explore alternative backgrounds, photocopy, dye, inke or paint their materials.

Whether they choose to use fabric, wood, plastic,… they could sample and experiment these materials and create 3 sets of 3 mixed media drawings with annotations eg: uniform, visual, informative. This can be done alongside weaving to generate ideas.

Clarisse Cliff – Ceramist

(Her work is nicely displayed in sequences)

Materials

YP will create textures by sponging, rubbing with wax crayon and other mark making techniques…

Burning and singeing;

Fraying and ripping;

Twisting and wrapping threads around sticks, wire etc.

Concealing crumpled paper, foil, buttons, small stones under fabric in order to simulate a lumpy, bumpy texture.

They can use adjectives or ‘trigger words’ to describe the textures they like and extract their visual qualities.

Techniques can include –

• Letting the Weft thread hanging and not following the traditional ‘under over’ tweaving technique

• Working on diagonal or separating areas of the weave.

• Beading the Warp threads at some locations

• Stopping and adding new material to the weave sample

Essentials:

Large bag of assorted materials

Scissors

Sturdy picture frame A5, A4 or A3 to use as a weaving frame

Large tapestry needle

Paper and drawing material / Sketchbook / Art project research book to extract a colour theme