“Textiles are products of human artistry and creativity and an essential
aspect of everyday life. They reflect personal needs, individual identities
and cultural messages. While many textiles serve a specific function, all are
unique works of artistic expression that embody the joyful spirit of human creativity.”
The Textile Museum, Washington, DC http://www.textilemusuem.org/
WEAVING WORKSHOPS
Unraveling,
Intertwining, and
Transforming
Fibers, Designs,
Traditions, and
Cultures
VISUAL ART CENTERS
Visual Art Centers create a place in your classroom for students to artistically think and work
independently at during the school day. The design of these centers reinforces a constructive cycle
of learning that moves from Awareness, Exploration, Elaboration, to Utilization. Students interact
with artistic concepts, materials, resources, and technology to create products that makes
learning, thinking, feeling, imagining, and artistic choices visible. Time and space are essential for
student engagement as well as dispositions that value higher order thinking and creative work.
Essential Elements in a Visual Art Center:
Materials, Resources and Inspiration
Each center requires gathering the necessary materials, resources, and inspiration for success.
Organization is essential for universal access and classroom management. The center must have
enough art materials, supplies and tools for the day organized in a visually appealing way that
promotes independent work. Inspiration and resources may include artifacts, pictures, regalia, art
postcards, books, and computers with appropriate websites.
LOOK & WONDER
How will I focus their attention, the students looking, wondering, and perceptions?
LOOK at specific artifacts and art references – What do you see? Look for...Attend to…
WONDER about the Artistic problem – How do you think they did that? Imagine if you…
CHECK learning goals and rubric – Is there a goal for looking & wondering?
GATHER & EXPLORE
How will students get their creative, artistic ideas flowing?
GATHER ideas, information, resources and materials needed for exploration
EXPLORE by sketching, drafting, manipulating – Record in some way ideas for art?
POSE problems – Ask questions. Encourage new artistic problems to solve? What if…?
COMPOSE & CRAFT
How will they begin to craft their product, make it their own?
CRAFT the skills needed to complete the work – When will you model/demonstrate?
Find time and space for worthy, creative work. Can they work independently?
COMPOSE by transforming, embellishing, & elaborating. What are the artistic choices?
REVIEW learning goals and rubric for success! Link prior knowledge & other learning.
PRODUCE & REFLECT
How will they share, reflect, document learning and/or store finished work?
SHARE the artistic product in a final form – Have places for work in progress and places to put
away supplies. Create a time and place to share and showcase final products,
REFLECT upon what you learned – Take time to evaluate the process and product?
CELEBRATE good work! – Make your learning visible to a larger community – Document!
Share on Teacher Tube, in a Newsletter to parents, BookArt, Art Show, etc.
THE ART OF WEAVING
The art and craft of weaving deserves a prominent place in today's classroom. As a
cultural tradition weaving is a continuous thread from its beginnings in Egypt from about
3500 B.C. to the functional weaving from around the world to creative American crafts of
people today. Language arts, literature, social studies, math, science and movement are
possible curriculum areas ripe for the inclusion of a weaving curriculum and weaving
centers. Weaving materials can be as simple or elaborate as you choose depending on
the age and abilities of the young weavers. Weaving is work of the hands, mind, and
heart. Visit the Children’s University of Manchester and view Talking Textiles.
People are not the only Weavers. Birds build elaborate woven nests and spiders can
spin intricate webs. Weaving was probably one of the first wonders of humankind,
enabling women and men to make FABRIC for shelter, coverings for their tender flesh,
hammocks to hang from trees, and nets and baskets to catch, carry and keep things in.
Weaving initially may have served a utilitarian function, but the aesthetics and
designs of woven fabrics were always part of the final product. For example, in the
Medieval Ages, huge story telling tapestries not only enhanced the aesthetic life of those
who lived in the castle, but also kept the castle warm. The stories of their daily life,
beliefs, hopes and dreams are recalled through their weavings. Aesthetic operations of
repetition and dynamic variation are essential for beautiful woven fabrics, as weavers
consistently attend to the formal aspect of the weaving technique. Surprise is often in
appear as “errors” in weavings to release the artist’s spirit from the tightly woven fabric,
while exaggeration is found in the choice of color and texture in more contemporary
works.
Today weaving has taken on a new dimension -- Weaving as Art. Young weavers
should have the opportunity to explore the functional aspect of weaving as well as the
artistic. The elements of texture, color and principles of repetition, patterns, unity and
variety are essential to the understanding of
weaving, as well as the development of
technical skills involving eye-hand coordination.
Children from preschool on can enjoy the
success of creative weaving with a wide
assortment of materials including paper, yarn,
fibers, beads, fabric, and feathers.
(Linderman & Linderman, 1984).
Weaving Vocabulary
Download the Textile Terms from the Textile Museum DC. This is an excellent resource!
http://www.textilemuseum.org/PDFs/TextileTerms.pdf
Woven Word Search ~ Can you find the Weaving vocabulary?
S B O M E S P U S W R I P S W
I M I W E A S P S S A P U H B
F O T L T E A N T I H L N U O
B E A S L N M E A ZW E F T E
P W P WO O L F P V B E D T Z
T A E H O P I R E H AW N L W
F A S W M P S S B W S J E E P
I S T O O L P I Z W Z S O W L
B E R W E A V I N G A S E E L
E Z Y W E S P D W K P Y I M T
R B E A T E R E Y I O V E R R
F A B R I C R R W L T B E Y S
S E O P C H E D D I E S A W N
Z U N DE R S A W M C S B O P
weaving
loom
warp
weft
shuttle
beater
shed
heddle
kilim
Navajo
Hopi
Zapotec
fabric
spider
over
tapestry
sheep
wool
fiber
under
Weaving Outcomes from National Visual Arts Standards
Understanding and applying media, techniques and processes.
1. The students will identify and use a range of weaving tools efficiently.
2. The students will demonstrate ability to create their own loom and prepare the
loom for weaving.
3. The students will demonstrate their understanding of weaving terminology
through games, activities, and conversation during weaving.
Using knowledge of structures and functions.
1. The students will demonstrate awareness of texture by producing various knots
and patterns in their weavings and/or selecting fibers to create texture.
2. The students will demonstrate awareness of color and design in their weavings.
3. The students will demonstrate a consistent over/under pattern and the ability to
vary the tapestry weave to create pattern.
Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas.
1. The students will select a culture and describe the use of images, subject matter
and symbols.
2. The students will design weavings using symbols from personal experiences.
3. The students will identify and recreate Native American weaving patterns.
Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.
1. The students will identify various woven fabrics in their world.
2. The students will research the weaving history and industry of various countries.
3. The students will identify weaving inventions and discuss the impact they had on
society.
Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the
work of others.
1. The students will discuss the functional and artistic merits of weaving.
2. The students will demonstrate and explain artistic choices in terms of techniques,
styles or design.
3. The students will identify contemporary artists/weavers and their weaving style
and influences.
Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines.
1. The students will know the sequence from sheep and flax to woven fabric.
2. The students will compare and contrast the stories woven in Medieval tapestries
and Native American rugs.
3. The students will discuss the role of weaving in folk literature and fairy tales.
4. The students will connect
Assessing Weaving
Some type of assessment and display must accompany a sequence of work in art to
both determine success related to criteria set and validate artistic problem-solving,
understanding and personal meaning. The following are a few types of tools with
examples. Technique, Design, Artistry, Craftsmanship: evenness of weave, straight
selvedges, Techniques executed correctly, good use of design principles. Artistry –
Function – Design – Identity - Environment
Weaving Checklist -- The criteria determined at the onset of the unit of work allows
the student to set personal goals and develop artistic knowledge and skills. These
criteria can be set by the teacher or in collaboration with the students.
Weaving Rating Scale -- The above performance criteria can be put into a rating scale
format where the teacher rates the student as "always", "sometimes" or "never". Put
into a rating scale format allows the teacher and student to get a broader picture of
their abilities.
Weaving Rubric -- The criteria related to creating and responding to weaving knowledge
and skills are outlined in performance level of basic, proficient and advanced. This
parallels the National Standards and NAEP project.
Weaving Portfolio -- The portfolio can reflect both the process and/or final products of
the student’s work. Students can answer a set of questions determined by the teacher or
write a reflective statement about their weaving projects, discussing various technical,
stylistic and artistic choices as well as cultural influences found in their weavings. The
portfolio can be part of a weaving conference to discuss their work with the teacher and
select the best weaving for display or part of documentation.
Weaving Documentation -- Student work should be displayed and documented to
celebrate student learning. Students select their best weaving to be displayed along with a
descriptive explanation by the students or teacher of the process, curriculum connections,
cultural influences, techniques or possibly the stories read during the weaving work. A
thoughtful, aesthetic documentation validates the creative and critical problem-solving
which engaged the students and is evident in their work. For more on documentation see
WEAVING CENTER IDEAS AND RESOURCES
Weaving centers can connect to a number of curriculum areas in the classroom. They
build Incorporating concepts of function and aesthetic operations, from ancient and
time honored traditions, designs/techniques to more contemporary ones. They may
engage learners in understanding the weaving process or designs from various
cultures, expand weaving knowledge and skills by incorporating more different
materials, advanced patterns or working with designs and various techniques on a
simple loom.
Tradition, Process, and Design
These explorations acquaint students with the world
of textiles and weaving traditions including weaving
vocabulary and processes and the artistry and designs
found in various weaving cultures across the world.
 Sheep to Shawl
 Textile Traditions
 Rugs & Carpets
 The Silk Road: A 7,000 mile trek
Unravel, Rethink, Reuse, Reseen
The work at these centers broadens student’s
knowledge and skills related to weaving through by
exploring a variety of recycled or reused materials
resulting in creative products that are RESEEN as art.
 Pulled Thread Weaving
 Woven Vessels
 Power of Paper
 Recycled Weavings
Weaving a World: Simple Loom Weaving
These centers, inspired by weavings from diverse
cultures, engaged students in the weaving sequence,
from building a simple loom to a completed hand
woven fabric. Artistic intentionality and craftsmanship
are evident in the choice of textures, pattern, colors,
and various weaving techniques.
 Constructing a Loom
 First People: Nature’s Gift
 Common Threads: Weaving a World
 Kente Cloth: An African story
 Contemporary Circles