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
PULLED THREAD WEAVING: Unraveling creative
ideas
Materials: Small pieces of burlap 2 x 2 inches, Burlap cut into squares 9 x 9 inches, Ribbon
varying types and widths, yarn in different colors and thicknesses, scraps of fabric,
scissors, plastic weaving needles
Books:
LOOK AND WONDER
LOOK - Use the magnifying glass to examine the fabrics in the basket. What do you
see? Describe it to someone at the center. Look at the samples and other Resources
WONDER – What are you wondering about? What would happen if you could
unweave a piece of fabric? What would happen? What kind could you weave back into
the burlap?
GATHER AND EXPLORE
GATHER – Select a piece of burlap – Look closely at the weave.
Think about which fibers you could pull to create an open
design in the burlap. Leave at least ½ in at the top and bottom.
EXPLORE the materials at the center to weave back into the
burlap to create a design and make it stronger!
POSE problems about color & texture.
COMPOSE AND CRAFT
COMPOSE your overall design by lining your choices next to the
burlap. Do you need to pull any more threads?
CRAFT – Use your needle to weave various ribbons, strings, etc.
over and under in the burlap. Consider how many threads you
skip and the interesting pattern that will create.
Be thoughtful of the overall design. MAKE IT UNIQUE!
PRODUCE AND REFLECT
SHARE – Find a place in your Weaving Book for your Pulled
Thread Weaving.
REFLECT upon what you learned about weaving from this deconstruct and
reconstructive process. Why might this be interesting to students?
POWER OF PAPER: Thinking creatively with our
Hands
Materials: A varied assortment of paper to use as both loom and weft. Consider texture of
the paper, weight, transparency, and color. Look for paper to reuse or paint adding
texture and color to make it visually interesting. Remember you can manipulate paper by
using various tools, but also by folding, plaiting, crumbling, etc.
Tools: Crimpers, punchers, scissors and your HANDS!
Books:
LOOK AND WONDER
LOOK at all the different types of paper at this center. WOW! Look at some of the
interesting tools you can use: crimpers, funky scissors, punchers, but most
importantly your HANDS!
WONDER about what you can do to paper to manipulate, transform it.
How will you use these resources in a creative way? Do you need to add something
to make it more interesting?
GATHER AND EXPLORE
GATHER ideas about color, design, texture to think about your paper weaving. Begin
to gather your materials for your paper weaving.
EXPLORE – What paper will you use for your Loom? You will leave the weaving on the
Loom so what color or type of paper do you want to use? Do you need to embellish
your paper by painting, stamping or texturing it for interest?
POSE questions about overall design, feeling or image in your Creative Paper Weaving?
Is there repetition, dynamic variation, and surprise?
COMPOSE AND CRAFT
COMPOSE your Loom by cutting warp lines into loom. Be thoughtful of creative
variations and overall composition. Make it interesting!
CRAFT – Use an over/under technique to weave. Chose interesting paper make choices
to enhance the woven composition. Manipulate the paper for variety. Consider color
and texture in your choices.
PRODUCE AND REFLECT
SHARE – Add your creative paper weaving to your Weaving Book. Do you need to
mount it so it stands out?
REFLECT upon all the artistic decision you made. Write about your choices and how
they enhance the overall design. What makes it CREATIVE?
WOVEN VESSELS
Materials: Images of Native American baskets, Grid-lined, cream-colored cardstock,
colored pencils or markers in neutral colors
Websites: http://nativeamericanbaskets.net/
http://medicinemangallery.com/NativeAmericanIndian/Baskets
LOOK AND WONDER
LOOK at the shapes and beautiful designs on the baskets created by Native Americans
people.
WONDER about how they selected the shape and designs. What could the designs
symbolize for the artist who created the basket?
What do you wonder about HOW they made it? What materials did they use?
GATHER AND EXPLORE
GATHER - ideas, about the shapes of the various baskets. What could they carry in the
baskets? How would they use them?
EXPLORE - Take one of the papers with an overall grid pattern. Cut a symmetrical
basket out of the paper by folding it in half. Draw half of a basket shape on the plain
side. Cut the shape and open it up to see the woven basket.
COMPOSE AND CRAFT
COMPOSE a design by thinking about the symbols and repeated patterns you can add
to your basket.
CRAFT your basket by filling in squares with markers to complete your overall design.
Be thoughtful of the symbols and various ways to add design to your basket.
PRODUCE AND REFLECT
REFLECT you’re your design. Write about meaning behind the symbols or designs you
used? Is this similar or different than the Native Americans?
SHARE – Find a space in your book for your basket. You many need to place it in a
different direction. Do you want to put a mat behind the basket to showcase the
design?
HUNT OF THE UNICORN: Stories and Symbolism
Materials: Internet access or copies of the Explore and Learn handout from the MET; art
postcard of the Hunt of the Unicorn Tapestries, writing paper, Weaving Word Search
Books:
Boardman, F. W. (1957). Castles. New York: Henry Z. Walck, Inc.
Hillyer, V. M, & Huey E. G. (1966). The Medieval World. New York: Meredith Press.
Hindley, Judy (1976). The time traveler book of knights and castles. London: Usborne
Sobol, Donald J. (1959). The First Book of Medieval Man. New York: Franklin Watts.
LOOK AND WONDER
LOOK – Explore and Learn about the Unicorn Tapestries. These beautiful tapestries
have a wonderful history and are filled with symbols that tell a story.
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Unicorn/unicorn_splash.htm
WONDER about the people who worked on this tapestry for many months or years
and how they felt when they finished their work. Who decided on the design? What
story do you think they tell?
GATHER AND EXPLORE
GATHER – Look at the Weaving Word Search. Can you find all the weaving vocabulary
words?
EXPLORE the symbolism within the tapestries. Look at the clothing the people are
wearing. Are there other items that needed to be woven?
POSE – Who would you be if you were a person in this tapestry story? What is your
role, position in the group, and what are you doing at this event?
COMPOSE AND CRAFT
COMPOSE a story about from your perspective inside the tapestry! Imagine yourself
in this time period. What are you doing or saying to others in the woven story? Do the
animals and objects stand for different symbols in your story?
CRAFT the story, using dialogue and rich descriptive language. Use punctuation
effectively! Bring the reader into the tapestry with your story.
PRODUCE AND REFLECT
SHARE your weaving story on a page in the Weaving Book. Include a picture of the
tapestry you wrote the story about.
REFLECT upon what it would be like to live in this time period. What tapestry would
you design for your time-right now? What story would your weaving tell? What
symbols would you include that give clues about beliefs, feelings, and time period?
RECYCLE, REUSE, RESEEN WEAVING
Materials: small cardboard boxes (jewelry), cardboard of various sizes, paper rolls, paper
castoffs,
Books: Topal and Gandini
http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/Files/Recycle/recycle.htm
LOOK AND WONDER
LOOK the weavings made from recycled materials. What do they have in common?
What makes them interesting to reuse in a weaving? How are the materials reseen?
WONDER about how these are different than other weavings. Can you see the
potential in everyday materials? Where could you find materials to add to this center?
GATHER AND EXPLORE
GATHER and decide what you loom could be for this weaving. You have many
resources to choose from. Your weaving will remain on the loom, so pick carefully.
EXPLORE the range of materials you could weave into the spaces! WOW! So many
ideas.
POSE – How will you organize the weaving to have an overall unity? What else could
you find to add?
COMPOSE AND CRAFT
COMPOSE your weaving by first taking some time to think about what you want it to
look like when you are finished. Combine various materials to enhance the texture and
design.
CRAFT – Take the time needed to weave your materials in for overall success. How are
you using the elements and principles of art in the overall design?
PRODUCE AND REFLECT
SHARE – How will this fit in your Weaving Book? Can you mount it in the book or do
you need to take a picture?
REFLECT you’re your material choices? What did you learn about the weaving process?
Place your thoughts and a list of the materials you used on the page with your
weaving.