Adventures in Fiber Design

To do list:

2011-08-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

I want to try this knitted plant pocket tutorial!

Final Projects are rolling in...

2011-06-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

This is a detail image of a final project by a graduating senior. He and a friend started a sweatshirt company a few years ago. They make fantastic wearables by deconstructing sweatsuits and putting them back together in dynamic compositions. For this project this student turned all of his cotton scraps into a sort of yarn & crocheted it into a mega-sweatshirt. When I hold this up my biceps burn!

Relief Printing on Fabric

2011-05-25T06:52:00.000-07:00

Fiber Design students we busy at work creating their own patterned fabrics with easy-cut relief prints.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Baby Bunnies!

2011-05-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

The quarter can get moving so quickly! These photos are from a classroom visit a few weeks back. Mandy Fraser from Fraser's Fiber Farm brought in some angora bunnies for our class to meet, and we learned about spinning & local yarn making.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Q4 & Fiber Design is Back!

2011-04-15T07:08:00.000-07:00

Week One has been all about adventures in crochet. We are looking forward to utilizing the brand new "distance learning center" @ school to have a virtual artist visit from Kate Pokorny of www.yurtalert.com in a few weeks!

Final Projects from Q1 2010

2011-01-06T06:37:00.000-08:00

Whew! These are highlights from the Quarter 1 Fiber Design Class Final Projects. Each student had to choose a project that did ONE of the following THREE things:

1. Make a positive impact on the greater community. (Ex: Some students made baby hats for the hospital and blankets for Project Linus)

2. Use surprising materials with the handwork processes that we learned in class. (Ex: Crocheting with plastic bags to make a recycled dress.)

3. Use Fiber materials & processes to create a project that you would see in a typical Fine Arts curriculum. (Ex: sculpture, portrait, landscape with wool, embroidery, fabric printing, etc.)

Crochet Coral Reef Installation!

2010-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Fiber Design class watched the TED lecture with Margaret Wertheim who started the Crocheted Coral Reef Project with her sister Christine. This project explores the danger of global warming, the importance of public artwork, and the magic of hyperbolic geometry. Ten students worked together to create this installation.

crochet the letters of the alphabet!

2010-09-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

this is the crocheted alphabet link

Back to School!

2010-09-08T17:53:00.001-07:00

& here is a project for us to try out with some discarded library books

more to come.

Winding Down- Seniors Last Day

2010-06-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

Today was the last day of class for our senior students. They presented their Final Projects, which include a plush crocheted tea set, a bag made of woven cans, and a printmaking portfolio.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

something that i will try soon!

2010-06-03T05:55:00.000-07:00

spray stencil
tutorial from cal patch @ craft stylish

Angora Rabbits!

2010-05-18T05:51:00.001-07:00

On Friday May 14th Ms. Fraser brought three angora rabbits into our Fiber Design class. Students learned about the basics of spinning natural animal fibers, and had the opportunity to try to make strands of 2-ply yarn.

Work with the Magical Giant Crochet Hook

2010-05-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Final Projects

2010-04-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

crochet!

2010-03-31T06:56:00.001-07:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

experiment

2010-03-18T05:22:00.000-07:00

I found this great tutorial on how to transfer photo copied images onto fabric with Citra Solv. I am going to try to transfer the above illustration that I drew for my friends' save the date card & then embroider over the transfer.

WOW! I had no idea.

2010-03-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

You can dye natural fibers with Kool-Aid!

Here is the tutorial!

embroidery 101

2010-02-26T08:55:00.000-08:00

excellent tips & step-by-step stitch tutorials

at Sublime Stitching

2010-02-24T07:21:00.000-08:00

upcycled apron pattern

Contemporary Fiber Artist

2010-02-23T07:24:00.000-08:00

Kate Pokorny- Fiber Artist who is building a crocheted yurt in Jaffrey NH!

printing on fabric: student work

2010-02-18T08:28:00.001-08:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Woven Map Baskets

2010-02-15T08:38:00.000-08:00

Perhaps this will be our introduction to weaving...

Quick Knit!

2010-02-15T08:29:00.000-08:00

Quick & Witty Knitting Projects from Craftzine.com

knit postcards & scarves!!

2010-02-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Evidence from our first two knit projects in Fiber Design.

Amazing Patterns for Crocheted Underwater Creatures

2010-02-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

Wunderkammer's blog: click here

also check out the sculptural crochet primer here

Fabric Stamping with EZ-Cut Plates

2010-02-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

This week will begin our adventures in printing on fabric.
Last week students continued to work on the 4 by 6" knit postcards & embarked on a scarf project.

Fabric Printing Tutorial from Lena Corwin

The second day of class: knitting without needles

2010-01-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

Day Two of Fiber Design: Students are still exploring finger knitting, and some interesting creations have evolved out of the process.Discoveries: a crochet hook helps to pull the loops over your fingers, and it IS possible to finger knit long cords of finger knitting (just try to keep it loose around your fingers).

Tomorrow: Knitting on Needles

(An aside: Want to see a great example of sculpture that uses a material that most people just throw away?)
check this out!

Knitting Without Needles

2010-01-19T07:35:00.000-08:00

We are starting with simple projects.
We are going to begin Fiber Design class learning how to finger knit solo & in groups!

finger knitting tutorial
(tutorial & photo from www.craftzine.com)

2010-01-12T06:21:00.001-08:00

butcher paper screen prints.
this week quarter 2 is winding down. some students are exploring the potential of potato printing. i am preparing for the first ever fiber design course @ CVHS!

Course Description

2009-10-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

Fiber Design: Aesthetics and Functionality

“Fiber Arts has come to be the general term used to identify the practice of creating a finished item utilizing a thread, filament, cloth and/or embellishments. These activities include everything from weaving to macrame, spinning to cross-stitch and everything in between.” As defined by the National Needle Arts Association www.tnna.org

This course is intended for students who are interested in textile design and fiber arts, and have successfully completed either the Intro to 2-d or the Intro to 3-d art courses. This course builds upon the discussion of the Elements and Principles of Design that is started in the introductory courses. Fiber Design explores the world of fiber arts. Students will be introduced to a wide array of fiber building techniques, which include hand sewing, machine sewing, wet felting, needle felting, papermaking, knitting, crocheting, and weaving. Once the base textiles are formed or foraged, the students will be assigned projects that delve into the surface design and construction using their textile materials. Students will research an avenue of fiber design that they are particularly interested in, and create a project that they can teach to the class. Students will participate in group critiques, guest lectures, and/or field trips. Students will be exposed to the broad range of applications and professions that incorporate the techniques and materials that are used in this course. Emphasis will be placed on Color Theory, Interior Space, and applying textiles to interior design.

Inspiration: Christien Meindertsma

2009-10-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.christienmeindertsma.com/

giant needles + giant yarn= (somewhat) instant gratification

a new beginning...

2009-10-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

In January 2010 a Fiber Design course will start @ our school. This blog will be a venue for me to post articles, links, inspiration, & images for my students.