Weaving Warm Ups across the Grade levels

A mix of weaving works on progress...

It is that time of year to explore the wonderful world of weaving. When I was an elementary student, I remember getting to weave a small textile weaving that hung from a piece of branch. Even though that weaving is long gone, I still remember the excitement and pleasure that came with learning how to weave. Now that I am an art educator, I teach each North Star student, kindergarten through 5th grade, how to weave.

I begin this unit teaching students how to produce and weave a paper loom.  We use this project as a means to learn or review basic weaving vocabulary such as:

Loom: a device used for weaving

Warp: the vertical fibers attached to the loom ( I call them the "bones")

Weft: the fibers that move through the warp

Weave: a form of art that is interlaced fibers producing a textile

Textile: a woven fabric

I use these paper weavings as an assessment tool to ensure that the artists are understanding the process of weaving and can successfully weave a basic tabby weave (over/under/over/under weave).

Kindergarten learned how to add woven tassels to pattern rug they drew in response to the book "The Goat in the Rug" by Charles L. Blood and Martin Link. They just begun working on a basic fish shaped paper loom weave in response to the book "There is Only One You", by Linda Kranz.

 

They had to hole punch and loop the yarn for the their rug's tassels.

I am also introducing them to fine motor hand sewing in a learning station of 4 kids a rotation. They use a chenille stick that is fashioned into a "embroidery needle" to which I tie a yarn string. I demonstrate how to do a running stitch and off they go. They loved it!

They had "wiggle wiggle" their stick through the burlap fabric

Working hard on those fine motor skills!

1st grade created picnic blanket weaves and added a picnic food collage. Currently they are doing a texture weaving to simulate alligator skin. These will be used for their puppet project.

2nd grade explored textures and layers with their paper weavings. They started with a basic paper weaving where they had to create their own weft. I usually pre cut weft for kinders and 1st graders. They could then add layers of yarn and paper to their weavings.

I love all the variety in their choices in color and layers.

3rd grade produced optical art weavings by altering their warps on the paper looms. I gave them a series of options for creating an optical effect or they could create their own. They also had to cut their own weft.

4th grade were introduced to weaving drafts and compared them to pixel art examples. We talked about how they were similar and created our own drafts on graph paper. They were then tasked with translating their graph drafts to an actual paper weaving. I plan to post more in depth on this later as they create their radial weavings.

Space Invaders pixel inspired weaving.

5th grade got to peruse magazines for an interesting image to use as weft and then could create any type of paper loom they wished. They just had to piece their original image back together in a weaving. I'll post more on this next week.

Next up, 2nd through 5th are creating fiber weavings while 1st and kinders continue to explore paper weaving. I promise it will be un-beweave-able!

Thanks for stopping by!