So this term we are exploring textiles – including felting, dying, weaving, and even construction. To kick off we started with sewing, a fundamental skill so many are denied the opportunity to learn these days. And one that will come in handy throughout the rest of the term. This wasn’t sewing as a technical exercise – instead I encouraged the children to see the thread as another way to make a mark, just like with a pencil or a brush. The size, direction and thickness of the stitch, and the thread, will change that mark dramatically, and you don’t need to know the types of stitches you are making to be in control of those marks. Having said that, for many who hadn’t done much sewing before it was tricky – this is one of those exercises that needs a lot of practice and concentration. But the results are well worth it. As it is an inevitably slow process, I encouraged the children to start of by painting or drawing in felt tips their image/design on the fabric, and then adding stitching to add texture or movement. This worked well in the time we had.
