Fabrics and fibre including hessian, twist, pull and weave

Videos

Weaving with Fibres

Ordinary Fibres – Extraordinary Puppets

Adding Colour to Fabric

Look and Respond

bead-embroidery

You can use beads to create designs or patterns on your art. What do you like about this work?

Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Pont Neuf Wrapped 1985 © Christo Photo © Wolfgang Volz

Look at this bridge. Can you imagine creating art by wrapping something in fabric? Would you call this environmental art? This was a temporary work of art and the fabric was removed after 14 days.

This young artist has used thick wool and thin wool and different colour wools to create this piece.

Reciprocity © Liz Kane

This artist has used threads in her painting. What part catches your eye the most? Why?

Foundation Tapestry © Successio Miro/DACS 2005
Image courtesy of Phillip Greenspan

Look at all the colours and shapes in this wool tapestry. How do you think it might feel? Knobbly, silky, smooth, rough?

There is some colourful weaving going on here. What materials are being used? Have you tried to weave with different materials?

RinduIincollage

Rahara NS, Co. Roscommon Children used fabrics and paper to create this collage. It tells the story of the Normans arriving along the Shannon and deciding to build Rindúin Castle.

Look at this interesting fellow! What kind of character is he? Maybe you could make your own toy using found materials.

© Johanne Brunet

This artist has crocheted a bracelet using stainless steel thread! What other things might you be able to weave with? Could you add beads to your work?

Look at these cushions with appliqués of cats. Can you make an appliqué?

fabric_construction

What has this child used to make this picture? What could you make a picture of?

© Louis le Brocquy

Look closely at this section of a tapestry by Louis le Brocquy based on his illustrations for the book 'The Táin'. What can you see?

Oisín Kelly used a silk screen to make this fabric print. Can you read the proverb? Do you know any more?

Birdcage; Pheasant fantasia
Look at these colourful linen tea towels. Do you know what plant linen comes from?

What can you see in this section of a silk Turkish rug? How do you think it was made?

unfinished-fabric

How would you finish this picture? What fabrics would you use?

Fabric and fibres can be used in so many ways. Take a look at how people have made art with them.

Can you?

1. Tie and Dye?

2. Make a Loom?

3. Make a Flour Batik Wall Hanging?

4. Make a Silk Painting?

Let's Play

2. Hands on Crafts

3. Cardboard Box Loom

For Teachers

Plan a Lesson

The Three Little Pigs (Infants)

Let’s Explore Fabric (Infants)

A Portrait of Spring (1st/2nd)

Wonderful Weaving (3rd/4th)

Creative Stitching (3rd/4th)

Sock Puppets (3rd/6th)

Constructing (All Levels)

Exploring & Creating (All Levels)

Glossary

Fabric – a generic term for materials such as wool, silk, cotton, nylon, etc.
Fibre – a generic term for strands, threads, strings, etc.Embroidery – decorating a fabric using fibres.
Hessian – a coarse open-weave fabric often called sacking or burlap.
Weaving – a means of creating a fabric from fibres. More>>

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Terry the Weaver