Improvisational Weaving

Overview

Weaving is one of the most ancient and enduring techniques for constructing cloth, or a planar textile surface.  The basic principle of weaving is to interlace two sets of threads – the warp and the weft – at right angles to each other. The weft, sometimes called the ‘fill’, is drawn under and over the parallel warps. 

The first “textiles” humans made were from found materials (bark and hides). At the advent of weaving, a loom frame probably would have been made out of sticks. Warp and weft materials gathered and made out of grasses, strips of hide, bark, and eventually spun fibers (such as wool). Like our ancestors, we are going to begin learning to weave using found materials – though we have so many more varied materials around us to choose from.

For this project, you will create a series of weavings using a found loom frame and found warp/weft materials. Also like our ancestors, you are assigned to experiment, play, and tinker with materials for these first weavings.

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Part 1: Scavenger Hunt (due: Thurs. 9/3)

There are three primary types of materials that you will hunt for. First are the objects that will become your loom frame. This will be an object that will keep your warp in tension. It needs to be rigid and have some space to allow the weft to weave into the warp.

Second are the warp materials. You will need a pretty long length of this material. It will be easiest to work with if it a simple material, such as dental floss or strips of fabric.

Third are the weft materials: these need to be slender enough to be woven into the warp (think yarn), but we don’t need to be limited to just soft materials in the weft.  You can also use hard materials such as dowels, pins, knitting needles, etc.

When choosing the objects consider the relationship between the things you are choosing.  This is a chance to interweave the objects that you have around you.

You are assigned to hunt for the following:

5 Loom Objects that fit these descriptions:

1. Something smaller than your hand
2. Something larger than a basketball
3. A piece of furniture
4. Something that is silly
5. Something that has a story

3 Warp Materials that fit these descriptions:

1. Something thin
2. Something thick
3. Something flat

7 Weft Materials that fit these descriptions:

1. Something that’s your favorite color
2. Something hard
3. Something soft
4. Something natural
5. Something synthetic
6. Something edible
7. Something unexpected

Bring what you have harvested to class on Thursday, Sept. 3!

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Part 2: Testing, Tinkering, Toying (due: Tue. 9/8)

For this part of the assignment you are to create at least three small weavings trying out your materials and objects. These weavings do not need to take long to make. You are simply asked to be playful and generative in creating multiple weavings (at least 3).

Bring your three weaving experiments on Tuesday, 9/8.

Create a blog post on this WordPress site to document Part 2 of Improv. Weaving

1. Categorize your post with this WordPress category: Improvisational Weavings
2. Write a brief paragraph outlining your explorations: intended effects, surprises, discoveries, challenges, successes.
3. Embed clear, quality images of your weaving experiments in the blog post.
4. Embed and Label clear, quality images of the items you gathered for in your scavenger hunt in the blog post.

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Part 3: The Deeper Dive (due Tuesday, 9/15)

Now that you have had a chance to experiment a bit weaving, you are asked continue into a deeper dive. Continue to explore what you can do with the warp, weft, and loom frames. Over the week either continue to make a series of 5-6 smaller scale exploratory weavings or make 1-2 larger weavings. Some approaches to consider and try:

• Continue to try new things with your materials.
• Search for what the boundaries are that can be done with this kind of weaving.
• Experiment with what the weaving covers and what is left revealed.
• Create a story through the materials or objects you place in the weaving.
• Integrate your weaving into the architecture so that it affects how you can use the space.

Before class on 9/15 create a blog post with:

Create a blog post on this WordPress site to document Part 3: The Deeper Dive

• Categorize your post with this WordPress category: Improvisational Weavings
• Write a brief paragraph outlining your explorations: intended effects, surprises, discoveries, challenges, successes.
• Embed clear, quality images of your weaving experiments in the blog post.
• Create a list of all the items you used in your weaving.