First Seminar at IS183: Angel's "Fiber Arts Workshop"

I just got back from 1 out of 2 seminars I am required to attend for my internship at IS183! It was called "Fiber Arts," and we learned about some techniques we can use in a classroom to integrate fiber arts into our curriculum.

We did felting and sewing/stuffing characters, and it was a lot of fun!! I love felting... Basically, all you need is wool and warm, soapy water, too! So while it feels "messy," it's actually not that bad, if you do it somewhere that can get really wet...

I figure I could use the "stuffed characters" exercise in a classroom if students are writing stories, storytelling and need puppets, or if they are creating characters for a comic or animated film. Sewing and stuffing a character is a nice alternative to clay, and it is also immediately finished when you are done sewing! (Clay has to be fired, usually...) It's also a lot cleaner of a process than clay (particularly if the clay is died and of the air-dry type), and it's much less break-able than a dried/fired clay figure during the trip home from class. In addition, having each student make a "part" of something (i.e. a part of a cell), and attaching velcro to the parts so they could be attached to each other or to felt could play out well in a lesson/making connections.

I really think that felting (around a form) would be a great activity for kids as well, because people (kids in particular) seem to like the idea of putting something inside something else so it's safe. Whether it's a treasure chest, talisman, purse, pocket, or vessel, the idea of preserving something special in this way is attractive to kids. It could be a great way to talk about cocoons and metamorphosis, or a lesson on birds and their nests. It's also a great project to encourage focus on the process versus the product; it's unpredictable and organic all the way around. And every product is beautiful in its own ways! (Not to mention felting can lead to GREAT gifts or art show pieces, especially if you add sewing and beading to your pieces...)

My work from today: I made a baby seal character, and there is my felted form!

I think my felted form kind of looks like a geode or something, because I layered a few different colors of felt as I worked around the balloon that was inside...