Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Tipping, and I'm really looking forward to learning with you today all about watery weavings, and looking at textiles.

We are going to do lots of thinking, talking, and exploring together in this lesson.

So shall we get started? Let's go.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to make a weaving using an everyday object as a loom.

Before we start, I would like to introduce you to some key words.

We'll be using these keywords during the lesson, so it might be a good idea to write these words down.

The key words we'll be using today are everyday object, threads, shuttle.

I'm going to say those again, and I would like you to repeat them after me.

Everyday object.

Threads.

Shuttle.

Good job.

Now let's think in more detail about what these keywords mean.

Let's find out what their definitions are.

An everyday object is something that we use or see regularly in our daily lives.

Threads are thin pieces of string or material often used for sewing or making things like weavings.

A shuttle is a tool used to carry the weft thread through the warp threads.

Pause the video here to make a note of these keywords, and when you are ready to continue, press play.

These are the learning cycles that I'll be working through together in today's lesson.

We're going to explore making a loom and creating a weaving.

So in this first learning cycle, we're going to explore making a loom.

So let's get started.

What has this loom been made from? Hmm.

Talk to your partner.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said it's been made from wood, You're absolutely right.

Looms can be made from special materials to create textiles, such as carpets and fabric for clothes.

This loom has been made especially for weaving from wood.

Looms can also be made from things we see around us all the time.

Maybe a paper plate, sticks, barrier fencing, or cardboard.

We can describe these looms as being made from everyday objects.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which of these objects might you describe as everyday objects? Objects you see every day.

A, B, or C? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to answer this question, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think You might have said B and C.

The stick and the paper plate are everyday objects as they're something that we see or use quite regularly in our daily lives.

By choosing different everyday objects for their looms, artists can make their work interesting shapes and sizes.

So what shapes and sizes could they use from the paper plate or the sticks, the barrier fencing or the cardboard? Which one would you want to use? Now, first, an artist needs to decide which shape and size of loom will be best suited to the weaving they want to make.

So Alex says that their weaving is inspired by this octopus.

So Andeep has suggested that we should use a loom with a curved sides for the head.

I think that's a good idea.

So Andeep and Alex look back at their plan.

"We could use a paper plate to make the shape of the head," suggests Alex, Andeep agrees.

He thinks that that would make a great circular loom.

Now, the head is not quite a perfect circle though.

Hmm.

Look at that.

That doesn't quite work, does it? So, Alex is wondering, "Could we cut the plate to make it the right shape?" I think that could work.

So if you've got a paper plate that's really circular, but maybe you want more of an oval, you could cut it to the shape that you wanted.

So Alex and Andeep make a hole in the centre of their loom by carefully pressing a hole through the centre of the plate.

Have a look at that image there.

See how they've created a hole in the middle.

They now need to choose their warp threads.

Now looking at these two here, we've got threads and fabric strips.

Which of those two are going to be the best to use for the warp threads? Those warp threads go from the top to the bottom of the loom.

The warp threads should be made of thin, strong threads, rather than fabric strips.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding, which textile would be best for making warp threads? A, B, or C.

Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said A because this thread would be best as it's thin and strong, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

So now I'm gonna have a go adding my warp threads to my loom like this.

So I'm gonna thread them through the hole and then over the edges of my plate.

I'd like you to also have a go at doing the same.

So add your warp threads to your loom, and use this as an example.

Pause the video here and give yourself enough time to do that, and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did that go? Hopefully you've got something that looks like this.

When you finish your loom, you can tie your loose threads together.

That brings us to our first learning task.

I'd like you to make a loom from an everyday object.

Firstly, choose your loom shape and size.

Then make changes to your loom shape if you need to by cutting it really carefully.

Then choose your warp thread and then make your everyday object into a loom.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to gather the items you need and to create your loom from an everyday object and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did you get on? Well, hopefully you might have a loom where you've chosen strong, thin warp thread, rather than fabric, that you've cut your loom to the shape that you wanted, and that you've used that everyday object for your loom.

Maybe you chose a paper plate.

Well done for completing that learning task.

This brings us to the second part of our lesson.

We're going to explore creating a weaving.

How might this tool help you to create a weaving? Hmm.

Pause video here and have a discussion with your partner.

Press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? How might this tool help you create a weaving? Well, this is a shuttle tool.

A shuttle tool helps the artist to weave the weft threads under and over the warp threads.

The shuttle can be made from a lolly stick or any other flat, firm material.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Is this statement true or false? An artist might use a shuttle tool to help them with their weaving.

Is that true or false? Pause the video here and have a think about that and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you Said that that is true, You are absolutely right.

Well done.

Shuttle tools can be useful for weaving the weft threads under and over the warp threads.

Well done.

Andeep and Alex are now ready to begin their weaving.

They've got their loom and they've got their shuttle tool.

Here they are.

They've made their loom out of that everyday object and also the shuttle is made from that as well, a lolly stick.

Alex and Andeep look at their plan again.

Andeep has decided that they need orange, brown, and purple strips of fabric.

An artist might choose to cut out all of their fabric before beginning their weaving, so helping them to prepare for that weaving.

Alex and Andeep have cut some strips of fabric ready for their weaving.

Alex has said that maybe you should ask an adult for some help with some cutting.

Sometimes fabric can be tricky to cut.

You can see some examples of the colours they've chosen.

They attach their first piece of fabric to their shuttle tool.

"We can use mask intake to attach the fabric to the shuttle so it doesn't fall off," says Andeep.

I think that's a good idea.

Now this artist is using a shuttle tool to weave their fabric.

Can you see how they're going underneath the warp threads and then over them, under and then over.

The shuttle is making it easier to weave the fabric over and under the warp threads.

Might be a bit fiddly just using our Fingers.

So let's have a go now.

I'm going to use a shuttle to help me weave.

Now remember, I weave the fabric what and what the warp threads.

Can you remember those two missing words? Why don't you have a go using a shuttle to help you weave? Remember that we go over and under the warp threads.

So pause the video here.

Give yourself enough time to have a go and press play when you're ready to continue.

How was that? Well, hopefully you remembered that you weave the fabric over and under the warp threads, and you were able to have a go using that shuttle to make it easy for you.

Now, Alex and Andeep, they're going to pause to look at their weaving in progress.

Now, Alex says, "We did not plan to use pink fabric in our design, but I think it might look good with the other fabrics we've used." He asks Andeep what he thinks.

Andeep agrees, "I think it's gonna be a great idea.

We can add different pinks and reds too." Artists and designers can change their mind or have new ideas as they start making their artwork.

This is an important part of making art, thinking as you create to improve what you are making.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which statement about designing is not true.

Designs can change as artists begin to create.

Once an artist has made a design, it cannot change.

Artists will often change their ideas as they begin to create.

Pause the video here and have a think about which statement about designing is not true and press play when you're ready To continue.

If you said that once an artist has made a design, it cannot change, that's right, that's not true.

Artists will sometimes stick very closely to their design or plan, but sometimes they will change their ideas or make improvements as they begin to create.

Andeep and Alex add some pink fabric to their loom.

What do you think of that? It's looking pretty good.

This brings us to our final learning task.

Using your shuttle tool, I'd like you to create your weaving.

So look back at your plan, select and prepare your fabric strips, attach your fabric to your shuttle tool, and begin your weaving.

Now, remember, you can also change your plan if you need to.

So pause a video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at using your shuttle tool to create your weaving, and press play when you are ready to continue.

How did that go? Shall we take a look at some examples? So maybe you might have used your plan to guide you, made more than one loom, used a shuttle to weave your weft threads, changed your plan for your colour or your loom shape if you wanted or needed to, and hopefully you've created a lovely weaving that you're proud of.

Well done for having go at that learning task.

Before we finish this lesson, let's summarise what we've learned about weaving using everyday objects as a frame.

Artists can make looms from everyday objects and found objects.

A shuttle can be used to carry the weft threads through the warp threads.

Artists might choose to follow their design closely or change their minds about some elements.

Thank you for joining me in this lesson today.

I hope to see you in the next one.

See you next time.