Fabric (Craft Workshop, 1)

Taken from Chapter 1: Looking at fabrics People have discovered many ways of bringing plain cloth to life. They dye it different colors, print it with patterns or embroider it with colored threads. People have even found ways to recycle fabric. They cut up old clothes and use them to make quilts, rugs and wall hangings.

Grade 3-6-Mastery of the techniques in these two books can enhance artistic sensibility and extend and enrich literature, social studies, and science units. Each title begins with a history of the medium and briefly discusses its impact on civilization, methods of manufacture, and various uses. In Paper, activities include making paper, fanciful paper cutting, masks, puppets, etc. Some of the projects in Fabric entail dyeing or cutting with sharp instruments, while others involve resists that necessitate melting wax. Specific precautions and adult supervision are recommended when appropriate. In both books, the required tools and techniques are carefully described, and instructions are accompanied by full-color drawings and photographs of finished items, many from other countries and periods. The colorful applique of Peruvian and Colombian wall hangings are shown, as are the more subdued quilts of North America. Instructions, while clear, are general (no step 1, step 2, etc.). Thus, informed adults or craft-oriented children are essential for successful outcomes.
Marcia W. Posner, Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center of Nassau County, Glen Cove, NY
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