VAEA Conference presentation, Friday, November 2, 2013
presented by Sarah DeWitt Brooks
Lessons, strategies, and tips for teaching stitchery in elementary art.
Tips include stitchery skills for each grade level, lesson ideas for kindergarten through grade five, with adaptations for different skill and ability levels.
Fiber Arts-relavant to art history and contemporary craft traditionsExcellent fine motor skill development- students not getting as much fine motor practice- many kinders cant button, or tie shoes- threading, tying knots, and stitching are excellent practice.Two handed activity- coordination requiredVery different sensory experience from painting or clay.
Highly adaptable- I teach stitchery to my entire school at the same time. Each year students learn new stitches to add to their repetoire. They are required to learn at least one new grade level stitch, but after that they select which stitches they want to use from past years. Students can continue adding more layers of stitches if they are skilled stitchers,OR they can stick with the basics if necessary.Students can stitch images of anything they are learning about- we make connections to big idea from our art curriculum, but in the past we made connections to science and social studies.
Alternate materials can be used- could use canvas, or plastic canvas for students with burlap fiber allergies, Can even stitch on paper with older students- give them watercolor paper with craft foam underneath to pre punch holes for stitching embellishments onto 2d work with a sharper needle.Can stitch using embroider hoop if necessary- but I don’t.
Consider how you will disperse materials. It helps to have precut arm-lengths for younger children to cut down one snipping tiny snips and running out frequently, or to avoid tangles. ArtofEd has a great video about using a rubbermaid yarn barn bin- yarn dispenses from the side of the bin. Can set up cones in yarn station, or buy the pricey traitex dispenser boxes once and just order refills each year.
Encourage planning process. Create meaningful, individual stitchery design, use a stitch key while sketching, use marker to plan on burlap.Can also paint with tempera paint onto burlap and stitch for embellishment.
Stitched with adapted art small group class. Draw one straight line. Choose a color, teachers threaded needles and tied knots. Pinch push pull method worked for them. Stuck with running stitch and threaded. Double threaded and additional lines with those moving faster. Simple symmetrical design, drawn and stitched one line at a time.
Prepped burlpa with first initial of each kindergarten child, plus masking tape name and class code on back. Started by teaching threading, tying. See-Say-Do- I show them how first on document camera step by step- just threading. Then I tell them my song-”The bird bites the worm, the worm goes in the ground, the bird flies away-to Hi, Ho, the Dairy-Oh” Then I let them choose a color and try. Work the room checking in until everyone is threaded- encourage buddy helpers!Come back to carpet for next step- tying a not. Worm over snake, worm under snake, hi-ho-the-dairy-oh, we have to pull the pretzel- kids think its ridiculous, but they remember itCheck in around room.Back to carpet for running stitch demo- Pinch-Push-Pull. Stitching on the initial line.Continue by tracing bubble letter around the first letter, and continue stitching. Demonstrate threaded stitches on last day for those that are ready.
Science connections- originally stitching seed-roots-stem-leaves-petals at same time as flowering plants science unit.Rewritten to fit with Big Idea-Family. Discuss stitched textiles in our homes, why choose flowers as a design- connections to seasonal changes and enjoying gardens with family year round.Since I teach stitchery to kindergarten, they are ready for the whole garden in first grade. Adapt it- could start with one flower, then add as time allows. Everyone starts with running stitches for all the flowers, continue with threaded stitches as time allows.
Discussed art history- stitched map samplers. Encourage students to draw a map of a favorite community location. Use stitch key- different stitches represent different map items.For example: Couching stitch is roads, Double Threaded Running Stitch is rivers or bodies of water, brown satin stitch is bridges, etcConnections between Stitchery, Communtiy, and Social Studies/Geography
Stitch animals in habitats- make art historical connections to folk art- Kuna Molas from Panama and Colombia. Could also discuss economic value of molas and stitchery and a wearable art form.
Discuss art and americanhistorica connections- flag design, symbolism with color and simple imagery. Design a flag for your own imaginary country- what would be important to you? What would your country value- design and stitch an original flag design using symbolic image and colors.
Miro Stitchery- connections to art history and abstraction.
Stitch a personal crest- discuss tabards and heraldry- what do the symbols on a coat of arms mean? How can we se stitched symbols to represent our past present and future.
Stitched map connections- stitched regions of virginia using stitch key- different stitch for each region.
Contemporary art connections- Stitch a network- viewed and discussed contemporary stitchery exemplars and students had to stitch a network that affects us globally (big idea) Stitched maps, digital networks, television, radio, internet, biological networks.