Dessert Crochet & Weaving

Basic Tools and Techniques for Crochet:

• Learn How to Crochet RIGHT HAND Part 1 – Basics for Beginners – Chain Single Crochet Stitch – video by Naztazia – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqca00LdmAc
• Learn to Crochet Tutorial with pictures –http://2good2lose.com/learntocrochet.shtml
• com – Basic Stitches in Crochet – http://crochet.about.com/od/crochetstitches/tp/basic-stitches.htm

Basic Tools and Techniques for Weaving:

• Beginning Basic Weave – video by Sandy Boccuzzo – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkZQtmrIKBM
• Weaving Tutorials for Beginners & Kids, Loom Techniques, Lessons and Craft Projects – http://wellingtonboot.hubpages.com/hub/how-to-weave-fabric-loom-weaving-craft-tutorials
• Weaving Tutorial for Beginners and Kids with Cardboard and Yarn – http://madebyjoel.com/2013/01/weaving-tutorial-for-beginners-and-kids-with-cardboard-and-yarn.html
• Placemat made of fabric strips (alternative to yarn)
  • Weave Fun Summer Placemats with T-Shirt Yarn – http://www.creativejewishmom.com/2010/06/weave-fun-summer-placemats-with-tshirt-yarn.html

• Sketchbook or drawing paper for designing
• Pencil or drawing tool
• Crochet hook and yarns
• Weaving board and yarns or sliced fabric strips
• Weaving needles, shuttles
• Mixed media such as fabrics, batting, cardboard, duct tape, cups, pie plates, etc.
• Scissors

• Students will design a 3 dimensional dessert or food sculpture using crochet and/or weaving
• Students will learn both processes of crochet and weaving and choose one, or both, to create a 3 dimensional sculpture based on the idea of food
• Students will add mixed media to their sculpture to enhance the creativity

Step 1 – Instructor presents artist websites, books, other resources for students to see a variety of approaches for weaving and crochet food sculptures. 

Step 2 – Instructor demonstrates basic chain crochet and single crochet. Oversees students as they learn the skill. Adapts for left-handed students.Crochet Note: Use resources listed in this lesson for images and process instructions of crochet for student learning: books, online articles with pictures, video tutorial. 

Step 3 – Instructor demonstrates making the weaving boards and shuttles. Also instructs in basic warp winding on the weaving board. Instructor demonstrates basic tabby weaving using weft and shuttle, or needle. Oversees students as they learn the skill.

Weaving: Students can create their own board looms and shuttles from a solid mat board of foam core, or can buy ready made. In these samples I show both.  Slice even slits into each end of a piece of mat board.

Make a shuttle by notching each end of a piece of mat board.

Wrap yarn around the notched ends of the shuttle.

Wind the warp yarn around the front and back of the weaving board to create evenly spaced increments through which to weave.

The process of weaving is to go over and under every second warp thread

Note how the second row is over and under the opposite warp yarn?

Slide these two rows right to the end and continue weaving all of the way to the top.

Here is a placemat in which the student used a hairy yarn at each end!

• Formulate an artistic investigation of personally relevant content for creating art.
• Demonstrate openness in trying new ideas, materials, methods and approaches in making works of art and design.
• Reflect on whether personal artwork conveys the intended meaning and revise accordingly.
• Develop and apply relevant criteria to evaluate a work of art.
• Generate a collection of ideas reflecting current interests and concerns that could be investigated in art making.

• Crochet – The process of looping yarn using a hook to create a structure
• Weaving – the process of intertwining yarn to create a textile structure
  • Warp – the vertical yarn
  • Weft – the horizontal yarn
  • Shuttle – the tool that the weft yarn is wound around
  • Weaving board or loom – the equipment used to create the woven cloth on
  • Needle – for sewing in ends
  • Mixed media – items and materials used to bring the sculpture to creative life and in making additional elements that add visual interest
• Wool batting – used to stuff structures to give them mass
• Wool batting or roving – wool fibers processed and combined into rolls or sheets of fibers.

• Artist Kate Jenkins – http://www.cardigan.ltd.uk/kate-jenkins.php
• Cynthia Rae – Candypop Creations –https://www.etsy.com/shop/candypopcreations
• Nyan Pon – http://www.nyanpon.com/p/food.html
• Wayne Thiebaud – Wayne Thiebaud is not a pop artist –http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/wayne-thiebaud-is-not-a-pop-artist-57060/