Woven Wall Art
Welcome to The Online Art Club with Mrs. Hayes.
The name is official, for now! Couldn't come up with another name...
Projects will be posted weekly, or noted otherwise.
No sign-up. Just do it!
Email me a picture of your artwork and I will post them after the due date. Look in Photo Gallery that matches the Project # in "labels".
Click on Photo Gallery # 4 at the left to view project #4 artwork.
Due date: 10/15/2012
Since the weather is turning nice, down here in TX, this project is going to have you go outside to acquire some of your supplies! AAAHHH. So nice to be able to enjoy the outdoors...
materials:
willow like branch about 2.5 - 3 ft. long
thin and green so it won't break when bent
various types of thick yarns in natural colors
a few greens, orange, and/or red, yellow; fall colors, you decide; and brown
dark brown natural looking string (about 5 yards)
masking or painter's tape
cat brush (I ended up getting another)
The thicker the yarn, I am thinking less combing. I wouldn't know, I had thin yarn...
Before you begin, use the brush to create rovings (bunches of fiber) by giving it a good brushing...
Thanks M.E. for your brush!
Okay, let me get real with you...the one brush thing, while it worked, it made my fingers raw! Those bristles are sharp! So, I got another brush, just like the one pictured above, and I combed with two brushes, like combing out wool...Now that really made me feel like a pioneer and my fingers got some relief.
I prepared all the yarn before I began with my boys.
The process is a bit long.
I used what I had on hand...just think "trees in the fall" for color choice.
If you have your children prepare the yarn, here are some basic instructions:
Cut yarn about 4" long
unravel or separate the threads
bunch up the loose threads of one color and begin to brush
I was feeling like a homesteader...combing the fleece.
Hold the bunch in one hand, combing it with the other, in one direction.
Clean the brush by pulling off in the opposite direction.
Continue to brush in this manner until it is fuzzy.
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After finding a flexible branch, that you can cut to use,
(It must be thin enough to bend, but strong enough to keep its shape when you weave on it)
clean it up by cutting off the leaves
Wrap it into a circle/oval and secure it with a piece of masking tape or painter's tape.
Using the string, cut 5 or more yard long pieces.
Tie each piece to one end of the oval, about a pencil width apart.
Make a lark's head knot...
Fold each piece in half, set it under the twig, pull the ends through the loop and keep ends even as you tighten the knot.
Continue these knots with the rest of the strings (I used green yarn, because I didn't have brown yarn or string).
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Tie the loose ends of the strings at the other end of the oval,
tightening each string after you knot it.
Pull on the individual strings to tighten...
I put each string that I pulled to the other side of my finger to separate it from the rest.
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Weave your greens and other earthy-colored rovings through your strings to create the "leaves".
Roll the rovings on your pant leg (back and forth) to tighten the fibers.
Twist the roving every now and then to line up the fibers.
Alternate over and under each string.
Go the opposite way with the next added roving.
This is a free-form weave, so you can add and weave at any place in the strings.
I like to double the free ends back into the strings, as on the video...
Push the roving up tightly, often, as you weave.
With the brown roving, begin wrapping 3 or more of the strings into one section, stopping a short distance away from the leaves.
Do this at least two more times with the rest of the strings, stopping at the same distance for each.
Now, bring the fibers from these sections and wrap the total of the strings with the brown to the bottom.
Twist the roving if the fibers are not staying together.
Tuck the roving into the strings to secure.
Trim off the ends of the string and remove the tape.
If your twig ends will not bend around each other to stay put...use clear thread to tie in place...or wrap with brown yarn to secure in a way that is pleasing.
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Hope the video helped. As I was preparing, I was thinking this may be a challenge for some...
Moms, teachers; if younger kids are doing this, I think they will be able to weave, just have the yarn all ready for them. Have the yarn all combed and pieces cut. If the supplies are ready and at hand, that will save a lot of time...and the time spent on a project is a factor, right?! Let them try combing some, though, so they can experience that task.
Let me know how you did.
Did anyone else think of the bottom strings as roots???
Mrs. Hayes
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