Mi'kmaq Grand Council flag mural celebration

This fall I began an art project with my students to create a painted tiled mural of the Mi'kmaq Grand Council flag to go in the school's main lobby(Chester Area Middle School).  It is surrounded by a border of images of the petroglyphs found at Keji, Lake McGowan and Bedford, N.S.

 

The cloth flag had been hanging on the wall, but after a visit from the fire marshall who said there was to be no fabric on the walls, it had to be taken down.  I felt bad about this so I decided to make a permanent flag to remain in place as a welcome symbol.   We began by going on a field trip to the Glooscap Heritage Centre in Truro to learn about the petroglyphs- among other things.  We drew the flag on paper and broke it into a numbered grid.  Different students painted the various ceramic tiles with a special paint that vitrifies when you bake it in a domestic oven.  We glued it all back together onto a painted plywood board (4'x8'), surrounded by the border.  Pilot holes were drilled first, and after installation, the remaining border tiles were glued on.

 

 

 We had a huge assembly, attended by 400 people with singing and drumming and 4 special Elders from the nearby Gold River Community, a part of Acadia First Nation.  The students also presented PowerPoints and imovies at the assembly about what they learned.  The mural was unveiled.

 The mural was smudged with sage smoke by Elder Rose Morris.

 The students (as well as April Hiltz, Sheila Porter and Shon Myra) helped cook a free feast for the school of 2 gigantic baked salmon (that the band donated), halibut chowder, Luski bread, strawberry shortcakes, blueberry and cranberry muffins.  The Elders were served by students at a special table and the rest of the school filed through the Family Studies Lab for free food!

The festival was a big success and we made it into the Chronicle Herald!!!-- Also in Bridgewater's Progress Bulletin.  The very next morning, I chaperoned (with 2 other teachers) a 2-day camping trip to Keji with 21 students, and of course we had a tour of the sacred petroglyphs!!!

  This is my happy face......:)

Basic Sewing

I love sewing.  I enjoy being able to make the things I come up with in my head.  I find it mind-bending making my own patterns for things, putting in linings, facings, and sewing inside out and backwards.  It sure keeps the grey matter working.

Storm this Viking helmet I made goes out to you!.... Maybe Bo would like it when he is bigger.... I found 2 chain link fence post toppers, thought they looked like horns and the rest is history.....  I felted alpaca fur over a buckram cap I made with the metal "horn" secured by elastic bands.  I concocted a flour/water/salt paste that I slathered on to dry numerous times.   I used a recycled scrap of mink fur to sew around it for the headband and applied silicon caulking in rows all over the top of the helmet.  Flexible, and not too heavy!  Very fun! 

My husband Asterix, I mean... Andy

 

 

 

So, the most recent machine sewing project I accomplished was individual curtains for the bunk beds in my camper.  These have been a wonderful addition as we use our camper a ton!

I bought 2 tension curtain rods.  I measured the 2 spaces (which are different heights).  I carefully marked and cut the fabric.  I folded and pressed and pinned everything making sure the casings weren't too narrow.  I sewed them with Sophia on my lap; helping by taking each pin out to put in the pin cushion. 

It's not sewing, but this last month my energy has been directed to a construction project of another nature!  On June 4, with lots of help, I organized an assembly/cultural event at my school to unveil a 4' x 8' ceramic tile painted mural my students made of the Mi'kmaq Grand Council flag with a  petroglyphs border.

 

 

Dyeing/Discharging

Dyeing and Discharging

Dyeing is putting colour in and discharging is taking colour out.

Chemical Dyes

 

This lace pattern is dyed with on polyester with a heat  press and blue dye transfer paper.

 

 

 

 

 

Discharging with Bleach

 

I have to admit, that although I enjoy the dramatic results from chemical dyeing, I much prefer to do natural dyeing, using plants and minerals.  I have twice now saved enough onion skins to do onion skin tie dye workshops with students.  The bright yellow colour is very surprising to them, (pretty colour fast with alum,lesser with vinegar, Iron as a mordant "saddens" the dye completely). It is also non-toxic. You don't have to worry about their safety as much, plus you don't have to justify to them why it is ok to dump all those chemicals down the drain. You can have them tie dye or resist dye for more drama.  Try different fibres, shells, sticks, bones and hide for them to observe how they take up the dye differently.  Have them return to the next class with a creatively sewn item or art project, incorporating at least one piece of fibre they dyed.

 

I usually have a plans for a dye or two brewing around my home.  For example, I have been collecting oak galls for the last number of years and am planning on trying to make an old ink recipe I found.  Right now, I am making medicine instead of dye.  I am steeping Balm of Gilead buds, from the Populus species, in olive oil, to be used with bees wax to make a salve.  Last's year's batch turned out very well so I'm hoping for a repeat.  I love the beautiful amber colour the sticky buds give the oil and the smell is incredible-very medicinal!!! The trees are rare around here, but grow on the bank of my home.  In the 1940's local Mi'maq people would arrive in the Spring to pick the buds in a grove, and taught my husband's grandmother how to make medicine from them.  I steep them for about 6 weeks before heating and straining the oil.

Balm of Gilead Oil

 

Textile Structures

Textile Stuctures:

Knit-interlocking loops-stretchy-need to machine sew with a zig zag stitch to account for stretch.

An afghan I bought at a second hand store

 

 

Knitted owl hat knitted for Sophie by my friend Nora McGuire, Saint John, New Brunswick. 

 

 

Creature named Red Wetty from the book, Stupid Sock Creatures, by John Murphy, 2005,

Sterling Publishing Co., New York.  Made from a knitted sock. 

 

 

 

Crochet isn't knit but it is interlocking loop construction...

 

Woven

Warp-faced cotton band I wove

 

Embroidered polycotton woven dress Sophie's Aunt Holly brought her from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.  Wovens are not stretchy in structure except diagonally, on the bias. 

 

Felt

I found it so interesting when I heard that ancient nomads discovered the felting process by stuffing pieces of wool they found into their footwear to prevent blisters and cushion the feet, until low and behold, through sweat and agitation they formed into matted insoles!  I don't know if there is any archeological evidence for this but it sounds like it makes sense.

  Extruded/Synthetic

Some fibres can be produced in long, thin strings like polyester, or in a sheet like rubber or plastic.

Here is a polyester and metallic/plastic studded dress I wore to White Point Beach Lodge last Christmas for my husband's work party.  That is when I met up with fellow cohort/blogger Patricia Tse there under similar circumstances!  Small world :)

An activity I recommend to learn about fibre structure is actually paper weaving.  I have my students practice plain, twill and satin and make an 8.5"x11" paper sample of each.  Use coloured construction paper and "threaten" to laminate them into placemats for them!

Another activity to actually learn how to sew differently depending on the fabric choice (knit or woven), I use the "Make your Own Monster" project I learned at an inservice.  After designing the pattern, the student chooses any fabric they like.  If a stretchy fabric is chosen, a zig zag stitch will have be used on the sewing machine so the seams don't blow.... The monster will be rounder if stretchy fabric is used and overstuffed....  Loosely woven fabrics shred easily....

Some of my students' monsters

Fibres II

Ironing Guide for Fibre Types

Here are some Wool scarves I wove.  I dyed the yarn in a sort of random ikat (on the warp and wefts for the one on the right, left, just weft.)  The twill weave pattern shows up so you get diagonals in some places. Wool presses very well and likes steam with a medium heat.  It will burn and become crispy under high heat unless you use lots of moisture.  It keeps it's shape very well and is a good heat insulator.  It is a very "forgiving" fabric to sew with as you can manipulate it with the iron.  But...it absorbs smells very easily and can be coarse and scratchy.

 

This is Jonathan Rose, (my cousin's husband), modeling an 18th. century man's suit made of silk. It is turquoise "shot" silk.  The warp and the weft are each bright blue and black.  When woven together they made turquoise!  Silk can be very shiny and is very thin.  It is strong unless it gets wet, so rarely steam it with an iron.  It stains easily and will take on watermarks.  It does hold it's shape well, but easily burns making holes or becoming coarse, grey or ashy.  Use a medium-high heat and be careful!  

 

 

Cotton ticking chef's hat.  One of 4 I made for a local restaurant.  We bartered for a food tab :)

 

Cotton is easily pressed.  It loves being spritzed with water and steamed.  It keeps it's shape very well and likes a high heat.  Here are some vintage Family Studies instructional tools!  These cotton and linen kits were passed along to me from retired Family Studies teacher Brenda Cook, New Ross.

 

 

 

 

Linen takes shape very well with a very high heat.  It absolutely needs water to shape it.  It becomes stronger with water.  It does not absorb dye as easily as cotton.  Linen develops a sheen after many times of ironing.  Linen wrinkles very easily!!!

 

Synthetics I usually iron by finding the melting point and then pressing right beneath that temperature. 

 

The classroom activity that I suggest to teach about fibres is ironing with students.  In my experience they are all very curious about this almost extinct activity.  They are usually quite scared of it and jump when they hear it sizzle.  The steam adds another element of danger.  Most sewing students don't understand that sewing is 99% ironing and pinning.  You only sew in place with the thread what already looks good.

 

 As for clothing choices....Should I wear this linen tank top?  Ironing?  Who has time for ironing????

 

 

 

 

Fibres

Fibres

Fibres are defined in so many ways.  Are they plied?  Woven or knit? Felted? Are they plant fibre, animal fibre or synthetic?  Things become fibres by the way they are treated.

This is a woman's 18th century sack-back gown made from a light pink and cream silk and ramie fabric.  It was chosen to be on display in the Dalhousie University Costume Studies Museum for a year.
  The ramie is a plant fibre and is the cream coloured one.  They would have been dyed separately before being woven in a damask pattern so it is reversible.  This fabric pressed really well and had structure because of the ramie, and smoothness and shine from the silk.

There was a period in my life when I shied away from most synthetic fibres whenever possible.  I am uncomfortable with the whole process.  This picture from the book, Fashion and Clothes, by Jack Harvey, 1978, Macdonald Educational, Holywell House, London., illustrates my feelings well.

But synthetic fibres make so many things possible, affordable, and above all else, in my opinion, colourful.

How else would something like a pink, collapsible princess castle be possible and affordable????

Colour

Colour, colour, colour!

Cloth book I am making.  Barn Front. 11"x 11" (felt, polyester thread)

The doors open to reveal a stable full of fingerpuppet animals!  There is the cow, the chicken and the pig.  Plus some needlefelted baby ducklings in the hayloft.

 

The green and the red complimentary colours are appealing and add a vibrancy.

 

Check out my apple-picking page:

 

So much fun!!!!

Apple Tree with bushel basket 11"x11"(felt, polyester thread,metal snaps, cotton)

 

Here is a 2 page jungle scene with cave/animal den, interchangable flowers, swingable vines and a water drinking hole with reeds and grass.  The animals are plastic and flat so they all sleep in the cave when the book isn't being read.

 

 

So, I'm really lovin' making this cloth book, but I've been kinda stalled on the next page for a while...

It's of a girl who is camping in a tent, with a sleeping bag and a campfire in front.  There will be stars in the navy blue felt sky.  I got sort of stumped because I ended up making a tiny doll!!!  She has crazy hair, and her own teddy bear, but after stuffing, I realized I hadn't make the neck/shoulders pattern big enough.  I am still plugging away.....I think I'm going to make a permanent shirt or something.... Anyways, here's what I made so far.

The blue and the orange are complimentary colours.



A few hours later..... Like 4 hours.....





Ok... I guess admitting to the World I was making this gave me the impetus to complete her.  Next I am going to put a zipper in the tent, make the sleeping bag, a campfire (marshmallow roasting stick?) and stars in the sky.  I am going to make her a flannel nightgown.  I would like to make a further page of a bedroom with a wardrobe you can open up with tiny little outfits.  :)


To address the idea that some colours don't work together, the Ladies who lunch Red Hat Society comes to mind. 

Traditionally, red and purple are said to clash.  These older ladies, intent on grabbing life by the @#% ! would have us throw away such "rules" and do what feels enjoyable.  Although I understand the reality of colour theory, I think every colour combination has it's time, and conveys it's own unique feeling or message.

 

Sources

www.actclassy.com