Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts Commons^™

Water Scarcity On Arizona’S Navajo Nation, As An Environmental Justice Issue, Chenoa Marks

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

For the Navajo–or Diné, meaning ‘the people’ in Diné Bizaad (Navajo language)–water is not only a resource. It is life, story, and relationship. It is tied to origin, movement, and balance within the natural and spiritual world. Water exists not only in rivers and rainfall, but in teachings, ceremonies, and the way knowledge is passed down from one generation to the next. In this sense, water is both physical and cultural, shaping how people live, understand the land, and connect to one another.

At the same time, water on the Navajo Nation–known by the Diné as Diné Bikéyah, also translated …

Aubusson Weaves Tolkien: The Woven Adventure, Nancy Martsch

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Aubusson weaves Tolkien. The woven adventure/ Aubusson tisse Tolkien. L’aventure tissée: review of the catalogue of the exhibition held at the Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie in Aubusson, France, June 28 - September 30, 2024. The exhibition showcased 14 tapestries and 2 carpets based on Tolkien's illustrations. This catalogue is available in both French and English editions.

Weaving With Color Theory, Clay Johnson

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In Fall of 2026 I have been taking an Advanced Drawing class where we are making art with string. The emphasis so far has been to create weavings using different color theories and patterns. We have also tried different weaving techniques, using the Inkle Loom, tapestry loom, and the table loom. Using the different looms have been challenging but rewarding to gain new skills. Weaving in a drawing class helps us think outside of just the charcoal and paper, but how we can approach other art with the drawing techniques we have learned such as color theory.

Woven Color: Historical Uses Of Color Theory Woven Into Fiber Art Practice, Mary K. Greenwood

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This semester-long project, created in Material Exploration, examines the use of historical color theory within contemporary fiber art to evoke emotion and narrative. Drawing from established color systems, artistic movements, and artist inspirations, the work explores how color relationships, such as harmony, contrast, and saturation, can communicate mood and meaning. Through experimentation with textile materials and processes, each piece integrates intentional color schemes to enhance storytelling through both visual and tactile elements. Ultimately, the project highlights how applying historical color theory within fiber art can deepen emotional resonance and connect traditional practices with contemporary expression.

Color Clash: When Opposites Create Harmony, Zachary Dean Esslinger

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Opposites attract is usually the saying and the same can be said for colors. Complimentary colors are pairs directly opposite each other on the color wheel. Warm versus cool, bright versus high intensity these are things that stand out when these colors are paired together Red/Green, Yellow/Purple, Blue/Orange and subsequently any hues, values and tints can be used as well. complementary color pairs, but if looking at a color wheel there are twelve consisting of your three primary and the othernine coming from different hues.

Color Layering And Weaving, Crystal Barron-Calva

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Color theory is the body of knowledge of colors and their behaviors. This presents as color schemes, color harmonies, and color application. We explore an analysis of color harmonies using weaving as a medium to display how colors interact in fiber art.

The purpose of this research is to explore how color theory is and can be applied to textiles and fiber arts. Using the same materials but using two weaving styles and techniques to explore how tension, size, and pattern affect the use of colors. This exploration approaches color relativity and color layering using the two weaving techniques of …

Craft, Love, And Loathing: Anthropology Of Hair Art In The Twenty-First Century, Eugene Kauffman

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

When hair is cut off and used in art, many people find it disgusting, but when attached, hair is seen as beautiful. Over time, these ideas have changed; in the Victorian Era, people had more tolerance and appreciation for different types of hair art, such as sculptures and accessories. In order to analyze these changes and why hair is seen as repulsive, we must look at theories of disgust and abjection. In addition, we must look at the history of bodily art and the connections it had to death and mourning. The understanding and recognition of abject mediums such as …

Intifada Tatreez, Jamilla Hashem

Toyon: Multilingual Literary Magazine

my personal instagram

The Curious Case Of Japanese Denim, Aaron Francis Ward

Japanese Society and Culture

From its humble beginnings as wholly utilitarian workwear in the 19^th century, to its modern rise to high-fashion, the ubiquity of denim, particularly in the form of jeans, has had a fascinating journey in its little-over-150-year history (Beazley, 2015). Of note has been the recent rise in popularity of Japanese denim. Since the end of the Second World War, Japan seems to have had an insatiable demand for Americana (Marx, 2023). Yet, if considered in the sociohistorical context of Japanese-American relations, this ought to be highly improbable. The current paper examines the sociological nature of Japanese denim from semiotic …

A New Perspective

DePaul Magazine

The DePaul Art Museum foregrounds inclusiveness, partnership and social justice to reframe the role of cultural institutions.

Education For Sustainable Development Competencies In A Community-Engaged Art Workshop, Amy J. Schmierbach

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Arts participation can expand empathy and cognitive growth capacity while creating a social bond and communal meaning (McCarthy et al., 2004). As an art instructor for over twenty years, I have witnessed the bonds that can be created through collaborative art experiences. These bonds are nurtured from a space of equity and inclusion. Teaching a community-engaged art course can bring these qualities into the community, allowing university students to use their art skills in real-world applications to impact society through experiential learning art practices. Making art with others will enable us to help others build empathy and social bonds that …

Craftivism As Inquiry: Holding Life’S Threads, Chloe Watfern, Gaynor Macdonald, Michele Elliot, Lynne Stone, Imelda Gilmore, Manuel Tecson, Najla Turk, Penny Bingham, Jane Mears, Ann Dadich, Barbara Doran, Katherine Boydell, Sarah Wallace

The Qualitative Report

In this article, we share insights regarding an arts-based research project where carers of people with dementia conveyed their experiences in cloth. Carers face high rates of mental ill health and burnout, while forming a largely undervalued and unrecognised workforce. Through this project, carers’ knowledge was valued and amplified using an innovative methodology – craftivism. During a series of five workshops in 2021, a small group of carers, researchers and artists gathered online to develop an exhibition of craftivist textile works. They evoked the complexity of their makers’ journeys supporting loved ones at the end of life, finding joy and …

Exploring The Potential Of Soy-Based Materials: Sustainable Textile Design And Apparel Production, Kasandra L. Wright, Lance Cheramie

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

This study investigated the potential of soy-based materials as a sustainable alternative in fashion design, focusing on creating textiles using batik techniques. The process involved producing soymilk, bonding pigments, repurposing soy pulp, employing batik methods, and enhancing textures with soy fibers. The resulting sample showcased a visually captivating moth motif on soy textile, demonstrating soy materials' aesthetic and environmental potential. The findings affirm the viability of soy textiles in fashion, offering a biodegradable, renewable option with reduced water and chemical usage compared to traditional materials. Further research is recommended to explore additional design applications and commercial feasibility, contributing to the …

Warp/Weft/Word: Inscriptive Materiality, Epistemological Violence, And The Inka Khipu, Travis Sharp

Criticism

Many competing theories of the Indigenous inscription practice known as the khipu have been offered, from L. Leland Locke’s long-standing postulation that khipus are accounting devices, to Walter Ong’s description of them as aide-mémoire, to Gary Urton’s more experimental theory that they constituted an early form of binary composition. Just as fraught is the history of the khipu, which were utilized by the Inka, intermediated by Spanish and Catholic authorities in their legal and religious systems, and, finally, banned and burned as seditious and sacrilegious. Contemporary khipus are primarily limited to those used by herders, but Chilean American poet-artist Cecilia …

Creating A 1940s Costume: A Historical Investigation, Jennifer Mott

The Confluence

The purpose of this Art History research investigation was to create a costume from the 1940s by immersing myself in a time period when people often made their own clothing. This was done to better understand what it means to have a personal connection to the items I wear. Our experiences as consumers in the twenty-first century are vastly different than those belonging to the people that lived during the mid-twentieth century because almost all of our clothing is purchased from corporations and created by people that we will likely never meet. For this investigative study, I shopped for and …

Clothing Autonomy, Audrée Wilhelmy

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

(Translated by Lucas Zabotin)

Colby Museum Of Art: Faith Ringgold “Story Quilt” Acquired, Bob Keyes

Colby Magazine

The Colby Museum of Art adds a coveted Faith Ringgold story quilt to its collection.

Fashsim Lab: Learning About Cotton From Field To Virtual Fashion, Kelly Cobb, Angela Beckett

Frameless

The global pandemic is clearly illuminating the value and even necessity of online education and remote learning for students around the world (IIIE, 2020.) Virtual modules engage students, substituting valuable learning experiences that are not possible to recreate due to constraints on time and/or materials, or physical meeting ability, demonstrated by the pivot due to COVID. In the virtual lab, students are able to work together, applying course concepts to new situations and contexts, as well as develop data analysis skills. Common in the sciences, this novel concept embeds state-of-the art learning into the textile and apparel curriculum. In the …

Using Creative Making To Redesign Life After Stroke, Jennifer K. Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Kate Davies, a knitwear designer and author based in Scotland, provided the cover art for the Winter 2022 edition of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy. “Balance for Better” is a blanket made from wool and mohair. The blanket consists of 30 individual squares designed and knitted by KDD & Co. employees. The colors and pattern of each square reflect the work, achievements, and legacy of the inspirational women celebrated in the blanket. At age 36, Kate suffered a near-fatal stroke that left her paralyzed on the left side of her body. Forced to give up her career as …

Can Textiles Improve Emotional Wellbeing?

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

“As a textile designer, I am very interested in challenging perceptions of what a textile can be,” says Kristen Tynan, whose master’s thesis, “Seeking Solace,” explored the creation of textiles that provide specific tactile benefits.

It’s known that tactile stimuli help calm negative emotional sensations. Thus, children may seek a favorite blanket or toy, and adults may use more reflexive, inconspicuous strategies like light foottapping or employ stress balls and fidget spinners. But those tools are primarily stand-alone objects marketed toward children or people with neurological challenges such as autism spectrum disorders.

Invasive Plants For Commercial Use

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Invasive plants can have an array of negative ecological effects. In Northeast deciduous forests, for example, invasive plants outcompete natives, disrupt soil nutrient cycling and spread disease that affects humans as well as other plants.

“Invasives are creating increasingly difficult problems across the United States,” says Anne Bower, PhD, professor of biology. “While there are some public and nonprofit efforts to address those problems, we also need to employ free market incentives to overcome this major ecological challenge.” Dr. Bower, Mary Ann Wagner-Graham, PhD, assistant professor of biology, and Becky Flax, MS, assistant professor of textile design, have been working …

Functional Fabrics: From Mining Oceans To Walking In Space

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Thomas Jefferson University traces its ancestry, in part, to the 1884 founding of the Philadelphia Textile School, the nation’s first center for textilefocused education. That institution continued to be a pioneer in textile science, technology and innovation for more than 130 years. Today, that legacy is visible in an array of nationally and globally recognized textile-related academic and research programs—notably including research, analysis and development of “functional fabrics” that serve a broadening range of purposes.

Jefferson is one of the few academic institutions possessing the full scope of expertise and technical facilities needed to reduce fundamental ideas to practice. As …

Rediscovering Hemp: New Materials, Manufactured Products And Therapeutics

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Through much of recorded history, the hemp plant was recognized as a sustainable, renewable resource with myriad practical applications. Its fibers are strong, resilient and possess unique chemical properties; its seeds and leaves are nutritious; and parts of the plant have medicinal benefits. However, for more than 50 years, its use in the United States was severely restricted by policymakers who equated all hemp products with just one: marijuana.

That situation has changed over the past decade. Today, most restrictions on hemp have been lifted, and states are legalizing marijuana and its byproducts for medicinal or recreational purposes. That evolution …

Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery (Sewing) Society: Handcraft As A Metaphorical Tool For The Abolitionist Cause, Hinda Mandell

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

In 1851, in Rochester, New York, a group of six women banded together as the founding members of an anti-slavery group in order to support the work of the abolitionist Frederick Douglass. They called themselves the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery (Sewing) Society, although they dropped “Sewing” from the group’s name in 1855. Yet the fact that “Sewing” was included in the original name of this reformist group indicates the foundational role of craft not only as a guiding activity but also central as an activist mechanism to abolish the institution of slavery. They were the benefactors of Frederick Douglass, himself regarded …

Rift, Repair, And Resolution, Dayna E. Patterson

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

"Rift," "Repair," and "Resolution" is an embroidered triptych that reflects socio-political disharmony and manifests a hopeful trajectory for healing and wholeness.

(Review) A Memorial To Those Who Mourn: Marie Watt’S Untitled (Mother, Mother) And Correlating Sewing Circle, Angie Rizzo

Hemisphere: Visual Cultures of the Americas

No abstract provided.

Virtual Temari: Artistically Inspired Mathematics, Carl Giuffre, Lee Stemkoski

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Technology can be a significant aide in understanding and appreciating geometry, beyond theoretical considerations. Both fiber art and technology have been employed as a significant aide and an inspiring vessel in education to explore geometry. The Japanese craft known as temari, or "hand-balls", combines important artistic, spiritual, and familial values, and provides one such approach to exploring geometry. Mathematically, the artwork of temari may be classified based on whether they are inspired by polyhedra and discrete patterns or by periodic functional curves. The resulting designs of these categories provide an ancient vantage for displaying spherical patterns. We illustrate a …

Sewing Lives: Mary Shelley’S Frankenstein And The Global Garment Industry, Sarah Garland

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

This paper takes Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and uses it as an extended metaphor to investigate the points of destructive alienation and disassociation within the globalized consumption of clothing. The promise of new clothing is a set of garments that function like Victor’s dream of creation; materials are stitched together to give objects that match our closest-held ideals. And yet, because of our quick Victor-Frankenstein-like alienation from these ‘fast fashion’ objects when they no longer please us, clothing becomes, like the monster, an abjected figure for waste and shame, moving around the globe destructively, created from the bodies of the poor …

Designing Fractal Line Pied-De-Poules: A Case Study In Algorithmic Design Mediating Between Culture And Fractal Mathematics, Loe M.G. Feijs

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Millions of people own and wear pied-de-poule (houndstooth) garments. The pattern has an intriguing basic figure and a typical set of symmetries. The origin of the pattern lies in a specific type of weaving. In this article I apply computational techniques to modernize this ancient decorative pattern. In particular I describe a way to enrich pied-de-poule with a fractal structure.

Although a first fractal line pied-de-poule was shown at Bridges 2015, a number of fundamental questions still remained. The following questions are addressed in this article: Does the original pied-de-poule appear as a limit case when the fractal structure is …

Quilting And Sharing: Promoting Lifelong Learning And Service To Others, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Lynne Hall, an occupational therapist, educator, and quilter based in Kalamazoo, MI, provided the cover art for the Winter 2020 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Four Patch Posy” is a 45” x 55” quilt made from cotton. In her 50th year of occupational therapy practice, Lynne’s philosophy is rooted in lifelong learning and service to others. The quilt aesthetic provides Lynne a creative medium to serve in her community. With her person-centered approach, Lynne facilitates human potential in the clients, students, and community members she serves. Success in both occupational therapy practice and quilting require a …