Coil Creations

Coil Coaster

First Friday Art Club in August went in stitches.  Coil Creations was the fiber based theme, which proved to be more of a struggle than originally anticipated.

Just getting Started

The process to make a vessel by coiling is to take a base cord (we had clothes line, paracord, and very thick yarns to test), then wrap the cord with a thinner string and stitch with a needle.

That's the method!

There were fourteen eager students ready to create something that afternoon.  Many factors lead to a struggle with this project.  In general, kids do not sew or even hold a sewing needle in these modern, technology laden days.  It was hard for the students to understand the flow of the thread through the cord.

Round & Round

Sewing is a skill prevalent in my life and I had the 

assumption that this knowledge is shared in school.  I quickly learned that our tutorial with terrific pictures lacked the simple steps of moving the thread through the coils, keeping the string fluid and avoiding knots.

A table surface was helpful

 Luckily there were two other adults ready to help with the process, but the string kept defeating these makers.  Poor quality embroidery floss continued to knot upon itself, causing loads of frustration.  Good thing we had persistence to finish the project.

Tons of Time

This project took lots of patience on the part of teacher and student.  My sample, seen at the beginning of this post, only grew to coaster size, but some students were determined to make a true container.  This little pink vessel above seemed fit for a fairy.

Practice Makes Perfect

Some students learned this process on their own time at home.  After several attempts, they discovered their mistakes and were able to cruise through this class.  Practice makes perfect with any skill.  Pushing forth can lead to a beautiful final project, but I admit this time-consuming process is not for most.  Hands can cramp, needles can disappear on the floor, and string will always knot.  

Keep trying

While we put our struggles behind us, check back in September when we make Stained Glass Fake Out drawings.  This should be a relaxing project to prep the mind for the first days of school.  It will be a colorful experience.

Thanks for visiting!

~erica