Weaving With Wires: Weaving and Embroidery Techniques within Digital Practices
In-person at InterAccess | Register here
Registration Fee: FREE, spots are limited
Learn weaving basics and explore how to work textile approaches into new media practices! Weaving for textile construction has been practiced for over 5000 years (Rahmstorf et al., 2017), and the Jacquard loom can be attributed to the basis of our original computers (Essinger, 2007), leading to the strong material history connecting craft textile practices with digital mediums.
Participants will discuss the basic principles of weaving, learn how to use the on-site table loom, and work with their own individual looms, fabricated from scrap material from InterAccess’s studio.
This in-studio workshop begins with a collaborative discussion focused on applying concepts of weaving to digital practice and using deconstructivist philosophies to develop unique textiles.
The second half of the workshop will allow participants to test weaving techniques using their looms. By incorporating fibre and e-waste, each individual will construct a unique piece of woven cloth. Participants are welcome to take their looms home with them to further practice their new skills and develop their own material making techniques.
Participants are encouraged to bring materials from home to weave within their textiles, personalizing their textile creations by incorporating materials with sentimental meaning. These can include:
- Yarn
- Wires
- E-waste
- Paper
- Fabric scraps
- Plastic packaging
Materials will also be provided at the workshop. Using repurposed materials both enhances the textile’s level of sustainability and fosters unique artistic narratives.
About the Facilitator
Amelia June Ferguson is a second year MA Fashion at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Fashion Studies program and holds a BDes (Hons.) from the TMU Fashion Design program. With a focus on Luneville embroidery hook techniques and 19th century sequin manufacturing, Ferguson’s research centers around French Haute Couture and the making of luxury textiles. Her research is thematically informed by Freudian theory focused on stains, decay, fear and desire associated with material culture. Ferguson has worked within the Toronto fashion industry over the last decade within the evening wear sector; her professional experiences inform her creative and research pursuits. Her creative work incorporates both experimental weaving and embroidery techniques, incorporating art- based research methods and deconstructivist philosophies as a way to evolve her embroidered art pieces.
This FREE workshop is presented as part of the Sustainable Practices series, made possible through funding from the Microsoft Toronto Community Fund, supported by Microsoft.
Accessibility Information: We are located on the second floor of the building, which is accessible by two flights of stairs or an elevator. The front entrance has an automatic push door and is accessible by ramp or a short flight of stairs. Inside, all InterAccess facilities are on the same level, including a single-user accessible washroom.
Questions? If you have any questions about the workshop or special requirements, please contact us at education@interaccess.org.
Essinger, J. (2007). Jacquard’s Web : How A Hand-Loom Led To The Birth Of The Information Age. Oxford University Press.
Rahmstorf, Lorenz, Siennicka, M., & Ulanowska, A. (Eds.). (2017). First Textiles : The Beginnings Of Textile Production In Europe And The Mediterranean (1st ed.). Oxbow Books.
Image courtesy of the artist.