THREADS LAID BARE

An Introduction to Weaving and the Loom for Wanna Be

Crafters & Curious Non-Creative Types.

By Scott Winter | LDT 7111 | WSU Fall 2017

▪ Slide 3 INTRODUCTION
▪ Slide 4 END-USER PROFILES
▪ Slide 10 MODULE 1.0: CREATIVE COURAGE - Preparing for the experience
▪ Slide 20 MODULE 2.0: TECHNICAL PREPARATION - Setting up your loom
▪ Slide 27 MODULE 3.0: CREATIVE PRODUCTION - Weaving and patterns
▪ Slide 33 MODULE 4.0: FRUSTRATION MANAGEMENT - Breaking down barriers
▪ Slide 36 MODULE 5.0: LEARNING REVIEW - Summary of experience
▪ Slide 45 CONCLUSION

INSTRUCTION OUTLINE
THREADS LAID BARE: INTRODUCTION
▪ PROBLEM: Creativity can be intimidating. Especially for adults who lack confidence in their creative
competence. This intimidation can be a barrier to fulfilling social activities that enrich and strengthen
relationships, as well hone critical thinking skills valuable in other life experiences.

▪ SOLUTION: By a approaching a simple weaving exercise as a series of problems to be solved, learners

will develop critical thinking skills, re-invigorating their creative competence and diminishing their
intimidation to creative expression. By encouraging creative problem-solving over the grand creative
gesture, the creative challenge becomes more of a puzzle to be solved rather than a “blank canvas” to
be filled.

▪ INSTRUCTION: This exercise is designed around five modules for addressing creative engagement,
including hands on making and coping skills to combat uncertainty and frustration, two common
barriers to success.

▪ RESULT: By fulfilling this simple creative exercise, learners will be more confident in both their
problem-solving skills and their creative capacities that can be applied to other life challenges.

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 MARTHA ERLANDSON - 45 year-old wife and mother
EILEEN SWANSON - 60 year-old semi-retired grandmother
4
PAULA RILEY - 30 year-old single working woman
STAN PAULSON - 68 year-old retired widower

END-USER PROFILES
▪ Age: 45
▪ Education: M.S. degree in Nutritional Science, B.S. degree in Microbiology. END-USER
▪ Employment: Food scientist for 20 years. PROFILE:
▪ Family: Husband. 2 Teenagers (1 son, 1 daughter). MARTHA
▪ Hobbies: Reading. Baking. Kids’ sports activities.
ERLANDSON
▪ Motivation: Pressured by her book club to add crafting to their group
activity but Martha lacks confidence in her abilities. Wants to do something
new just for herself.
▪ Trepidation: Historically a high achiever. Afraid of failure. Uncertain about
fuzzy nature of creative decision-making and inspiration. Doesn’t want to
look unaccomplished in front of friends (or her kids).
▪ Creative History: Home economics (cooking, apparel) and art classes in
high school. Camp crafts. Sorority activities. Birthday party planning (kids).

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▪ Age: 60
▪ Education: B.A. degree in English (literature). END-USER
▪ Employment: Semi-retired. Part time receptionist. PROFILE:
▪ Family: Husband. 3 adult kids (2 sons, 1 daughter). 4 grandchildren (2 of EILEEN
each).
▪ Hobbies: Reading. Movies. Yoga. Gardening. Cooking.
SWANSON
▪ Motivation: Wants to learn something new. Wants to support and
encourage her grandchildren in their attempts at creative expression.
Eileen is testing weaving as a family activity she can share with her
grandchildren and as an accomplishment she can share with her friends.
▪ Trepidation: Afraid of not “getting it.” It might be too technical. Not certain
she’ll have the “right ideas” for completing a woven piece. Concerned she
won’t be able to “keep up.”
▪ Creative History: Home economics (cooking, apparel), art classes, and
yearbook staff in high school. Creative writing. Cooking. Gardening.

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▪ Age: 30
▪ Education: B.A. in Cultural Anthropology. END-USER
▪ Employment: Mortgage Processor. PROFILE:
▪ Family: Unmarried. In a relationship. PAULA RILEY
▪ Hobbies: Reading. Exercise (running, yoga, kayaking, biking). Movies
(foreign).
▪ Motivation: Embarrassed that her friends all seem to have a knack for
creative activities and she doesn't. This will be a secret initiative for Paula
to determine if she should attempt more creative challenges with her
friends.
▪ Trepidation: Fear of failure. Afraid she won’t have a good (creative) idea.
Worried how her friends might judge her decision/efforts. Might take too
much time.
▪ Creative History: Bachelorette parties (paint-a-plate). Family and
Consumer Sciences classes (home economics). Art classes in high school.
Camp crafts. Church youth group activities.

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▪ Age: 68

▪ Education: M.S. in mechanical engineering. B.S. in engineering.

END-USER
▪ Employment: Retired Mechanical Engineer
PROFILE: STAN
▪ Family: Widowed. 1 adult daughter.
PAULSON
▪ Hobbies: Gardening. Fishing. Chess. Travel. Dancing. Museums.

▪ Motivation: Looking for something creative to do (inspired by museum

visits). Recommended by his daughter. Stan is attracted to the opportunity
for its emphasis on technical proficiency, as well as dabbling in more right
brain pursuits.
▪ Trepidation: Is it worth his time? Will there be others like him? Will it be too
simple?
▪ Creative History: Award-winning gardener. Popular dance partner
throughout college. Years of visiting museums and contemplating artist’s
efforts.

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 ▪ MODULE 1.0: CREATIVE COURAGE - Preparing for the experience
▪ MODULE 2.0: TECHNICAL PREPARATION - Setting up your loom

9 ▪ MODULE 3.0: CREATIVE PRODUCTION - Weaving and patterns

▪ MODULE 4.0: FRUSTRATION MANAGEMENT - Breaking down barriers
▪ MODULE 5.0: LEARNING REVIEW - Summary of experience

LEARNING MODULES
INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: MODULE 1.0
30 Minutes
Instruction:
▪ Short video lecture to introduce instruction goal. CREATIVE
▪ Enriched PPT lecture covering the value of creative CONFIDENCE
practice; introducing design thinking and creative problem
solving; coping with frustration, and a brief history of craft
and weaving, including key terms.

Activity: LEARNING OUTCOME

▪ Pre-Test learner confidence. ■ Understand the value of
▪ ORIGINAL: Demonstrate simple creative problem solving. creative pursuits
▪ NEW: Describe an experience of creative problem-solving ■ Recognize elements of
▪ Quiz: Multiple choice and short answer history of weaving creative problem-
as a craft and key terms. solving
▪ Journal history of learner’s craft experience and course ■ Understand history of
expectations. weaving as a craft
■ Recognize terms
common to looms and
weaving
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ASSESSMENT: MODULE 1.0
30 Minutes
▪ Establish learners’ confidence threshold through a pre-test.
CREATIVE
▪ Short quiz with 95% correct answers.
CONFIDENCE
▪ Benchmark learner confidence in Reflection Journal entry:
▪ Clear articulation of concerns regarding “making.”
▪ What is troublesome?
▪ What is surprising?
▪ Share future ambitions, if any, or the reason why not LEARNING OUTCOME
■ Understand the value of
creative pursuits
■ Recognize elements of
creative problem-solving
■ Understand history of
weaving as a craft
■ Recognize terms
common to looms and
weaving
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 EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: MODULE 1.0
I. Welcome
II. Introductions CREATIVE
A. How class will operate
B. Expectations for successful completion CONFIDENCE
III. Establish creative competence
A. Crafting Pre-Test
IV. Discuss problem solving strategies
A. Introduce creative and design thinking strategies
B. Introduce coping strategies for frustration,
uncertainty, and setbacks CONTENT OUTLINE
C. How do problem-solving skills crossover from other
experiences?
V. Share history of weaving and crafts and key terms
used in the practice
A. Quiz on weaving history and key terms
B. Reflection journal assignment on past experience
crafting and feelings about class objectives
VI. Complete reflection journal assignment

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THREADS LAID BARE: PRE-TEST MODULE 1.0
1 ] On a scale of 1-5, how comfortable are you with a crafting/DIY (Do it Yourself)
challenge right now?
1 2 3 4 5
CREATIVE
2 ] What three words best describe your feelings right now?
CONFIDENCE
3 ] Name up to 3 previous experiences crafting or performing DIY activities and grade
your results.

4 ] Complete the following statements: RESOURCES

When I attempt a craft or DIY activity, I anticipate: ■ Crafting Pre-Test
And I experience:

5 ] Respond to the statement “I wish I knew then what I know now:”

6 ] Name up to 3 future crafting or DIY activities you’d like to attempt and rate your
confidence.

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THREADS LAID BARE: HISTORY & GLOSSARY QUIZ MODULE 1.0
1 ] Weaving dates back how many years?
a. 12,000 b. 17,000 c. 9,000 d. 6,000 CREATIVE
2 ] What historic period had the most dramatic impact on weaving to date? CONFIDENCE
a. Stone Age b. Hippies c. Industrial Revolution d. Enlightenment

3 ] Which elements have been used in the practice of weaving? (mark all that apply)
a. plants b. punch cards c. wood d. electricity e. string

4 ] Textile workers were among the founders of the modern love movement.
True False
RESOURCES
■ History & Glossary
5 ] With a line, match the term with its definition: Quiz
Beat threads that pass across on a shuttle
Loom Waste amount of warp length lost during weaving
Shed to push the weft threads into place with the rigid heddle
Take-up set of threads held taut by the loom
Warp the ends of warp threads tied onto the loom
Weft the space between raised and lowered warp threads

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THREADS LAID BARE: HISTORY & GLOSSARY QUIZ KEY MODULE 1.0
1 ] Weaving dates back how many years?
a. 12,000 b. 17,000 c. 9,000 d. 6,000 CREATIVE
2 ] What historic period had the most dramatic impact on weaving to date? CONFIDENCE
a. Stone Age b. Hippies c. Industrial Revolution d. Enlightenment

3 ] Which elements have been used in the practice of weaving? (mark all that apply)
a. plants b. punch cards c. wood d. electricity e. string

4 ] Textile workers were among the founders of the modern love movement.
True False
RESOURCES
■ History & Glossary
5 ] With a line, match the term with its definition: Quiz KEY
Beat threads that pass across on a shuttle
Loom Waste amount of warp length lost during weaving
Shed to push the weft threads into place with the rigid heddle
Take-up set of threads held taut by the loom
Warp the ends of warp threads tied onto the loom
Weft the space between raised and lowered warp threads

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THREADS LAID BARE: WEB CONTENT MODULE 1.0
CREATIVITY
▪ Developing Creativity as an Adult CREATIVE
▪ Age and Creativity
▪ Richard Sennett, Author of The Craftsman, on ‘Making’
CONFIDENCE
▪ Having a ‘Childlike’ Imagination
▪ Creative Problem-Solving
▪ A Secret to Creative Problem-Solving
▪ What is Design Thinking? RESOURCES
▪ Coping with Frustration ■ Creativity Web Links
■ Craft History &
Definition Web Links
CRAFT
▪ A Definition of ‘Craft’
▪ A Brief History of ‘Crafting’ 1
▪ A Brief History of ‘Crafting’ 2
▪ A Brief History of ‘Crafting’ 3

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THREADS LAID BARE: HISTORY OF WEAVING
http://www.weavedesign.eu/weaving-history/
Weaving is acknowledged as one of the oldest
surviving crafts in the world. The tradition of
weaving traces back to Neolithic times –
approximately 12,000 years ago. Even before the
actual process of weaving was discovered, the
basic principle of weaving was applied to interlace
branches and twigs to create fences, shelters and
baskets for protection.
Weaving is one of the primary methods of textile
production and it involves interlinking a set of
vertical threads with a set of horizontal threads. The
set of vertical threads are known as warp and the
set of horizontal threads are known as weft.
Weaving can be done by hand or by using
machines. Machines used for weaving are called
looms. Loom originated from crude wooden frame
and gradually transformed into the modern
sophisticated electronic weaving machine.
Nowadays weaving has become a mechanized
process, though hand weaving is still in practice.
20,000 – 30,000 years ago early man developed the
first string by twisting together plant fibers.
Preparing thin bundles of plant material and
MODULE 1.0
stretching them out while twisting them together
produced a fine string or thread. The ability to
produce string and thread was the starting place
CREATIVE
for the development of weaving, spinning, and
sewing.
CONFIDENCE
Stone Age Man’s early experiments with string and
thread lead to the first woven textiles. Threads and
strings of different sizes were knotted and laced
together to make many useful things. Finger
weaving, lacing and knotting together of threads by
hand, is still used today by many weavers.
RESOURCES
During the Neolithic Era mankind developed great
skill in weaving cloth. Every household produced
■ History of Weaving
cloth for their own needs. Weaving cloth remained
an activity associated with the family unit for
thousands of years.
By the 11th century many of the weaving patterns
used today had been invented. Skilled weavers
developed highly specialized cloth. During this
time, the task of weaving cloth began slowly to
move away from the family unit into specialized
work places.
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THREADS LAID BARE: HISTORY OF WEAVING MODULE 1.0
http://www.weavedesign.eu/weaving-history/

Cloth weaving became a mechanized industry with Today most of our textile needs are supplied by
the development of steam and water powered
looms during the Industrial Revolution (1760 –
commercially woven cloth. A large and complex
cloth making industry uses automated machines to
CREATIVE
1815). The invention of the fly shuttle removed the
need to have a weaver place the weft thread into
produce our textiles. However, there are artisans
making cloth on hand looms, in home studios or
CONFIDENCE
the warp by hand. John Kay of Bury, England, first small weaving businesses, who keep alive the skills
discovered flying shuffle in 1733 which speeded and traditions of the early weavers.
the process of weaving and the production was
almost doubled. A fly shuttle is a long, narrow
canoe-shaped instrument, usually made of wood,
which holds the bobbin.

The Jacquard Machine was developed in the early RESOURCES

1800s. This revolutionary machine used a punch
card mechanism to operate the loom and is
■ History of Weaving
credited as the basis of modern computer science.
A textile woven on a loom with a Jacquard Machine
can have very complicated patterns.

The technological innovations in cloth production

made during the Industrial Revolution dramatically
changed the role of the weaver. Large volumes of
inexpensive cloth were now readily available.
Weaving had been changed to a manufacturing
industry. Textile workers were among the founders
of the modern labor movements.

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THREADS LAID BARE: GLOSSARY OF WEAVING TERMS
https://schachtspindle.com/item/cricket-loom/
Balanced weave: Fabric in which the number of
warp ends per inch (see e.p.i.) equals the number
of weft ends or picks per inch (see p.p.i.).
Beat: Push the weft threads into place with the rigid
heddle.
Draw-in: The tendency of the weft to pull the warp
in during weaving.
End: One warp yarn or thread.
E.p.i.: Ends per inch. The number of warp threads,
or ends, per inch, determined by the number of
slots and holes per inch on the rigid heddle.
Heddle block: The notched area on the inner face
of the loom sides. Holds the heddle in the upper
position (on top of the block) or the lower position
(under the block). When the heddle is in the notch
it is in the neutral position.
Loom waste: The ends of the warp threads which
are not usable because they are knotted onto the
loom, or remain unwoven.
Pick-up stick: A narrow stick used to pick up
patterns.
P.p.i.: Picks per inch. The number of shots, or
picks, of weft per inch.
MODULE 1.0
Plain weave: The most basic weave in which the
weft is woven over one, then under one. CREATIVE
Rigid heddle: The device that creates the sheds in
weaving and is made up of alternate slots and
holes. It is also used to beat the weft.
CONFIDENCE
Selvedge: The very outside warp edge of the
woven fabric.
Sett: The number of warp ends per inch.
Shed: The space between raised and lowered warp
threads through which the shuttle passes.
Shuttle: A tool for holding and carrying weft. RESOURCES
Take-up: The amount of warp length “lost” during ■ Glossary of Terms
weaving. The warp, instead of going in a straight
line, actually curves over and under the weft, and
therefore extra warp yarn is required.
Warp: Noun: the set of threads held taut by the
loom. Verb: the process of threading the warp onto
the loom.
Weaving: Crossing one set of threads with another.
Weft: The threads or yarn which is passed across
the warp threads.
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INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: MODULE 2.0
Instruction: 30 Minutes
▪ Enriched PPT lecture on how to assemble and warp the TECHNICAL
loom and select yarn. Review frustration coping
strategies, history of weaving and craft, and learning PREPARATION
expectations. Share correct quiz answers.
▪ Video resources for how to assemble a loom; how to
choose yarn and calculate length; how to warp a loom;
how to plan for a first project.
LEARNING OUTCOME
Activity:
■ Properly assemble a
▪ Use Class List Serv Q & A for peer troubleshooting
support. rigid heddle loom
▪ Journal learner’s experience, including evidence of ■ Define success
failure. ■ Understand yarn
▪ Share inspiration projects with class on listserv. qualities
■ Properly “warp” a
loom

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ASSESSMENT: MODULE 2.0
30 Minutes
▪ Reflection journal assignment including evidence of
success and failure, project goal, and frustration check. TECHNICAL
▪ Confirm proper assembly with uploaded photo(s) of
completed loom with proper warping. PREPARATION
▪ What was troublesome?
▪ What was surprising?
▪ How successful was your failure (rate from 1 to 5)?
▪ Share example(s) of elements that inspire their final
work. LEARNING OUTCOME
■ Properly assemble a
rigid heddle loom
■ Define success
■ Understand yarn
qualities
■ Properly “warp” a
loom

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 EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: MODULE 2.0
I. How to assemble a fixed heddle, tabletop loom
A. Review loom parts TECHNICAL
B. Review function of parts
C. Confirm proper assembly PREPARATION
II. How to “warp” a fixed heddle, tabletop loom
A. Review function of warping elements
B. Confirm proper warping
III. How to select the right yarn for the project
A. Types of yarn
B. Yarn performance on the loom CONTENT OUTLINE
C. Estimating length of yarn required
D. Confirm proper assembly with uploaded photo(s) of
completed loom with proper warping.
IV. Discuss appropriate goals for weaving project
A. Share inspiration pieces on Class Listserv
V. Complete reflection journal assignment
VI. Encourage continued practice

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MODULE 2.1
TECHNICAL
PREPARATION
How to
Assemble a
Cricket Loom
RESOURCES
■ Assembly Instructions

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 MODULE 2.1
TECHNICAL
PREPARATION
How to
Assemble a
Cricket Loom
RESOURCES
■ Assembly Instructions
■ Loom Assembly Vidoe

THREADS LAID BARE: WEB CONTENT

LOOM ASSEMBLY VIDEO 24

THREADS LAID BARE: MODULE 2.2
WEB CONTENT
SELECTING A YARN TECHNICAL
● SELECTING A YARN
VIDEO 1 PREPARATION
How to Warp a
● SELECTING A YARN
VIDEO 2 Cricket Loom
WARPING INSTRUCTIONS
● WARPING A LOOM RESOURCES
VIDEO 1 ■ Yarn Selection Video
Links
● WARPING A LOOM ■ Warping Video Links
VIDEO 2 ■ Warping Instructions

● WARPING A LOOM
VIDEO 3

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MODULE 2.2
TECHNICAL
PREPARATION
How to Warp a
Cricket Loom
RESOURCES
■ Warping Instructions

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INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: MODULE 3.0
Instruction: 15 Minutes
▪ Enriched PPT lecture on how to weave on the loom and a CREATIVE
quick review of expectations and coping with frustration.
▪ Video resources on how to weave on the loom and how to PRODUCTION
weave patterns on the loom.

Activity:
▪ Use Class List Serv Q & A for peer troubleshooting
support. LEARNING OUTCOME
▪ Journal the experience including frustrations and
■ Properly weave a
successes.
▪ Upload photo evidence of efforts. length of material on
the loom

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ASSESSMENT: MODULE 3.0
▪ Confirm proper weaving with Reflection Journal entry 15 Minutes
including uploaded photo(s) of work in progress: CREATIVE
▪ What was troublesome?
▪ What was surprising? PRODUCTION
▪ How successful was your failure (rate from 1 to 5)?
▪ Share if anything has changed regarding their
expectations?
▪ Upload example(s) of their work.
LEARNING OUTCOME
■ Properly weave a
length of material on
the loom

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 EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: MODULE 3.0
I. How to weave on the fixed heddle, tabletop loom
A. Review warping CREATIVE
B. Review loom elements
C. Review function of elements PRODUCTION
D. Review steps for weaving
E. Weave a 6-inch length of fabric
II. Introduce yarn patterns and other effects [Advanced]
A. Change yarn to create change in woven fabric
B. Alter warping to create change in woven fabric
III. Complete reflection journal assignment CONTENT OUTLINE
IV. Encourage continued practice

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THREADS LAID BARE:
WEB CONTENT MODULE 3.1
WEAVING ON A CRICKET
LOOM CREATIVE
● WEAVING VIDEO
PRODUCTION
BASIC
WEAVING
RESOURCES
■ Weaving Video Link
■ Weaving Instructions

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MODULE 3.1
CREATIVE
PRODUCTION
BASIC
WEAVING
RESOURCES
■ Weaving Instructions

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 MODULE 3.2
CREATIVE
PRODUCTION
WEAVING A
PATTERN
RESOURCES
■ Weaving a Pattern
■ Weaving Project
THREADS LAID Archive
BARE: WEB
CONTENT
WEAVING PROJECT
ARCHIVE

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INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: MODULE 4.0
Instruction: 15 Minutes
▪ Throughout learning modules 1, 2, 3, and 5, review FRUSTRATION
coping with frustrations and managing expectations with
creative problem-solving strategies. MANAGEMENT
Activity:
▪ List Serv Q & A for peer troubleshooting.
▪ Conduct four ‘Frustration Checks’ through enriched PPT
lectures and reflection journal entries during the course, LEARNING OUTCOME
including rating the success of learner failures:
■ Overcome frustration
▪ Module 1 - Creative Confidence
▪ Module 2 - Technical Preparation ■ Review creative
▪ Module 3 - Creative Production problem-solving
▪ Module 5 - Learning Summary ■ Reinforce learner
encouragement

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ASSESSMENT: MODULE 4.0
▪ Benchmark learners’ experience through reflection 15 Minutes
journal entries in modules 1, 2, 3, and 5: FRUSTRATION
▪ What was troublesome?
▪ What was surprising? MANAGEMENT
▪ Describe the success of your project, including your
failures
▪ What impact have coping strategies had on the
experience?
LEARNING OUTCOME
■ Overcome frustration
■ Review creative
problem-solving
■ Reinforce learner
encouragement

34
 EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: MODULE 4.0
Frustration checks are incorporated into each enriched
PPT presentation and reflection journal assignment. FRUSTRATION
I. How to cope with frustration, uncertainty, and
MANAGEMENT
setbacks
A. Staring is not an option - Finding motivation
B. How to frame the problem
C. How to be calm and refocus
II. Review creative problem-solving and design thinking
strategies CONTENT OUTLINE
III. Explore how other experiences can help address this
creative challenge?
IV. Complete reflection journal assignment
V. Encourage continued practice

35
INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: MODULE 5.0
Instruction: 30 Minutes
▪ Enriched PPT lecture with review of course expectations, LEARNING
accomplishments (both successes and failures), and
obstacles to motivation, and coping strategies. SUMMARY
▪ Provide encouragement for continued experimentation.
▪ Share examples of additional opportunities to encourage
further exploration of creative skills.

Activity: LEARNING OUTCOME

▪ Crafting Post-Test
■ Understand value of
▪ Journal reflection on learners’ ‘frustration checks,’ coping
strategies, and sense of accomplishment: creative pursuits and
▪ Upload photos of final woven work. how to overcome
▪ Read NYT’s article on crafting. frustration and
setbacks
■ Confidence in
pursuing more
creative endeavors

36
ASSESSMENT: MODULE 5.0
▪ Benchmark learners’ experience through a reflection 30 Minutes
journal entry: LEARNING
▪ What was troublesome?
▪ What was surprising? SUMMARY
▪ Describe the success of your project, including your
failures
▪ What impact did creative thinking and problem-
solving strategies, and frustration management have
on your experience? LEARNING OUTCOME
▪ Clear articulation of concerns regarding “making”
■ Understand value of
▪ Share future ambitions, if any, or the reason why not
creative pursuits and
how to overcome
frustration and
setbacks
■ Confidence in
pursuing more
creative endeavors

37
 EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: MODULE 5.0
I. Review creative problem-solving and design thinking
strategies LEARNING
A. Describe a non-craft environment in which these
techniques might be useful and be specific SUMMARY
II. Review tradition of craft and weaving
A. Name 3 things that were interesting or surprising and
why
III. Review Successful Failures
A. How did you manage frustration?
B. What lessons were learned? CONTENT OUTLINE
IV. Introduce continued practice and experimentation
A. Read NYT’s Article on crafting
V. Review creative competence
A. Crafting Post-Test
VI. Encourage continued practice

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THREADS LAID BARE: Pottery Is the New Pilates, and
Macrame Takes Away the Crazy
Penelope Creen, NYTs, November 30, 2017
It was a typical evening at Bklyn Clay, an airy,
year-old, 24-hour pottery studio in Sunset Park, the
Brooklyn neighborhood that is still evolving from its
industrial past into a hub for New York City’s
creative classes.
Nadia Lachance, 37, who works in photo
production, was making a batch of hands with the
fingers crossed: an apt symbol for the group’s
mood, both restive and optimistic (the red wine
was flowing).
There, also, was Stephanie Shih, 31, the copy
director at Plated, a meal-delivery company, who
was in between jobs last spring when she started
spending more time at the studio, sometimes until
midnight.
And Urooj Khan, 29, a corporate lawyer who started
making pottery after a breakup a few years ago.
“The studio was my sanctuary,” she said. “I would
spend entire weekends at the wheel. Clay requires
a lot of presence. There are so many subtle
movements that require attention and precision, all
the more so when you are a beginner. And that was
a relief. My brain hurts after long days at the firm,
poring over documents and law treatises, and
being at the wheel releases that stress.”
Strung out by work, politics, thorny relationships,
an empty nest or just too much digital activity,
MODULE 5.0
many New Yorkers are showing up at studios like
LEARNING
this one, using the wheel as a balm and a
corrective. Others are merely gaping at pottery SUMMARY
porn such as that posted by Eric Landon, a
Milwaukee-born talent at Tortus Copenhagen, who
has over 700,000 Instagram followers.
Ms. Khan also posts her ceramics on Instagram, at
RuthBaderKilnsburg: mugs and pitchers
emblazoned with the words “male tears” and “i
ain’t sorry,” for the Beyoncé song, in looping
cursive. It is her habit to come straight from work,
in full corporate drag — a tailored pantsuit and RESOURCES
high heels. ■ NYTs Article on
“I have trashed more than one pair of heels,” she
said.
Modern Crafting
“Those ‘male tears’ cups are gangsta,” Jacob
Dorland, an information security consultant, said
approvingly. “All this stuff really pisses me off. It’s
so good.”
A single father whose son left for college this year,
Mr. Dorland, 39, came to the studio because he is a
friend of Jennifer Waverek’s, a co-founder, and
because he was anticipating emotional fallout from
his son’s departure. “It’s really strange how much
your legs get kicked out from under when you’ve
been a single dad for 15 years,” he said.
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THREADS LAID BARE: Pottery Is the New Pilates, and
Macrame Takes Away the Crazy
Penelope Creen, NYTs, November 30, 2017
Also an extreme marathoner, Mr. Dorland likes the
physicality of pottery, and the concentration it
requires. “An errant pinkie or distracted moment
can ruin a piece that you’ve spent a whole bunch of
time on,” he said, “so all those anxious thoughts I
might get about whatever problems I have in my
life have to be shelved when I’m throwing.”
He finds clay manners amusing. “I once watched
two potters get into an argument about wheel
cleanup without ever raising their voices,” he said.
Embroidering Drake’s Face
At Greenwich House Pottery, there was a surge of
attendance for the studio’s fall classes, said Jenni
Lukasiewicz, the education coordinator there, to
500 students, aged 18 to 95. “Ceramics has
attracted so many new makers because it is such an
engaging practice,” she said. “You put clay on the
wheel. It gives you a little fight and you get past it
and there is this object.”
Most Friday mornings, Judi Roaman, a design
consultant, can be found there, hand-building
vessels she’ll glaze in black or white, because she
finds colors are too complicated. “How much
MSNBC can you watch?” she said. “I would bet
every therapist would tell you their patients are
MODULE 5.0
beyond anxious. Everybody is looking for a place
LEARNING
to put it. You can’t absorb anymore.”
Nora Abousteit, 41, has built a business around the
SUMMARY
soothing power of making stuff. She is the founder
of CraftJam, which leads crafting events —
macramé, pot painting, leather work — all over the
city, more than 20 each week. “People are
overwhelmed and feel totally powerless,” she said,
“but they feel empowered when they make
something. If you do something with your hands, it
means you’re taking action.”
RESOURCES
On Oct. 25, there was a Drake-themed embroidery
■ NYTs Article on
jam at the Arlo Hotel in SoHo, in honor of the Modern Crafting
Canadian performer’s birthday the day before. Ten
people showed up to embroider his face and lyrics
on fabric squares. “People want to get together and
do something more than just drink,” Ms. Abousteit
said.
Still, Ms. Waverek, 52, of Bklyn Clay said she often
feels like a bartender in a very modern bar. She
was a creative director who ran her own ad agency
before taking pottery classes at Greenwich House.
“You hear a lot of stories,” she said. “I hear more
than I should about people’s therapy sessions. We
40
THREADS LAID BARE: Pottery Is the New Pilates, and MODULE 5.0
Macrame Takes Away the Crazy
Penelope Creen, NYTs, November 30, 2017

had a woman who came in last year who was going “Clay Talks Back”
LEARNING
through a divorce. She opted to do ceramics
classes rather than traditional therapy. It was great.
The commonality with kindergarten SUMMARY
notwithstanding, crafts like this aren’t easy, and
Cor likes to say that clay absorbs emotion.”
perhaps that’s the point.
Cor Garcia-Held, 38, Bklyn Clay’s co-founder,
“People come in thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m going
studio manager and educational director, trained
to have this ‘Ghost’-like experience,” Ms.
as an art therapist. Clay is absorptive, to be sure,
Held-Garcia said. “They think it’s going to be really
Ms. Garcia-Held said, but it’s also a fine medium for
soothing and satisfying. But it’s hard. They get
Freudian sublimation, as she explained in an email
really frustrated. But they learn about persisting.
recently.
You have bad days. You can spend four hours and RESOURCES
“The grandmother of art therapy, Edith Kramer,
borrowed heavily from Freud and Freud believed
just have one plate. That can make you crazy. But
you come back the next day, and you learn from it.
■ NYTs Article on
that sublimation was a mature and healthy defense That’s huge.” Modern Crafting
mechanism,” Ms. Garcia-Held wrote. “The basic
Fernando Aciar, an Argentine restaurateur, started
idea is you take socially unacceptable behavior or
making ceramics two years ago, when he closed
ideations and channel them into something that is
his Manhattan restaurant, FeelFood, worn out by
socially acceptable like art. In other words, you
staff politics and fighting with the health
reach the studio fuming over the sexism that you
department. He is lucky, he said, that his
had to put up withat work. Then you and your studio
colleagues — at Momofuku Nishi, Contra and
mates share pizza and beer and discuss how sexism
Wildair in New York City — have been happy to fill
affects you on an everyday basis. You take those
their restaurants with his elegant work.
emotions and make a mug that says, ‘male tears.’
You leave the studio not wanting to yell at the next This early-midlife crisis has been extremely
innocent man you see on the street. Bam, productive: In 2015, Mr. Aciar, now 38, made 1,200
Sublimation!”
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THREADS LAID BARE: Pottery Is the New Pilates, and
Macrame Takes Away the Crazy
Penelope Creen, NYTs, November 30, 2017
pieces for an installation commissioned by
Alexandre de Betak, the fashion show producer, for
Coach, the luxury brand. Now, he’s working on 700
pieces for a restaurant in Houston; this summer, he
will spend a few months in Nimes, France, working
on a collection for the Hotel Imperator.
“I was losing my brain before,” Mr. Aciar said.
“With ceramics you don’t have to solve problems
with people and the health department, which in
restaurants you have to do all the time. Clay is like
baking, which I learned how to do growing up in
the country in Argentina. You need to be very
strong, but soft and subtle at the same time.”
Ashleygetsmuddy is the Instagram handle of
Ashley Warner, 50, a ceramic artist who is also a
psychotherapist. The other day, Ms. Warner noted
studies that show how creative work can alter the
brain’s neural pathways, and how working with
your hands can produce changes in multiple brain
regions, which can alleviate depression and
improve one’s ability to problem-solve.
“Paint stays where you put it,” she said. “But clay
talks back. It asserts its own demands. You have to
be attuned to it in a way you don’t with other
mediums.
MODULE 5.0
Working with clay integrates mental, emotional and
LEARNING
kinesthetic brain functions. It’s a full-on
experience, and a great way to get out of a slump.
SUMMARY
There is research that shows our brains are wired
to feel good in response to rewarding physical
activity, which isn’t usually a part of our day-to-day
lives anymore. Making a pot is a pleasure, and so is
the planning of it.”
The wheel folks and the hand-builders tend to
self-select. Ellen Burnie, an art director who has
lately turned to pottery — making platters and
RESOURCES
vessels with appealingly lumpy surfaces — likes ■ NYTs Article on
the imperfection of hand-building and the Modern Crafting
challenge of glazing.
“At every stage it’s treacherous,” she said.
On that Thursday evening in October, Jane
D’Haene, an interior and fashion designer,
appeared suddenly, wearing an elegant black
evening outfit, having come straight from an event
at her children’s school. She scooped a mass of clay
out of a tub, shoved it in a plastic bag and just as
quickly walked out.
“She doesn’t sleep much,” Ms. Waverek said. “She
likes to work at night.”
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THREADS LAID BARE: Pottery Is the New Pilates, and MODULE 5.0
Macrame Takes Away the Crazy
Penelope Creen, NYTs, November 30, 2017

Later, Ms. D’Haene said she did spend half the
night hand-building a piece at home. Earlier this
year, she had shuttered a business after a health
issue, she said, “and I was very worn down and
depressed. A friend took me to a wheel class. I
usually catch on quick, but I kept not getting better.
It was insanely difficult. One day it just clicked.
What I love is it teaches me patience.”
“I love handmade things,” she said. “My house is
LEARNING
full of stuff friends and family have made. But when
it comes to ceramics and the sheer amount of it
SUMMARY
around these days, I wonder what on earth will
become of it all.”
©2017 The New York Times Company

She is 11 months into her pottery making, though

she has yet to decide what do with the pieces,
which are graceful, dark and geometric.
RESOURCES
Some potters are selling their work for charity
■ NYTs Article on
through initiatives like Crafting Resistance. Last Modern Crafting
April, a sale at Greenwich House Pottery made
$25,000 for the American Civil Liberties Union in
four hours. In September, Bklyn Clay hosted a sale
that earned just under $10,000 for the Natural
Resources Defense Council and GrowNYC; in
October, Ms. Shih sold her ceramics to benefit
hurricane relief in Puerto Rico.
But even the people who buy the work have to
figure out where to put it.
Kathleen Hackett is a design writer who has also
taken up pottery, making pieces that are agreeably
lopsided, like her friend Ms. Burnie’s work. 43
THREADS LAID BARE: POST-TEST MODULE 5.0
1 ] On a scale of 1-5, how comfortable are you with a crafting/DIY (Do it Yourself)
challenge right now?
1 2 3 4 5
LEARNING
2 ] What three words best describe your feelings right now?
SUMMARY
3 ] Complete the following statements:
When I attempt a craft or DIY activity, I anticipate:

And I experience:
RESOURCES
4 ] Respond to the statement “I wish I knew then what I know now:” ■ Crafting Post-Test

5 ] Name up to 3 future crafting or DIY activities you’d like to attempt and rate your
confidence.

44
 “All children are artists. The problem
45 is how to remain an artist once we
grow up.”
- Pablo Picasso

CONCLUSION
THREADS LAID BARE: CONCLUSION
▪ CREATIVE CONFIDENCE: Creativity can be intimidating, especially for adults who lack
confidence in their creative competence, but it does not have to be. Properly framing a
challenge is the key:
▪ break the project down into manageable elements;
▪ resist the temptation to surrender and stare at the equipment;
▪ reframe the problem to overcome an obstacle;
▪ recognize when frustration becomes a barrier not a motivator;
▪ accept failure as part of the learning process and, use it to benchmark your progress
toward success;
▪ reduce the burden of accomplishment by sharing your experience with one or more
people;
▪ if you’re not enjoying the journey, change the destination by reframing your goal to suit
your experience;
▪ take the benefits of your creative expression with you and apply them to your daily life;
▪ take comfort in knowing that crafting has survived for tens of thousands of years with
varying degrees of success...like yours!

46