13. Implications and Applications¶
Research¶
My research for my final project started already many years ago when I felt I wanted passing on technical knowledge, like making clothes, making shoes, etc etc to young children.
I experienced myself as a child the value of making beautiful things with their hands and coming out of their heads using technical skills. Skills for which their is often not enough time to teach them at school. And if it is teached, it stays often very superficial and basic.
I am really convinced children are capable to make complex technical things and are sometimes eager to learn those skills to canalize their creativity and to create their own 3D world.
Draft proposal of my project MINI-FABRICADEMY¶
I want to build a bridge between children/youngsters, textile and technology, by developing a kind of Fabricademy for kids or 'Mini-Fabricademy'.
This will be done by giving STEAM workshops and making tutorials where textile is used as the medium.
With the purpose to learn children different techniques to transform fibers and textile and so to elevate their awareness/respect for DIY and the ' Makersworld'. To make them aware of the sustainability issues related to textile.
And so hopefully to build out a local community of 'small' Makers.
References & Inspiration¶
1.Digital workshops Greenfabric¶
In the beginning of 2023 I followed at Fablab Greenfabric 10 different workshops on Textile and digital fabrication. My children assisted me at a few of them and I was surprised that many techniques where not too difficult for them and that they really enjoyed making creations with those newly learned techniques.
Those workshops were for me the starting point to deepdive into the world of textile and technology and to explore the possiblities for children.
2.SheMakes¶
The learning modules of Shemakes are a great ressource of opensource workshops that already exists for different target groups in the field of textile. Especially the one for kids and teenagers, the curiosity path, interests me.
3.DIY activities at Meise Botanic Garden (Belgium): '50 kistjes groen om samen te doen'¶
In English ' 50 kistjes groen om samen te doen' means '50 shades of green to make together'.
The tutorials are not textile related but nature related. But they have build very nice boxes to store the tutorial and materials inside.
The tutorials are explained at children level so they can follow the tutorials almost without help of an adult (of course depending of the age of the child).
4.Brightlab tutorials¶
These tutorials are also not specific textile related but are very well documented for doing scientific experiments with kids.
5.ABC house in Brussels¶
Art Basis for Children is a laboratory for aesthetic experiences, creative development and artistic awareness. With play and workstations and lots of inspiring books for children and adults to explore their creativity and to use their hands.
I really like this very inspiring place!!!
First person research-embodiment of my project¶
On Friday I gave eight children a sewing classe. Those classes make me aware of the more edicational skills I have to develop, what is technical too difficult or not too difficult for their age, etc.
On Saturday I gave a workshop 'Biomaterials' on a Christmas market with Makersevent in my village.
I think the workshop was a big succes: children and adults loved it because they learned a technique they didn't know.
I also met a teacher in Arts who has the same passion for STEAM. Propably we will do some workshops together in the near future.
On Monday I wanted to inspire my inner child and so I went to the exhibition Small is beautiful in the Museum for Miniature in Brussels.
I discovered the fantastic skills in making microscopical arts from international artists.
It gave me a lot of energy!