Weaving techniques: crafting textures and patterns
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can design and create a woven sample that uses shape and texture to produce a clear pattern.
Key learning points
- Artists use constructed textiles in diverse ways, from functional design to large-scale installations.
- Cultural background and personal identity often influence an artist’s choice of materials, colours and techniques.
- Experimentation with texture and form allows artists to push the boundaries of traditional weaving and tapestry.
Keywords
Tapestry - woven fabric where the weft forms the pattern or image
Texture - the surface quality created through weaving
Constructed textiles - fabrics made by interlacing fibres through techniques like weaving or knitting
Common misconception
Constructed textiles are only made by weaving on a loom.
Constructed textiles include any fabric created by interlacing, knotting, looping, or bonding fibres such as weaving, knitting, crochet, macramé and even non-woven techniques, not just loom weaving.
Teacher tip
Spend some time teaching students how to draw their grid out on grid paper. They should count their warp threads and then count their weft threads and try to mark them on their grid. It is a good idea to also add colour at this stage.
Equipment
Loom, plastic weaving needle, yarns, grid paper, pencils, coloured pencils.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the definitions and the words
gathering fabric with stitches: it creates ripples, folds, or pleats.
surface quality of fabric
fabric is bent or doubled to form ridges, pleats, or layers
Q2.Changing or altering fabric to create new shapes, textures, or forms could be described as:
Q3.True or false: Stiff materials like bubble wrap cannot be manipulated.
Q4.In Elizabethan times, dramatic ruff collars were made by:
Q5.Match the words with the techniques
building up surfaces with multiple pieces of fabric
cutting edges into strips to create movement and texture
gathering fabric to create ripples and folds
Q6.True or false: Fabric manipulation is only used to make clothes look more decorative.
To help you plan your 11 art and design lesson on: Weaving techniques: crafting textures and patterns, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 art and design lesson on: Weaving techniques: crafting textures and patterns, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 art and design lessons from the Textiles unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.