Fiber art is creative expression through the medium of natural fibrous materials. "Fiber art may be constructed by methods traditionally associated with textile fibers such as stitching, weaving, dyeing, etc. Fiber art may consist of objects traditionally associated with textiles including clothing, rugs, linens, wall hangings, etc.," according to Susan Taber Avila, a textile artist and Associate Professor of Design at University of California Davis. Sloppy craft is an emerging fiber art where "every detail must express the meaning of the whole, rather than being perfect," according to Arthur Danto, art critic for "The Nation."
Things You'll Need
Stretched canvas on frame
Pieces of recycled clothing
Buttons
Wood pieces
Paper scraps
Magazine for cutting
Postcards
Scissors
Hot glue gun
Glue
Needle
Thread, yarn or embroidery floss
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Instructions
1
Add old postcards to your design.
Lay a collage on your framed canvas incorporating natural media like cloth pieces from clothing, wood chips, magazine cut outs, old postcards, etc.
2
Embellish your collage with colorful buttons.
Add color to your design that is a reflection of who you are. Choose colorful buttons, yarn pieces or cloth bits to embellish your design.
3
Attach textiles together with thread.
Sew pieces of cloth together with yarn that represent the "heavy" issues or feelings in your life. Use thin thread to represent your "lighter" side.
4
School glue dries clear on paper or cloth.
Glue your assembly of collage items to the stretched canvas using a hot glue gun for the larger, bulky items. Use school glue, which dries clear, for delicate objects.
5
Overlap or align materials so the canvas background is covered.
6
Use yarn to create letters, borders or shapes.
Title your piece by cutting out letters from your magazine or creating letters from cloth, yarn or another natural medium.
7
Collage is an assembly of media in a visually interesting configuration.