The Fabric of Our Lives

Fabric clothes us and surrounds us in our homes and public spaces. Not only does it come in different sizes, colors and textures, but it can be made from many kinds of things. Follow the threads of these activities about fabrics.

CONNECT:

• Cloth, textile or fabric are similar names for manufactured material. Get more textile facts at https://kids.kiddle.co/Textile
• Usually only people wear clothing, more recently from fabric rather than fur. Discover the invention of textile at http://www.historyofclothing.com/textile-history/
• Watch the journey of cotton from far to fabric at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orKBbm9lJ1s

CREATE:

• These great fabric crafts are a fun way to make great projects with the family while learning about working with fabric: https://www.education.com/activity/fabric-projects/
• Create your own Adinkra cloth, a hand-printed fabric made in Ghana, by following the directions at https://www.pbs.org/wonders/Kids/cloth/cloth.htm
• You too can weave – on a cardboard loom – with these simple instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ByYj5G4-Hc

CARE:

• Here is an age-by-age guide on laundry skills kids need to learn: https://www.whatsupfagans.com/teach-kids-laundry-skills/
• You can sew for charity; here are ways to get involved and what you can make: https://www.maigocute.com/pages/sewing-for-charity
• Many animals are exploited to make the material for fabrics, some of which are now endangered animals; learn about them at https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/animals-used-skins/

CAREERS:

Weave a fulfilling career through fabric: from farm to manufacturing, from design to selling and its maintenance. Here are some insights.

http://www.sewing.org/html/textilecareers.html

https://textiles.ucdavis.edu/careers

https://www.apparelsearch.com/employment/job_descriptions/fashion_industry_job_descriptions.htm

How Fasten-ating!

Pins, nails, paper clips, zippers, thread, tape, glue. What do all of these objects have in common? They fasten things together. Where would we be without fasteners? At loose ends….    Fasten your eyes on these activities about fasteners. You may find them fasten-ating/

CONNECT:

• See history as it is revealed through buttons: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/design/2012/06/button_history_a_visual_tour_of_button_design_through_the_ages_.html
• Nails are over 5000 years old! Screws are about half that age. Read about the history of buidling fasteners at http://www.constructionmagnet.com/rural-builder/the-history-and-evolution-of-building-fasteners
• How does a zipper work? The secret is in the use of a wedge, one of the 6 basic machines. Read the explanation at http://mocomi.com/how-does-a-zipper-work/, and watch how a zipper works at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEf28mF4DoY
• Watch how paper clips are manufactured at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrGU9nZlBVY
• What do plant burrs have to do with fasteners? They inspired Velcro. Trace Velcro’s history at http://hookandloop.com/invention-velcro-brand/
• What’s the Scotch in Scotch tape? How was it invented? Here’s the story: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/12/scotch-tape-invented-scottish/

CREATE:

• Make your own glue and paste for craft projects; you can even color it. Just follow the directions at http://www.familyeducation.com/fun/art-supplies/homemade-glue-and-paste-recipes
• How can a candy wrapper act as a fastener? When it links to other candy wrapper. Try making this Starburst wrapper bracelet: http://fluffyland.com/blog/index.php/starburst-wrapper-bracelet-tutorial/ (tip: you can use lots of different kinds of wrappers, including gum wrappers or money….)
• Here are 24 fun things to make with buttons: http://www.tipjunkie.com/post/make-button/
• Make a tool belt – for yourself or a favorite tool user: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h91Spv4oGyk

CARE:

• Fine motor skills are essential in using lots of tools, from pencils to computers – and even helping them learn to read. Knowing how to use a zipper can help a child learn and practice fine motor skills. The following article helps parents teach their little ones the wonders of zippers: http://www.ilslearning.com/2015-03-zip-it-use-early-fine-motor-development-skill-reading-writing-brain/
• Having a screw loose can be dangerous. You also need to be careful using a screwdriver. See these safety rules: https://www.unr.edu/Documents/research/ehs/occupational-safety/machine-shop/ScrewdriverSafetyRules.pdf
• Knots are really handy at home, for sports, in medicine, and for rescues. Learn abuot the basics of knots, how to make them, and when to use them: http://www.animatedknots.com
• “A stitch in time saves nine.” Repairing clothing, such as reattaching a button or stitching up a rip, keeps your clothes wearable for a longer time. Watch how to do simple repairs at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DDipUdm37o
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySlHtsFauVQ
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjmUaWkzF-I  

 
CAREERS:

Fastening things together: that’s the heart of manufacturing. And part of manufcturing is producing the fasteners themselves (as the paper clip video illustrated). Think of all the jobs that require fastening: the clothing industry, jewelry making, carpentry and construction, welding, surgery, and of course inventing. Here are a few of those fasten-ating careers.

• Manufacturing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJxNEhd_IAg
• Interview with an architect: https://plus.maths.org/content/os/issue26/interview/index
• So you want to be a surgeon: https://www.facs.org/education/resources/residency-search
• Careers in construction: http://www.careersinconstruction.ca/en/careers
• Fashion and textile careers: http://creativeskillset.org/creative_industries/fashion_and_textiles/job_roles