Horniman Textiles

Textile learning pack
KS3 / GCSE Art and Design

Textile learning pack
KS3 / GCSE Art and Design
Contents
Separate document Textile information sheets

Information about the 18 handling textiles at the museum
3 Introduction
Pre-visit
Activity ideas for before your visit
4 Teachers notes
10 Patterns and Symbols - Pupil worksheets
11 Weaving Factsheet
12 Woven Crossword and Wordsearch
At the Museum
Activities for your visit to the Museum - Handling textiles worksheets
15 Teachers notes
20 Colour and Texture
21 Pattern
22 Shape
23 How is the pattern made flow chart
24 Resist Dyes
26 Embroidery
Post-visit
Activity ideas for use after your visit to the Museum
28 Teachers notes
28 Patterns and Symbols
31 Resist Dyes
33 Stitched Textiles
35 Weaving
36 Topics for Discussion
38 Bibliography
39 National Curriculum links

Introduction
This learning pack is aimed at teachers and pupils following Key
Stage 3 or GCSE Art and Design but is also relevant to further
education students of Textiles.
This pack will support teachers in using the Textiles Handling

Collection at the Horniman Museum as well as provide pre-
and post-visit work for the classroom. It focuses on amassing
observational drawings which can be used as the basis for art
and textile projects and coursework. It is up to each teacher
whether the students complete the tasks on the worksheets or
in their own sketchbooks. Where possible, the worksheets should
be accompanied by additional observational drawing.
textile n. A work of art made from cloth.
Textiles can be thought of as one of the most democratic art forms

we are all forced to engage with it in some way from the day we start
to wear clothes and we carry it around with us everyday. Our choices
are both public and personal, revealing details of our identity and the
culture we live in.
Textiles are arguably the most tactile art form. Fabric can be dyed
beautiful colours, printed with elaborate designs and woven into
intricate patterns, to create a feast for the eyes. It can also be
embellished with sequins and beads, pleated and rouched, knitted
and knotted to create a rich territory of textures for the fingers
and skin.
Therefore having the opportunity to handle textiles from around the

world and experience them with our hands as well as our eyes, is an
extraordinary privilege and one that your students will relish.
Textiles KS3 / GCSE Horniman Museum 2008 3

Art and Design
Pre-visit activities Teachers notes
These are suggestions for classroom work before a visit to the

museum. There are 4 main modules Patterns and symbols,
Resist dyeing, Weaving and Embroidery and some additional
points for discussion. You may choose to focus on one, several or all
of the modules and can tailor your visit to the museum to reflect this.
P
Patterns
and symbols Learning Outcomes
Wearing symbols and patterns is a form of communication
Patterns and symbols help us to identify with particular groups
Difference between positive and negative space and the
importance of balancing the two in a pattern
Discuss with pupils some of the symbols and patterns which

decorate their clothes and its significance with identity. Get them to
think about brand names, team colours, school emblems, religious
symbols etc.
Ask:
Why do people wear symbols or patterns on their clothes?
Why do they choose to wear some symbols and not others i.e.
Nike rather than Adidas etc.
Are there any symbols or patterns they wear that reflect that
they belong to a particular group or culture i.e. tartan, football
strip etc. What about groups of people in the school, wider local
community or globally?
Some patterns have no meaning at all. Why do people wear these?
Get your pupils to complete the

Patterns and Symbols pre-visit worksheet.
Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 4

Get your pupils to create a collage using drawings, photographs
etc. of all the symbols and patterns which are on items of clothing
they own (or wish they owned). Ask them to talk about some of the
symbols they have chosen and why.
Repeat this activity after a visit to the museum to include symbols
and patterns they have drawn or photographed. What did they
chose and why?
Discuss positive and negative spaces and the fact that strong
patterns tend to have a balance of both. Refer to the Adinkra
cloth and gourd stamps as an example of printing of positive and
negative spaces. Look at some of their meanings (see Adinkra cloth
information sheet) and get pupils to design their own symbols to
reflect something about their identity.
Positive space in black Negative space in black
R Resist dyes
Learning Outcomes
Principles of resist dying
That wax can be used as a resist
Different techniques can produce different effects
Explain that dye will often run down the thread of a fabric so its very
hard to dye only parts of a piece of cloth.
Get pupils to create a design on thin paper or in their sketch books
using a candle or wax crayon and then washing over it with ink.
Ask:
Why doesnt the ink colour the areas where the wax has been?
Why they can see the shape which they drew in wax on the
reverse of the paper?
Explain that most resists are not perfect barriers and that this can
create interesting effects. Examples of tie dye and batik at the Museum
can illustrate how this becomes a feature of these techniques.

W Weaving
Learning Outcomes
Improve understanding of weaving technique
Learn key vocabulary: loom, warp, weft, selvedge
Reading comprehension
Illustrate what a warp and weft is by using a loom if you have one. If
not, you can easily illustrate the concept using wool woven between
your fingers (where your fingers are the warps).
Get pupils to work out which clothes they are wearing that are woven
and compare to knitted garments (that they may confuse with woven).
Ask:
What are the differences between knitted and woven fabrics in
terms of the way they feel?
What types of fabric are normally worn next to the skin? Knitted or
woven?
What types of fabric are normally worn as outer wear?
Which is harder wearing, knitted or woven fabrics?
Get them to work out which are the warp and weft threads by pulling
their woven garment in both directions the weft direction is stretchier.
Introduce them to the word selvedges the tightly woven edge of

the fabric where the weft comes back across the loom from the outer
warps. Discuss the growing trend for selvedge jeans jeans which
have been woven on a narrow shuttle loom, rather than the modern
wider projectile looms meaning the denim is cut with the selvedges
at the outside seam so the outside seam will not fray. This is highly
prized amongst denim aficionados and many high street brands are
now offering selvedge jeans.
Get your pupils to find some warps in the street or in their homes as
homework. They could weave a weft through them a few times and
either bring the weave in, draw it or take a photo. Possible warps
could be: railings, a fence, the legs of two or more chairs, branches,
bicycle wheel spokes, netting, etc. Wefts could include carrier bags,
fabric scraps, sticks etc.

As a group compare some of the weaves. Notice what happens
when the warps are stiffer than the wefts (the wefts bend around the
warps) and what happens when the wefts are stiffer than the warps
(the warps bend round the wefts). If you dont have any examples of
this, you can use your fingers as warps and compare what happens
when you use wool and then a pencil as the weft.
Get your pupils to complete the Weaving pre-visit worksheet.

L U
W O F N S H E E T S
O O A D H A N D
R M B E W I D E R
N R R S P E E D
I
C

E Embroidery/
Stitched textiles Learning Outcomes
Embroidery can add colour and texture to fabrics
Embroidery is often used in Western clothing for small
logos etc. to create permanent designs
The difference between embroidery and stitching
Explain that embroidery is decorative stitching and that

you can use different stitches to create different effects.
Show some examples of cross stitch compared to,

for example blanket stitch.
Get your students to examine their clothes and find

examples of embroidery.
Ask:
What kinds of things are embroidered?
Why you might choose embroidery rather than printing?
How does embroidered fabric feel compared to
non-embroidered fabric?
Why is it generally only small areas which are embroidered?
Additional
discussion points The following can enhance study of the geography, citizenship,
science and design and technology curricular. You may also
choose to examine them as themed projects linked to national
agendas i.e. Black History Month.
Following your visit, you can pick up on each of these themes.
A section in the post-visit activities gives suggestions for
topics for discussion.

T
Additional
discussion points Trade
Where do most of the clothes we wear come from? Get your
students to examine the labels in their clothes.
Are these countries rich or poor generally?
Explain that textiles have been traded between countries and
communities since people first started wearing clothes. Different
fibres are only found in certain places and people developed
different techniques in order to turn them into clothing.
Meaning and movement

Consider how many things change their meaning when they are
taken from the place, community or time where they originated.
For example, the brand Carhartt started off as a workwear brand.
In the 90s in the UK and Europe, skaters started to wear their jeans
and the brand developed as a streetwear label. In the US, this
change never happened.
Get your students to compare Carhartts UK and US websites.
Ask your students to think of examples of clothes which have
different meanings in different places.
Roles of men and women in making and wearing

Ask your students who they think does the most clothes making
in the world, men or women?
Consider different roles within clothing production: growing,
making and farming the fibres; industrial fabric production;
designing; tailoring; etc. Do they think of these as mens or
womens jobs?
Ask them to consider why fashion and textiles arent taken
as seriously as other art forms? Could this be related to their
association with women?
Materials and methods of production

Explain that traditional techniques normally use materials which
are readily available and can be found locally. People developed
techniques to decorate and customise fabrics and passed these
down from generation to generation. Before people could travel
as easily as they can now, most clothing in the UK was made
from wool.
Show examples of traditional British techniques such as fair isle,
cable knitting, Welsh blankets etc. What are they made from?
Get your students to find out where cotton and silk originated.
When did people in Europe start wearing cotton?

Pre-visit worksheets
P Imagine you are a costume designer working on
Patterns
and symbols a comedy film set in your school.
The Director asks you to create a visual dictionary of the patterns

and symbols which all the different groups would wear, to help
audiences understand who is who.
In the box on the left, draw a pattern or symbol.

In the box on the right, write the name of the group who would
wear it (you might have to invent a name).
Try to put into words what you think this symbol or pattern says
about the wearer.
One of the examples must be about you and a group you (or
other people) feel you belong to. Remember, its a comedy, so
stereotypes are ok.
WHO WEARS IT? WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Scottish people Im proud to be Scottish.
Please dont mistake me
TARTAN for an English person

Art and Design
W Weaving Read this factsheet and answer the questions below to create a
woven crossword and wordsearch!
All over the world, woven fabrics are worn and used - from shirts to
bed sheets to denim.
Woven fabrics can be very hard wearing. They are much less
stretchy than knitted fabrics and normally not as soft.
To weave a fabric, you use a loom, which is a rigid frame. You string
the loom with lots of threads running vertically up and down so it
looks like a harp. These are called the warp threads.
Then you take another long thread and start to weave it under and
over the warp threads from left to right and then pass it back under
and over from right to left. This is called the weft. You continue in this
way building up the fabric from the bottom.
You can remember the difference between warps and wefts

with the rhyme:
Warps go south to north, wefts go right to left
Before the 18th Century, most weaving was done by hand, but
in 1733 the first machine loom was invented. When weaving by
hand, you can only create narrow strips of fabric as you have to be
able to pass the weft thread from one side to the other. However,
a machine loom can pass the weft thread much longer distances
which means you can make wider fabrics. Machine looms also
increase the speed at which fabrics are made. Many traditional
fabrics are still woven by hand.

Art and Design
Fill in the white blanks in grids 1 and 2.
Grid 1 Grid 2
1 down All over the world, woven fabrics 1 across Many of the fabrics we wear and
are _ _ _ _ and used. (4 letters) use are woven - from shirts to bed
_ _ _ _ _ _ to denim. (6 letters)
2 down The frame that you weave on is
called a _ _ _ _. (4 letters) 2 across Before 1733 all weaving was done
by _ _ _ _. (4 letters)
3 down As you weave the weft from left
to right and right to left, you start 3 across Machine looms allow you to pass
to build up the _ _ _ _ _ from the the weft thread longer distances
bottom. (5 letters) so you can make much _ _ _ _ _
fabrics. (5 letters)
4 down The weft passes over then _ _ _ _ _
the warp threads. (5 letters) 4 across Machine looms not only increase
the width of fabrics, they also increase
the _ _ _ _ _ at which they can be
made. (5 letters)
Once youve written all your answers into grid 1 and 2, fold grid 1 in half, lining up the top with the
bottom with the print on the outside. Use scissors to carefully cut vertical slits from the fold following
the thick lines of the grid. DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OR BOTTOM OF THE PAPER.
Unfold the paper.
Next cut grid 2 into strips along the thick lines all the way across. You are going to weave these strips
over and under using grid 1 as a loom.
Take strip 1 from grid 2 and weave it in and out of grid 1 so that you can only see the black squares at
the top.
Take strip 2 from grid 2 and alternate the weave so that you cant see any of the arrows in the next line
down on grid 1.Continue in order until you have woven all the strips.
Now you have woven yourself a word search in which you can find the answers to these questions:
What is the name of the threads which run right to left and left to right in a weave?
____
Circle the direction this word is written in - across or down
What is the name of the threads which run from south to north in a weave?
____
Circle the direction this word is written in - across or down

Art and Design
Grid 1 - answers down
1 3

2 4
1 3

Art and Design
Grid 2 - answers across
1
2
1
7
8
Art and Design
Visit activities Teachers notes
Textile handling
The textiles featured in the information sheets of this pack are
available for handling by school groups. To book out the handling
textiles for use with your class, please contact the Schools
Education department on 0208 691 8686 or email schools@
horniman.ac.uk at least half a term in advance to guarantee a 45
minute slot.
Texture is key to appreciating textiles, therefore being able to touch

examples from the Hornimans world collection will give your pupils a
better understanding of them.
Below are 5 session outlines. You can do one session or a

combination in a 45 minute handling slot with your class (depending
on whether you do a 15, 30 or 45 minute activity). Please ensure
that before you handle the textiles, everyone has clean hands.
Please supervise your pupils and remind them of careful handling
particularly when trying on some of the worn textiles to ensure none
are ripped or damaged.
Where possible, encourage pupils to draw conclusions from

handling alone. The information sheets are there to support and
guide where needed.
Depending on what post visit activity you intend to complete back

in the classroom, you should ensure that you study the right textiles.
The key in the Fact Pack will help you:
KEY:
E Embroidery
P Pattern
R Resist Dye
T Trade
W Weaving

Session A This exercise can act as an introduction to handling textiles and can
General textiles be conducted as a large group exercise. For older students, you may
wish to spend longer on this exercise and allow them to work in a
self directed fashion.
Learning Outcomes
Learn about the key elements of colour, pattern, shape and
texture and what they tell you about the textile pieces.
Learn about handling textiles and how close examination can give
you a lot of information.
15 mins Large Group Activity

Take one of the larger textiles (e.g. the Adinkra or Bogolanfini).
In discussion, work through some of the questions below.
Encourage your class to develop their answers.
Once they have answered as many of the questions as they
can using the evidence in front of them, use the information
sheets to discuss the answers. Use this exercise to demonstrate
to your students how much information can be gleaned from
detailed examination.
30 mins Selfdirected Learning

For older students, you can hand out all the textiles (depending
on the size of your class, this will mean one each or small groups
sharing). Give your students the questions below to help them
examine the textiles. Encourage them to make sketches and notes
noting colour, pattern, shape and texture and refer them to the
relevant information sheets. Get them to feedback their findings.
Observational Questions Interpretation Questions

What do you notice about the textile? Where might this piece be from?
What colour is it? What makes you say that?
How many colours can you count? Does the colour/texture/pattern/shape make
What shape is it? you think of anything?
How does it feel? What makes you say that?
What is the pattern like? What other areas of the world do they
If you close your eyes can you feel the pattern? e.g. wear bright colours?/ wear wrap skirts?/
Can you see any shapes that you recognise in wear bold patterns?
the pattern? Could you wear the textile?
What might those shapes represent? How might you wear it?
Can you see any stitches in the textile? Would it be comfortable to wear?
What else is sewn onto the fabric? If not, could you wear it for short periods
What do you notice about the back of the textile? of time?
Is the pattern repeated on the back? When might you wear this?
Is the piece bigger or smaller than an average Is it woven or knitted?
person? What is it made from?
Is it body-shaped? Is it natural or synthetic?

Session B Learning Outcomes
General textiles Deepen understanding of colour, texture, shape and pattern
Use evidence to interpret things about textiles
Fabric can be used to create different shapes on the body
The texture of fabric can define its uses
Record observations
30 mins Hand out all the textiles (depending on the size of your class, this
will mean one each or small groups sharing). Ask pupils to complete
the Handling textiles worksheet. Once they have had chance to
complete the worksheet, refer them to the relevant information sheets.
Get them to feedback their findings.
R Session C
Resist dyeing
Learning Outcomes
Deepen understanding of how pattern gets onto cloth
How technique can affect appearance
Importance of choosing appropriate technique
15 mins Split your class into 3 groups and hand out the Resist dyes
30 mins worksheet. Chose a different activity for each group and select the
45 mins textiles listed. Each activity should take 15 minutes. Rotate activities
once or twice.
Activity 1:
Batik and Adire eleko
Activity 2:
Adire alabere, Bandhini and Shibori
Activity 3:
Ei Worapi and Indian ikat

E Session D
Embroidery
Learning Outcomes
Examining how embroidery can be used to add colour, shape
and texture to cloth
15 mins Split your class into 3 groups and hand out the Embroidery
30 mins worksheet. Chose a different activity for each group and select the
45 mins textiles listed. Each activity should take 15 minutes. Rotate activities.
Activity 1:
Chinese tabard
Shisha boys costume
Activity 2:
Macedonian linen chemise
Activity 3:
Kalaga
Shoowa cloth
W Session E
Weaving
Learning Outcomes
Compare different woven textiles and examine the effects achieved
15 mins Hand out the following textiles:

Bogolanfini
Ei worapi
Huipil
Indian ikat
Kente cloth
Sari
Discuss the following points:

The Ei worapi and Indian ikat are both warp- The Bogolanfini, Huipil, Ei worapi and the
faced whereas the Kente cloth is weft-faced. Kente cloth are all woven by hand on narrow
(i.e. in ikat and Ei worapi, it is the warp threads looms. When weaving by hand, you need to
which you can see, in the Kente cloth, it is the be able to pass the shuttle through the warps
weft threads) so this limits the width of the fabric. As the
The Kente cloth and the Huipil use added weft process became industrialised, the distance
threads to create the pattern the shuttle (containing the weft threads) could
On the Kente cloth, you can see the colour pass increased.
of the warp threads (yellow and green). The Compare the hand-woven textiles to the
weaver allows the warp threads to show machine woven ones. Examine the tightness
through at certain points to add to the pattern. of the weave, how stretchy they are and how
The pattern on the sari is created through regular they are. The handwoven textiles will
weaving you can see that the pattern is tend to be looser and less regular.
inverted on the back.

Around the museum The museum has a changing textile display above the African Worlds
gallery. Visit www.horniman.ac.uk/exhibitions.php to find out about
the current textile display and exhibition dates.
There is also plenty of opportunity for colour, pattern, shape and

texture sketch work in the other museum galleries, particularly
around the mask collections in the African Worlds, Centenary and
Music galleries. The museum also has a Natural History gallery,
aquarium and 16 and a half acres of Gardens.
Please refer to the individual handling textile information sheets to

see a list of objects on display in the permanent museum galleries
that pupils may want to refer to for comparison.
As well as general sketch book work, encourage pupils to collect

patterns and symbols. Their drawings can be used as inspiration for
creating patterns.
Whilst drawing in the museum, you might suggest they try this
technique to draw objects in order to give them sketches which will
give strong shapes, perfect for creating patterns.
Look at the object from afar

Choose an angle where you can see a clear outline. Squint at the
object so that it goes blurry could you still tell what it was?
If no, choose another angle.
Draw just the space around the object the negative space.

Visit activities
Handling textiles worksheet
Individually or in small You can tell a lot about textiles by looking at them.
groups, select one of the Just as a uniform can tell you what job someone does, what school
textiles from the box. they go to or what team they play for, the COLOUR and SHAPE of
textiles and the PATTERNS on them can tell you where they are from
and what they are used for.
Being able to touch them tells you even more. Feel your own
clothes. The clothes which we wear close to our skin tend to be
softer and lighter weight. Heavier and rougher fabrics are usually
worn for shorter periods and keep us warm. How something feels is
called its TEXTURE.
COLOUR and TEXTURE

What colours can you
see in the textile? .........................................................................................................
Are they bright or dark? .........................................................................................................
Feel the textile. Rub it gently between your finger and thumb.
How does it feel? (Rough,
smooth, light, heavy etc) .........................................................................................................
What do you think it is

made from? .........................................................................................................
Think about how comfortable it would be to wear this textile.

Could it be worn for long or
short periods? .........................................................................................................
Explain your answer. .........................................................................................................
The more colours and textures you have in a textile, the more
expensive it is to make. Expensive textiles are generally only used for
special occasions or to show how rich someone is.
Do you think this textile was
made for everyday use or for
special occasions? .........................................................................................................
Explain your reasons. .........................................................................................................

Art and Design
P PATTERN
Draw some of the patterns
you can see on your textile:
Do you recognise
any of the patterns? .........................................................................................................
Use the How is the pattern made? flow chart to work out how the
pattern got onto the textile and write the answer here:
.........................................................................................................
Use the fact sheet for your textile to fill in the information below:
Name of textile: .........................................................................................................
How is it used? If it is worn,

how is it worn? If it is not
worn, what is it used for? .........................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................
What is it made from? Wool,
cotton or silk? Look for the
raw material in the box. .........................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................
How is the pattern made?
Printing, painting, dying,
embroidery or woven? .........................................................................................................

Art and Design
SHAPE
Some textiles are shaped to fit the body so its easy to see how they
are meant to be worn. Others are wrapped to the bodys shape (see
information sheet on your textile to find out how). Choose one person
in your group to try on the textile or hold it against their body.
Sketch it being worn on the mannequin below.
Some textiles arent made to

be worn at all. They might be
used as furniture covers or
wall hangings. If your textile
isnt worn, draw an outline of
its shape in the box.

Art and Design
P How is the pattern made?
flow chart
START
Can you feel
the pattern?
NO YES
Is the pattern on the Can you see

back of the cloth as or feel
Dyes well as the front?
well the stitches?
normally soak
through
fabric
NO YES
Are the shapes in the

pattern exactly the same NO YES
all over the fabric?
NO YES
Printed with
Painted Probably Probably
a stamp or Embroidered
by hand dyed woven
stencil

Art and Design
R Resist dyes worksheet
Split into 3 groups.
Chose a different activity and select the textiles listed.
Rotate activities.
Activity 1: Activity 2: Activity 3:

Batik Adire alabere Ei Worapi
Adire eleko Bandhini Indian ikat
Shibori
Anything that stops a dye from working can be called a resist.

Resists can be used to create patterns on fabric.
Read the technique part of the information sheets for your textiles
to find out how the patterns are created using resist dying.
Use the tables to compare the textiles and fill in the blanks
Activity 1
Batik Adire eleko

Resist = Wax Resist =
.........................................................
When the wax is painted on the fabric it is molten When the cassava is painted on the fabric it has
(liquid), meaning that it soaks through the fabric. been mixed with water to become a paste.
It cannot soak through the fabric so sits on top of it.
It then cools and becomes a As it dries it becomes hard.
............................................................................
Because the resist is liquid, it soaks through the Because the resist sits on one side of the fabric,
fabric. When it is dyed, it resists BOTH sides of when it is dyed, it only resists on
the fabric. side of the fabric. ........................
Wax is brittle and cracks easily. Dye can get Cassava paste does not block the dye completely
through these cracks. so some of the dye seeps through it and colours
In the space below, draw part of the pattern the white fabric.
showing where the dye has got through the wax. Using colours or shading, draw the pattern showing
where the dye has got through the cassava paste.

Art and Design
Activity 2
Adire Alabere Bandhini Shibori

Resist = stitches Resist = bindings Resist = bindings
Draw some of the Draw some of the Draw some of the shapes in
shapes in the pattern shapes in the pattern the pattern
Colours = Colours = Colours =

blue and white ................................................ ................................................
................................................ ................................................
................................................ ................................................
................................................ ................................................
Activity 3
Ei Worapi Indian Ikat

Resist = binding (before woven) Resist = binding (before woven)
Draw some of the shapes in the pattern Draw the shapes in the pattern
Draw an extreme close up of the shapes in Draw an extreme close up of the shapes in
the pattern showing the lines of the outline the pattern showing the lines of the outline

Art and Design
E Embroidery worksheet
Split into 3 groups.
Chose a different activity and select the textiles listed.
Rotate activities.
Activity 1: Activity 2: Activity 3:

Chinese tabard Macedonian linen Kalaga
Shisha boys chemise Shoowa cloth
costume
Are you wearing any embroidery today? (Look carefully, sometimes it

is very small).
Embroidery is a way of decorating fabric using stitches. It is found in
almost every culture.
What kinds of things are embroidered on your clothes?
Activity 1 Embroidery can add colour to a textile.

Find the embroidered shapes on the textiles listed below, draw their
outline and then fill in the shapes in coloured pencil, showing the
direction of the stitches
Chinese tabard Shisha boys outfit

Art and Design
Activity 2 Look closely at the Macedonian linen chemise. This is embroidered
using a technique called counted thread embroidery where the threads
of the woven fabric are used like a grid to make very small very regular
stitches. Look carefully and you can just about see all of the tiny
diagonal stitches which make up the pattern.
Using one or two colours, draw your initial in the grid below. The black
lines are the threads of the fabric and the white squares, the gaps
between them. Use only diagonal lines to make the shape of the letter.
Tricky, isnt it?
Activity 3 Embroidery also adds texture to textiles. Look at the Kalaga.

Other than thread, what other things can you see that have been
stitched onto the fabric?
.........................................................................................................
Each of them gives a different texture.
Choose one of these textiles: Chakla o Kalaga o Shoowa cloth o

With your pencil in your
drawing hand, use your
other hand to feel the
shapes on the textile.
Without looking at the textile
and just using your sense
of touch, draw 2 of the
shapes you can feel.
How accurate are they? .........................................................................................................
Draw again looking

at the shape.
How do the drawings

compare to each other? .........................................................................................................

Art and Design
Post visit activities Teachers notes
These are suggestions for classroom work after a visit to the

museum. There are 4 main modules Symbols and patterns,
Resist dyeing, Embroidery and Weaving. Each of them use the
observational drawings made at the museum as a starting point, but
you may well want your students to develop and refine these before
embarking on one the practical activities as part of a project or
coursework.
A fifth module is suggested as topics for discussion or further

research. This module would be useful for Geography, History or
Citizenship, particularly during Black History Month.
P
Patterns
and Symbols Discuss:
Pattern made for decoration (Shisha, Bogolanfini)
Colour symbolism (Kente cloth)
Symbols associated with special meaning (Adinkra)
Patterns from nature (Chakla, Adire eleko)
Learning Outcomes
Symbols and patterns can reveal things about the wearer and
their culture
Different countries and areas create symbols in different ways
Create an Adinkra-style printed cloth

Use polystyrene board to create adinkra-style stamps. These can
be used for individual projects or to create a collaborative wall for
the class.
Materials
Polystyrene board (sometimes called press print) available from
GLS and other art suppliers
Emulsion-based printing ink
Printing trays and rollers etc.
Sugar paper or calico cut into strips approx 30cm x 60cm or any
other printable material

Patterns and Symbols
continued... Process
Use the observational drawings completed at the museum, other
drawings the students have completed, and the collages to create an
adinkra-style symbol illustrating something which is important to the
students and helps define their identity.
Work the drawings to simplify and clean them up to create symbols

with a good balance of positive and negative space.
Consider the different ways in which you can create patterns:

repetition, rotation, translation and get pupils to experiment in their
sketch books using grids like the one below. You can use the symbol
once or many times in each box.
Once they have developed their drawings into a strong symbol and
experimented with pattern repeats, use polystyrene board to create a
block for printing.
Cut the block into squares at least 10cm x 10cm. Transfer the symbol
onto the polystyrene board, filling it as completely as possible.
Using a biro or blunt instrument, they should completely fill in the
negative space around the symbol, pressing the block down flat.
Tips for creating good block prints:

Make sure the negative space is completely pressed down
Work slowly as the block can split, creating untidy edges
The outline of the symbol can be cut out to create a neater outline
Mount the board on some cardboard to keep it rigid and make it
last longer
Attach a loop of paper to the back with strong tape to make sure
you can lift it easily after printing
Use a roller to apply an even layer of ink to the printing block

Patterns and Symbols Print a strip of paper or cloth. Experiment with different techniques
continued... for creating a pattern (rotation, translation).
Each of the strips made by the different students can be joined

together to create a wall hanging. Fabric can be stitched together
using a whip stitch or baseball stitch. Paper strips can be pinned to
the wall using coloured staples (available from Ordning & Reda) or
coloured string.
The students should write a description of the meaning of the symbol

in a shared visual dictionary for the class.
E.g.
What does this symbolise?
Who would wear this symbol?
What groups would they belong to?
Print symbol here
Other possible projects:

Print onto cardboard and cut into strips then weave together (see
weaving activity)
Decorate a T-shirt
Decorate a tote bag
Print onto paper and used for origami or collage etc.
Printed fabric could be used for simple sewing projects. e.g.:
A tote bag
A cushion use 3 different colours of fabric. Print the symbol on
each in different coloured ink. Join together using whip stitch or
baseball stitch.
Symbols can be over-printed in different colours to create a more
interesting effect:

R Resist dyes Batik
Batik can easily be integrated into almost any other project, as this
still life shows. It can be a great way of introducing a new technique
and stretching students.
Nor does batik have to be the end of the project as this quilted
piece shows.
Materials
The equipment needed for batik is quite affordable.
Wax, tjantings and cold water dye, all available from GLS
A wax pot. This can be quite expensive but a home deep fat fryer
will do the job just as well and can cost as little as 20
A lot of innovative products exist on the market including cold wax
and many ingenious methods of applying hot wax. The cold wax is
not as strong a resist as hot wax
Light calico or another closely woven fabric (knitted jerseys etc. will
not work as well)

Resist dyes continued... Process
Use the drawings completed in the museum to create a design. The
design should be simplified to create blocks of colour, as shading
is difficult. Transfer the design onto a square of calico using a light
pencil (pencil marks will be visible in lighter areas).
Use the wax to fill in any areas which should remain white. Once the
wax is dry, paint over with the lightest colour dye first.
Block out the areas which should remain this colour. Paint over with
the next darkest colour. Continue in this way.
Once finished and the dye is dry, sandwich the fabric between
pieces of plain paper and press with an iron. The iron will melt the
wax and the paper will absorb it. This will need to be repeated until
as much of the wax is removed as possible.
Tips: Tjantings give the best results once youve mastered them but a
paintbrush will work well
The wax should be as cool as it can be. Hot wax can be
dangerous and will flood the fabric, meaning that its hard to
keep it within the lines you want
Careful planning is necessary as you have to start with the lightest
colour dye first
Paint on the dye (rather than dipping) to avoid cracks (although
some cracking is a nice feature of the technique)
Wax can easily be removed using a hot iron and plain paper
Batik should be carried out on a flat surface which has been
covered with plain paper (it will pick up newspaper print)
Possible projects: Transfer drawings made in the museum to cloth using batik
Create an Indonesian-style batik using symbols and appropriate
colour combinations
Create an Adire eleko style print by first dying the fabric light blue
and then using batik to create the pattern
Tie Dye
Tie dye is very easy to reproduce in the classroom and can be
done with cold water dyes. T-shirt fabric will work, but thinner
cottons work best.
Tips: The key to tie dye is to get really tight ties

Cable ties work well as you can get them very tight, but for finer
results, strong cotton or string is best
You can use small marbles or cotton reels to make circular patterns
Possible projects: Create a tie dye T-shirt

Stitched Textiles Shisha/Kalaga inspired felt
The technique of attaching mirrors is very difficult to master. A

simpler technique is illustrated here. The artist has used washers and
curtain rings to create a shisha-like effect. The rings are covered in
blanket stitch using metallic thread to completely hide the ring (see
close up below). They are then attached to the background with a
washer behind. Felt is used to create the blocks of colour, rather than
satin stitches.
Other techniques such as sequins and couching can easily be

incorporated from the Kalaga. Figures can be cut from felt to
illustrate a story scene as is the case with a Kalaga.
Tips: Foil or wire mesh can be cut and inserted behind the rings to
create a reflective surface similar to the shisha mirror. A metal
button reversed also works well. See left.
A running stitch all over the felt creates texture and a quilted effect
Individual leaves and petals will be difficult to attach but if they can
be cut in one piece, this will be easier

Embroidery techniques Cut pile
The embroiderer makes very small tight stitches and cuts them with
a razor blade to create a pile a furry feel to the fabric.
Satin Stitch
This stitch is worked in loops. It looks the same on the back of the
fabric as on the front.
Surface Satin Stitch

This is similar to the satin stitch but it is only
worked on one side of the fabric meaning that
it is a flatter stitch and cannot be seen on the
back of the fabric.
Couching
A thick thread or cord is laid across a fabric and stitched onto it.
Embellishing
Objects such as sequins and beads are sewn onto the fabric with
simple running stitches.
Shisha
Mirrors are sewn onto the fabric using a complicated series of
stitches. The mirrors are said to protect against the evil eye.
Counted Thread Embroidery

This uses the threads of the weave beneath the embroidery to
create very even, very regular stitches. The stitches run diagonally
to the weave.

W Weaving Most schools do not have looms to teach weaving so this module is
based around a weaving project using cardboard. If you do have looms
in your school, this module will act as an introduction to weaving.
Replicate some of the patterns which the pupils drew at the museum on
large sheets of corrugated cardboard using any technique or medium.
Examples:
Wax pastels
A simple resist technique using wax crayons and ink
Acrylic paint (the paint needs to be flexible)
Print using polystyrene foam block
Create two sheets using contrasting patterns. The more abstract the
pattern the better.
Use a guillotine to cut the cardboard into 2cm strips. Cut them very
carefully as they need to be an even width.
Weave a simple square leaving uneven ends.
Creative Basket Making by Lois Walpole will show you how to

weave the basket pictured. Its actually very simple and creates a
fantastic effect.

T Topics for
Discussion Trade
Use the information sheets for Adire eleko, Adire alabare, Bogolanfini,
Kente cloth, Adinkra and Shoowa embroidery to discuss the trade in
textiles in Africa and its relation to the slave trade.
Points for discussion and further research:
How were the textile trade and slave trade inter-linked?
Although cotton grew in Africa, Britain tried to make Africans use
cotton from the Americas which had been woven in British mills.
Why?
Find out about high street stores and sweat shops. Where are
they found?
Many traditional textiles are made for tourists. This can be very
lucrative for people in developing countries.
Split your class into groups and give each group the following
statements. They must debate these issues as a class and each
group should research evidence to back up their point of view.
People should boycott brands which use sweat shops
Just because I stop buying a brand, doesnt mean theyll stop using sweat shops
Selling goods to tourists is a good way for families in poor countries to make money
Tourists rob people of their heritage and culture

Topics for Discussion
continued... Meaning and movement
When textiles move from their country of origin, their meaning and
significance can change. For example, within Ghana, Kente cloth
is associated with the Ashanti people and is used for ceremonial
dress. In the rest of the world, for many people it signifies Africa,
and the specific meaning is lost. Read the relevant sections on
the information sheets for Bandhani, Bogolanfini, Kente cloth and
Shoowa cut pile embroidery to find out about the original cultural
significance to the people that make and wear them. Find out how
and why these textile traditions have moved around the world and
their meanings adopted or altered for different groups of people.
What are the different meanings of the above textiles in Africa
and outside Africa?
Fashion depends on the ability of clothing to take on different
meanings over time and in different places.
Does it matter if the original meaning is lost, or is it just part of a
multi-cultural society?
Roles of men and women in making and wearing

In nearly all cultures, there is a gender division of labour. One
anthropologist called Sheree B. Ortner put forward the theory
that Men are to women as public is to private i.e. that women
work in the home whereas men work in public.
Does this theory work in the societies that youve looked at?
Does this theory work in contemporary Britain?
Materials and methods of production

Read the relevant sections on the information sheets. The textile
handling box at the museum contains samples of cotton bolls,
non-carded and carded wool, silk cocoons, gourd adinkra stamps,
tjantings and wax for batik. You may also choose to visit the gardens
to see some gourds growing in the African garden.

Selected Bibliography
Adinkra symbols:
http://www.jahgad.com/adinkra.html
Downloadable Adinkra font:
http://www.dddesign.org/dictionary/dddelicatessen/indexdnw.htm
Make your own adinkra cloth here:
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/humanworld/adinkra/
game.asp
Gillow, John, 2003, African Textiles: Colour and Creativity Across a

Continent, Thames and Hudson.
Gillow, John and Bryan Sentence, 1999, World Textiles: A Visual
Guide to Traditional Techniques, Thames and Hudson.
Gillow, John and Nicholas Barnard, 1991, Traditional Indian Textiles,
Thames and Hudson.
Kerlogue, Fiona, 2004, Batik, - Design, Style and History, Thames
and Hudson.
Meurant, George, 1986, Shoowa Design: African Textiles from the
Kingdom of Kuba Thames and Hudson.
Prodan, Mariao, 1958, An Introduction to Chinese Art Spring
Books.
Walpole, Lois, 1989, Creative Basket Making, Collins
Wilson, Verity, 2005, Chinese Textiles, V&A Publications.
An explanation of backstrap looms can be found in M. B. Schevill,

ed., The Mayan Textile Tradition, 1997 or online at http://dev.smm.
org/buzz/museum/object/2003_08_mayan_huipil_woven_blouse

Art and Design
Curriculum links
The activities in this pack can easily be integrated into project
which meet the requirements of the National Curriculum or exam
specifications. The worksheets and activities contained within the pack
will encourage your students to:
Observe closely and record their observations. These
observational drawings should be developed into creative pieces,
Critically engage and to interpret evidence
Explore the different codes and conventions in different
textile practices
Explore how different cultures use textiles to convey ideas
and emotions
Deepen understanding of how different techniques achieve
different effects
Focus on tactile properties of textiles
Compare a range of examples from different cultural contexts
Key Stage 3 These activities will help teachers to achieve the following objectives
National Curriculum Links of the National Curriculum at Key Stage 3:
1. Key concepts
1.2 Competence
Investigating, analysing, designing, making, reflecting and
evaluating effectively.
Making informed choices about media, techniques and processes.
1.3 Cultural understanding

Engaging with a range of images and artefacts from different
contexts, recognising the varied characteristics of different cultures
and using them to inform their creating and making.
Understanding the role of the artist, craftsperson and designer in a
range of cultures, times and contexts.
1.4 Critical understanding

Exploring visual, tactile and other sensory qualities of their own and
others work.
Engaging with ideas, images and artefacts, and identifying how
values and meanings are conveyed.
Developing their own views and expressing reasoned judgements.
Analysing and reflecting on work from diverse contexts.

Art and Design
Curriculum Links 2. Key processes
continued... 2.1 Explore and create
Pupils should be able to:
develop ideas and intentions by working from first-hand
observation, experience, inspiration, imagination and other sources
explore and develop ideas using sketchbooks, journals and other
appropriate strategies.
2.2 Understand and evaluate

Pupils should be able to:
use research and investigative skills appropriate to art, craft
and design
appreciate how codes and conventions are used to convey ideas
and meanings in and between different cultures and contexts
3. Range and content

The study of art, craft and design should include:
study of a range of artefacts from contemporary, historical,
personal and cultural contexts
understanding of art, craft and design processes, associated
equipment and safe working practices.
QCA Schemes of Work These activities integrate easily into the following Schemes of Work:
Unit 10 gen: Visiting a museum, gallery or site
Unit 7A: Self Image

Textiles are a form of self-portrait in that they express our ideas about
our identity.
Unit 8A: Objects and viewpoints

Each of the textiles use different techniques to represent objects,
reflecting their own cultures view of the world and cosmology.
Unit 8C: Shared view

Many of the textiles in the collection are either responses to cultural
events (e.g. Adire Eleko Silver Jubilee of George V) or they are used
for particular ceremonies or special occasions.
Unit 9B: Change your style

Most of the textiles in the pack have influenced present day fashion in
some way. Tips for further exploration are included in the Fact Pack.

Art and Design
Curriculum Links The pack also intersects with the following Curriculum areas:
continued...
History
Unit 15: Black peoples of America from slavery to equality?
Unit 11 Industrial changes
Geography
unit 12 Images of a country assess positive and negative
representations of their locality
Unit 18: The global fashion industry
English
How meaning is conveyed in texts that include print, images and
sometimes sounds.
PSHE
Where pupils are taught to respect the differences between people as
they develop their own sense of identity
GCSE Specifications The pack will help students to develop their knowledge and
understanding of artistic practices and will encourage them to evaluate:
how ideas, feelings and meanings are conveyed and interpreted in
images, artefacts and products
how the knowledge and understanding of the work of others can
develop and extend thinking, and inform their own work
a range of art, craft and design processes including two and/or three
dimensions, and traditional and new media and technologies
how images, artefacts and products relate to social, historical,
vocational and cultural contexts
a variety of approaches, methods and intentions of contemporary
and historical artists, craftspeople and designers from different
cultures and their contribution to continuity and change in society.
The pack will help students to begin to develop the following skills:
recording experiences and observations in appropriate forms
undertaking research and gathering, selecting and organising visual,
tactile and/or sensory materials and other relevant information
exploring relevant resources analysing, discussing and evaluating
images and their meanings, objects and products, making and
recording independent judgements in visual and other forms.

Art and Design

Horniman Textiles

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Textile learning pack

KS3 / GCSE Art and Design

Separate document Textile information sheets

39 National Curriculum links

This pack will support teachers in using the Textiles Handling

textile n. A work of art made from cloth.

Textiles can be thought of as one of the most democratic art forms

Therefore having the opportunity to handle textiles from around the

Textiles KS3 / GCSE Horniman Museum 2008 3

These are suggestions for classroom work before a visit to the

Discuss with pupils some of the symbols and patterns which

Get your pupils to complete the

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 4

Positive space in black Negative space in black

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 5

Introduce them to the word selvedges the tightly woven edge of

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 6

Get your pupils to complete the Weaving pre-visit worksheet.

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 7

Explain that embroidery is decorative stitching and that

Show some examples of cross stitch compared to,

Get your students to examine their clothes and find

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 8

Meaning and movement

Roles of men and women in making and wearing

Materials and methods of production

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 9

The Director asks you to create a visual dictionary of the patterns

In the box on the left, draw a pattern or symbol.

WHO WEARS IT? WHAT DOES IT SAY?

WHO WEARS IT? WHAT DOES IT SAY?

WHO WEARS IT? WHAT DOES IT SAY?

WHO WEARS IT? WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Textiles KS3 / GCSE Horniman Museum 2008 10

You can remember the difference between warps and wefts

Warps go south to north, wefts go right to left

Textiles KS3 / GCSE Horniman Museum 2008 11

Textiles KS3 / GCSE Horniman Museum 2008 12

Textiles KS3 / GCSE Horniman Museum 2008 13

Texture is key to appreciating textiles, therefore being able to touch

Below are 5 session outlines. You can do one session or a

Where possible, encourage pupils to draw conclusions from

Depending on what post visit activity you intend to complete back

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 15

15 mins Large Group Activity

30 mins Selfdirected Learning

Observational Questions Interpretation Questions

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 16

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 17

15 mins Hand out the following textiles:

Discuss the following points:

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 18

There is also plenty of opportunity for colour, pattern, shape and

Please refer to the individual handling textile information sheets to

As well as general sketch book work, encourage pupils to collect

Look at the object from afar

Textiles Teachers notes Horniman Museum 2008 19

COLOUR and TEXTURE

Are they bright or dark? .........................................................................................................

What do you think it is

Think about how comfortable it would be to wear this textile.

Explain your answer. .........................................................................................................

Explain your reasons. .........................................................................................................

Textiles KS3 / GCSE Horniman Museum 2008 20