Blog 8: Makerspaces - Stitching Together Curricular Connections
Hello Everyone!
Our topic this week is makerspaces. I love this concept and wish this had been a thing when I was in school! As we have seen in the readings and lectures, makerspaces can exist in many different ways. Many schools may be intimidated by the cost, but makerspaces don’t have to be expensive. One of my favorite parts of this week was Dr. Moorefield-Lang’s lecture where she talked about how makerspaces involve research and that research and information literacy go hand in hand. Students are going to be naturally pulled into researching because they have to figure out how to create their ideas in the makerspace. Anything that can get our students engaged with their learning is worth exploring!
There are so many different ways to create a makerspace, but today I want to share a post with you from Touro College Libraries’ Blog called Math Adds Up To Sewing Success. I think that this blog is worth sharing because it connects two subjects - art and math. The writer describes her experiences as being “bad” at art but good at math. She was introduced to sewing by her math teacher who explained the relationship between sewing and geometry. Once this connection was made for her, it was like a bridge between her comfort zone of math to a new skill in art.
As a child, I would have told you that art and math went together as well as toothpaste and orange juice. I was the opposite of the writer. For me, math was a foreign language that always eluded me but I was good at art. A bridge works both ways, right? Just as the writer had crossed from math into art, could the same connection have carried me from art to math?
After reading the post I began to think about other curricular connections with sewing. Sewing is an art, of course. As the author pointed out, there are many math elements involved. I can also see a science and engineering connection as well. Students must determine which fabrics work best for which projects, which thread to use, and how to decide which fabrics and threads go together. Exploring Computer Science even has a whole E-Textiles unit that science and computer teachers could use in a sewing makerspace. We never know what is going to make the lightbulb go off for a child. Although a sewing station might not be a cross curricular cure all, it might just make a subject less intimidating for a reluctant learner.
Having a sewing makerspace in the library is a great fit because you do not need a ton of things to get started and many of them can be secured through donations. You could start with a few patterns, fabric scraps, and a small set of needles and thread. As the budget allows, you can add whole bolts of fabric, more / better needles and thread, etc. Eventually you can add a sewing machine or maybe even several sewing machines.
Another benefit of having the makerspace in the library is that it promotes equity because it gives all classes and students a chance to use the items, not just classes / programs that have a larger budget. This is true for any kind of makerspace.
A sewing makerspace could empower students to be creative and also help to shift mindsets about resources and waste. The article Makings of a Makerspace discusses how makerspaces can help shift from a culture of consumption to one of creation and how a makerspace could empower a student to repurpose and repair items they might have otherwise discarded (Britton, 2012).
School media centers need all the advocates they can get, and a great way to gain advocates is to bring stakeholders into the space. The Makerspace Playbook, School Edition suggests bringing mentors on board to help makers learn the craft (Hlubinka, et al., 2013). This would be a wonderful opportunity to bring in community members to work with student makers. Many parents and grandparents may have sewing skills. Bringing them onto campus as makerspace mentors can help boost community engagement and buy in.
I enjoyed learning about sewing and makerspaces in general. There are so many options for every budget and community. I will definitely be bringing makerspaces into my future media center. Thank you for reading! I can’t wait to check out everyone’s finds on makerspace ideas.
Additional Resources:
E-Textiles Unit from Exploring Computer Science
-More information on ECS's E-Textiles unit - this is also a great PD if anyone is looking for recertification credit 😊
Hi Lauren ,
ReplyDeleteHow amazing this would have been if a sewing makerspace was in a library close to me when I was younger?! My mom was a seamstress and we always had sewing machines in the house, and she taught my sister and I a few things, but with the stresses of working two jobs and having four kids, it wasn't a whole lot. I learned a little more in my Home Economics class in high school. We hand-stitched and learned about the types of stitches and when to use them. But if only this was at a nearby library, I would have been there everyday! I bet there is someone who wants to get rid of their sewing machine, but just doesn't want it to go to a Goodwill, but they would probably donate it to a school library.
Another classmate mentioned that student's literacy skills are low. I think sewing is a great way to increase literacy skills while incorporating art and math. Students must read and follow the directions to know how much fabric to cut and where to sew. They must also problem-solve when things go wrong. Sewing gets complicated. And like you said, libraries can build their 'sewing inventory' over time. There are also some no-sew activities or hand-sewing activities that can get students involved as well. (https://thecraftyblogstalker.com/20-no-sew-scrap-fabric-projects/ and https://danavento.com/craft-a-no-sew-pillow-from-a-t-shirt/). I love the no-sew t-shirt pillows. This can start off as a low-tech makerspace and easily turn into a high-tech creative area depending on the types of sewing machines purchased.
Thank you.
- Wendy -
Hi Wendy, thank you so much for the activity share and project ideas! I can sew a little but not much and I am always looking for ways to learn and share with my class. Your ideas are wonderful projects for me to start on and then teach to my makers. Thanks again for reading! Lauren
DeleteI love this makerspace idea! As someone who got into crafting young in life, this would have been the perfect space for me. I also love that this is a makerspace aimed at a craft that is outside of the normal topics I think we often associate with a makerspace. I also love the idea of having sewing in a makerspace because it is a very useful skill for anyone to have and this could open up an opportunity for children and adults to come together in a space and learn from one another!
ReplyDeleteHey Lauren! How neat! Makerspaces weren't a thing (at my high school at least) when I graduated in 2017. However, we did have a home economics course provided by my high school that taught basic living skills including cooking and sewing. This class was valuable for many students at my high school. Although I never took it, I knew several of my classmates that enjoyed it. It was a fun class to be in since it was so hands on. I love the idea of providing students with the opportunity to use a sewing machine in their school library at a sewing station. Thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLauren I love that you found a resource that discusses sewing in the library! One of my fondest memories from middle school is taking a home economics class and sewing my own sweatshirt and pillow. This is honestly a lost artform that many kids should practice! Funding this can be as simple as asking your school maintenance staff to contact the district and see if any sewing machines are in storage. I know we have an old home economics classroom that has stored machines. I have to say that these blog posting assignments have been so helpful to find great ideas for our own libraries, or in my case my future library!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the idea of having a sewing Makerspace! I'm a novice sewer myself and like (attempting) to make my own clothes for myself and my children. Can you imagine the sense of pride a student would have after designing and creating their own project!? Not to mention, following a sewing pattern requires A LOT of skill! Haha. It's a great way to incorporate reading and math as you stated. Thanks for sharing this idea!
ReplyDeleteHey Lauren!
ReplyDeleteI love how sewing and math went together in that blog post. I am just like you, math is definitely a foreign subject and sewing is not really my thing, but some of the ideas posted seemed fun. I also think bringing sewing into a makerspace is keeping a dying art alive. My husband works for Jostens, the cap and gown company, and he says that it is becoming harder and harder to find people who can sew for one of their sections. I'm glad that others are finding fun and engaging ways to make sure sewing does not die out!