A Deeper Dive into the World of Stitch, Layers, Transformation, and Photography

A Deeper Dive into the World of Stitch, Layers, Transformation, and Photography Branches Atelier | In-Person, Hands On Evening Workshop Wednesday, December 2 6:00 - 9:00 pm Snacks and Fiber Materials Provided $80 per person What happens when fibers become more than a material to stitch? What stories emerge when we layer, unravel, connect, transform, and use media in the fibers of our explorations? In this immersive, hands-on workshop, educators are invited to deepen their understanding of fibers and stitch as languages of expression, thinking, and communication. Moving beyond the familiar functions of thread, fabric, and needle, we will investigate how fibers build up layers that can invite children and adults to explore relationships, build meaning, and make their thinking visible. Through experimentation with stitching, layering, joining, and the transformation of textile surfaces, we will explore how materials hold possibilities for unexpected discoveries. How might a single thread become a line, a pathway, a connection, or a story? How might transparent, translucent, and opaque layers reveal and conceal? What new meanings emerge when we incorporate photographs that might be, enlarged, cropped, projected, or revisited from another perspective? How might natural materials be incorporated to work with fibers? How might stitch be used on paper? Participants will experiment with translating textile investigations, creating dialogues between physical materials and their other representations. Together, we will consider how these processes can support long-term inquiries in which children return to ideas, revisit previous discoveries, and develop increasingly complex ways to communicate their thinking. Grounded in the 100 Languages of Children, this workshop asks us to consider how fibers, stitch, and layered media might speak to one another—opening new possibilities for children’s expression and for our own pedagogical imagination. Participants will leave with practical material experiments, photographic explorations, and ideas for creating richer environments for inquiry, documentation, and cross-material dialogue in their own learning communities.