17 Create a Woven Communi-Tree

SPRING LAVALLEE / YOUTH SERVICES LIBRARIAN

Salt Lake County Library Services

Type of Library Best Suited for: School or Public

Cost Estimate: $200–$500

Makerspace Necessary? No

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Football games, farmers’ markets, and county fairs. What do all of these events have in common? They are community gathering places, experiences where we can unite with a greater goal in mind and come together to celebrate our collective and individual achievements. Community art is another opportunity to work toward a common goal and embrace a moment of collaborative achievement, but art differs from experience in one major way: art creates. When the football field lights turn off and the local farmers go home, all we are left with are the memories of the fun and camaraderie we shared during those events. When we are finished making art, though, we have a physical representation of our efforts and experiences, a constant reminder of our bonds to our neighbors and community.

The Communi-Tree weaving project is an easy, beginner option for creating a beautiful piece of community art without needing much in the way of resources or space. Individuals or community groups create woven leaves and a tree trunk out of plastic mesh canvas and recycled textile materials. Once the leaves and trunk have been created, the pieces are sewn onto a blank canvas or painted backdrop. The finished product is a stunning, one-of-a-kind representation of your community.

OVERVIEW

The Communi-Tree weaving project is completed in three stages: preparation, weaving, and final construction. In the preparation stage, the librarian(s) or library should plan and collect and prepare materials according to the size of the finished item they wish to create. The finished tree in this project is 9 × 12 feet; the tree can be scaled up or down, depending on your needs, time constraints, and funds. In the weaving stage, participants throughout the community can create a leaf in a one-hour session hosted by the library; this project travels well and is great for outreach activities at schools, senior centers, homeless shelters, housing units, and so on. For this size tree, 300 leaves are recommended, and these can be completed in a series of one-hour sessions. Since the tree trunk is very large, several sessions will be needed to complete it; around 5–10 hours total will be needed, depending on the size of the group working on it. The final construction involves sewing the trunk and leaves onto the canvas, which takes about 25 hours total. However, a small group of 5–8 can work on sewing together, so the final construction could be completed in one long session, if multiple one-hour sessions are undesirable. The entire project can take several months to one year to complete.

MATERIALS LIST

◦ #5 plastic mesh canvas (clear, 10.5 × 13.5 inches)
◦ 3.75 Mesh Graph N’ Latch rug canvas (36 × 60 inches)
◦ 9 × 12-foot fabric canvas, painter’s tarp, or painted cloth backdrop
◦ Variety of recycled or new textile materials such as old T-shirts, scrap fabric, shoelaces, sheets, pillowcases, fabric ribbon, paracord, yarn, and so on
◦ Black thread
◦ Masking tape
◦ Black and clear spray paint
◦ Black Sharpie markers

NECESSARY EQUIPMENT

◦ Scissors
◦ Sewing needles
◦ Cutting mat or cardboard

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation

The finished project is 9 × 12 feet in size. It can be scaled up or down, depending on your needs. Each sheet of plastic mesh will produce about 8 (6 × 4-inch) leaves; for 300 leaves, you will need about 40 sheets total. Once a master has been created, trace the leaves onto the plastic mesh, using a black Sharpie, and cut them out. Then spray paint the leaves black; after two coats of black spray paint, use one coat of clear spray paint to seal the leaves.

The trunk is made out of six Graph n’ Latch mesh canvases stitched together. Place the canvases three across and two wide; using black Sharpie markers, trace the outline of a tree trunk onto the canvas and cut it out. Sew the pieces of the trunk together, and use thicker black material (paracord, shoelaces, yarn, etc.) to reinforce the seams. Spray paint the trunk with two coats of black spray paint and one coat of clear spray paint to seal it.

Textile materials should all be from the same color palette (e.g., brights/neons, jewel-tones, natural colors, etc.). Mixing color palettes will make the entire tree seem less cohesive. Each leaf requires 2–3 feet of recycled materials, cut into thin strips about ½ inch wide; the trunk will need about 200 feet of material. The final pieces are sewn onto a white painter’s tarp that measures 9 × 12 feet.

Once the materials are prepared, consider how you will complete the project, and schedule the sessions. Because weaving takes some fine motor skills, participants should be ages five years or older. One adult should be available for each 10–15 children during a session, to help start the project, switch colors/materials, and troubleshoot. Adults will complete the leaves more quickly, in about thirty minutes.

Weaving

Once the sessions have been planned and the materials prepared, it’s time to start weaving! Participants simply weave the cut textile materials in and out of the holes of the plastic mesh to create their leaf. For children, it is best to tie off one end of their material to the plastic mesh and wrap the other end with a small piece of masking tape; that makes it easier to push the material through the holes without pulling the end through as well.

Participants may want to change colors or materials during their weaving. Simply tie off the loose end, for young children, or, for older children and adults, cut off the excess old material before starting the new one. It’s okay to skip holes or leave blank places on the leaf; encourage participants to experiment with patterns and different ways of weaving so that each leaf is truly unique. Some of the paint may rub off while weaving; that’s okay too. Most of the paint will stay on the leaves, so a little bit flaking off is not a problem.

When weaving the trunk, a small group of 5–10 participants is best. Too big of a group will end up crowding the trunk and making it hard to complete the project. For the trunk, only black materials should be used in the weaving, although different textures of black will make the trunk more interesting to look at. Again, have participants experiment with patterns and weaving techniques on the trunk. The more texture that can be added to the trunk and leaves, the more intriguing the final piece will be.

Final Preparation

Before sewing the leaves and trunk onto the canvas, first prepare the leaves by cutting off excess material and taping any stray pieces to the back with masking tape. It is okay to have some loose pieces in the front, as long as the back is taped in place. Additionally, clean up the trunk by cutting off excess materials and taping the back, where needed.

Once the leaves and trunk have been prepared, sew the trunk onto the canvas. Lay out the canvas on a large table or clean floor. Arrange the tree trunk on the canvas and pin pieces in place. Using a whipstitch, sew the outline of the tree trunk onto the canvas with black thread. During this process, watch carefully to ensure the canvas and trunk are straight and not bunching. One to two inches between stitches is fine; the trunk should be pretty light, and it doesn’t need to be sewn too tightly or it will bunch the canvas.

Finally, prepare to sew the leaves onto the canvas. First, sew most of the leaves into bunches of 2–5 leaves; layer the leaves so they overlap a little, and sew the touching parts together to create small clusters. Some of the leaves can be left individual to fill in blank spots where needed. Next arrange the leaves on your canvas. Trying putting bunches of leaves in different directions, aligned with the branches of the tree trunk. Some leaves may layer over the top of part of the trunk or branches; this adds depth and texture to the piece. If you have extra leaves once the branches have been filled in, consider piling some leaves at the trunk of the tree to make it look as though leaves are falling to the ground. Once the leaves have been laid out, sew them onto the canvas using black thread and a whipstitch. Like the trunk, the stitches can be spread out an inch or so, so long as the leaf is well-attached.

Once the entire project is complete, display your beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece of community art! The weaving can be displayed by hanging it on a curtain rod with drapery clips, or by cutting small slits in the top of the canvas and sliding the curtain rod through the openings. Consider placing a plaque or small sign near the piece to explain its construction and significance to the community. An unveiling party is also a nice way to celebrate the completion of this large project; invite all the participants who created pieces of this weaving, and thank them for their contributions to the final art piece.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

◦ Participants will hone fine motor skills that come from cutting/preparing materials, weaving, and sewing.

◦ Patterning and artistic arrangement are also used to create the leaves and complete the final sewing of the art piece.

◦ Community art allows the community to participate in a project that expresses their individuality and helps bond members together with a common purpose. Social skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and cooperation with others are major learning outcomes in this project.

RECOMMENDED NEXT PROJECTS

Once a community art piece has been completed for the library, consider partnering with another organization (such as a school, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, recreation center, etc.) to create their own community art. A living sculpture made out of individually folded origami pieces is an easy and affordable option, or a more serious undertaking may be to partner with a local artist to create a tile mosaic. Historical societies and senior centers could be potential partners for a community scrapbook art piece, as well.