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Fries, Virginia exists because of the Fries Textile Mill. The closing of the mill calls into question the future of the community of Fries. The decline of the town can be tied to the closing of the mill. Conversely, the revitalization of the mill should help to reshape the town. Even as it stands empty, the mill continues to be a massive presence on the hillside overlooking the New River. It is possible to turn this symbol of the past into a hope for the future. About a century ago an imposing brick building intruded on the serenity of that hillside above the New River. That building was an intrusion then, but it is an integral part of the landscape now. The mill is the landmark that defines the town. It is also functionally obsolete. New construction at the mill is necessary to turn it into something that can be productive in today's economy. The new construction at the mill is designed to reveal and emphasize the qualities of the building and the town which already exist. The existing mill structure has become the warp, and a new structure is to be woven into it. It is designed to enhance the old structure and to do it in a way that is less intrusive than the original construction. Three new buildings have been sculpted out of the existing mill, through carefully adding new structure and subtracting from the existing building. The mill has been modified so that it might fit in today's world, and the town of Fries is about to begin its next chapter. / Master of Architecture

This thesis explores the design of a T-shaped brick and its influence throughout the course of the project. The T-brick established a significant direction towards weaving masonry and my firsthand recognition of the utmost importance of poetic construction for an architect. This thesis helps to affirm that construction is vital for architecture to be autonomous. Programmatic requirements, technology, social change, new inventions, etc., distract from the potential of architecture. We must first concern ourselves with how a building is to be made and trust that those things outside of architecture will only be right when a building is ready to accept them, not vice versa. But, that is not to say a building should not serve human needs well. Rather, serving needs well is but a bare minimum of good architecture. / Master of Architecture

This was an ethnographic study of the woven tent objects produced by the Bedouin Otaibah tribe in Najd, central Saudi Arabia; the study examines origin, techniques, character and significance of their weavings. A major objective of the researcher was to discern the relationship between the weavers' development of traditions and the factors of technique, medium and perceived meaning. The method used was investigative fieldwork that included techniques of face to face interviews and participant observation. Interviews with 50 Bedouin female weavers in Najd were conducted for 8 months. Background information on the Otaibah tribe and their traditional way of life was provided. The review of the literature of traditional arts, folk arts and art education illustrates that there is limited accessible information concerning the general history of traditional arts in Saudi Arabia. A discussion of the aesthetic value, definitions and roles of traditional art, tribal art and the differences between art and crafts was included. Analysis of data answered the study's questions through a presentation of the findings of the fieldwork. The Otaibah tribe has its own unique style of weaving. Information gathered from participant observation and documents from the Haifa Faisal Collection of Saudi Arabian Traditional Arts in Chicago supplements information obtained by interview. The findings indicate that as a result of modernization and settlement, traditional Bedouin weavings are gradually being replaced. Weavers find themselves forced to compete with a deluge of imported machine-made goods, a development changing structure of the culture from nomadic to semi--modernized creating a new foundation of social and economic life for the society. The.results of the study provide a curriculum base for art education in Saudi Arabia. Suggestions for further studies, recommendations and the implications for art education are included.

In this paper I have investigated the role of the weaver, from my own perspective as a weaver. I have discussed weaving in relation to function and painting, and how the weaving process and the collaboration with the loom have a great impact on what I create. I have found it difficult to believe in the future as a weaver, and with this project I wanted to find a meaning with weaving that I can lean on.   All five weaves are woven on the same warp, I call it a warp family. Every weave is a try and a failure to weave a rug. Instead they have all turned into different characters, portraying my ongoing struggle with, and love for, the warp.    I’ve come to the conclusion that for me the rug is a symbol for honesty in making, and that it’s function is to remind us about values that often are neglected. The visible process, the human presence, is then more important than aspects like functionality or perfection.

There is a link between the tactile and optical modes of perception. Woven textiles’ materiality and ability to take three dimensional form, make them a good medium for creating shapes containing several pattern scales and textures. By conciously working with tactile-visual qualities and aesthetics one can achieve the most powerful effects, and in turn, the textile can take the role of a sensation director. By interpreting Kasuri with large scaled threads on a computerized hand loom and in space, an exploration of details and spatial installation can be conducted simultaneously. The five examples developed in this project demonstrate different approaches to dimensional hand weaving, intending to build a better understanding of micro and macro spatial features in woven textiles. Significantly, the project challenges the scale of hand weaving as well as the design process: stretching from thread to dimensional weave empowers the designer. By highlighting crafted details on a large scale, a sequence of events can be discerned that makes the spectator aware of quality and of the production process. Parallels between the body of work and our perception of lines and interspaces are drawn as an attempt to refine our relation to the objects around us.

This research seeks to create new woven artefacts by integrating elements of traditional weaving from western Saudi Arabia and different kinds of materials for the warp, thus offering a new dimension to the field of hand weaving in Saudi society, and contributing to its development. For the researcher’s MA study, she was interested in western modern weaving and textiles in terms of its new weave techniques, methods, forms, design and function. But, with the commencement of her PhD study, she thought more about Saudi traditional weaving as a key reference. Her interest developed when she worked as a weaver and teacher of the art. Through work experience, the researcher has observed that the field of hand weaving in Saudi Arabia, particularly the traditional Bedouin approach, is rich in aesthetic values and techniques, but is not widespread. Some effort is required to find ways to develop this kind of weaving and to introduce the new forms, appearance and techniques to Saudi Arabian society. At the same time, this might be considered an invitation to Saudi weavers to join the researcher in reclaiming our past to suit the needs of the present time.

The work of this MA thesis develops a new approach to hand weaving in which the design process is led by the technique of resistant dyeing. The process is inspired by the visual properties of traditional ikats. It follows the technical ikat procedure of primary resistant dyeing and subsequently weaving. Whithin the research a new way of weaving is explored in which the dyed thread dictates the weaving process and therefore influences the weaving motif. In addition different design variables such as material, binding pattern and finishing are used to push forward the developed concept. The aim of this work is to explore new aesthetic expressions between regular and irregular motifs through the application of design thinking. The result presents an innovative approach in the ikat technique in order to create random distributed patterns and how they can be already influenced in the stage of yarn preparation.

This work describes the process from sketch to functional textile. Starting points are thoughts about the transition from sketch to fabric, and the possibility to sketch before decisions are made about the quality of the final fabric. The first result of this study is the final product, a hand weaved clothing in thin wool that fulfils set demands. The second result is the knowledge that it is possible to make a purposeful sketch without knowing the final product. / Uppsatsnivå: C

The focus of this thesis is to visually show the significance and relationship between the use of natural materials, and geometric patterns used in Māori weaving. The patterns will reflect indigenous episteme of artistic and tacit knowledge. These patterns are significant to the Māori worldview of kaitiakitanga (stewardship of knowledge), which is cognisant in the ontology of Māori weaving. These patterns are significant forms of Māori cultural symbols that reflect elements of nature, evolution of time and space. The focus is to show how natural materials can be utilised in an art form that embraces bicultural activity, as a reference to customary and new age methods of thinking and practice. This leads to self-enquiry and our own responsibilities, only to ask ourselves; What are the guiding principles within art and design, that upholds the core values of Mātauranga Māori? (Māori epistemological thinking). The concept of this thesis is to define the cultural significance of kaitiakitanga (stewardship), through the preservation of Mātauranga Māori and practice as weavers and artists. This concept challenges our own understanding of what we know and what we don’t know about the relationships between people, place, environment and use. The methods and processes used for this work will be based on customary practices and methods, using native materials, endemic to New Zealand. These materials will be harvested at different time periods. The methodologies used in this project, is a product of intrinsic knowledge and testing new boundaries, through researching more specific detail about varieties of harakeke (New Zealand flax) cultivars, testing the flexibility, functionality and durability of materials. This will challenge the test, of making sure that the methods used will be significantly practiced throughout the processes involved in the making of artistic pieces of work, in accordance to tikanga (protocols). The use of native materials enhances cultural values of kaitiakitanga as a metaphor, which asserts sustainability of Māori epistemological notions of practice and meaning.This also applies to the visual language of Māori. The concept of visual language embraces metaphoric meanings and understanding, which relates to our co-existence with the earth, animals and the elements. All these elements of nature are contained within symbolic traditional patterns. Some of these patterns have derived from phenomena of thought structure, historical events and our co-existence through our connectedness to the land, waters, oceans, sky and universe. How can Māori forms of art be embraced and imbued, in modern society, that signifies place, belonging and cultural enhancement?