Well actually we started with a square of paper. These were folded, rolled and cut into to discover the plethora of forms that can be made from just an 8" square of paper. A range of bags, boxes, bowls and other containers quickly built up on the table in multicoloured paper creating a colourful array of objects.

These models helped us realise where any decoration would be needed and which areas would be hidden. We also found out how the alignment of any linear decoration would need to be altered with the folds and tucks.

So the next question set was how to take the desired design forward into textiles. Paper has a subtle strength to it whereas most fabrics do not stand up without strengthening. A range of stitch techniques and interfacings were explored to discover the way these affect the feel of the fabric and whether they gave sufficient strength for thr project in mind.

The final construction element was how to cover the edges of the fabric and how to make machined cords to hold any structures closed.

With the form, the decoration, the stability and the finishing touches explored, it was now time to make a decision as to which to make. Was it to be a bag, a box or a bowl. After a rummage through a treasure trove fabric box, stitching started to create the chosen designs. As you can see from the attached photos, there was a great collection of exciting and beautiful pieces made and the students left with inspiration to make more on their return home