Discovering the world of sustainable and cultural textiles… and adding a side of bling!

Creative Process "From little things, big things grow"  Here is a video of me explaining the inspiration for my design brief and chosen curriculum area. 

Using ICTs and Web Tools in the Classroom In today's digital world, it is essential that teachers have access to and the skills to create engaging resources for students. There are many software programs, online platforms, social media outlets and digital blogs that teachers and educators can use. Below is a list of programs that I enjoy using and believe create and inspire engaging resources.  Canva and Adobe Express When creating online and print works and I would typically use Canva. I find it very user-friendly and it has a great range of tools that are free to use. To broaden my knowledge and skills in this area I decided to try Adobe Express. This software is also very user-friendly but has a lot of additional features. It focuses more on online platforms and has the ability to create webpages, animations, QR codes and also edit videos and photos.  Below is a logo I created using Adobe Express for my personal branding.   Pinterest Pinterest is used to find insp...

  Experiment - Keep Your Body Warm This experiment looks at the insulation characteristics of various materials. The students are able to identify which fabrics and colours hold heat the best.   Insulation Experiment: Keep Your Body Warm | Science project | Education.com Thermal and Insulation Fabrics The below link to the Sew 4 Home webpage lists a number of fabrics that can be used for their thermal properties or insulation.   Thermal Fabrics to Keep Hot Hot and Cold Cold - Sew4Home

Properties of Wool Wool is an incredibly versatile fibre. It is commonly known to come from sheep but can also grow on goats, camels and rabbits.  Here is a list of some of the interesting properties of wool: It insulates against cold and heat. It is water-resistant as the liquid can roll off the surface of the wool. But it can also absorb moisture too. It can stretch. It is durable and doesn't wear out quickly. Wool is fire resistant. It can catch fire but doesn't flare up, melt or stick to the skin. This website contains lesson plans with information about the uses of wool and interesting facts about "from farm to fashion". From farm to fashion (learnaboutwool.com)

 Beeswax Wraps A lesson on how to make beeswax wraps could be not only a fun and hands-on, practical lesson but also covers a lot of curriculum content too! Beeswax wraps are a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to plastic wraps used in the kitchen. They can be made from scrap pieces of cotton fabric and are coated in beeswax, palm resin and oil to create a firm but pliable covering for food.  This first YouTube video demonstrates how easy they are to make using pieces of cotton material.  This next YouTube video shows how effective they are compared to plastic wrap when used for storing fruits and vegetables in the fridge.  Here is a link to my Pinterest board that has a range of pins demonstrating how to make these wraps and also how to use them effectively.  Pinterest - Beeswax Wraps

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures To incorporate the cross-curriculum priority of   Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures the below resources can be included in lesson plans.  YouTube video on traditional basket weaving and the materials used.  A website with information about traditional Aboriginal clothing and the various materials they used for different occasions. Indigenous Australians discovered that different materials have different thermal properties and used them accordingly in their clothing.  Possum Skin Cloak, Animal Skins - Traditional Aboriginal clothing (koorihistory.com) Links to my Pinterest boards with inspiration of Indigenous artwork and dilly bag construction. Pinterest - Indigenous Artwork Pinterest - Dilly Bags

Natural Dyes  Here are two YouTube videos from Gardening Australia about natural, plant-based dyeing.  The first video demonstrates how to use commonly found plants and vegetables to dye fabrics and the processes involved. Suitable for lower grades and is a good introduction to natural dyes. The next video shows how to use a range of different native plants and the unique and unexpected colours they can create. This video would be more suitable for senior years.  Follow the link to find my Pinterest board containing lots of ideas for uses, instructions, and inspirational results of natural dyes. Pinterest - Natural Dyes Find my Instagram page, @a_side_of_bling, to see a posts showing my own experience using onion skins to dye a white children's shirt. 

Australian Curriculum & General Capabilities The Australian Curriculum was developed to ensure that all students, no matter where they live or their background have the same access to quality education (Australian Curriculum, Assessment, and Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2022a). Version 9 of the national curriculum was released this year, in 2022. The curriculum has three dimensions: learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities. See the below image.  There are seven general capabilities of the curriculum and they each assist students to engage in the learning areas. Depending on the learning area, a general capability can be either essential or support the learning (ACARA, 2022b). The seven general capabilities are: Literacy Numeracy ICT Capabilities Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability  Ethical Understanding Intercultural Understanding General Capabilities have the ability to add richness and depth to students learning throu...

Hi, nice to meet you!  I’m Louise, a pre-service secondary education teacher. I live a busy family life as a mum of three young children, aged 7, 4 and 1. After working for the past 12 years in accounting and administration roles within the construction industry I decided to take the plunge and embark on a career change. I have always been interested in education and passionate about cooking, sewing, and all things creative so it was only natural that Home Economics is where I landed. The thing I love most about Home Economics as a subject is you are teaching students skills that they can apply to real life, for the rest of their lives.   I am a lover of textiles and fashion with bold colours, prints and a bit of sparkle. No matter the occasion, I will always have the perfect, fun pair of earrings - a side of BLING!, to compliment an outfit. As a first-generation Australian, ashamedly my knowledge of our indigenous people's culture is poor, however, I am committed to chan...